The Mainstreaming of Vegan Diets

Reader Comments
Back to article

Since getting rid of flesh in my diet I no longer bloat which seems to be a big problem for women. I actually do feel better and do not miss meat!

kelly french of OH 11:19AM January 02, 2012

I read that animal proteins are "complete" and therefore the body has to break it down into amino acids anyways, making the body work harder in the digestion process...I really like your article but feel comparing a vegan diet to a diet that includes meat is misleading...there's nothing BENEFICIAL in eating animal products and should not be compared to a plant based diet as if something might be missing for good health.

VeganForLife of FL 7:11AM January 02, 2012

Like protein, which they have claimed for years you had to get from meat, because all the amino acids we need supposedly have to be found in one food, the omega-3 issue will someday be proven misleading.
Soybeans contain a type of fatty acid that can be converted by the body into the same fat that is found in fish oil. Simple as that. We don't need to eat salmon, and salmon, in fact, is too fatty for good health. You can easily gain weight trying to get the amount of omega-3s we supposedly need by eating so much fatty fish. Nobody needs that much fat, and soy/tofu would provide all of the body's omega-3 needs for proper brain health and other functions. If you add the occasional walnuts, you're set to go. If you cook with soybean oil too, you may overdo it!
Although we all need healthy fat, don't get crazy and eat a ton of fish every week, thinking that if a little omega-3 is good, a lot must be better! This is common thinking for people on many issues, not just nutrition. You can indeed have too much of a good thing.

Liz of NY 11:40AM December 31, 2011

Additionally, yes, the Omega 3's in fish came from plants. Absolutely no need to filter our nutrients through someone else's body when they can be eaten directly from the original sources.

Linda of FL 2:21PM December 30, 2011

Decent article, except for this contradiction:
"plants are not the best sources because their proteins do not break down into the full range of amino acids"
and
"soy products and quinoa have been found to contain proteins that break down into all the essential amino acids"
And plant foods do provide all the essential amino acids. They're just sometimes not consumed at the same time, which you clearly admit is not necessary.

Linda of FL 2:16PM December 30, 2011

Generally a good article but there are a couple of misstatements that need clarification.
First, the article states that "plants are not the best sources because their proteins do not break down into the full range of amino acids that the human body requires for healthy functioning." This statement is belied by the several following paragraphs, which states that a person can easily get requisite protein from plants. (The author may have meant that no single plant contains the full range of needed amino acid but this too is belied by the statement that quinoa and soy products contain all the protein we need.) In any event, this is hardly a concern because anyone eating a variety of plant foods would get all requisite protein.
Second, the article implies it is impossible (or at least very difficult) for vegans to get enough Omega-3 fatty acids, particularly the preferred "long-chain" DHA Omega 3s because they "appear in large amounts only in fatty fish such as salmon." This is inaccurate. Fish get DHA Omega-3 from algae in the water, and we can easily get DHA from the same source. There are many brands of supplements containing algal DHA and are thus vegan. Of course the added benefit of consuming the algal DHA directly is that we don't get the concentration of heavy metals (e.g., mercury) often associated with eating fish.
It would be nice to see the US News & World Report could correct these misstatements in the article and make include the clarifications in future articles on this topic.

Dan Phillips of MD 7:47AM December 30, 2011

Good info on vegan diet

Lisa of CA 11:47PM December 29, 2011

While I do agree that every individual person has different nutritional requirements, and no one dietary plan works for everyone, it is clear to me that any radical foray to one extreme or the other is NOT a good thing. Just like in nature, there is a balance that exists in our bodies. As Immunitrition said, animal foods and plant foods can be likened to yang and yin forces of nutrition. Both are necessary to function properly! Can you imagine someone promoting a meat-only diet?
I've had the 'Vegan Talk' with a few friends who are strict vegetarians and/or vegans. I was even ovo-pesce-vegetarian for two years. The choice to not consume animal products comes from a very kind, compassionate place within a person - and that compassion toward other living creatures is something of which the world could always use little more. I made that conscious choice after working near a CAFO in Texas. After witnessing the horror that is commercial animal production, it's hard not to be moved by a person's choice to eliminate meat from their diet.
But having grown up on a small family farm, I knew there was a responsible way to raise animals. The native americans understood the gift that their prey represented, and they honored deeply the sacrifices of the hunted so that the hunter might thrive. It IS possible to eat meat and not be a murderer. It IS possible that good animal husbandry practices are actually fostering the physical and spiritual growth of both the consumer and the consumed. When we honor the animals life, and eat with a deep sense of gratitude, I believe we bring purpose and enlightenment to animal and human alike.
Perhaps another alternative to adopting a vegetarian/vegan diet on the basis of animal cruelty would be to instead support and promote exceptional animal husbandry practices. Don't buy a roast at the supermarket. Find a local farmer, visit their farm, get to know the animals and how they are treated. When you find a farm you like - support it, and be nourished by it.

Jason of NH 11:35PM December 29, 2011

Eat a wide variety of whole plants, avoid processed food, avoid salt, avoid sugar and get some exercise. I think that sums it up nicely.

Lawrence Murphy 9:48PM December 29, 2011

Though dairy does contain calcium the net effect of consuming dairy is a loss of calcium due to an acid-buffeting effect in the body. It is amazing that any thinking individual still recommends dairy for human consumption! There is ample scientific evidence of the negative effects of dairy. Shame on these so-called nutritionists for even mentioning in the same context as healthy diet

Siscu 7:17PM December 29, 2011