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So, tell us again why we’re still mass torturing and killing untold billions of sentient and terrified animals every year while wrecking ecological devastation on the planet? The above pictured quote is from the most recent iteration of the long-standing position of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics (formerly known as the American Dietetic Association), the largest organization of food and nutrition professionals in the U.S. (founded in 1917 and with ~72,000 members). It is not controversial within mainstream medicine and nutrition that humans have absolutely no biological need to consume any animal foods for our health. This consensus is widely reflected, not only by the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, but among venerable institutions around the globe – including Dietitians of Canada, British Nutritional Health Services, Dietitians Association of Australia, Cleveland Clinic, Mayo Clinic, Heart and Stroke Foundation, Kaiser Permanente, Harvard University, among many, many others. In discussing why a shift to veganism is so important, we need to do a better job of providing context with this basic nutritional information. Almost no one will go vegan – even if they hate the idea of harming animals and are genuinely concerned about the environment – so long as they erroneously believe they need animal foods for their health or that eating vegan healthily is somehow difficult. Both of these misconceptions run deep in our culture and remain pervasive. We need to be clear that, notwithstanding the widespread and stubborn public confusion, the fact remains that no science-based organization anywhere maintains that it is medically necessary for anyone to eat any animal foods for our health – and, in fact, more and more health authorities and studies warn that animal foods are seriously harmful to our health, while other experts are sounding alarms on the catastrophic ecological disaster that is global animal agriculture. So, if you’re not already, please familiarize yourself with these issues and go vegan. Going vegan is very easy to do, it’s healthy, it’s urgently needed for the planet, and it’s the only consistent response if you otherwise believe it’s wrong to impose suffering, harm and death on the vulnerable when you don’t have to. |