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Health

Vegan diets have good levels of key amino acids, but there's a catch

It is harder for our bodies to absorb key nutrients from plant-based foods, so some vegans may be short on essential amino acids for healthy muscles and bones despite eating plenty of protein

By Grace Wade

16 April 2025

preparing a vegan meal

It isn’t necessarily easy to absorb important amino acids from vegan foods

SolStock/Getty Images

While most vegans eat enough protein, it seems many fall short on essential amino acids such as lysine and leucine, according to a new study. The finding suggests vegans may need to be more careful about the kind of protein in their diet, not just the quantity they consume.

Patricia Soh at the Riddet Institute in Palmerston North, New Zealand, and her colleagues analysed the diets of 193 adults living in New Zealand who had been vegan for at least two years prior to the study.…

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