Vegalicious

Expert Q&A

The takeaway message of Vegan From the Inside is that people on plant-based diets love being vegan. This is not a lifestyle of deprivation and boredom. Instead, vegans enjoy life to the max, everything from cooking and eating to a sense of purpose in life. Anyone thinking about a change to a 100% plant-based diet can anticipate the same results.  

What was the biggest surprise of the poll results?

For me, the biggest surprise is just how uniformly and passionately vegans experience their diet. The survey showed that the benefits of being vegan are close to universal. Higher energy, enhanced health, more optimal weight, enjoyment of cooking and eating, feeling closer to animals and nature, sharing information if people ask, and strategies to deal with people whose reactions to an animal-free diet that not totally positive are all elements of this dietary choice. It was so gratifying to see that 94% of respondents intend to remain vegan for life.  

Please discuss your experience with veganism: how, when and why you went vegan.

In 1995 my 13 year old daughter Rebecca declared that she would no longer eat meat. Her 11 year old sister followed a few weeks later. I was greatly concerned for their health, and began my intensive research into plant-based nutrition that continues to this day. After a year of not eating much meat, since the kids would not join me in it, I lost my taste for it and became vegetarian myself in 1996.  

As I learned the nutritional and ethical reasons to drop dairy and eggs, I wanted to go fully vegan but was not sure what to eat. The transition was very gradual for me. Four years after becoming vegetarian, I made the move to being consistently vegan. I had feared it would be terribly difficult, but after we discovered some simple recipes it became effortless.  

My dedication to animal-free eating grew over time as I learned more about the cruelty of the dairy and egg industry. I found my whole world view morphed to appreciate animals and nature in a much closer way and my health soared. The excess weight, depression, headaches, low energy, sinus infections, and other frequent medical issues that marred most of my adult life all just evaporated.  

What inspired you to write The Perfect Formula Diet?

I decided to share the nutritional information I had gathered to keep my kids and myself healthy. At first the book was going to focus just on the health issues with animal protein. So many people think only the saturated fat in meat and dairy is what causes damage. Yet the inflammatory protein in animal foods is at least as dangerous if not more so.

As I alternately wrote and kept delving into the scientific literature, I realized the scope of the book needed to be expanded to the many other health issues that stem from animal foods, not to mention the environmental devastation. 

I published The Perfect Formula Diet in 2009. The book explains how to lose weight and get healthy with six kinds of whole plant foods. Whole foods include vegetables, fruit, beans, potatoes, whole grains, nuts, seeds, herbs, and spices. It’s fine to cook and combine the foods in an ordinary kitchen. It’s best to avoid the isolated components of foods, such as protein powders and oil, which are made by disassembling plant foods in a factory.  

As the U.S. stumbles under the staggering costs of the obesity and chronic illness epidemics, now is the time for people to realize the true source of their illness and disability. Now is the time to turn from drugs and surgery to the true cause of chronic disease – a diet based on animal foods. Environmental devastation caused by raising animals for food adds still another dimension of urgency.  

What are some challenges that vegans face and what are the best ways to handle them?  

The Vegan From the Inside survey revealed two main challenges. The first, inconvenience in eating out, is really just an annoyance to most people. The way to handle it is to eat at home more, find accommodating restaurants, and plan ahead. For example, call a restaurant before going there to see what special meal they can whip up. Most restaurants want to make their customers happy, and chefs enjoy a creative request.  

The other challenge is coping with other people who are confused or misinformed about a vegan diet. Respondents came up with a variety of strategies to cope. Many did not want to inconvenience others. For myself, I find it easiest to simply eat before I go to a social gathering in which there is not likely to be vegan food. Then I can enjoy the social experience without worry. If people ask questions about my diet, I give short answers, expanding the information only if they show interest.  

Veganism seems to be going mainstream. Oprah featured it on her show, there are more and more products, restaurants and vegan services. Why is veganism finally becoming more popular?  

For one thing, highly public figures such as Bill Clinton are speaking out about the benefits of their diet. The media is airing more stories about farmed animal cruelty and the Internet makes this information available on demand. People are realizing how environmentally destructive raising animals for food is. The rise in obesity and chronic illness, with medicine unable to come up with a solution, begs for a different strategy. The economy makes meat expensive and beans and potatoes more attractive with their lower cost. Excellent vegan cookbooks abound and soy milk can be found in any supermarket.  So many forces are coming together to make veganism a choice whose time is now. Plus people seek meaning and serenity in our harassed world. Being vegan is a vehicle to achieve this peace of mind and purpose.  

Which demographic segments are most likely to go vegan now, in terms of age, race, sex, SES?

More people go vegan to help animals than for any other reason. However, whatever the initial motivation was, over time all three main reasons to be vegan grow in importance. These reasons are ending farmed animal suffering, helping the environment, and improving one’s own health. These motivations deepen over time as people experience the benefits.  I’m not sure that age or generation really makes that big a difference in the end. I have vegan friends of all ages, and we all share a common experience and goals. Plus we all love to eat. Vegan food is the tastiest on earth because it’s based on flavorful, fresh ingredients right from nature.