Going vegan – that’s eating nothing animal-related (even honey is out) – is the celebrity food fad of the moment, with Robbie Williams, Brad Pitt, Beyoncé, Jay Z and even Miley Cyrus claiming to have adopted the diet.
Now high street food chains have jumped on the bandwagon, with sandwich specialists Pret a Manger and chicken-shop Nandos listing vegan dishes on the menu.
A third of the half a million vegans in the UK follow the diet for perceived health benefits, according to a recent YouGov survey.
Vegan Margherita Rustica, Zizzi, £10.60 1,093 cals, 52g fat, 31g saturated fat, 6.4g sugar, 5.4g salt ‘Zizzi’s vegan Rustica contains the same amount of saturated fat as in 100g of lard, and the salt content is close to the daily maximum of 6g’
Yasai Samla Curry Wagamama, £9.95 1,008 cals, 9.4g sugar, 49.3g fat, 22.5g protein, 22.4g sat fat, 1.9g salt ‘Contains the entire recommended intake of saturated fat, almost twice the fat of a lamb vindaloo and half a woman’s daily calorie intake’
Falafel Coconut & Cashew Flatbread Pret a Manger, £4.50 450 cals, 12g sugar, 14g fat, 5g sat fat, 13g protein, 1.3g salt ‘More sugar than a bowl of cream of tomato soup and four digestive biscuits, but a relatively good balance of protein and fat’
But dietician Dr Carrie Ruxton says they might be in for a shock.
‘People have realised that eating more fresh veg and fruit, beans, pulses and grains, and less meat and fish, is better for us.
But that doesn’t mean that a meal labelled vegan or vegetarian is healthier than other options. The opposite may be true.’
One example is the latest invention from McDonald’s: The ‘McVegan’ – a burger made of plants and hailed as a guilt-free take on the 500-plus calorie Big Mac.
Vegan Giardiniera Pizza Express, £10.20 825 cals, 11g sugar, 35g fat, 11g sat fat, 21g protein, 5.5g salt ‘More than half of your sat fat limit in one pizza – and more fat than in non-vegan pizzas such as pepperoni, or two individual tubs of Häagen-Dazs’
Sweet Potato And Butternut Burger Nandos(also comes in a wrap), £6.25 490 cals, 9.3g sugar, 14.8g fat, 1.3g sat fat, 14.2g protein, 73.8g carbs, 2.6g salt ‘The medium-hot version has more calories than KFC’s chicken fillet burger, and is high in salt. The potato is a good source of fibre’
Vegan Mediterranean Mezze Salad Leon, £5.95 454 cals, 9g sugar, 17g total fat, 5g sat fat, 8g protein, 1.9g salt ‘At least two of your five-a-day and relatively low in sat fat. However, it provides less than 20 per cent of the recommended daily protein intake’
It’s free from animal produce, but contains 30 per cent more sugar than a McChicken Sandwich and twice the salt.
Vegan Society dietician Heather Russell says: ‘Vegan diets are linked to a reduction in heart disease, cholesterol and some cancers.’
Yet, with some plant-based foods containing as much saturated fat as TWO tubs of Häagen-Dazs ice cream, is going green the best option?
Here, Dr Ruxton gives her verdict on some of the chains’ vegan lunch options…
Hippy Dippy Burger Gourmet Burger Kitchen, £7.95 598 cals, 22.8g fat, 4g sat fat, 5g protein, 12.6g sugar, 3.1g salt ‘More than half your daily salt limit, more calories than in a chip-shop battered cod and just ten per cent of the recommended daily protein intake’
Blood Orange And Chocolate Tart Ask, £5.95 451 cals, 49g sugar, 12g fat, 5.5g sat fat, 0.9g salt ‘One slice of this non-dairy chocolate tart contains ten teaspoons of sugar, which is more than you’ll find in a can of Coke or 100g of Haribo sweets’
With some plant-based foods containing as much saturated fat as TWO tubs of Häagen-Dazs ice cream, going green might not always be the best option