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

I bought this book to help me learn more about veganism and plant based living. It's been super helpful with that. There's food lists, nutrition information, advice, and guidance. It's a great book, and such a useful tool for transitioning to a more cruelty free lifestyle.

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.

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