Veganism should be an informed and evidence-based choice

IT IS easy to dismiss veganism as a passing fad – more a celebrity-fuelled fashion statement than a considered choice. The vegan lifestyle has clearly been boosted by some high-status advocates, but its credentials are more solidly established than those of most other trendy diets, such as the largely discredited “clean eating”. If done wisely, it can have major benefits for the environment and animal welfare without affecting your health or social life (see “Living on the veg: Should we all go vegan?“). For people wanting to live a more ethically and environmentally responsible life, quitting animal products has plenty going for it.

But a word of warning: before making radical changes to your diet, seek advice from a dietician. It is theoretically possible to get all the nourishment you need from a plant-based diet, but without knowledge and discipline it is also possible to sleepwalk into nutritional deficiency.

And if you believe veganism is the right thing for you and want other people to change their diets, arm yourself with knowledge about the benefits and pitfalls. Veganism should be an informed and evidence-based choice, not a sashay onto a bandwagon.

This article appeared in print under the headline “The veg of reason”

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