Which Is Better for Health?

• A new study suggests that well-designed plant-based dietary plans could match the nutritional quality of a Mediterranean-style omnivorous dietary pattern.
• Researchers compared four 7-day meal plans for different dietary plans, which offered similar amounts of macronutrients.
• The findings suggest that adopting a plant-forward lifestyle can help maintain optimal nutrition while reducing environmental impact.

Health experts often praise the Mediterranean diet as one of the healthiest ways to eat, thanks to its focus on whole foods, such as fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and lean proteins, and its limit on processed foods.

However, a recent study published in Frontiers in Nutrition suggests that plant-based eating can offer similar nutritional benefits. As a bonus, the findings suggest that plant-based eating can also help reduce a person’s environmental footprint.

Researchers from the University of Granada and the Spanish National Research Council modeled four different week-long menus, each providing about 2,000 calories a day.

Although the menus were theoretical and didn’t account for real-life variables such as personal food choices or cooking habits, the study demonstrates that plant-based diets can be nutritionally adequate and environmentally conscious.

Still, the researchers emphasize that anyone choosing a plant-based approach should be strategic to ensure they’re getting enough key nutrients.

The study found that carefully designed plant-based dietary plans could meet most of the same nutritional targets as a typical Mediterranean-style omnivorous diet.

Macronutrients play major roles in energy levels, hormone production, and overall body function, which is why getting the right balance is so important.

However, the study also acknowledges some gaps in meeting micronutrient targets. These refer to vitamins and minerals, where a deficiency could cause severe and even life threatening conditions.

All four diets fell short on vitamin D and iodine, and the vegan dietary plan was particularly low in vitamin B12. None of the dietary patterns met the recommended levels of omega-3.

This means that people following a plant-based dietary pattern may need to pay special to certain nutrients. For example, those considering a vegan dietary plan may need to supplement their diet with fortified foods or supplements and periodically monitor their vitamin B12 levels.

Noelia Rodríguez, PhD, a researcher at the Spanish National Research Council, who was involved in the study, advised “sun, salt, and supplements” to help meet these nutritional needs. This refers to getting safe amounts of sunshine and using iodized salt, fortified foods, and a vitamin B12 supplement.

Michelle Routhenstein, MS, RD, CDCES, CDN, a preventive cardiology dietitian and founder of Entirely Nourished, said that it’s essential to examine your overall diet and lifestyle comprehensively to address potential nutritional gaps. Routhenstein wasn’t involved in the study.

“Careful planning is important to identify alternative sources that provide the key nutrients found in the foods they avoid. Working with a registered dietitian can make this process easier and more reliable, so you can confidently maintain nutritional adequacy while aligning with your dietary choices,” Routhenstein told Healthline.

On the other hand, the vegan menu provided more vitamin B1 and iron than the eating plans that included animal products.

Beyond nutrition, the study highlights how shifting from a typical Western dietary plan to a plant-based one could significantly cut greenhouse gas emissions by 54 to 87%.

Using a life cycle assessment, the researchers estimate that a vegan dietary plan could reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 46%, use 33% less land, and decrease water deprivation by approximately 6.6% compared to the omnivorous Mediterranean diet.

Plant-based dietary patterns may also benefits other environmental areas, like ecosystem health and reductions in human-related toxic impacts.

Interestingly, the study even suggests that the vegan model could lower daily disease incidence by 56% compared with the omnivorous baseline.

It’s important to remember that this was a modeling study, not a trial involving real people.

That means the results show what could work under ideal conditions, not necessarily what will happen in everyday life. Factors such as cost, taste preferences, cooking skills, and access to fortified foods can influence these eating plans.

The study also assumes that people can consistently make careful food substitutions, which can be tough without guidance or planning.

Still, the findings provide encouraging evidence for those considering a shift toward a plant-based diet. With some planning, it’s possible to maintain good nutrition while also making choices that benefit the planet.

Rodríguez suggested making small and easy changes to include more plant-based foods. “Start small and make it tasty,” she told Healthline.

“Swap half the meat in bolognese for lentils, try a quick tofu or tempeh stir-fry, keep canned beans, frozen veggies, and pre-cooked grains on hand, top meals with nuts and seeds, aim for half the plate fruit/veg, and batch-cook once a week so the plant-rich choice is the easy choice.”

However, it’s also worth noting that plant-based meat alternatives can vary widely in their nutritional quality, so they’re not always healthier by default.

The key takeaway is that you do not need to go fully plant-based to make a difference.

Making small changes that incorporate more plant-based meals can help you maintain optimal nutrition and still reduce your carbon footprint.