Recently I blogged about the health benefits of a vegan diet.
Well, lo and behold, I get an email from Faunalytics (a research library for those of us promoting a more humane lifestyle) that includes an abstract from a position paper published by the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics providing guidelines for helping vegans and vegetarians reach optimal health.
What does the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics think of a vegetarian or vegan diet?
It is the position of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics that appropriately planned vegetarian, including vegan, diets are healthful, nutritionally adequate, and may provide health benefits for the prevention and treatment of certain diseases.
Whoa! Read that again my friends! They actually said that my diet can prevent and treat certain diseases.
I didn’t actually read the paper because I would have had to pay to do that, and, well, that ain’t happening.
But here’s a paper you can read in its entirety: Farm Animal Investment Risk and Return’s The Future of Food: The Investment Case for a Protein Shake Up. In a nutshell, this paper says what we all know: animal agriculture is not sustainable to meet the protein needs of a growing population. They discuss where investors would best serve their needs as well as the needs of the planet through their investments. If you have money or simply have a conscience, give it a go. I just skimmed but found it fascinating.
The wave of the future is eating less meat, people! Want to be a trendsetter? Go vegan!
Dogpaddling Through Life 
we had vegan schnitzels today… guess what? they were much better than any meat…. I totally love it to cook without any animal related things… sadly the prices here are eggstremely high… :o(((
The good news is there are lots of vegan food blogs to help you make it yourself- and it’ll be cheaper AND taste better!
A vegan diet can definitely improve the health of someone eating the Standard American Die (SAD) in the short term, but eating that way in the long term requires vigilance. I think a vegetarian diet that includes pasture raised eggs would be easier. I usually eat a raw vegan diet (except for one or two hard boiled eggs) for breakfast and lunch and then have a dinner with my wife that may or may not include meat.
Any healthy diet requires vigilance, of course. Sounds like you have a healthy diet plan for yourself!
It’s not perfect, especially since my wife’s diet plan is not mine, but I work with what I have.
Nothing ever is, is it?
That there are lots of vegan food blogs, as you wrote in response to a comment, is really helpful because buying vegan made foods can be very expensive. Thanks for this.
Right! Sriram can be $5 for a couple of servings, but you can buy vital wheat gluten and make your own that’s much cheaper.
Good for you. Works for us
Good article, even for those of us who would LIKE to be vegan but just can’t ‘digest’ the whole idea yet. I agree, the world needs to change its eating habits and find better places for a protein diet to replace meat. Unsustainable and inhumane. I eat as much non-meat meals as I can, and have a new-found love for ALL veggies. 🙂
We each choose each meal what we will eat, what we can live with. You choose what is right for you. It’s no one else’s place to make that decision for you or me.
Giving up meat was the best decision I made. Well that and deciding to get divorced, but that’s another story. LOL
It was for me in both counts as well.
😉
Veganism is so daunting to me…but I am getting a little closer everyday. I really enjoy the taste of vegan “cheese.”
It is your choice only to make. You do what’s best for you.
To be honest, I don’t eat meat as much as I used to and I’m feeling the benefits. Loved this post. 🙂
Thanks!
Well about time they admitted it lol!! But seriously that is great news – we’re moving forward!