6 myths about plant-based eating—busted.
Today’s plant-based meals can win over even the most committed carnivore. Photo by Alexandra Andersson
The days when plant-based eating was associated with barefooted, flower-crowned tofu eaters are long over. The bounty of plant-based meat and dairy options are flourishing, with sales soaring 20 percent last year. And somewhere between 30 and 50 percent of Americans say they’re cutting back on meat.
“When it comes to meatless meals, many of us still seem stuck in a past peopled by wraith-like hippies.”
The case for the health benefits of eating less meat has strengthened over time, receiving a nice boost with the first release of Dr. T. Colin Campbell’s book The China Study in 2005, which he based on a multi-year study linking plant-based eating to longer, disease-free lives.
Scientists at Cornell University, Oxford University, and the Chinese Academy of Preventive Medicine, tracked more than 6,000 native Chinese and Taiwanese people over 20 years, which effectively tracks more than 120,000 “people-years” worth of eating habits. After accounting for 367 variables, researchers concluded a whole food, plant-based diet is demonstrably beneficial for a vast array of diseases and cancer prevention. Subsequent research at Tufts School of Nutrition and elsewhere, confirms that eating a plant-based diet yields many healthy returns—as long as it’s made up of whole foods and minimally processed.
Yet there’s a disconnect between our understanding of the benefits that accrue when we eat our veggies, and how to eat that way. When it comes to meatless meals, many of us seem stuck in a past peopled by wraith-like hippies. Let’s change that.
Note: “Plant-based eating” can signify eating mostly plants with a little dairy, meat, and fish; plants and dairy, or vegetarian; or only plants, or vegan. Unless otherwise specified, this article treats plant-based eating as veganism because it’s the diet that raises the most questions.
Myth: Giving up animal products for plants is expensive.
Reality: It’s a relative bargain.
The per pound cost for meat and dairy products is higher than for every type of fruit, vegetable, and grain, according to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, which averages the retail costs for various grocery items per pound.
Three Bean Chili. At $1.40 a pound, legumes are $.28 per cup serving, plus with every cup of beans you get 15 grams of plant protein, 1 gram of fat, and 15 grams of soluble fiber! Enough to keep you full, and satisfied.
Breaking it down further, the USDA calculates that the average daily meal budget for a single individual in this country amounts to $6.90. To demonstrate that it’s possible to eat a variety of whole plant foods on $5 a day, Darshana Thacker of Forks over Knives embarked on a 10-day challenge during which she ate no animal products. At the end, she had $7, and plenty of food left over. Her one regret? Not being able to afford more organic produce.
Thacker recommends saving money by buying spices, nuts, seeds, grains, and beans by weight, when possible. Another way to add bulk without bucks is to load up on pantry stockers, like oatmeal, nut butters, brown rice, canned goods, and other grains.
Myth: Options for eating out are slim.
Reality: Plant-based options are taking over menus everywhere.
Chipotle Sofritas. Yup Its Vegan makes this amazing copycat version.
In the days of yore, the plant-based option might have been tomato soup with a side of garden side salad. Now, most chain restaurants, metropolitan eateries, and even fast food restaurants have entirely plant-based options.
Happy Cow is an app dedicated to identifying vegan, vegetarian, and veg friendly restaurants off the beaten path. Yelp makes it easy to search for inclusive restaurant options. And if you’re game to speak up on behalf of plant-based eaters, raise the issue when you’re ordering if the menu doesn’t include creative alternatives to chicken, beef, fish, and pork. In all likelihood, they’ll hear you, especially if you’re nice about it.
Myth: You can’t build muscle or achieve fitness goals.
Reality: Many high-performing athletes are entirely plant-based eaters.
Patrik Baboumian holds the world record for log lifts, heaviest yoke carry, and the title of “Strongest Man of Germany.” And he doesn’t eat a morsel of meat, milk, or cheese. His daily diet consists of 5,000 calories of protein-rich, plant-based foods, including soy, legumes, nuts, and seeds.
Oat Meatloaf. Tofu is a complete protein, meaning it offers all the essential amino acids your body is missing. Tofu, lentils, nuts, and oats are all protein dense. When assembled with the right spices and veggies, it can make a killer meatloaf.
A few years ago, after carrying a yoke loaded with just over 1,200 pounds 33 feet across a stage in one competition, he said, “It’s a bit stupid to do things like that, it really hurts. But, the point is to inspire people and break stereotypes that tough guys need to eat a lot of meat.”
Baboumian is among the vegan athletes spotlighted in the 2019 documentary Game Changers. The movie was produced by former UFC fighter James Wilks. He decided to make it after doing hundreds of hours of nutrition research to find the most effective diet for athletes, and concluding that plant-based eating is the key. The entire film is a tribute to recognized athletes who’ve found more success after giving up meat and dairy.
Myth: You can’t get all your nutrients, vitamins, and minerals from an entirely plant-based diet.
Reality: It can be done, with some planning.
While vegan diets can be healthy, you may have to do a little planning to balance a vegan plate and make sure you get enough protein, calcium, iron, and vitamin B12. Says nutritionist Marion Nestle, “It is possible, but not always easy, to eat healthfully on a vegan diet.”
One way to make sure your diet contains a variety of healthy plants is to aim to eat all the colors of the rainbow over the course of a day. This Lentil Soup is not only colorful, it lets you use up any leftover veggies you may have wilting in your fridge.
Getting enough protein is a commonly cited concern for people thinking about making the switch. But while it’s true that meat and dairy are good sources, so are whole grains, beans, peas, and lentils, soybean products, soy milk, cashew milk, veggie burgers, meat alternatives, nuts and seeds, and vegetables. A big advantage of relying on plant proteins rather than animal products is that you get additional benefits, such as phytonutrients, fiber, and antioxidants.
To get enough protein, aim to eat a variety of plants over the course of a day. You can calculate the recommended daily allowance (RDA) by multiplying your body weight by .36; a 140 pound woman needs about 50 grams of protein. (Here’s a source of popular plant-based proteins.)
Vitamin B-12 is a reason many vegetarians decide not to forgo animal products entirely, since it’s plentiful in eggs, milk, cheese, and yogurt. But B-12 is also found in nutritional yeast, fortified foods, like cereals, plant milks, and alternative meats. Aim to eat about six micrograms per day. You can also just take a daily vitamin.
Other nutrients to pay attention to:
Healthy fats. Healthy, vegan sources of fats include various oils (olive, canola, sunflower, safflower, soybean, and corn), nuts and seeds, avocado, flaxseeds, and chia seeds. It’s important to include foods containing alpha-linolenic acid, a type of fat that can be converted into essential omega-3 fats (DHA and EPA) in your body. The richest sources are flaxseeds and flax oil, chia seeds, hempseed oil, walnuts or walnut oil, canola oil, and soybean oil. Take a flaxseed oil supplement if you want to make sure you’re covered.
Calcium. An unbalanced vegan diet can lack calcium. Aim for one to two cups per day of easy to absorb sources of calcium, such as fortified plant milks, almonds, tofu, broccoli, kale, and brussel sprouts. But calcium is everywhere in the plant world.
Myth: Giving up meat and dairy is risky for children and teenagers.
Reality: Plant-based diets can be kid-friendly.
Robert J. Ostfeld has spent years investigating the impact of plant-based eating on the health of individuals of all ages. At a recent lecture I attended at University of Pennsylvania, Ostfeld, the Director of Preventive Cardiology at Montefiore Medical Center in New York, presented the famous study that found 70 percent of the young soldiers examined after they had died in the Korean War had atherosclerosis. In another well-known study, fatty streaks in the coronary arteries were found in over half of children ages two to fifteen.
Sushi rolls with peanut sauce. One secret to getting a child to eat veggies is to make it fun. Sushi is eaten by hand—see, already we’re having fun! Add a dipping sauce, and you’re off.
The findings shattered conventional thinking that heart disease is an old person’s problem. When I asked Ostfeld if he’d recommend a plant-based diet to children and teens, he replied, “Let’s put it this way: I would not allow my children to eat any other way.”
The literature includes other endorsements of plant-based eating for kids. “Multiple experts have concluded independently that vegan diets can be followed safely by infants and children without compromise of nutrition or growth and with some notable health benefits,” concluded a 2004 review of plant-based studies in children published in Pediatrics in Review.
More recently, the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, the world’s largest organization of nutrition professionals and experts, stated in 2016 that a vegetarian and vegan diet is good for kids and adults. “The trick is to make sure these diets are well planned out and well balanced,” said Vandana Sheth, a spokesperson for the Academy. Especially for younger vegetarians and vegans. This can be easier said than done, of course.
Myth: It makes meal planning hard.
Reality: There’s a plant-based equivalent for almost anything.
You don’t have to be vegan to be plant-based. But I decided, for environmental, animal welfare, and health reasons, to go all in—and it made me a little nervous. At first.
Impossible Gyro The Impossible meat in this gyro has a savory, chewy texture and the easy-to-veganize tzatziki. I also make tacos and chili with soy crumble. No one can tell the difference, seriously.
Then I learned to veganize our meals. I started with the ones I enjoy most—like mac and cheese. I made it with onions, potatoes, and nutritional yeast. Yum. The second was ice cream, which I amped up with coconut and raspberries. Yes, I had thirds.
I thought I’d have to say good bye to Jewish soul food but then had the best meal of my life at Champs Diner, a vegan restaurant in Brooklyn that served me a plant-based Reuben sandwich.
Going fully plant-based opened my eyes to veggies and fruits I’d earlier overlooked—beautiful juicy dragon fruits, crisp and fresh kohlrabi, versatile and meaty jack fruit. The flavors, textures, and colors in the plant world are endless. And, of course, there’s Beyond Meat, Impossible Foods, plant-based milks, and all the other delicious alternatives that have made switching away from animal products so much easier. Try it! I love it.
And to those friends who may find swapping in more veggies for animal products daunting, I say do the best you can. It can be hard rethinking the standard dinner option of meat with two sides, but it’s easier than it used to be. And even just cutting back on meat can be a boon to your health, and to the planet. The reducetarian movement founded by Brian Kateman suggests reducing and replacing where you can, and sidelining the guilt. You don’t want to get so caught up in trying to be the perfect citizen that you miss out on life’s fun moments—like scarfing down oreos on the couch with your kids.
Originally posted to our Instagram, this is a helpful infographic to save and share!
Heather D. Rametta is a News Fellow based in Philadelphia, PA
