Eating is good, eating responsibly may be better.
March 31, 2011 1:50 PM Subscribe
I would like a good, no bs, book on vegan nutrition.
So, after much prodding here and there I finally read Skinny Bitch. I can't tell you how my stomach dropped and heart sank at both the eating disordered voice that narrates the whole thing to the wildly inaccurate claims as far as nutrition is concerned. I am a science girl, I like facts and evidence, peer reviewed journals as refernces. That kind of stuff, or at least stuff written by a registered dietician that presents sound facts about how the body works.
It concerns me that a handful of my non-sciency, vegan friends think that what is presented here is fact since one of the co-authors has a degree in something like "holistic nutrition", which turns out is basically worthless.
So! What can we read that generally outlines the basics of human nutrition and how to fulfill those needs with a vegan diet?
So, after much prodding here and there I finally read Skinny Bitch. I can't tell you how my stomach dropped and heart sank at both the eating disordered voice that narrates the whole thing to the wildly inaccurate claims as far as nutrition is concerned. I am a science girl, I like facts and evidence, peer reviewed journals as refernces. That kind of stuff, or at least stuff written by a registered dietician that presents sound facts about how the body works.
It concerns me that a handful of my non-sciency, vegan friends think that what is presented here is fact since one of the co-authors has a degree in something like "holistic nutrition", which turns out is basically worthless.
So! What can we read that generally outlines the basics of human nutrition and how to fulfill those needs with a vegan diet?
Forgot about this book: Becoming Vegan. Written by two trained nutritionists.
posted by acridrabbit at 2:35 PM on March 31, 2011 [3 favorites]
posted by acridrabbit at 2:35 PM on March 31, 2011 [3 favorites]
Non-sciencey (in an ignorant social science graduate sense, not a woo swallowing one) vegan here. The guidance produced by the (UK) Vegan Society seems sound to me. They publish a book too.
Having been vegan for 20ish years it's not something I think so much about these days, I just eat a varied diet*, my soya milks etc are fortified with B12, D2 etc. Remember Omega 3 too and you should be set.
*I'm aware how silly that sounds to omnivores.
posted by spectrevsrector at 3:26 PM on March 31, 2011
Having been vegan for 20ish years it's not something I think so much about these days, I just eat a varied diet*, my soya milks etc are fortified with B12, D2 etc. Remember Omega 3 too and you should be set.
*I'm aware how silly that sounds to omnivores.
posted by spectrevsrector at 3:26 PM on March 31, 2011
Okay, so I read this and immediately thought of one of my dear friends, who is a hard core vegan. So I asked her and this is her response:
Oh, man, hmmmm....
Diet For A New America (I actually haven't read this but I am reading his second book, my next recommendation):
The Food Revolution (both by John Robbins)~they do go into all the animal rights stuff, etc, but I know this one tackles myths about what the American public is lead to believe about nutrition, and it has a ton of footnotes to look at as well.
A lot of vegan cookbooks actually have a lot of nutritional facts at the beginning.
I have a book called, The Vegetable Book, and it has all sorts of veggies listed and what they are nutritionally good for.
The China Study, by T. Colin Campbell, PhD: he is an outspoken Dr. and vegan, even if they don't read this book (I haven't myself, again) they can google him and I'm sure get a lot of info.
She is going to ask some of her friends as well.
Hope this helps!
posted by zombiehoohaa at 4:19 PM on March 31, 2011
Oh, man, hmmmm....
Diet For A New America (I actually haven't read this but I am reading his second book, my next recommendation):
The Food Revolution (both by John Robbins)~they do go into all the animal rights stuff, etc, but I know this one tackles myths about what the American public is lead to believe about nutrition, and it has a ton of footnotes to look at as well.
A lot of vegan cookbooks actually have a lot of nutritional facts at the beginning.
I have a book called, The Vegetable Book, and it has all sorts of veggies listed and what they are nutritionally good for.
The China Study, by T. Colin Campbell, PhD: he is an outspoken Dr. and vegan, even if they don't read this book (I haven't myself, again) they can google him and I'm sure get a lot of info.
She is going to ask some of her friends as well.
Hope this helps!
posted by zombiehoohaa at 4:19 PM on March 31, 2011
I've also heard The China Study is a good, no bs resource.
posted by lhall at 11:34 PM on March 31, 2011
posted by lhall at 11:34 PM on March 31, 2011
Seconding Becoming Vegan. So much great information about veganism and vegan nutritional needs in one book.
posted by mrbob14 at 11:57 PM on March 31, 2011
posted by mrbob14 at 11:57 PM on March 31, 2011
There's Vegan Nutrition by Gill Langley, which is an overview of the published literature published by the Vegan Society. Only problem is that there hasn't been an edition since 1995, so it's obviously somewhat out of date. From memory it's pretty solid on the basic nutritional requirements and is well referenced.
posted by SyntacticSugar at 4:16 AM on April 1, 2011
posted by SyntacticSugar at 4:16 AM on April 1, 2011
We are not vegan, however, we still purchased Veganomicon: The Ultimate Vegan Cookbook on recommendation of it being a great cookbook. It's contains great instruction on how to do basic things (cooking eggplant nicely for example), but I don't recall how much information it contains about transitioning to being vegan.
posted by groovesquirrel at 9:46 AM on April 1, 2011
posted by groovesquirrel at 9:46 AM on April 1, 2011
Oh shoot, I responded before I read your details. Sorry!
posted by groovesquirrel at 9:49 AM on April 1, 2011
posted by groovesquirrel at 9:49 AM on April 1, 2011
This thread is closed to new comments.
Ginny Messina, RD: The Vegan RD
Jack Norris, RD: jacknorrisrd.com and VeganHealth.org (he also has an upcoming book which is available for pre-order)
Erik Marcus: Vegan.com and The Ultimate Vegan Guide (free e-book)
I have a Master's in Public Health and am partway through a clinical research PhD program, so I'm pretty science-y too. I have found that these folks know their stuff and are appropriately science-based in their recommendations.
posted by acridrabbit at 2:31 PM on March 31, 2011 [3 favorites]