Becoming Vegan: The Complete Guide to Adopting a Healthy Plant-Based Diet

I just read Brenda Davis' and Vesanto Melina's new book "Becoming Vegan" and am thoroughly impressed with the material and its presentation.

The authors did a much more rigorous job of researching and presenting the current scientific data, presenting both the pro and contrary findings than in earlier works. I found the directness refreshing in comparison to some of the less scientific and more evangelistic writings that have been published.

Highlights are:

-A unique and thought-provoking look at the relationship between diet and chronic disease and the protective effects of vegan diets against the leading killers.

-One of the most convincing and well researched explanations on why plant proteins are both adequate and preferable to animal protein as the major protein source for humans.

-The most comprehensive examination of dietary fat and essential fatty acids for vegans written to date.

-A thorough and practical discussion on all of the vitamins and minerals of concern to vegans, including calcium, iron and vitamin B12.

-Invaluable guidelines for people at various stages of the lifecycle: pregnancy, lactation, infancy, childhood, adolescence and the senior years.

-A detailed and thoughtful discussion on matters of weight and shape including underweight, overweight and eating disorders.

-Straight-shooting advice about vegan diets and athletic performance.

-An exceptional vegan food guide, helping you design a well-balanced vegan diet.

-A lively discussion about diplomacy and how to handle sticky situations gracefully in this nonvegan world.

I suggest this to you as a must read and something for anyone either considering or already on a vegetarian or vegan diet.

Peter Roosen.

I've recently become vegan for health reasons, and this book is my bible. It contains all the up-to-date nutrition information you need to make smart food choices on a plant-based diet. The authors manage to do something that few health writers can: they write for the lay reader without dumbing things down. So, as well as summarizing the data on vegan nutrition, they analyze the strong and weak points of the various studies--which are often based on very small numbers of vegan participants. If you are looking for a cookbook or a book that details the evils of the animal food industry and other philosophical and ethical reasons to become vegan, this is not it. But if you are looking for nutritional facts and advice on putting together a healthful diet at any stage of like, you won't be disappointed in this book.

Anyone familiar with Becoming Vegetarian, written by the same authors, knows what a valuable resource it is for vegetarians or those hoping to make the switch to a vegetarian lifestyle. Now there is a similar book with all the latest nutritional information just for vegans. It covers everything you could possibly want to know about a healthy vegan diet, including detailed sections on fats, vitamins, and minerals; feeding children; eating while pregnant; overweight; eating disorders; and eating for athletes. Also included are chapters on the roots of veganism, plant proteins, carbohydrates, phytochemicals, vegan diplomacy, and more. This book was written by two of the foremost authorities on vegetarian and vegan nutrition, Brenda Davis, R.D. and Vesanto Melina, M.S., R.D. Brenda Davis is chair of the Vegetarian Nutrition Dietetic Practice Group of the American Dietetic Association and a noted author, speaker, and educator. Vesanto Melina is the author of three vegetarian cookbooks and the coordinator of the vegetarian section of the Manual of Clinical Dietetics, 6th Ed. She is a respected speaker and consultant and has taught nutrition at the University of British Columbia and Bastyr University.... This book is sure to become a well-worn resource. --Reviewed by Melanie Wilson

I am not a vegan, but am interested in the diet. I may give it a go, at least to see what it is like, after reading this book and seeing how straightforward and non-exotic it really is! I don't think I will ever be interested in the political aspects of Veganism, so the de-emphasized political tone was welcome in this helpful book, which did a lot to make it straightforward and non-intimidating! (If you want more history/political background, there are a number of excellent books out there you should read in addition to this one.)

The book is long on the nuts and bolts of veganism -- benefits and pitfalls, how to plan a varied, good tasting, healthy menu, how to get the vitamins and minerals that are more difficult to get on a plant-based diet, etc. It does not spend a lot of time on a soapbox, nor proselytizing -- I suppose the assumption is that the reader is open minded simply by the fact that he or she is reading it. Either way, it gives straightforward, no-nonsense advice on how to do it and be healthy while doing so!

One nice touch is a section towards the back called "Vegan Diplomacy" -- which has tactics of how to deal with non-vegans, especially those whose minds are a bit more closed to this kind of thing, and how to maintain good relations with a meat eating world!

This book is a "must have" if one is contemplating going Vegan or interested in the diet.

The best decision of my life was becoming a Vegan. I recoil at how I used to mindlessly chomp hamburgers, and although I'm an atheist, I can relate to St. Paul's road to Damascus experience. Not only was I damaging my health, I was unwittingly serving a very cruel factory farm industry. Not to sound hackneyed, but if I can make the change to veganism, ANYONE can.

Becoming Vegan is full of practical advice on consuming the right amounts of food, the right food, and the right nutritional habits. Unlike a lot of books on Veganism, it doesn't, to its credit, try hard to be fashionable, nor does it soft peddle the potential problems that Vegans may face in vitamin deficiencies.

Whether you're young, old, athletic, sedentary, or have special needs, the book will almost certainly be useful in your transition to veganism. I sincerely hope that you'll check it out.