Becoming Vegan: The Complete Reference to Plant-Based Nutrition (Comprehensive Edition)

"It is possible that the greatest injustice of our time doesn't involve humans at all, but rather our fellow beings, non-human animals," Brenda Davis writes. Davis started her own vegan journey after she challenged a deer-hunting friend not to pull the trigger. He said she pulled the trigger just as much as he did, whenever she ate meat. At least the animal he shot "had a life." This book will be an eye-opener even if you've already read about the cruelties of factory farms. Cramped pens and cages, disease, mutilation and horrific endings are what life is all about for 99.9 percent of chickens, 97 percent of laying hens, 99 percent of turkeys, 95 percent of pigs and 78 percent of cattle. You might think farm animals have no feelings, but Davis gives examples showing just the opposite. Pigs have been known to go for miles to find the right nesting ground, and have separate areas for feeding, grooming, sleeping and elimination. Cows have been known to search for miles to find the calf that was forcibly taken from them. Even chickens are more human than you'd ever dream. Each can recognize 90 different faces--hence their complex pecking order. Yet they can be boiled alive, since no animal welfare law applies to them. What about our own welfare? Here is where Davis's background as a nutritional scientist shines. She explains where you get your protein and how to find the best sources of essential vitamins, minerals and micro-nutrients. The basics are easy to follow. On her recommendations, you'll easily reach your ideal weight as well as achieving beautiful hair, skin and near-perfect immunity from the diseases that plague most people. Becoming vegan is the smartest thing you can do on your own. And Brenda's book is the best guide you could have.

After reading Becoming Raw, I felt that my diet was sub-par, to say the least. I had started a raw diet several months previous to reading Becoming Raw, following the advice of several "experts," much of which turned out to be dangerous to my health. I decided a completely raw diet was not healthful for me, and returned to veganism with cooked foods and ordered this book for guidance because I so trusted the authors. Becoming Vegan is the most thorough (and easy-to-read) book on veganism that I have found, and has a ton of research for further study. The authors are both registered dieticians and completely honest about the often-missed and neglected areas of veganism. They offer easy and doable suggestions on correcting imbalances in the diet. After taking the information in this edition to heart and putting it into practice, my follow-up lab tests have confirmed that many of the imbalances and problems I had previously, before reading Becoming Raw and Becoming Vegan, have been corrected. Those that have not been corrected completely are showing improvement with time. I highly recommend Becoming Vegan, for anyone considering or already following a vegan lifestyle. (As a side note, Cooking Vegan - the "companion" to this book - is often mentioned in Becoming Vegan. The recipes are very simple and I could see how it may help a person unfamiliar with veganism to more easily adapt; I would not recommend for long-time vegans, though.)

For anyone who needs to be a total herbivore, this is an excellent source and resource for the nutrition aspects of veganism. It deserves a 5-star rank. That said, there are a few things a buyer should know. Don’t let the first chapter put you off. That’s the one about the philosophical/environmental/Progressive/animal rights need for Vegans. The authors get that over with early and don’t bring it up again. If that’s all you care about, you will be disappointed. However if you are facing life-threatening illness and need to know the nutritional aspects of your food, this book is for you. There is quite a bit of repetition, much of it unnecessary. The trouble there is the resultant huge size of the Index, which makes it hard to look up subjects. There’s just too much. Sometimes I could not tell which letter of the alphabet was showing. That should be corrected with dictionary guides in the upper corners of the pages. Some items are clearly unnecessary. I would argue that the niacin content of durians is irrelevant. Most people who can read this book (i.e. English speaking) would not venture anywhere near a durian. I purchased this book because it was recommended by Michael Greger, M.D. (“How Not to Die”). If you have to go herbivore and need a good nutritional reference, this is it.

This book was a great read. I actually started with the Kindle version and ended up also getting the paper version because I wanted to continually refer back to various parts of it for nutritional information. I have been vegan over a year now and found this book a comprehensive addition to my nutrition library that anyone trying to be vegan at any level could use. It is written in ways that a non-nutritionist can deal with but is also very thorough. If you are considering going vegan, whole food plant based for health reasons alone, which is what I did, then you might find the first chapter on animal issues a bit too much and you could skip it and not miss anything relative to diet. However, if you are driven by animal issues as well as health issues then don't skip the first chapter. Beyond the first chapter the authors cover every single aspect you could possibly be interested in relative to going vegan in a healthy way.

The book tells you everything about veganism in which is very cool, gives you a bunch of good information you need if you want to start from scratch or at least tells you what you need.

I could not do this book the justice it deserves in a short review, but in an attempt to do so, this book is a treasure trove of information. Excellent to say the very least. Comprehensive, latest research and findings, great examples, practical applications, nutrition charts and food selections to match the information in all chapters, extensively referenced, and great guides to further resources. I highly recommend this book. It is much more than I expected because of the authors' breadth and deep of topics presented within a very practical context for daily application. I would recommend this book to beginners, seasoned vegans, and those contemplating and exploring a whole food plant-based diet alike, as a wealth of useful information for a roadmap toward eating for optimal health. One suggestion I have is that roots need to be emphasized and highlighted much more comprehensively. Root crops are really the unsung heroes of our food supply. Everything from celery root, burdock, daikon, watermelon daikon, rutabaga, turnips, beats, horseradish, turmeric, ginger, parsnips, rutabaga, onions, garlic, etc., etc., etc. All these should be listed and emphasized as healthy, whole plant food choices.

I previously purchased the Express Edition. It is outstanding. When the Compreshensive Edition was later published I purchased it. Both versions are very good. Brenda is a world class RD. She knows what she is talking about and is very clear about what she says. There are a lot of tables included to back up what she says. Her explanations of the various type of diets, in both versions of the book, including the Paleo, are excellent. Oh yes, she is very clear and logical why the Paleo diet is NO GOOD! She goes in great detail about nutrition, vitamins and minerals. We attend the NAVS Vegetarian Summerfest every year and hear her lecture and answer questions. If you attend Summerfest, she will autograph any books she has authored, and will take time to visit with you. Look up Vegetarian Summerfest on the Internet.

This is a very large compilation of information going from an ethical and spiritual perspective through information on protein, fats, carbohydrates, vitamins, babies, growth, pregnancy, as well as menu items. It is not just a simple cookbook, but outlines an entire perspective on the why and how of becoming vegan. I would recommend it to anyone who is very serious about about becoming vegan.

Awesome book! Everything you need to know about vegan lifestyle, based on solid science!

Book delayed after 3 days. Books was in good conditions. Everyone who want healthy and disease free life should read this book.

Davvero un libro ben scritto, ci sono tutte le informazioni di cui ha bisogno per avvicinarsi con consapevolezza al veganismo. Una prima parte riporta gli effetti degli allevamenti e della pesca sull'ambiente, numerosissimi studi sulla correlazione tra malattie e alimentazione onnivora e i risultati di studi clinici sui miglioramenti di salute a seguito di una dieta esclusivamente vegetale.Una seconda parte si occupa in modo piuttosto esaustivo dei macro e micronutrienti che fanno parte di una dieta (proteine, carboidrati, omega 3 e omega 6, ferro, vitamine ecc...)e di come reperirli nei vegetali. In ultima analisi vengono riportati alcuni esempi di menù e ricette completamente vegetali. Certo, tutti i dati e gli studi riportati si basano sulla realtà americana, ma immagino che la realtà europea e italiana non si discosti molto dai nostri amici oltre oceano. L'ho ritenuto comunque molto utile, consigliato.

This guide to becoming vegan by Brenda Davis, who is a registered dietician and nutritionist. is a good starting point for anyone contemplating switching to a vegan die; as well as an excellent resource for those following a plant-based way of life.

Ich nenne sie meine "vegane Bibel", weil da wirklich alles drin steht, was man zu wissen braucht, um als Veganer sich gesund zu ernähren. Es ist ein wahres Wunderwerk und ich kann es nicht genug empfehlen! Es ist alles wunderbar durchstrukturiert mit vielen Tabellen und Beispielen, was einem das Leben erleichtert, weil man schnell nachschlagen kann, wenn man was braucht. Alles ist zudem mit Studien belegt, doch man wird auch klugerweise immer wieder daran erinnert, dass man auch seinen eigen Kopf nutzen sollte, denn Studien sind nicht immer absolut korrekt und man sollte sie auch mit Vorsicht genießen. Ich habe das komplette Buch durchgearbeitet und konspektiert und rate das jedem zu machen - man kann damit sehr viele Fehler in der Ernährung vermeiden! Klare Kaufempfehlung meinerseits, ich kann es wirklich nicht genug loben!