Vegan Practically

It may be old news to many that Lizzo gave up being vegan, but for me it was news that she ever had been. Apparently she had a moment where she decided to follow “a vegan diet” and became something of a poster girl for a time. And then she decided her body needed animal products because she had eaten too many “fake meats” and gained 50 pounds. There’s a lot to unpack in the Lizzo story, but I want to consider two threads today. First, veganism as a diet. It is not. Second, the concern about “fake meats” and ultra processed foods (vegan or not). On this we need to recognize that a one-dimensional diet of “fake meat” isn’t a well-rounded nutritional approach and also that studies show that “ultraprocessed” vegan foods are not as unhealthy as “ultraprocessed” animal product foods.

Let’s start with “vegan is not a diet.” Veganism is an ethical position opposed to the use of animal products. From the Vegan Society website: “Veganism is a philosophy and way of living which seeks to exclude—as far as is possible and practicable—all forms of exploitation of, and cruelty to, animals for food, clothing or any other purpose; and by extension, promotes the development and use of animal-free alternatives for the benefit of animals, humans and the environment. In dietary terms it denotes the practice of dispensing with all products derived wholly or partly from animals.”

This means that it is not simply about what a person eats, so is not a diet in that sense. But it is also not a weight loss diet. Just as someone can be non-vegan and eat foods or portions that are not conducive to weight loss, someone can be vegan and do that too. The idea that not consuming animal products is automatically going to lead to weight loss is misguided.

If Lizzo was not choosing vegan in response to ethical principles, then she should not have been sought as a poster child for veganism.

But let’s look carefully at the claim that the fake meats she used as the cornerstone of her diet are the culprit because they are “ultraprocessed.” Advocates of a whole food diet, whether vegan or not, demonize ultraprocessed foods as categorically poorer choices.

And though no one is contesting that it’s nutritionally sound to include lots of whole foods among what you eat, recent studies have shown that ultraprocessed plant-based foods are not nearly as bad for a person as ultraprocessed animal products foods. A Harvard researcher says that where burgers are concerned, plant-based options are better for “planetary and dietary health.” Researcher Walter Willet says, “The fat composition of beef is so undesirable for health that it’s very easy to be better than that. Animal products not only have too much saturated fat but lack polyunsaturated fat, fiber and many of the minerals and vitamins available in plants.”

So yes, check the label for sodium and cholesterol and saturated fat, as you always would if you were concerned about making a healthy choice, but don’t say “no” simply because something is ultraprocessed. You might not want to make “fake meats” the cornerstone of every meal, but there is no reason to avoid them entirely if you’re practicing a vegan lifestyle. You can read the Vegan Society’s take on ultraprocessed vegan foods here. They caution against being overly simplistic.

So to the question: is veganism healthy? Well, it is certainly good for animals and the planet. Humans who adopt a vegan lifestyle need to do some research on nutrition in order to make sure they’re covering all the components they seek for nutritional balance. But as with any food choices, you can opt for healthy or not. It’s up to you. But there is no need to say that a nutritional approach to eating is not possible for vegans. It is.

And still, there is no need to be extreme about it. No healthy approach to eating is one-dimensional. I can’t imagine life without some fun food. But fun food doesn’t need to include animal products.