ABSTRACT
Dietary choices profoundly influence both individual and environmental health in surprisingly parallel ways. The scientific literature reveals a growing interest related to the environmental impact of food production and the Western diet’s influence on health outcomes. A Whole Foods Plant-Based Diet can be defined as a dietary pattern that partially or completely excludes animal products and emphasizes nutrient-dense, minimally processed plant-based foods like vegetables, fruits, whole grains, legumes, nuts and seeds, and healthy oils. Vegetarian and vegan dietary patterns not only demonstrate the potential for both the prevention and amelioration of chronic disease, but also offer solutions for reducing the environmental impact of food production. Research has shown that dietary patterns with little to no animal products can lead to a risk for suboptimal iodine status, increasing the potential for thyroid dysfunction. Cobalamin is a vitamin synthesized by bacteria found only in animals and there are no bioactive sources found in plants.
