VEGAN RESOURCES
This page has links to videos, documents, and other websites that provide more information about being vegan and helping animals. My primary focus with this website is the animals who are used and slaughtered to create and become food for humans, because they represent over 99% of animals who are exploited, harmed, and killed unnecessarily by humans. But there is much more to veganism than just food choices. Click on an organization’s logo to go directly to that organization’s website.
The information on this page is separated into the following sections. Click on the section title below to go directly to that section.
VEGAN MEAT, DAIRY, AND EGG ALTERNATIVES
VEGAN SHOPPING AND CRUELTY-FREE ALTERNATIVES
VEGAN AND PLANT-BASED NUTRITION
SCIENTIFIC STUDIES ON A VEGAN DIET
VEGAN AND PLANT-BASED ATHLETES
VEGAN FITNESS AND BODYBUILDING
INSPIRATIONAL SPEECHES ABOUT GOING VEGAN
VIDEOS OF HOW “FOOD” ANIMALS ARE TREATED
CLIMATE CHANGE AND THE ENVIRONMENT
ANIMAL AGRICULTURE STANDARD PRACTICES
UNITED STATES FEDERAL AND STATE LAWS
CONTACT 80SPOPANIMALS
If you have a comment or a question, please send me an e-mail: 80spopanimals@gmail.com. Also, if you notice an error or a broken link, or you have any feedback at all, please let me know!
FREE VEGAN GUIDE
TOTALLY AWESOME FREE VEGAN GUIDE!
DOWNLOADABLE PDF!
Check out the 66-page TOTALLY AWESOME GUIDE TO THE VEGAN DIET AND PHILOSOPHY. This comprehensive resource about eating and living vegan is for long-time vegans, new vegans, and pre-vegans. Please feel free to download and share this guide!
In this guide you will find lots of ideas, menus, product suggestions, and advice about going vegan. This resource is designed to get you thinking about what’s abundantly available for you to eat that doesn’t come from animal suffering and violence. This guide will help you understand the basics of veganism, as well as HOW to go vegan, with simple, practical steps to help you get started right away.
FREE VEGAN STARTER KITS
If you need help figuring out what to eat and how to live vegan, click on the images above for vegan start kits, or simply ask a vegan! We’ve all been through this process. We will help you! We want to help you, not just because we care about the animals—but also because we care about YOU. We know that you don’t want to be contributing to the suffering and slaughter of lovable animals. That’s not who you are!
Every day it gets easier to live vegan, because vegan products and services are becoming more available every day. There are now affordable, healthy, vegan alternatives to all animal products. You just have to look for them. And every day there are more people who decide to live vegan. You have a support system. There are many online social media groups that you may join for advice, inspiration, and support.
Being vegan is simply about being compassionate. YOU CAN DO IT!!! Ask for help if you need it. All vegans will tell you that the one regret they have is not going vegan sooner.
VEGAN MEAT, DAIRY, AND EGG ALTERNATIVES
Here are some leading vegan businesses that specialize in vegan food and beverages. Click on the company names to go to the company websites. Many of them will ship directly to you, and you may always ask for these brands and products at your local grocery stores and restaurants. You will find store locators on many of these websites, to let you know where to find these products locally.
Please note that the following businesses are vegan, but the business owners or investors are involved with other businesses or brands that use animal products: Daiya, Earth Balance, Field Roast/Chao, Gardein, Lightlife, Silk, So Delicious, and Violife.
VEGAN MEAT
There are now many delicious, healthier vegan alternatives to meat that are widely available. Below these logos are links to companies that make vegan meat. Go to the websites for more information. Many of them will ship directly to you, or you may order these products from online shopping platforms. And you may always ask for these brands and products at your local grocery stores and restaurants. You will find store locators on many of these websites, to let you know where to find these products locally.
HERE ARE 37 COMPANIES THAT MAKE VEGAN MEAT!
Lightlife***
Like Meat
Lily’s Vegan Pantry
Meatless Farm
No Evil Foods
Plamil Foods
Primal Spirit Foods
Rebellyous Foods
Sgaia
Squeaky Bean
Sweet Earth Enlightened Foods
Tofurky
Upton’s Naturals
Worthington
Yves Veggie Cuisine
* Please note that all Field Roast products are vegan, but the brand is owned by Maple Leaf Foods, which sells animal products.
** Please note that all Impossible Foods products are vegan, but the company did conduct animal testing for one ingredient, and killed 188 rats.
*** Please note that all products by Gardein, Lightlife, and Earth Balance are vegan, but these brands are owned by Conagra Brands, Inc., which sells animal products.
† Please note that Incogmeato is a vegan line of Morningstar Farms (a division of the Kellogg Company, which sells animal products). On its website, Morningstar Farms states: “All of our Incogmeato branded foods are vegan. Many of our Morningstar Farms foods are vegan or in the process of becoming vegan. Be sure to look for the Plant Based Food Association (PBFA) logo or the word VEGAN on the package you purchase.”
VEGAN JERKY
There is a surprising variety of delicious vegan jerky!
-
Butler Foods: Sam’s Harvest Jerky
-
Louisville Vegan Jerky Company (five varieties of jerky, including Maple Bacon, Perfect Pepperoni, and Buffalo Dill)
-
Moku Foods (three varieties of vegan jerky made from mushrooms)
-
Primal Spirit Foods: Primal Strips Meatless Vegan Jerky (flavors include Texas BBQ, Mesquite Lime, Hickory Smokes, and Thai Peanut)
-
The Herbivorous Butcher: Jerky Sampler
VEGAN CHEESE
Vegan cheese is all the rage now! Below these logos are links to 58 companies that make vegan cheese. Go to the websites for more information. Many of them will ship directly to you, or you may order these products from online shopping platforms. And you may always ask for these brands and products at your local grocery stores and restaurants. You will find store locators on many of these websites, to let you know where to find these products locally.
HERE ARE 58 COMPANIES THAT SPECIALIZE IN VEGAN CHEESE!
SNACKABLE VEGAN CHEESE!
Cheese with crackers, fruit, or by itself is a traditional snack, and now there are many choices of vegan cheese that come as wedges, blocks, wheels, and cubes! A box of snackable vegan cheese is an excellent gift!
-
Catalyst Creamery: Ghost Pepper & Fried Onion or Dill Havarti Hemp Milk Cheese Wedge
-
Daiya††: Cheeze Blocks (several varieties including Medium Cheddar, Jalapeño Havarti, Monterey Jack Flavor, and Smoked Gouda
-
The Frauxmagerie: Botanic Boka Cheddar or Greek Feta Cultured Artisan Cheese
-
Good Planet Foods: Snackable Plant-Based Cheese Wedges (Original, Pepper Jack, and Smoked Gouda)
-
Jule’s Food: Brie
-
The Kinda Co.: Block Cheese (several varieties including Cranberry, Garlic + Herb, and Spirulina Blue)
-
Miyoko’s: Organic Cashew Milk Artisan Cheese Wheels (several varieties including Classic Chive, Sundried Tomato Garlic, Garlic Herb, and French Style Winter Truffle)
-
Myracle Kitchen: Caramel, Chocolate, or Original Coconut Bytes
-
Nuts for Cheese: Organic Super Blue or Black Garlic Wedge
-
Reine Royal: Vegan Artisan Cheese Rounds (several varieties including Sharp Cheddar, Smoked Gouda, Chipotle, Cracked Pepper Dill, and Raspberry Sage)
-
RIND: Aged French-Style Plant-Based Cheese Wedges (several varieties including Paprika, Herb, Classic Cambleu, Garlic Mustard Greens, Bleu, and Bloody Mary)
-
SriMu: very fancy artisanal NOT cheeses (several varieties including Bertie, Gold Alchemy, Elder, Dolce Vita, Spire, and Cloud 9)
-
Treeline: Aged Artisanal Plant-Based Cheese Wheels
-
The Uncreamery: Classic Vegan Brie Wheel
-
The Uncreamery: Vegan Cheese Blocks (several varieties including Dill Havarti, Ghost Pepper Jack, and Smoked Gouda
-
Vevan: Marinated Mozza-Bites or Marinated Mozza-Bites Antipasti
-
Vevan: P’Jack Snax (bite-size cubes with cranberries and almonds) or Lemon Poppyseed Snax (bite-size cubes with poppyseeds, lemon, dried blueberries, and cashews)
-
Violife‡: Vegan Just Like Feta Block
-
Violife‡: Vegan Just Like Parmesan Wedge
-
Virgin Cheese: Organic Artisan Cheese Rounds (several varieties including Lemon Dill, Feta, Smoked Gouda, Sriracha Cheddar, Bleu, and Sharp White Cheddar)
-
Vromage: Dairy-Free Cheese Blocks (several varieties including Veganzola, Cranberry, Feta Herb, Feta Basil, Camembert, and Brie Fresh Truffle)
-
Vtopian: Artisan Cultured Vegan Cheese Blocks and Wedges (several varieties including Aged White Cheddar, Aged Black Garlic, Smokey Cheddar, Caramelized Onion & Camembert, Basil Brie, and Dark Chocolate Strawberry Brie)
-
Wendy’s Nutty Cheese: Artisan Cashew Cheese Blocks and Wedges (several varieties including Almond Cheddar, Blueberry Rum de Fleur, Cold Smoked Applewood, Drunken Red Cheddar, Port Wine Cheddar, Cold Smoked Hickory Cheddar, Fig & Fennel, Roasted Garlic, and Champagne & Truffle)
* Please note that Chao (Field Roast) products are all vegan, but the brand is owned by Maple Leaf Foods, which sells animal products.
†† Please note that Daiya products are all vegan, but the brand is owned by Otsuka Pharmaceutical, which tests on animals.
‡ Please note that Violife products are all vegan, but the brand is owned by private equity giant KKR (Kohlberg, Kravis Roberts & Co.), which has investments in pharmaceutical companies that test on animals, and investments in companies that sell animals products.
‡‡ Please note that Follow Your Heart, Silk, and So Delicious products are all vegan, but these companies are owned by Danone North America, a subsidiary of Danone S.A., a multinational corporation that sells animal products.
VEGAN ALTERNATIVES TO DAIRY PRODUCTS
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has changed its definitions of the terms “dairy-free” and “non-dairy” over the years. “Dairy-free” now means the complete absence of all dairy derivatives including lactose (milk sugar) and casein/caseinate (milk protein). “Non-dairy” refers to products, such as non-dairy whipped topping and non-dairy creamers, which MAY contain a caseinate milk derivative. Because the FDA states that labeling must be truthful and cannot be misleading, it is safe to assume that a product labeled “dairy-free” is made without dairy ingredients, but you should read the ingredient label to be sure. Look for the word “contains” on the ingredient label. If the product includes any dairy at all, the manufacturer is required to print “Contains: Milk” with the ingredients. Also, the term “dairy-free” refers to the ingredients themselves, not the process or potential allergen cross-contamination in manufacturing. If that is a concern for you, contact the manufacturer and ask if the equipment used comes in contact with any dairy products.
PLANT MILKS
There is a wide variety of plant milks available everywhere: soy, almond, coconut, oat, hemp, spelt, rice, pea, pistachio, walnut, macadamia, flax, banana, cashew, hazelnut, quinoa, sesame, and more. Try a few until you find ones you love. Here are some of the most popular and widely-available brands that specialize in plant-based milks:
Almond Breeze (Blue Diamond)
Tempt (Living Harvest)
VEGAN BUTTER
There are many alternatives to butter that are made from coconut oil, sunflower oil, and other ingredients such as cashews and avocados.
Most margarines and many butter alternatives contain palm oil because it is cheap, solid at room temperature, and free of trans fats. Palm oil does not come from animals, but palm oil is not vegan because it directly harms and kills wild animals, and causes significant damage to the environment. Palm oil comes from the fruit of the oil palm tree. According to the United Nations, palm oil plantations are now the leading cause of rainforest destruction in Malaysia and Indonesia. These areas account for 85% of palm oil production. The burning of forests to clear land for palm oil plantations kills wildlife—especially orangutans—and causes major detrimental environmental consequences. Orangutans will go extinct unless action is taken to preserve forests in Indonesia and Malaysia where they live.
The good news is that these butter alternatives contain no palm oil:
Forager Project’s Buttery Spread
Kite Hill’s European Style Butter Alternative
Milkadamia’s Salted Buttery Spread
Miyoko’s Cultured Vegan Butter
Om Sweet Home’s Non-Dairy Butter Alternative
Wayfare’s Foods Dairy-Free Salted, Whipped Butter
Wildbrine’s European-Style Butter or Wild Creamery Oat Butter Alternative
Earth Balance*** makes a popular vegan butter, but it contains palm oil. According to the company, “Any palm oil used in Earth Balance products comes from Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) member organizations, committed to environmentally and socially responsible palm oil production.”
VEGAN CREAMERS
Some of the most popular and widely-available vegan creamers include the following:
VEGAN CREAM CHEESE
-
Daiya††: Cream Cheeze Style Spreads (Plain, Strawberry, Chive & Onion, and Roasted Garlic & Herb)
-
Darë: French Onion Cream Cheese
-
Dr-Cow: Chive Cashew Cream Cheese
-
Follow Your Heart‡‡: Dairy-Free Cream Cheese
-
Kite Hill: Cream Cheese Alternative includes these varieties: Chive, Pumpkin Pie, Garden Veggie, and Everything
-
Miyoko’s: Vegan Cream Cheese includes these varieties: Cinnamon Raisin, Savory Scallion, Everything, and Fish-Free Lox
-
Nafsika’s Garden: Cream Cheese with Garlic and Herbs
-
Reine Royal: Garlic Chive Cultured Vegan Cream Cheese
-
So Delicious‡‡: Cream Cheese Style Shred – Creamy Original and Chive & Onion
-
The Kinda Co.: Cream Cheese Bundle includes these varieties: Farmhouse, Sour Creme + Chive, and Faux Lox + Dill
-
Tofutti: Better Than Cream Cheese
-
Treeline: Plant-Based Cream Cheese includes these varieties: Plain, Strawberry, and Chive & Onion
-
Violife‡: Just Like Cream Cheese includes these varieties: Original, Garlic & Herbs, and Cheddar
VEGAN CHEESE SPREADS AND DIPS
-
Jule’s Food: Cashew Cheddar Spread, Cheddar Jalapeño Dip, and French Onion Dip and Ranch Dip
-
Kite Hill: Almond Milk Ricotta Alternative
-
Kite Hill: Ranch, Queso, French Onion, and Tzatziki Dips
-
Kite Hill: Spreadable Cheese
-
RIND: Aged French-Style Soft Cheese Spread
-
Treeline: Plant-Based Soft French-Style Cheeses includes these varieties: Herb Classic, Scallion, and Chipotle-Serrano pepper
-
Tofutti: Better Than Ricotta Cheese
-
Tofutti: Dippity Doo Dah Dips: French Onion, Garden Cucumber, and Roasted Garlic
VEGAN SOUR CREAM
-
Dr-Cow: Sour Cashew Cream
-
Follow Your Heart‡‡: Dairy-Free Sour Cream
-
Kite Hill: Sour Cream Alternative
-
Tofutti: Better Than Sour Cream
VEGAN MAYONNAISE, SAUCES, AND SALAD DRESSINGS
-
Bitchin’ Sauce (Original, Chipotle, and Cilantro Chili)
-
Daiya††: Dairy-Free Dressings (many varieties including Homestyle Ranch, Creamy Italian, Honey Flavored Mustard, Blue Cheeze, and Creamy Caesar)
-
Earth Balance***: Original or Olive Oil Mindful Dressing & Sandwich Spread
-
Follow Your Heart‡‡: Salad Dressings (many varieties including Ranch, Organic Caesar, Thousand Island, Honey Mustard, Creamy Garlic, Bleu Cheese, Organic Balsamic Vinaigrette, Organic Miso Ginger, and Reduced Fat Ranch)
-
Follow Your Heart‡‡: Vegenaise (many varieties including Avocado Oil , Grapeseed Oil , Reduced Fat , Organic Garlic Aïoli, Chipotle, Pesto, Sriracha)
-
Follow Your Heart‡‡: Vegenaise Horseradish Sauce
-
Follow Your Heart‡‡: Vegenaise Tartar Sauce
VEGAN YOGURT
-
Dr-Cow: Coconut Yogurt Plain
-
Follow Your Heart‡‡: Dairy-Free Plain or Vanilla Bean Yogurt
-
Kite Hill: Almond Milk Yogurt (several varieties including Raspberry, Key Lime, Strawberry, Blueberry, and Peach)
-
Kite Hill: Blissful Coconut Yogurt
-
So Delicious‡‡: Coconut Yogurt Alternative (several varieties including Coco Almond Crunch, Spiced Blueberry, Salted Caramel Cluster, Key Lime Pie, Unsweetened Vanilla, Strawberry Banana, Chocolate, and Blueberry)
VEGAN ICE CREAM
VEGAN CHOCOLATE!
Delicious chocolate doesn’t have to contain bovine mammary secretions! Here are companies that make the best vegan chocolate...
The Food Empowerment Project has an extensive list of vegan products containing chocolate that are free-trade (no tariffs, quotas, or other restrictions) and that are not sourced from countries where child labor and slavery are prevalent.
The Safe + Fair Food Company offers a wide variety of vegan desserts including drizzled popcorn, granola, cookies, and more.
*** Please note that all products by Gardein, Lightlife, and Earth Balance are vegan, but these brands are owned by Conagra Brands, Inc., which sells animal products.
†† Please note that Daiya products are all vegan, but the brand is owned by Otsuka Pharmaceutical, which tests on animals.
‡ Please note that Violife products are all vegan, but the brand is owned by private equity giant KKR (Kohlberg, Kravis Roberts & Co.), which has investments in pharmaceutical companies that test on animals, and investments in companies that sell animals products.
‡‡ Please note that Follow Your Heart, Silk, and So Delicious products are all vegan, but these companies are owned by Danone North America, a subsidiary of Danone S.A., a multinational corporation that sells animal products.
VEGAN EGGS
There are now many delicious, healthier vegan alternatives to eggs that are widely available. Below these logos are links to companies that make vegan eggs and egg replacers. Go to the websites for more information. Many of them will ship directly to you, or you may order these products from online shopping platforms. And you may always ask for these brands and products at your local grocery stores and restaurants. You will find store locators on many of these websites, to let you know where to find these products locally.
HERE ARE 23 COMPANIES THAT MAKE VEGAN EGGS!
BAKING WITHOUT EGGS
The products above that are marked with an * are best to use when baking. When baking, there are many other alternatives that you may use instead of eggs: applesauce, vegan yogurt, silken tofu, a ripe mashed banana, peanut butter, aquafaba (the liquid from canned garbanzo beans), ground flaxseeds, chia seeds, arrowroot powder, vinegar with baking soda, or a combination of water, oil, and baking powder. Do an online search to find out which of these egg alternatives works best with what you are baking.
VEGAN MEALS AND RECIPES
Click on the images to go to the websites.
VEGAN SHOPPING AND CRUELTY-FREE ALTERNATIVES
Click on the images to go to the websites.
What about alcohol? Some alcoholic beverages are not vegan because they are clarified and a processed with casein (a milk protein), albumin (egg whites), gelatin (animal protein), or isinglass (fish bladder protein). An excellent resource to determine If alcohol is free of animal products is Barnivore.
VEGAN ACTIVISM ORGANIZATIONS
These are some of the many vegan activism organizations. Click on an image to go to the organization’s website.
VEGAN ACTIVISTS TO FOLLOW
These 20 vegan activists are some of the most prominent and influential online vegan content creators. They each have a unique perspective and cover different aspects of living vegan. Click on an image to go to each activist’s principal social media platform (for example, some are mainly active on YouTube, some tend to stick to Instagram and/or Facebook, and some have websites with links to multiple platforms).
VEGAN NEWS AND CURRENT EVENTS
Click on an image to go to the organization’s website.
VEGAN AND PLANT-BASED NUTRITION
Scientific research confirms that people who eat a vegan diet have a lower risk for cancer, obesity, type-2 diabetes, heart disease, high cholesterol, high blood pressure, and many more chronic diseases. The organizations below provide an abundance of peer-reviewed, evidence-based research and studies on 100% plant-based nutrition.
THE ACADEMY OF NUTRITION AND DIETETICS
The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics is the largest organization of healthcare professionals in the United States (and the world), representing over 100,000 credentialed practitioners. The Academy published a position paper in the December 2016 Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics (Volume 116, Issue 12, Pages 1970–1980), that affirms its official position that a vegan diet is best for human health and the environment. The Academy is the leading authority on diet and nutrition in the U.S., and is committed to improving the nation’s health and advancing the profession of dietetics through research, education, and advocacy.
The Academy states that humans have no inherent biological or nutritional need for animals or animal products, and that a vegan diet provides significant health benefits, may prevent and treat chronic diseases, and is best for overall health. The paper states that a vegan diet is “healthful, nutritionally adequate, and may provide health benefits for the prevention and treatment of certain diseases.” Additionally, the Academy affirms that a vegan diet is “appropriate for all stages of the life cycle, including pregnancy, lactation, infancy, childhood, adolescence, older adulthood, and for athletes.”
This position paper also includes a section on environmental issues, concluding not only that a vegan diet is more sustainable and less damaging to the environment, but also that animal agriculture negatively impacts the environment. The paper states, “Plant-based diets are more environmentally sustainable than diets rich in animal products because they use fewer natural resources and are associated with much less environmental damage.”
Furthermore, according to the Academy, “Vegans are at reduced risk of certain health conditions, including ischemic heart disease, type-2 diabetes, hypertension, certain types of cancer, and obesity.”
And because characteristics of a vegan diet include “low intake of saturated fat and high intakes of vegetables, fruits, whole grains, legumes, soy products, nuts, and seeds (all rich in fiber and phytochemicals),” a vegan diet produces “lower total and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels and better serum glucose control. These factors contribute to reduction of chronic disease.” The Academy concludes that a vegan diet provides better nutrition than an omnivorous diet, as assessed by the Alternative Healthy Eating Index.
Here are some of the American Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics’ determinations regarding a vegan diet compared to other dietary patterns:
-
Vegans are at reduced risk for heart disease, and vegan diets seem to be the most beneficial in improving heart disease risk factors.
-
Vegans are at reduced risk for cancer, and a vegan diet provides greater protection against overall cancer incidence.
-
Vegans have a lower risk for type-2 diabetes, and a vegan diet serves as effective therapeutic tools in the management of type-2 diabetes.
-
Vegans are at reduced risk for hypertension, and have the lowest systolic and diastolic blood pressure levels and the lowest rate of hypertension.
-
Vegans are at reduced risk for obesity, and a vegan diet is associated with the lowest body mass index.
-
Vegan diets typically meet or exceed recommended protein intakes, when caloric intakes are adequate: “The terms complete and incomplete are misleading in relation to plant protein. Protein from a variety of plant foods, eaten during the course of a day, supplies enough of all indispensable (essential) amino acids when caloric requirements are met.”
-
Vegans eat the most fiber, the least total fat and saturated fat, and have the healthiest body weights and cholesterol levels.
The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics used a large collection of studies and public surveys to arrive at its conclusions. There are 117 sources cited, and no potential conflicts of interest, nor any funding sources that could have created bias.
YOU MAY SEE THE ENTIRE STUDY AND DOWNLOAD A PDF HERE.
NUTRITION FACTS – DR. MICHAEL GREGER
Nutrition Facts is a free, science-based public service website that provides evidence-based recommendations covering the nutritional features of a vegan diet. The goal of this website is to provide the results of peer-reviewed nutrition and health research, presented in a way that is easy to understand. There are health and nutrition videos covering more than 2,000 alphabetized topics.
According to Nutrition Facts founder Dr. Michael Greger, “A significant convergence of evidence suggests that plant-based diets can help prevent and even reverse some of the top killer diseases in the Western world and can be more effective than medication and surgery: Alzheimer’s disease, cancer, diabetes, heart disease, high cholesterol, high blood pressure, and Parkinson’s disease. Plant-based eating may have a positive effect on abdominal fat, acne, aging, allergies, asthma, body-odor, cellulite, childhood IQ, cognition, dysmenorrhea, eczema, gut flora, fibromyalgia, kidney stones, metabolic syndrome, menstrual breast pain, mood, multiple sclerosis, oral health, rheumatoid arthritis, stools, waist circumference, and weight control. Plant-based eating also appears to help prevent abdominal aortic aneurysm, age-related macular degeneration, cataracts, Crohn’s disease, diverticulosis, gallstones, hiatal hernia, kidney stones, rheumatoid arthritis, ulcerative colitis, and vaginal infections. Eating meat and other animal products may be associated with weight gain (even after controlling for calories), a shortened lifespan, and other negative effects. Meat also contains a high amount of saturated fat, trans fats, sulfur dioxide arachidonic acid, and heme iron. Meat, fish, dairy, and eggs may also increase our exposure to dietary antibiotics, industrial toxins, mercury and other toxic heavy metals, advanced glycation end-products (AGEs), cadmium, xenoestrogens in fish, and estrogenic meat carcinogens…” [from How Not to Die ]
In his 2015 presentation Food as Medicine: Preventing and Treating the Most Common Diseases with Diet, Dr. Greger addresses how animal-dependent diets cause many diseases, and how vegan diets can prevent and even reverse the leading causes of illness and death.
HOW NOT TO DIE
Dr. Michael Greger’s book How Not to Die examines the 15 top causes of death in America, and explains how nutrition and lifestyle changes are superior and healthier to prescription pills and medical procedures. Dr. Greger backs up his claims with peer-reviewed scientific evidence, showing that a vegan diet is what we need to live longer, healthier lives.
In this 2016 video, he discusses the book.
There is also an animated summary of How Not to Die.
Dr. Greger discusses “Why Doctors Don't Recommend Veganism” in this video.
Dr. Greger lectures on the leading causes of death (meat, milk, and eggs) in this video.
PHYSICIANS COMMITTEE FOR RESPONSIBLE MEDICINE
“The Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine is a non-profit organization that focuses on medical research and advocacy for animals, encouraging “higher standards of ethics and effectiveness in research.”
PCRM provides health and nutrition literature and facts sheets, and a 21-Day Vegan Kickstart program that features tips, daily meal plans, nutrition information, and other activities that make going vegan easy.
In 2015, The Physicians Committee opened the Barnard Medical Center, which implements PCRM’s clinical research and education about the link between diet and health. The center focuses on prevention and integrating nutrition into patient care.
“In 2015, a meta-analysis by the Physicians Committee published in Cardiovascular Diagnosis and Therapy found that a plant-based diet improves type-2 diabetes treatment—and does so more effectively than oral diabetes medications. In the last 30 years, we have published more than 70 research papers, including three major meta-analyses on the role of plant-based diets in improving blood pressure, blood sugar, and body weight.”
~ The Physicians Committee For Responsible Medicine
“Two themes consistently emerge from studies of cancer from many sites: vegetables and fruits help to reduce risk, while meat, animal products, and other fatty foods are frequently found to increase risk. Consumption of dietary fat drives production of hormones, which, in turn, promotes growth of cancer cells in hormone-sensitive organs such as the breast and prostate. Meat is devoid of the protective effects of fiber, antioxidants, phytochemicals, and other helpful nutrients, and it contains high concentrations of saturated fat and potentially carcinogenic compounds, which may increase one’s risk of developing many different kinds of cancer… Diets rich in high-fiber plant foods such as whole grains, legumes, vegetables, and fruits offer a measure of protection. Fiber greatly speeds the passage of food through the colon, effectively removing carcinogens, and fiber actually changes the type of bacteria that is present in the intestine, so there is reduced production of carcinogenic secondary bile acids. Plant foods are also naturally low in fat and rich in antioxidants and other anti-cancer compounds.”
~ The Physicians Committee For Responsible Medicine
“Milk and dairy products are not necessary in the diet and can, in fact, be harmful to health. It is best to consume a healthful diet of grains, fruits, vegetables, legumes, and fortified foods including cereals and juices. These nutrient-dense foods can help you meet your calcium, potassium, riboflavin, and vitamin D requirements with ease—and without facing the health risks associated with dairy product consumption.”
~ The Physicians Committee For Responsible Medicine
T. COLIN CAMPBELL CENTER FOR NUTRITION STUDIES
The mission of the T. Colin Campbell Center for Nutrition Studies is “to promote optimal nutrition through science-based education, advocacy, and research,” emphasizing living a “whole life” by maintaining health and building happiness, “a life scientifically proven to be achieved by doing a very simple thing: understanding and implementing a whole food, plant-based diet.”
The website features whole-food, plant-based resources including indepth articles, recipes, a free monthly newsletter, and information about the online Certificate in Plant-Based Nutrition program, a nationally-recognized comprehensive plant-based nutrition education program, with lessons from more than 25 experts, including Dr. T. Colin Campbell.
The T. Colin Campbell Center for Nutrition Studies is based in Ithaca, New York, established to advocate Dr. T. Colin Campbell’s life-changing work in nutritional research, especially The China Study, the 2005 bestseller (updated and expanded in 2016), which he co-authored with his son Thomas Campbell, MD.
THE CHINA STUDY: STARTLING IMPLICATIONS FOR DIET, WEIGHT LOSS, AND LONG-TERM HEALTH
The China Study is based on the 20-year China Project, the most comprehensive study of health and nutrition ever conducted. The project included 367 variables and 6,500 participants, and produced more than 8,000 statistically significant associations between lifestyle, dietary factors, and disease variables—clearly showing the damaging effects of diets high in animal protein, contrasted with the undeniable health benefits of a vegan diet. They also incorporate a wealth of additional research data from other sources.
The China Study provides irrefutable evidence of the health benefits of a vegan diet. The study was conducted jointly by the Chinese Academy of Preventive Medicine, Cornell University, and the University of Oxford, directed by T. Colin Campbell, PhD. He has received more than 70 grant years of peer-reviewed research funding and authored more than 300 research papers.
The researchers looked at diets, lifestyles, disease characteristics, and mortality rates of 6,500 people in China, and concluded that people who eat primarily animal-based foods are more likely to suffer from chronic diseases than people who eat vegan foods, and that people who eat vegan foods both minimize and actually REVERSE the development of chronic diseases.
The researchers emphasize a clear, significant correlation between the consumption of meat, milk, and eggs and many ailments: heart disease, diabetes, cancer, obesity, osteoporosis, Type-2 diabetes, and more—concluding that diets high in animal protein are strongly linked to chronic disease.
Some of the most significant findings, which have been published in the most reputable scientific journals, include the following:
-
Heart disease can be reversed with a vegan diet! Patients with coronary heart disease who eat a whole-foods, plant-based diet can stop the progression of the disease. In fact, the clogged arteries of 70% of the participants actually opened. Reducing the consumption of animal protein is more significant than reducing the consumption of saturated fat.
-
The growth of cancer cells can actually be turned on and off by increasing and decreasing quantities of casein, the protein found in cow milk.
-
Dairy consumption increases the risk of prostate cancer.
“What made this project especially remarkable is that, among the many associations that are relevant to diet and disease, so many pointed to the same finding: People who ate the most animal-based foods got the most chronic disease. Even relatively small intakes of animal-based food were associated with adverse effects. People who ate the most plant-based foods were the healthiest and tended to avoid chronic disease. These results could not be ignored. From the initial experimental animal studies on animal protein effects to this massive human study on dietary patterns, the findings proved to be consistent. The health implications of consuming either animal or plant-based nutrients were remarkably different... The distinctions between government, industry, science, and medicine have become blurred. The distinctions between making a profit and promoting health have become blurred... The result is massive amounts of misinformation, for which average American consumers pay twice. They provide the tax money to do the research, and then they provide the money for their health care to treat their largely preventable diseases.”
~ DR. T. COLIN CAMPBELL, THE CHINA STUDY: THE MOST COMPREHENSIVE STUDY OF NUTRITION EVER CONDUCTED
The China Study’s conclusion is simple: If you want to live a healthy, long life, choose a vegan diet.
From the Introduction to The China Study:
“Even though information and opinions are plentiful, very few people truly know what they should be doing to improve their health. This isn’t because the research hasn’t been done. It has. We know an enormous amount about the links between nutrition and health. But the real science has been buried beneath a clutter of irrelevant or even harmful information—junk science, fad diets, and food industry propaganda. I want to change that. I want to give you a new framework for understanding nutrition and health, a framework that eliminates confusion, prevents and treats disease, and allows you to live a more fulfilling life. I have been ‘in the system’ for almost sixty years, often at the very highest levels, designing and directing large research projects, deciding which research gets funded, and translating massive amounts of scientific research into national expert-panel reports. After a long career in research, policy making, and lecturing to a wide variety of public and professional audiences, I now understand why Americans are so confused. As a taxpayer who foots the bill for research and health policy in America, you deserve to know that many of the common notions you have been told about food, health, and disease are wrong...”
“The China Study...unearths surprising answers to the most important nutritional questions of our time: What really causes cancer? How can we extend our lives? What will turn around the obesity epidemic? The China Study...represents a major turning-point in our understanding of health.”
~ Neal Barnard, MD, President, Physician’s Committee for Responsible Medicine
Click on the images above to watch Dr. T. Colin Campbell present the overwhelming evidence that animal protein causes cancer.
DR. MICHAEL KLAPER
Dr. Michael Klaper is a leading educator in plant-based nutrition and ending animal cruelty worldwide. His website offers a variety of nutritional health resources, including answers to frequently asked health questions, videos, recipes, news and events, and “Healthy YOU Webinars” about how to achieve optimal health and well-being.
“Practicing primary care medicine for over 40 years has taught me many things, but chief among them is that health and disease are not a matter of chance. As a wise professor told me in medical school, ‘People do not get diseases, they earn them!’... The adage ‘By age 20 you have the face that Nature gave you; by age 50, you have the face your choices gave you’ is, indeed, true—and holds throughout the body. By age 50, we have the arteries, the heart, the skin, the colon and the brain that our choices have given us.”
“People are the only animals that drink the milk of the mother of another species. All other animals stop drinking milk altogether after weaning. It is unnatural for a dog to nurse from a mother giraffe; it is just as unnatural for a human being to drink the milk of a cow.”
DR. MCDOUGALL’S HEALTH & MEDICAL CENTER
Dr. John McDougall is a nutrition expert who recommends a low-fat, no oil, starch-based, vegan diet. His website features the latest information on health-related topics, success stories from people with medical issues who have improved their health, and information on specific health problems and nutrition.
Dr. McDougall offers a free program that has all of the information to successfully improve health and well-being, which includes a vegan diet. The program emphasizes “the exclusion of animal foods, including red meat, poultry, dairy products, eggs, and fish—all of which provide toxic levels of fat, cholesterol, protein and, very often, infectious agents and harmful chemicals.”
The program emphasizes the following:
-
Animal foods have little nutritional value.
-
Protein from animal sources damages the human body.
-
Americans consume far too much protein (which overworks the liver and kidneys).
-
Plants provide all of the essential amino acids needed for the human body to build protein.
-
Cow milk is an inferior source of calcium.
-
For optimum health, humans need adequate complex carbohydrates, which are simply not found in animal sources.
Dr. McDougall discusses “Why Doctors Don’t Recommend Veganism” in this video.
SCIENTIFIC STUDIES ON A VEGAN DIET
Below are several peer-reviewed, evidence-based studies about the benefits of a vegan diet. These studies clearly link a vegan diet with improved health outcomes, including protective benefits against cancer, heart disease, and many diseases.
It has been proven repeatedly that a 100% plant-based diet is optimal for human health and that diseases can be prevented and even reversed with a vegan diet. There are no nutrients in animal-based foods that are not better provided by plants, including protein, fiber, vitamins, and minerals. (The one exception is vitamin B12, which does not occur naturally in animal products, and can be supplied via fortified food sources such as plant beverages, cereals, and nutritional yeast, or with a supplement.)
If you are unaware of the overwhelming scientific evidence supporting a vegan diet, that may be because...well, guess who doesn’t want you to know the truth! The animal agriculture industry, as well as the media, the government, politicians, the education system, and the healthcare industry, because they all accept funding from the animal agriculture industry. That’s right: It’s all about money for all of these corporate entities—not about the animals, not about our world, and not about your health! Please really think about that. IF YOU ARE UNAWARE OF THE SCIENCE, THEN YOU DO NOT HAVE AN INFORMED OPINION. Simply do some research. And what about the studies stating that animal flesh, organs, and bodily secretions are healthy for humans to consume? Those studies are funded by the meat, dairy, and egg industries!
A 2014 study on health and disease outcomes found that while vegetarians consistently have lower risks for cardiovascular diseases, cardiometabolic risk factors, some cancers, and total mortality, further avoidance of eggs and dairy products may offer additional benefits. The researchers concluded that compared to vegetarian diets, vegan diets provide added protection against obesity, hypertension, type-2 diabetes, and cardiovascular mortality.
A 2015 study examined the association between dietary patterns and prostate cancer incidence, and found that a vegan diet showed a statistically significant protective connection to a lower risk of prostate cancer. Participants who switched to a vegan diet either stopped the progression of their cancer or reversed the illness entirely.
A 2016 systematic review with meta-analysis of observational studies compared multiple health outcomes in vegetarian and vegan diets, and concluded that consuming a vegan diet significantly reduces risk of both cardiovascular disease and cancer. The overall analysis also revealed significantly reduced levels of body mass index, total cholesterol, LDL-cholesterol, and glucose levels in vegetarians and vegans, compared to omnivores. Incidence of cancer for those following a vegetarian diet was lower than an omnivorous diet, and was even lower still in those who followed a vegan diet. The analysis conducted among vegans reported a significant reduced risk of incidence from total cancer.
A 2014 study found that high protein intake, especially from animal sources, is linked to increased cancer, diabetes, and overall mortality, and that a diet in which plant-based nutrients represent the majority of the food intake is likely to maximize health benefits in all age groups. The researchers also concluded that protein from plant sources is associated with lower mortality than animal-derived protein.
A 2016 study found that a vegan diet is associated with a substantially lower risk of developing type 2 diabetes. The researchers recommend a shift to diets rich in healthy plant foods.
The first study of thousands of vegans in the United States was published in 2009. Comparing the body mass index of vegans to that of meat-eaters and vegetarians, the researchers found that vegans had 40% less body fat and achieved healthy weight.
A 2014 study about nutrition and cancer concluded that limiting or avoiding dairy products reduces the risk of prostate cancer; that avoiding red and processed meat reduces the risk of colon and rectal cancer; and that avoiding grilled, fried, and broiled meats reduces the risk of colon, rectal, breast, prostate, kidney, and pancreatic cancer. The researchers emphasize eating fruits and vegetables to reduce the risk of several types of cancer.
A 2014 study led by Dr. John McDougall found that a low-fat, starch-based, free-feeding vegan diet eaten for seven days led to consistent reductions in total cholesterol, blood pressure, and blood glucose, and that adherence to the diet used in the study would reduce participants’ risk of a cardiovascular disease and metabolic diseases, based on commonly tested biomarkers that are used to predict such future risks.
The largest study examining the effects of different sources of dietary protein, conducted in 2016, found that high intake of protein from animal sources (including meat, milk, and eggs) was associated with a higher mortality rate, while a high intake of protein from plant sources was associated with a lower risk of death.
A 2015 study from the Cleveland Clinic found that a vegan diet was more effective in cardiovascular disease risk reduction (including reducing factors such as weight, blood pressure, and cholesterol levels) than the diet recommended by the American Heart Association. The researchers concluded that a vegan diet can help reduce the likelihood a future cardiovascular event in both children and adults.
A 2016 study by Oxford University is the first to estimate both the health and climate change impacts of a global move toward a vegan diet. The researchers found that veganism is the key to saving the planet and millions of lives. The researchers modeled the effects of four different global dietary scenarios and found that by 2050, if the entire world became vegan, 8.1 million fewer humans would die per year, healthcare savings would be $700 billion to $1 trillion per year, and food-related greenhouse gas emissions would be reduced by 70%.
Here are more of the thousands of studies (with links) proving that a vegan diet is optimal for humans...
C-reactive protein response to a vegan lifestyle intervention
Micronutrient Status of Recreational Runners with Vegetarian or Non-Vegetarian Dietary Patterns
Micronutrient status and intake in omnivores, vegetarians and vegans in Switzerland
Methylmalonic Acid Levels and their Relation with Cobalamin Supplementation in Spanish Vegetarians
Vegan diets and hypothyroidism
A randomized crossover trial on the effect of plant-based compared with animal-based meat on trimethylamine-N-oxide and cardiovascular disease risk factors in generally healthy adults: Study With Appetizing Plantfood—Meat Eating Alternative Trial (SWAP-MEAT)
Acclaimed Diabetes Professors Publish Groundbreaking Results Using NFI Protocol
Effect of Plant and Animal Based Foods on Prostate Cancer Risk
Dairy, soy, and risk of breast cancer: those confounded milks
Beyond Meatless, the Health Effects of Vegan Diets: Findings from the Adventist Cohorts
Vegetarian, vegan diets and multiple health outcomes: A systematic review with meta-analysis of observational studies
Are strict vegetarians protected against prostate cancer?
Applying the precautionary principle to nutrition and cancer
Effects of 7 days on an ad libitum low-fat vegan diet: the McDougall Program cohort
High animal protein intake associated with higher, plant protein with lower mortality rate
Type of Vegetarian Diet, Body Weight, and Prevalence of Type 2 Diabetes
Analysis and valuation of the health and climate change cobenefits of dietary change
KAISER PERMANENTE RECOMMENDS A VEGAN DIET
In 2016, Kaiser Permanente, the leading healthcare provider in the United States, published an article in its medical science journal advocating that physicians recommend a vegan diet for all of their patients.
The article notes, “Healthy eating may be best achieved with a plant-based diet, which we define as a regimen that encourages whole, plant-based foods and discourages meats, dairy products, and eggs as well as all refined and processed foods... Physicians should consider recommending a plant-based diet to all their patients, especially those with high blood pressure, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, or obesity... Not only is there a broad expansion of the research database supporting the myriad benefits of plant-based diets, but also healthcare practitioners are seeing awe-inspiring results with their patients across multiple unique subspecialties. Plant-based diets have been associated with lowering overall and ischemic heart disease mortality; supporting sustainable weight management; reducing medication needs; lowering the risk for most chronic diseases; decreasing the incidence and severity of high-risk conditions, including obesity, hypertension, hyperlipidemia, and hyperglycemia; and even possibly reversing advanced coronary artery disease and type-2 diabetes.”
~ Kaiser Permanente, Plant-Based Diets: A Physician’s Guide, The Permanente Journal, 2016 Summer;20(3):15-082
SCIENTIFIC STUDIES ON EGG CONSUMPTION
Eggs are extremely high in cholesterol, a fatty substance that travels through the bloodstream. The human body produces more cholesterol that it needs. It is not necessary for humans to consume any dietary cholesterol at all. One average-sized egg contains 186 milligrams of cholesterol, which is 62% of the U.S. recommended daily allowance. Excess cholesterol can lead to coronary artery disease and heart attacks because the human body can’t manage it. In fact, a study published in the Journal of Atherosclerosis Research found that eating one egg per day is as bad for the heart as smoking five cigarettes per day! Another study found that people who eat more than seven eggs per week have 80% higher coronary artery calcium scores, which measure heart disease risk. Unlike fat, cholesterol can’t be burned for energy through exercise; it has to be processed by the liver, and excess cholesterol gets deposited along the walls of blood vessels, which can lead to heart attacks and strokes. High cholesterol is also linked to breast cancer, liver cancer, joint pain, inflammation, and infertility.
Egg consumption has been linked to several types of cancer. One study found that the consumption of eggs is associated with an increased risk for colon cancer. A study found a link between egg consumption and increased risk of bladder cancer; another study found a link between egg consumption and increased risk of breast cancer.
Eating eggs is also linked to the development of prostate cancer. Eggs have toxic levels of choline, a nutrient that humans need for brain function, as well as for the formation of cell membranes. Too much choline can be very dangerous. A study of 47,896 men found that participants with the highest choline intake had a 70% increased risk of fatal prostate cancer. Another study found that men who consumed 2.5 eggs per week increased their risk for a lethal form of prostate cancer by 81%, compared with men who consumed less than half an egg per week. Furthermore, research finds that a byproduct of choline increases the risk for a heart attack and stroke. When a person eats eggs, gut bacteria break down choline, which releases a toxic compound called trimethylamine oxidase (TMAO) into the bloodstream. Research suggests that TMAO promotes the growth of specific types of cancer: One study found an increase in the risk for cancer in the gastrointestinal tract; a meta-analysis found increased risks for breast, ovarian, and prostate cancer. One study links TMAO to heart disease.
Egg consumption is also linked to diabetes. A review of 14 studies published in the journal Atherosclerosis found that people who consume the most eggs increase their risk for diabetes by 68%. Another review found a 39% higher risk of diabetes in people who eat three or more eggs per week. Egg consumption also increases the risk of gestational diabetes, according to two studies referenced in the American Journal of Epidemiology: Women who consumed the most eggs (more than seven a week) had a 77% increased risk of diabetes in one study, and a 165% increased risk in the other, compared with those who consumed one egg per week.
Egg consumption poses other health risks for humans. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, approximately 1 in 10,000 eggs is infected with Salmonella, a type of bacteria that is a principal cause of hospitalizations related to food poisoning. Egg consumption is the second leading cause of Salmonella poisoning worldwide (the first is chicken consumption). Salmonella bacteria in eggs can survive most cooking methods, and over 10,000 Americans are food-poisoned by Salmonella from eggs annually. In 2010, half a billion eggs were recalled, and thousands of people in 14 states were poisoned due to a Salmonella outbreak.
Eggs are also linked to premature death. A study that included more than 21,000 participants found that people who consumed seven or more eggs per week had an almost 25% higher risk of death than those with the lowest egg consumption. For participants with diabetes, the risk of death was twofold compared with those who ate the fewest number of eggs.
For more information on these studies and more, visit the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine.
SCIENTIFIC STUDIES ON DAIRY CONSUMPTION
The White Lies Report combines the findings of more than 400 scientific papers that clearly show that the consumption of milk and other dairy products is linked to the development of cancer, diabetes, coronary heart disease, kidney disease, osteoporosis, arthritis, Crohn’s disease, dementia, migraines, auto immune conditions, obesity, allergies, and many more ailments and diseases.
“Of course we need calcium for bones and teeth as well as blood clotting, muscle function and regulating the heart’s rhythm. But no matter how loudly the dairy industry shouts, an increasing body of evidence begs the question: Is cow’s milk really the best source of calcium? It certainly is not for most of the world’s people. Claims that dairy is best carry strong overtones of cultural imperialism and simply ignore the 70% of the global population who obtain their calcium from other sources—people such as the Japanese who traditionally have consumed no dairy yet have far better health than British people and live considerably longer...
The dairy industry has spent many years and many millions promoting the notion that cow’s milk is good for us through expensive advertising campaigns... Now, because of an increasing body of evidence, there are signs of a growing realization that milk is neither natural nor healthy.
It is not rocket science… cow’s milk and dairy products cause disease.
The conclusions of this report are drawn from a huge body of peer-reviewed research from academic institutions all around the world. While the majority was done in an academic environment involving clinical trials or statistical analysis, some is of a more personal nature...
The World Health Organization believes that the only way people can improve their health is through informed opinion and their own, active co-operation. We agree! As a science-based health charity, Viva! Health provides unbiased information on which people can make informed choices. We monitor and interpret scientific research on diet and health and communicate those findings to the public, health professionals, schools and food manufacturers. Importantly, we have no commercial or vested interests and offer a vital—and what sometimes feels like a solitary—source of accurate and unbiased information.
This report combines the findings of over 400 scientific papers from reputable peer-reviewed journals such as the British Medical Journal and the Lancet. The research is clear—The consumption of cow’s milk and dairy products is linked to the development of teenage acne, allergies, arthritis, some cancers, colic, constipation, coronary heart disease, Crohn’s disease, diabetes, dementia, ear infections, food poisoning, gallstones, kidney disease, migraine, and autoimmune conditions including multiple sclerosis, obesity, and osteoporosis.
As a species, we do not need saturated animal fat, animal protein, or cholesterol.”
NOT MILK
The goal of NOT Milk is to educate the public about the detrimental effects of consuming cow milk, with resources including studies that link milk to a long list of diseases.
“We are breaking down the greatest myth in America: that milk does a body good. By establishing a stance against the dairy industry and the tens of billions of dollars spent in propaganda activities...we will tell America the other side of the milk story... The dairy industry has invested an immense amount of money, and Americans are still getting sick, breaking bones, getting cancer and osteoporosis. The secret to the ‘Fountain of Youth’ is giving up milk and dairy products.”
Also featured on the website is Dr. Robert M. Kradjian’s article “The Milk Letter – A Message to My Patients,” which focuses on three sources of information regarding the human consumption of cow milk: a study of nature, the history of the human species, and the world’s scientific literature on the subject of milk. Dr. Kradjian references many studies, and concludes that cow milk is not healthy for humans and that it interferes with calcium absorption due to excess protein. He advises, “Don’t drink milk for health. I am convinced on the weight of the scientific evidence that...milk will only reduce your diet’s nutritional value and safety.”
VEGAN AND 100% PLANT-BASED ATHLETES AND BODYBUILDERS
More and more professional athletes and bodybuilders are proving that a vegan diet enhances physical performance. They report that being solely powered by plants enhances their overall health, increases their rate of recovery during and after training sessions and workouts, decreases inflammation, and makes them more powerful than ever before. And most of them choose a vegan diet because they care about the animals too.
Meat, milk, and eggs increase acidity in the human body. A high-acidic blood pH causes inflammation and impairs recovery. Plant-based foods are alkaline, and studies show that fruit, nuts, and legumes decrease inflammation, potentially lowering the risk of chronic disease. And clearly these athletes and bodybuilders are getting enough protein by eating only plants!
Here is a list of some of the many athletes and bodybuilders who endorse a plant-based diet:
-
Austin Aries (world champion wrestler)
-
Cam F. Awesome (pro heavyweight boxer)
-
Patrik Baboumian (pro bodybuilder & world champion strongman competitor)
-
Borja Perez Batet (runner & multisport athlete)
-
Dotsie Bausch (pro cyclist & Olympian)
-
Rob Bigwood (champion arm wrestler)
-
Tia Blanco (champion pro surfer)
-
Brendan Brazier (pro triathlete & endurance runner)
-
David Carter (pro football defensive end, aka “The 300 Pound Vegan”)
-
Wilson Chandler (pro basketball player)
-
Robert Cheeke (pro bodybuilder)
-
Michaela Copenhaver (world-record rowing champion)
-
Mac Danzig (pro mixed martial artist & Ultimate Fighting Championship fighter)
-
Alexander Dargatz (world champion bodybuilder)
-
Nimai Delgado (pro bodybuilder)
-
Nate Diaz (pro mixed martial artist & Ultimate Fighting Championship fighter)
-
Novak Djokovic (pro tennis player world champion)
-
Barny du Plessis (Mr. Universe 2014)
-
Meagan Duhamel (world champion pro figure skater & Olympian bronze/silver/gold medalist)
-
Sally Eastall (world champion long-distance runner)
-
Cody Elkins (world champion racquetball player)
-
Rip Esselstyn (pro triathlete)
-
Rashad Evans (pro mixed martial artist)
-
Kendrick Farris (pro weightlifter & Olympian)
-
Matt Frazier (marathoner & ultra-runner)
-
Ben Gordon (pro basketball player)
-
Lewis Hamilton (world champion for auto racing)
-
David Haye (world champion pro heavyweight boxer)
-
Hench Herbivore (pro bodybuilder)
-
Kyrie Irving (pro basketball player)
-
Moses Itkonen (pro skateboarder)
-
Mischa Janiec (pro bodybuilder)
-
Seba Johnson (skier & Olympian)
-
Sofia Jokl (world champion Ju-Jitsu expert)
-
Matthew Jones (world champion powerlifter & Olympic weightlifter)
-
DeAndre Jordan (pro basketball player & Olympic gold medalist)
-
KJ Joseph (world champion for knuckle push-ups & martial arts expert)
-
Scott Jurek (record-breaking ultramarathon runner)
-
Colin Kaepernick (pro football quarterback)
-
Andy Lally (world-class racing driver champion)
-
Georges Laraque (pro ice hockey player)
-
Dave Leduc (Lethwei fighter)
-
Carl Lewis (Olympic gold medalist for track & field, Olympic athlete of the century)
-
Jehina Malik (pro bodybuilder)
-
Tyrann Mathieu (pro football player)
-
Javale McGee (pro basketball player)
-
Frank Medrano (calisthenics bodyweight expert)
-
David Meyer (world champion martial artist)
-
Denis Mikhaylove (world record ultradistance runner)
-
Morgan Mitchell (champion sprinter)
-
Heather Mitts (pro soccer player & Olympic gold medalist)
-
Katherine Monbiot (world champion arm wrestler)
-
Alex Morgan (pro soccer player)
-
Derrick Morgan (pro football linebacker)
-
Martina Navratilova (pro tennis world champion)
-
Patrick Neshek (pro baseball pitcher)
-
Cam Newton (pro football player)
-
Harri Nieminem (world champion Thai boxer & ultramarathon runner)
-
Fiona Oakes (world record pro marathon runner)
-
Yolanda Presswood (world champion powerlifter)
<