How GPs can support patients who choose a plant-based diet.
Australians have a growing appetite for plant-based dietary patterns.
However, when it comes to practically meeting health needs, nutritional requirements and balancing the desire to be more sustainable, there’s a lot to consider and patients are increasingly turning to healthcare professionals for guidance.
With this in mind, and appreciating GPs are already under enormous strain, it has never been more important to ensure that patients are receiving the right advice, especially with more people resorting to self-diagnosis.
We don’t have to look far to see this in practice; recent research conducted by CSIRO revealed that making food choices based on emissions is a simplistic view of sustainability and can result in compromising one’s nutritional intake – yet this is a frequent occurrence.
While food fads come and go, plant-based dietary patterns are here to stay. However there are misconceptions about what constitutes a plant-based dietary pattern, with an Australian study revealing 55% of consumers and nutrition professionals believed a plant-based dietary pattern to be a plant only or vegan exclusive diet.
Put simply, ‘plant-based dietary pattern’ is an umbrella term for a variety of dietary patterns that emphasise food derived from plants, including omnivore, flexitarian, vegetarian and vegan. Plant-based dietary patterns are flexible and can include animal sourced foods, such as dairy (milk, cheese, and yoghurt)1.
Current Australian and international dietary guidelines recommend plant-based dietary patterns to support positive health outcomes2. Dietary modelling shows that a plant-rich dietary pattern that also includes nutrient dense dairy foods enhances the diet and increases the likelihood of nutritional adequacy 3,4.
Here are three key benefits of including dairy in a plant-based dietary pattern that your patients need to know:
- Incorporating nutrient-rich dairy foods not only enhances the nutritional adequacy of a plant-based diet, but adds to taste, variety, and enjoyment 5 ,6, 7. Popular plant-based dietary patterns such as the Mediterranean and DASH diets emphasise whole foods such as whole grains, vegetables, fruits, nuts, legumes, and include milk, cheese, and yoghurt. These dietary patterns are associated with positive health outcomes, including a reduced risk of heart disease, stroke, high blood pressure, and type 2 diabetes 8.
- Dairy foods offer a unique matrix of nutrients, including high quality protein and calcium, in a highly absorbable form. This nutrient content cannot be compared to, or replicated by, plant-based alternatives.
- Dairy foods offer health benefits to the whole family. Dairy foods are associated with a range of positive health benefits for people of all ages, ranging from infants, teens, adults, and seniors. Consuming dairy across all ages can help support in the development of strong bones and teeth, healthy muscles, healthy gut and more.
Plant foods provide plenty of fibre and an array of unique antioxidants and nutrients. However, they lack nutrients like vitamin B12, long chain omega-3 fats and are low in absorbable forms of iron, zinc, and calcium. Dairy can help fill in these nutrient gaps, while adding to taste, variety, and enjoyment of a plant-based dietary pattern9.
Excluding those with allergies and intolerances, plant-based beverages struggle to replicate the unique nutrient package that milk offers. Stacked up against milk, plant-based beverages contain a different package of vitamins and minerals, which are often added through fortification. These fortified nutrients appear in smaller quantities, which may differ depending on the type and brand of beverage, and often aren’t as well absorbed by the body10.
Through increased interest and interprofessional learning, such as nutrition, we can build our cross-discipline awareness and improve patient care and health outcomes within our communities.
For more information on plant-based diets and further resources to support your patient, visit https://www.dairy.com.au/healthcare-professionals/the-dairy-food-group
Author: Melissa Cameron, Human Health and Nutrition Policy Manager at Dairy Australia.
References
- Salas-Salvadó J, Becerra-Tomás N, Papandreou C, Bulló M. Dietary patterns emphasizing the consumption of plant foods in the management of type 2 diabetes: a narrative review. Adv Nutr. 2019;10(S4):S320-S331.
- Food and Agriculture Organization. Food-based dietary guidelines. Available: fao.org/nutrition/education/food-based-dietary-guidelines.
- Food and Agriculture Organization. Food-based dietary guidelines. Available: fao.org/nutrition/education/food-based-dietary-guidelines.
- R Salas-Salvadó J, Becerra-Tomás N, Papandreou C, Bulló M. Dietary patterns emphasizing the consumption of plant foods in the management of type 2 diabetes: a narrative review. Adv Nutr.2019;10(S4):S320-S331.
- Cifelli CJ, Houchins JA, Demmer E, Fulgoni VL. Increasing plant based foods or dairy foods differentially affects nutrient intakes: Dietary scenarios using NHANES 2007–2010. Nutrients. 2016;8(7):422-435.
- Demmer E, Cifelli CJ, Houchins JA, Fulgoni VL. The impact of doubling dairy or plant-based foods on consumption of nutrients of concern and proper bone health for adolescent females. Public Health Nutr. 2017;20(5):824-831.
- Houchins JA, Cifelli CJ, Demmer E, Fulgoni VL III. Diet modelling in older Americans: The impact of increasing plant-based foods or dairy products on protein intake. J Nutr Health Aging. 2017;21(6):673-680.
- R Salas-Salvadó J, Becerra-Tomás N, Papandreou C, Bulló M. Dietary patterns emphasizing the consumption of plant foods in the management of type 2 diabetes: a narrative review. Adv Nutr.2019;10(S4):S320-S331.
- Dairy Australia. How does cow’s milk compare to plant-based beverages?. Available: cdn prod.dairyaustralia.com.au/-/media/dairy/files/healthresources/dairy_and_plant basedbeverages.pdf?rev=133c97648c2745e5bc0fead6ae406090&hash=CB39B11F7EB896A8F5C87C1140F4B381.
