Vegan for Life: Everything You Need to Know to Be Healthy and Fit on a Plant-Based Diet

I've only been following a (mostly) vegan diet for a few months, and have found that the times when I've fallen away from it and have slipped back into eating dairy have been because I have felt stuck with what to eat and how many nutrients I need to get. I wish I had bought this book at the start! The authors are two registered dieticians, and the entire book focuses on all the health and nutrition needs that one needs to take into account when starting a vegan diet. A few months back, I also ordered Dr. Neal Barnard's 21-Day Kickstart book; while I enjoyed it and found it helpful, it focuses much more on persuading readers of the health benefits of a vegan diet, whereas this book focuses on the *how's* and *why's* of doing so. The first few chapters provide thorough explanations of the nutrients you need and why you need them. Their discussion of why vegans need to take a B-12 supplement, for instance, is one of the best I've read. They also address issues about getting enough protein and about the soy controversy, and also have chapters covering pregnancy and breastfeeding, raising children, and being an athlete. The best chapter -- and the reason I really wanted to get this -- is Chapter 7 The Vegan Food Guide. In this section, the authors lay out a vegan food pyramid, exactly what supplements to take, and sample menus. This chapter will be extremely helpful to me in planning out my meals. This chapter alone makes this the best book I've bought on veganism; it helped alleviate my worries about getting enough nutrients, and made everything very clear. What I especially appreciate is how balanced their view is. For instance, they look at research that is both for and against certain aspects of vegan nutrition, and are up front with the fact that it's OK if occasionally things slip by in packaged goods. For instance, they let readers know that there are "hidden" animal ingredients in products like white sugar and maple syrup, but encourage readers to not get "bogged down" with stressing about it. One of my favorite sections in the book is where the authors quote blogger Robert Mason, who talks about not trying to "strain credulity" by trying to prove that humans are naturally vegans. We most likely, Mason maintains, evolved by eating meat, and it's dishonest to deny it. That being said, Mason suggests that vegans instead focus on why they made the decision to eat as they do: "The argument for veganism has always been primarily ethical, and ought to remain that way. It's based on a concern for the future, not an obsessions about the past."

I wish I had read this book when I first went vegan a few years ago. Although I find a vegan diet to be convenient, delicious, and healthy, there are a lot of myths, both positive and negative, that fly around and this book combats them all with evidence-based pragmatism. Vegan diets are neither deadly protein drains or miraculous cure-alls. As a nursing student who has studied nutrition and anatomy and physiology extensively, I wholeheartedly endorse Norris and Messina's book. You will: -learn about the many benefits of a vegan diet and get honest answers about the few pitfalls -get the facts on which supplements are of concern to vegans -get diet plans for pregnant and lactating women, infants, children, adolescents, athletes and people who want to lose weight (thank you for not promoting the lie that following a vegan diet means you'll be skinny! In fact, I gained weight after going vegan!) -meal plans that focus on convenience, accessibility and affordability -get the truth about soy (a bean!) and other nutrition talltales While Norris and Messina encourage eating whole foods, they don't knock vegan processed foods, which frankly can help meet protein and calorie needs while adding variety and fun to the diet. They debunk myths about raw food diets while also acknowledging that yes, eating an abundance of raw plant foods is healthful but so is eating cooked beans. My favorite part of the book is their section on different types of scientific studies. In addition to being a nursing student, I'm a former editor at a peer-reviewed clinical journal who spent years reading studies submitted by physicians and other health care providers. I've seen terrible studies and great ones. And I learned how to read beyond the press releases and really get behind the data. If you want help in wading through nutritional gimmicks, you need to understand how studies are conducted and how to interpret data. Kudos for Norris and Messina for including this important and easy-to-understand section. Finally, they acknowledge that the greatest reason to go vegan is for the animals. They clearly explain the problems with animal agriculture and also discuss whether a vegan diet is feasible for the whole world. If you want straightforward facts that doesn't sugarcoat a very complex topic and you want practical steps to become vegan, this is the book for you. I also highly recommend Jack Norris' great blog, jacknorrisrd.com and the work he does at veganhealth.org.

This book was mainly written for people who follow a vegan diet or are already considering it. It's a complete overview of vegan nutrition in all stages of life. While there is a short introduction on "why being vegan"... the authors quickly jump to the juicy part and cover the nutritional information all vegans need to know. The authors have done their research! This is not a classic vegan book repeating the same old arguments. It provides clear nutritional guidance to help vegans stay healthy and design the most adequate diet possible. It's up to date science! You'll discover interesting pieces of information in this book. For example: - Vegans can benefit from getting adequate amounts of protein. While it's true that almost nobody suffers from true protein deficiencies in the West, not getting adequate protein can result in muscle mass loss and poor bone health. - Vegans should take a B12 supplement, even if they just started the diet. The old idea of "wait three years to do it because your body has reserves" is not the wisest. - Why some vegans crash and fail to thrive, reverting back to animal foods, because they make their diet too restrictive and idealistic - Getting the RDA for calcium is important for vegans. You'll discover which greens have a negative calcium balance and how to make sure you get enough calcium on a vegan diet, even without supplements - Other nutrients to watch out about on a vegan diet (or any diet), such as vitamin D, iodine, zinc, etc. - Ideas for making a vegan diet fun and easy to follow. - Why it makes sense to take a vegan DHA supplement - How to adapt a vegan diet to meet the needs of growing children, pregnant women, older people, etc. This book does not contain a recipe section, but it does contain a lot of meal ideas. It's filled with tables and useful references, so I would suggest buying the print version, as some of the tables are not as convenient to look at on the Kindle version. You can tell that the book has been written by professional nutritionists. It's a very good reference, and a great starting point for any vegan.

I have been feeling the nudge to return to a vegan diet for quite some time now, and when I decided to obey it I determined that I would not fail this time (I have tried and failed twice before, for a total of 4.5 vegan years). I knew the answer was to be more conscientious about the nutrition of my diet, so I found and bought this book to give me a leg up. Written by two Registered Dietitians who are vegans, the book covers a few of the main nutrients that vegans either tend to be deficient in, or are rumored to have difficulty getting. It provides a food guide for not just adults, but children as well, including sample meal plans for people with varying caloric needs. It also gives some great tips like what to do with leftover beans, how to feed a vegan teen, and how to make sure you get enough calcium in your diet. I was thrilled to see that the authors also tell you straight out that every vegan – not to mention many omnivores – needs to take a B12 supplement (B12 deficiency-induced memory loss during my 1-yr stint as a Raw Vegan several yrs. ago scared me back into eating meat). They also show you how nutritional research points to veganism as the healthiest overall diet, and get into the ethics of the diet at the end of the book (I learned some horrifying things I hadn’t heard before – and yes, I’ve seen the PETA videos). The one negative I have to say about this book is that IMHO the authors provide too much encouragement in the way of eating processed vegan foods; i.e., the fake meats and cheeses, and dried cereal. Eating whole foods isn’t hard, and doesn’t take up that much time to prepare if you’re smart about it. If there is ever a future edition of the book, I would also like to see the issue of grain sensitivity addressed. What’s a wannabe vegan to do whom grain bloats at the drop of a hat? The answer for myself is to eat more fruit and confine myself to one serving per day of the one grain that doesn’t cause me gas – white rice – but the authors glaze over the fact that many would-be vegans are grain-sensitive and recommend a minimum of five (!) half-cup servings of grain per day. Which is why I am giving them four rather than five stars. Those issues aside, if you are considering taking the plunge into a vegan diet, I highly recommend this book so that you will have the information you need to stick with it long-term, and not become a former vegan because you neglect your body’s nutritional needs.

If you do any reading on a regular basis, this book will only take you a couple of hours to finish, and if you're a vegan, or someone who is considering the vegan lifestyle, those few hours will be well spent in the company of this book. This book is packed with everything you need to know about living a healthy vegan life: it teaches you about proper nutrition, it debunks some of the myths surrounding vegan diets (myths both against and for the vegan life), and it explains, in a simple and clear style, the science (all of the studies and statistics) behind nutrition. It even contains information on how to cook some basic foods which are essential to a healthy vegan diet: beans, grains, and leafy greens. So if you're as inexperienced a cook as I was before I bought this book, that's all the more reason to pick up a copy. As a side note, I read this book alongside another famous vegan nutrition book, "Becoming Vegan," by Davis and Melina. Of the two, I prefer "Vegan for Life": while both have their strengths, "Vegan for Life" is written much more clearly, and, as a newer book, is based on the most up-to-date science you're likely to find in a paperback anytime soon. So yes, either will do, but if you have to choose one, I'd recommend going with "Vegan for Life."

I really liked this book. Here are a few reasons why: 1. It is easy to read. I've gotten bogged down with nutrition books in the past and quickly lost interest. But this book strikes that fine line of being thorough but not overwhelming. I actually looked forward to reading this book and couldn't wait to pick it up again. 2. The authors present an honest look at vegan diets. They do not shy away from telling people about what the nutritional shortcomings may be and offering them solutions for dealing with them. 3. They make veganism seem attainable and realistic. I know from experience that veganism can be an easy lifestyle to adopt. The authors stress that we do not all have to be raw vegans eating no processed foods at all. 4. The authors base their information on scientific studies. And when the studies are not conclusive, they tell us. There is a lot of not-so-great nutritional advice out there, and these authors help weed out the bad information for us. After reading this book, I feel much more confident with my vegan diet. I always knew that eating vegan made me feel good, but now I know how to be the healthiest vegan I can be, for life. And I now have an informed answer when people ask me questions about meeting nutritional requirements with a vegan diet. I highly recommend this book to all vegans & vegetarians and even to folks who are thinking about eating less meat. Go for it!

I have been trying and am still struggling with the vegan life style. I am not even all the way vegetarian yet so this book was kind of extreme for me. I feel like someone who is vegetarian and wants to make that jump to being vegan would get much more out of this book than I have. If you are not vegan/vegetarian like I am, then there are moments this book can kind of make you feel horrible for not switching over yet. Honestly I do feel horrible most of the time for what happens to the animals, which is why I'm trying to make this switch anyways. So all in all, this book is written by two people who obviously love animals, don't want to see them suffer and have good backgrounds in nutrition. I would suggest this to someone who was vegetarian first, not someone like me who wants to make the jump from eating meat/fish, to going vegan.

I highly recommend Vegan for Life for anyone contemplating or living a vegan lifestyle. Many people, from the famous to the average Joe and Jill are going vegan these days. Witness President Bill Clinton, Ellen DeGeneres and wife Portia, basketball star John Salley, Moby, Alanis Morissette, Natalie Portman, Alicia Silverstone, Betty White, Anne Hathaway, fitness guru Bob Harper, Congressman Dennis Kucinich (D. Ohio) and wife Elizabeth, and so many more. It may be no surprise to you that Mahatma Gandhi was a vegan. This array of prominent folk is enough to get some people checking out the vegan way of life. Since becoming vegan two and a half years ago, I have found there is so much to learn and often the advice out there conflicts and creates confusion and even anxiety. Vegan sites and blogs are filled with warnings and caveats galore. The experts can disagree, too. Some suggest raw foods only, others recommend omitting any added oils, and still others warn against soy or gluten products. Many urge against "processed" vegan foods. Protein requirements are confusing with various mixed messages from, "To avoid cancer, don't overdo protein" to "vegans never get enough protein!" A vegan is hard pressed to learn the truth for healthy vegan living. For this reason, I am very glad to say that Vegan for Life, by registered dietitians Jack Norris, RD and Virginia Messina, MPH, RD (2011, Da Capo Press), brings much-needed clarity and reason to the discussion. The book sets out parameters for sensible and healthy plant-based eating, minus the doom and gloom warnings yet clearly stressing the realities. Vegans do need sufficient protein and they do need to supplement B-12 as well as calcium and D. Suggestions are given for these. The authors urge keeping the transition to vegan simple. Eat what you like, including meat substitutes such as vegan cold cuts, burgers, frankfurters, soy- and grain-based roasts, vegan cheese, non-dairy milks, vegan mayonnaise and so forth. They warn not to overly restrict calories, protein, fats, or food groups such as soy or gluten unless you have a medical condition requiring you do so. Plentiful scientific references are given for each chapter to back up their recommendations and perspective. While not a cookbook per se, Vegan for Life offers many meal suggestions that are easy to follow. After reading the book, I felt a great relief that I could do this and do it well, and that while I must be aware of my nutritional requirements, I needn't obsess over everything related to my eating. As a health-care provider, eating issues and diet often come into the professional dialogues in which I engage, and when relevant, I suggest Vegan for Life along with other reading material. When Norris and Messina say on the book's cover, "Everything you need to know to be healthy and fit on a plant-based diet," they mean it! And they deliver.

Un libro IMPRESCINDIBLE para cualquier vegano que desee llevar su dieta de manera saludable al 100%. Este libro se convierte por méritos propios en un referente esencial de todos aquellos que han decidido abstenerse de consumir productos animales. No hay más que añadir. (Cuidado para los que no hablan inglés porque el libro viene en inglés)

Very comprehensive. Covers everything. Glad I bought it and I've been vegan over ten years.

Informative, helpful, covers everything you need to know to transition to a vegan lifestyle. Food choices and supplements are clearly laid out. I am enjoying this book and know I'll be re-reading it from time to time

Neben vegan! von Marc Pierschel mein ständiger Begleiter im Ernährungsalltag. Leider gibt es nur eine englischsprachige Ausgabe, was wirklich bedauerlich ist. Ich habe die Printausgabe aus England, es gibt auch eine Kindle Version. Ich rate zur Printausgabe, man stöbert beim Lesen nämlich ständig vor und zurück. Auf 282 Seiten inklusive Index findet man alle essentiellen Informationen zur veganen Ernährung. Die vegane Lebensweise wird nur angerissen, am Ende des Buches ist allerdings ein informatives Kapitel über die Tierhaltung, es geht hier im Handbuch aber ganz klar um die Vorteile einer rein pflanzlichen Ernährung. Ganz besonders gut gefallen hat mir, dass der Fleisch/Milchprodukteverzehr nicht ideologisch angegangen wird, es wird vielmehr in vielfältiger Weise der Vorteil der veganen Ernährung dargestellt. Vorrangig geht es um die Erfordernisse einer ausgewogenen veganen Ernährung. Einzelne, sehr ausführliche Kapitel beschäftigen sich mit Proteinzufuhr, B12, Fetten, Mineralstoffen und Vitaminen. Jeweils mit praktischen Hinweisen, leicht umsetzbaren Tipps, Tabellen mit Nährwerten. Es gibt extra Abschnitte zur veganen Ernährung von Kindern, während der Schwangerschaft und für ältere Menschen. Ein Kapitel beschäftigt sich ausschließlich mit Soja. Dazu finden sich in allen Abschnitten diverse Tabellen mehrerer wissenschaftlicher Untersuchungen. Die vielzitierte China Study wird übrigens nur kurz am Rande erwähnt, die Autoren gehen davon aus, dass diese Studie für ihren Ratgeber nicht aussagekräftig genug sei, da die Teilnehmer besagter Studie weder Vegetarier noch Veganer waren. Für mich stellt das Buch einen echten Ratgeber dar, den ich immer wieder zur Hand nehme, um einzelne Abschnitte zu lesen. Sehr empfehlenswert!

Great book about nutrition, ingredients and recipes. Love it