A chara, – Further to “Veganism is tough, but has many benefits” (Health + Family, September 30th), far from being a “strict” regime that is not for the “faint-hearted”, a plant-based diet includes a much wider range of foods than the traditional “meat and two veg” that most omnivores consume. Each meal is a celebration of a different combination of vegetables, grains, pulses, fruits, nuts and seeds. For those who hanker for animal foods, there are plant-based alternatives for burgers, sausages, mince, pies, steak, fish, cheese, eggs, cream, ice cream and confectionery.
A poorly planned plant-based diet can be worth little more to the person consuming it than any junk food diet. However, most responsible people eat responsibly.
Responsible vegans are usually better informed about nutritional needs than most of the omnivorous population. They eat a well-balanced diet that includes fortified foods or supplements because it is in the interests of ethical living and consideration for other animals that vegans consume a diet that is sustainable in terms of personal health and wellbeing.
Consuming a plant-based diet does not make one vegan. Veganism is a non-violent philosophy that avoids inflicting intentional harm on anyone. It eliminates the harm that an omnivorous lifestyle contributes to the environment. It alleviates the degree to which other humans are impacted by climate change and harmed by their work in animal agriculture, slaughterhouses, and other exploitative food production systems. For ethical vegans, the personal health benefits of a plant-based diet are more of a happy coincidence than the motivating factor. – Is mise,
SANDRA HIGGINS,
Slane,
Co Meath.