Maybe it’s conditioning or it’s just amazing media conviction, but there are people who think that vegan diets are unhealthy, unbalanced and even “Un-American”. In THIS episode of ABC’s “What Would You Do?” television show, a hidden-camera-type reality show creating scenarios in public places to see how average Americans act when nobody’s watching, tackle just this subject... with a twist. A mother and her young daughter are in a restaurant and explain to the waitress that they’re vegans (actors, of course) and the couple next to them (also actors) interject and say things that many vegans have heard a million times; “You get no protein.”, “It’s unhealthy.”, and even that it’s a form of child abuse to choose this diet for their children. According to experts, when done in a balanced way that accounts for key nutrients, vegan diets are suitable for all stages of life from pregnancy onward.
I find these reactions strange although commonplace in our society. People generally feel as if they’re being “converted” or “stigmatized” by others in all diet choices. What I find most interesting is that much of this is learned behavior. We are conditioned to believe through the media, our families and multimillion dollar marketing campaigns that eating meat and drinking milk are not only normal, but the ONLY way. Any deviation from this is abnormal and even harmful. I’m sorry, but dangerous diets exist in every type, from fast food hamburgers and fries to greasy pizza to highly processed fake “meats”. None of these things are significantly good or bad for you in moderation, but when it becomes the BASE of your diet, you’re treading on thin ice. Thin ice that can lead to obesity, heart disease, some forms of cancer, nutrient deficiencies and more.
Eating more plant foods is not only healthy, but actually recommended by the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics and the FDA. Of course, they are not saying to “eat less” of any particular foods, but are advocating a more plant-based style of eating. It’s healthy for you and it’s healthy for kids.
It is true that the stereotypes of vegans run deep in our culture, and are not typically accurate. I have seen messages from media and the animal agriculture industry that veganism is unhealthy. But a well balanced vegan diet is nevertheless healthy.
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