INTERVIEW. Veganuary 2025: Is it possible to have a healthy diet without meat ? A nutritionist's answers

Between omnivorism, vegetarianism and veganism, food choices reflect nutritional, ethical and environmental issues. But what does a diet without meat or any animal products really imply? ? Laurent Chevallier, a nutritionist practicing in a hospital clinic in Montpellier, answers this question on the occasion of Veganuary 2025.

Can we stop eating meat or consume no animal products? ?

Meat is part of a balanced diet, but it is possible to have one without meat. However, completely stopping the consumption of animal products is another story.

What is the proportion of people concerned by veganism in France? ?

Veganism affects around 2% of the French population. We talk about it a lot in the media, but it actually affects very few people.

If you eat a lot of plants, your digestion is slower

What is the perception of livestock farming in the debate on meat?

We tend to generalize by presenting all livestock farming as places of animal suffering, without distinguishing between traditional livestock farming, which is often respectful of animals, and industrial livestock farming, where practices can be problematic.

What is in vitro meat, and what are the issues associated with it??

In vitro meat is produced in a laboratory from muscle cells. It is promoted by large companies under the pretext of eliminating animal suffering and limiting the ecological impact. However, these arguments are contested, in particular because of the energy costs and the social and economic implications for agriculture.

What is Veganuary??

Veganuary is a non-profit organization that encourages individuals around the world to adopt a 100% plant-based diet during the month of January and beyond.

Since its launch in 2014, she has motivated and supported millions of people to discover the plant-based lifestyle. In 2024 alone, more than 2,100 vegan products and menus have been created especially for Veganuary at around the world.

Throughout the year, the organization supports individuals and businesses in their transition to a plant-based diet, with the goal of preserving the environment, reducing animal suffering, and improving the health of millions of people.

Why are humans omnivores ?

It is probably an adaptive factor on Earth, that is to say that if you eat a lot of plants, your digestion is slower. The human intestine is three times shorter than the chimpanzee intestine because, precisely, humans have a diet that contains a little fat, a little animal protein, while chimpanzees do not.

What is the meat consumption among the French?

Our meat consumption is totally excessive because there was a misunderstanding. After the war, meat symbolised social status and an increase in purchasing power. It was considered that only the rich could afford it, especially after the war, when people started to eat more meat even though it was not at all justified from a nutritional point of view. In the 1950s, meat consumption was around 40-50 kg per year per capita. She then went up to 95 kg and went back down to around 83.

Our meat consumption is excessive

Is meat consumption therefore essential in daily life?

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No, the recommended intake is about 400 to 500 grams of meat per week per person. After the war, people were told to eat meat at least once a day because people were very malnourished and very anemic. Over time, this is less true.

What nutrients does meat provide?

Meat provides protein, heme iron (easily assimilated) and vitamin B12, essential for the formation of red blood cells. These nutrients can also be found, to a lesser extent, in eggs, fish and dairy products.

We also have proteins of good biological value, that is to say that we have all the amino acids we need to make our own proteins.

How to ensure sufficient protein intake with a vegan diet ?

A vegan diet requires combining plant sources of protein such as legumes and cereals. Vegans often need to take vitamin B12 supplements to avoid deficiencies, as it is only found in animal products.

“I was bottle-fed on blanquette and lamb shoulder”: Testimony of a Veganuary participant

In 1996, after creating the Anti-Bullfighting Alliance in Nîmes, Claire Starozinski made a radical choice: to stop eating meat. Immersed in the world of animal protection, she was shocked by the living conditions of animals, especially pigs whose intelligence is comparable to that of a five-year-old child.

The activist gradually stopped eating fish and cheese. “The cow produces milk only if she has a calf, but for that, she is forcibly inseminated. Her calf, separated from her, is fattened before going to the slaughterhouse. And this milk, which should feed her calf, is used to make cheese”, she explains.

What led her to cook differently, she who was “bottle-fed blanquette and lamb shoulder”.

However, she continues to eat some animal products such as honey and eggs. But for Veganuary, she decides to take on a new challenge: committing to eating only plant-based foods for a month while being careful about éavoid nutritional deficiencies.

“We all know the carbon footprint that meat generates. Anyone, without being vegan, can reduce the amount of meat they eat. animal products if only to protect humanity. So even if you are not vegan, every little effort you make will go in the right direction, “, she insists.

How much protein should you consume daily?

1 g per kg of body weight, in other words, if you weigh 70 kg, you need 70 g of protein. We know that a 100 g steak from the butcher has almost 30 g of protein. But you're also going to get protein from legumes. Lentils have about 25g of protein even though they don't have all the amino acids.

What dietary risks are associated with trends like veganism among young people?

We see imbalances in young adolescents and we are a little worried. When we do blood tests, we see that the iron level is indeed a little limited and the vitamin D level is not very good, causing fatigue and other problems. These tendencies can also promote obsessive behaviors towards food, such as orthorexia.

Whereas in vegetarian adults, I have rarely seen deficiencies. They have a slightly different approach to food and are generally quite knowledgeable about the processes.

What do you think about alternative products like “veggie steaks” ?

At the European level, “vegetable steaks”, whose term “steak” is problematic, are presented as innovative while they are often ultra-processed products containing additives such as flavorings and colorings.

We are seeing imbalances among young adolescents

Will someone who eats meat all year round and decides to stop for a month see any changes or benefits??

Reducing your meat consumption is pretty good. The benefits of eating a lot of plants are: fewer cardiovascular diseases and an interesting polyphenol intake. People, once again, are careful to take a little legumes with a little cereals as little processed as possible, because it is not always very well digested.

Is it complicated to have a balanced diet?

No, I don't think so. It's half the plate in vegetables, a quarter in starches and a quarter in animal-based food.

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