Nigella Lawson lasted two weeks on vegan diet before she ‘needed eggs, suddenly’

‘I couldn’t be vegan, though I do love vegetables. I don’t see the point,’ says the TV cook

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Nigella Lawson has admitted she was only able to do a vegan diet for two weeks before she began craving eggs.

The TV cook and cookbook author told The Sunday Times she felt “very run down” after two weeks of trying to go vegan.

She said that while she respects the views of those who subscribe to a fully plant-based diet, she believes humans “have the teeth for meat”.

The Cook, Eat, Repeat author said: “I couldn’t be vegan, though I do love vegetables. I don’t see the point.

“I’m very happy to not eat so much meat, but I do love it.”

Lawson said after trying to go vegan for two weeks, she felt she “needed eggs, suddenly”.

Nutrient-rich eggs contain proteins, vitamins and minerals that are difficult to replicate in a vegan diet. They are considered a “complete” source of protein and are rich in nutrients that promote good heart health.

However, in recent years, a number of vegan egg products have been developed that contain vitamins such as B12. Other alternatives, such as aquafaba and tofu, have gained popularity.

Lawson, who regularly praises people’s attempts at cooking her recipes on Twitter, said she didn’t see how plant-based food is “better for you” due to “intensive factory-making”.

“As far as I’m concerned I want to eat proper food, and I don’t want to lecture anyone because I feel, well, I cling to the thing that we have the teeth for meat and so it’s natural for us to want to eat it,” she said.

“I know it’s an argument that a lot of vegans disagree with… I respect that position but I feel that I’m not ready.”

Nutritionist Eva Humphries told The Independent earlier this month that vegan meat alternatives fall in the ultra-processed food category and can lack nutrients more readily available in meat.

She said: “From a nutritional perspective, there’s a lot more we need to do to make meat alternatives on par with real meat. But I’m definitely referring to high-quality meat sources and I wouldn’t say it’s necessary to eat meat every day.”

Samantha Calvert, of the Vegan Society, told The Sunday Times that there was no reliable evidence that vegans consumed more ultra-processed food than anyone else, adding that the “healthiest and least expensive vegan diet is cooked from scratch and focuses on fresh fruit and vegetables along with beans and pulses”.