US News & World Report: Vegan Diets Surging in Popularity

[Tim Gier]

Me, Give Up Meat? Vegan Diets Surging in Popularity

The pros (and a few cons) of choosing a vegan diet

Vegan diets have lately been surging in popularity, thanks in part to the example of celebrities who are publicly forswearing all animal products (Michelle Pfeiffer, Carrie Underwood, Russell Brand, and Ozzy Osbourne, to name a few others). Ellen DeGeneres and Portia de Rossi have announced plans to open a vegan restaurant in Los Angeles. Vegan-centric books have been flying off the shelf, including Alicia Silverstone's The Kind Diet and The Engine 2 Diet by Texas firefighter and triathlete Rip Esselstyn, son of retired Cleveland Clinic physician Caldwell Esselstyn, whose research on the merits of plant-based eating inspired Bill Clinton. Vegan food trucks are making the rounds, schools are instituting meat-free days, and colleges are opening vegan dining halls.

While many vegans still take the stand because they believe in animal rights, a growing number are swayed by mounting research showing a profound impact on health. "It's dramatic," says Neal Barnard, a nutrition researcher and adjunct professor of medicine at the George Washington University School of Medicine in Washington, D.C., and president of the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine, a nonprofit group that promotes preventive medicine.

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[Tim Gier]

I believe that, in some ways, the latest "craze" as far as diets go is veganism. Like the Atkins Diet, the South Beach Diet, the Grapefruit Diet and the Paleo Diet before it, it will fade as fads always do (unfortunately).

Pranav Merchant said:

Hopefully this popularity don't merely reflect a fad or fashion.  Before getting too excited, here are some words of warning to consider: http://unpopularveganessays.blogspot.com/2011/06/on-vegan-celebriti...