April 2012
The brand new vegan cookbook from Ellen DeGeneres’ personal chef is ranked #27 on Amazon right now!
Ellen DeGeneres’ personal chef, Roberto Martin, shares over 125 delicious vegan recipes he’s created for Ellen DeGeneres and Portia de Rossi that he hopes will make healthy vegan cooking accessible and easy for everyone. Portia explains in her foreword, “Roberto taught me that the key to making good food vegan is substitution…you can enjoy all your favorite foods and never feel deprived.” Check out, Going Vegan with Ellen!
By now you have probably seen the Nina Planck NYT article questioning the safety of veganism for kids. And you are probably, rightfully, outraged. The author, who supposedly once followed a vegan diet, is now an outspoken critique who regularly (too often, if you ask me!) is given a platform to express her so-called concern. It’s too extreme! It’s not natural! Your baby might die! As a Registered Dietitian and as a vegan of 16 years I was so frustrated I could barely finish reading it. But now that I’ve had more time to think about this, her irrational statements may not be an entirely bad thing. Before you excommunicate me from the vegan world, here’s what I think:
Veganism is insanely popular right now
The premise of Planck’s article is that veganism is extreme and a fringe idea. I hate to say this, but when I first went vegan in the 90′s this was somewhat true. But today we have talk show hosts, mixed martial arts fighters, professional athletes and a host of scientists, doctors and dietitians (see list below) that are vegan. The number of strict vegans may still a small percentage of the population, but is growing unbelievably fast. And the number of people who sometimes eat vegan meals is skyrocketing. Veganism has reached a mainstream audience: we have to expect backlash.
The response was immediate, thorough and successful
My colleague Ginny Messina, aka The Vegan RD, easily tore apart Planck’s scare tactics and pseudo-science as did the Vegetarian Resource Group. The LA Times even did a response article that quotes Messina extensively. The Sistah Vegan Project and the Intellectualyst also responded, just to name a few. I was so thoroughly impressed by the response from the vegan community that I had to change what I was originally going to write about here.
Relying on psuedo-science and out-dated studies to critique veganism is becoming harder to do
Articles like this used to appear regularly! Today they are quite rare, which is why I am shocked that the NY Times actually ran it. Vegans have decades of experience justifying their eating habits and have become rather skilled at using research to make their arguments. Every time I see Jack Norris’ veganhealth.org site linked it reminds that vegans are a smart bunch who will use real science to fight psuedo-science. With vegan Registered Dietitians like Jack Norris, Ginny Messina, Reed Mangels, Julianna Heaver, Brenda Davis and Vesanto Melina covering the science behind veganism we have the tools to show not only the adequacy of vegan diets, but the benefits of eating plant-based.
Remember this: veganism is a radical idea to many and a threat to more than a few social and economical systems. But compassion and science are on our side. So next time someone brings up one of Nina Planck’s ridiculous articles or statements, take a deep breath and politely ask where the scientific studies backing her ideas are. Meanwhile you can read the Academy of Dietetics and Nutrition’s Position Paper on Vegetarian Diets that says nothing about having to rely on ‘many synthetic supplements.’
The Discerning Brute contributor, Matt Ruscigno is a Registered Dietitian -the only professional nutrition credential available- and has been an ethical vegan for over 16 years. Matt is the Chair of the Vegetarian Nutrition Practice Group of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics and contributed to the best-selling cookbook Appetite for Reduction with Isa Moskowitz. He’s also obsessed with burritos and dead set on finding the positive in any situation. His personal site is www.truelovehealth.com.
The other day I called a slaughter company to ask if I could film inside their slaughter house for my school exam since I am hoping to make a poetic documentary about life and death. So, after being sent from one person to another I finally get a hold of mr. slaughter and the guy tells me, ”Not that we have anything to hide, but it can seem offensive to some people”. That sentence speaks for itself.
Just you wait, one day I will manage to show everyone the blood you have on your hands.
I’m as preachy as the people pleading with you to recycle.
I’m as preachy as someone who stands up for his friend against bullies.
I’m as preachy as a parent that begs you not to rape and murder his children.
Save the planet.
Be compassionate.
Go vegan.
haha, i’m just relaxing and creeping your blog. it’s really nice actually. :) i just might watch some adventures of finn and jake after this.
And remember kids, every time you drink a glass of milk or eat a slice of cheese it’s because the baby calf that it was meant for is probably dead.
why thank you~~ what a lovely message :) have a nice day xoxo
Animal Equality Italia. During a demonstration against Green Hill in Italy, a breeding facility of animals for vivisection, has ended with dozens of activists entering the premises and rescuing more than 40 dogs destined to be used in experiments.
Watch a slide show of activists passing beagles over the barbed-wire fence HERE
Facts: Beagles are the most popular breed for lab use because of their friendly, docile, trusting, forgiving, people-pleasing personalities. The research industry says they adapt well to living in a cage, and are inexpensive to feed. Research beagles are usually obtained directly from commercial breeders who specifically breed dogs to sell to scientific institutions.
Click here to watch a video of beagles touching grass for the first time in their lives after living their entire life inside a research laboratory.
Support the Beagle Freedom Project and the Anti Vivisection Society!
since i’ve been vegan i’ve noticed how often people use “it’s a joke! can’t you take a joke?” and “i have free will and i make my own personal decisions” to justify cruelty and ignorance.
