Vegan The Healthiest Diet - and its eff ects on the climate, the environment, animal welfare and human rights - ProVegan
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Dr. med. Ernst Walter Henrich
Vegan The Healthiest Diet
and its effects on the climate, the environment,
animal welfare and human rights
The author
Dr Ernst Walter Henrich studied medicine in Cologne and obtained
a doctorate in medicine at the university’s medical facility in 1986.
After further education in natural medicine, the medical association
in 1988 authorized him to bear the additional designation of “natu-
ral medicine”. He specialized in preventive health care – especial-
ly healthy skin care and healthy diet. He has been teaching these
subjects as part of training courses for many years. Dr Henrich has
followed a vegan diet for many years. In cooperation with gourmet
chef Raphael Lüthy, he published a standard reference for a healthy
vegan cuisine called Vegan Gesund (Healthy Vegan). Dr Henrich’s
dog, Felix, who reached the impressive age of 19 years, was vegan,
too.
Important articles and interesting information
about the vegan diet can be found on
www.ProVegan.info
Introduction
Decades ago, the brilliant physicist Albert unconsciously ignored by most people. The
Einstein said the following: majority of people are (still) willing to cause
global warming, to torture and kill animals,
“Nothing will benefit human health and to support the starvation of millions of peo-
increase the chances for survival of life ple, to plunder the oceans, and to ruin their
on Earth as much as the evolution to a own health just because of their taste prefer-
vegetarian diet.” ences for animal products.
These clear words seem even more amaz- Of course, it is also important to understand
ing when one considers that they were spo- that following a vegan diet does not mean
ken at a time when people knew little about that we have to miss out on anything. Quite
how the food on their plate affected their the contrary – a vegan diet is a pure feast, as
health or how it was connected to the en- numerous vegan cookbooks and restaurants
vironment, the world’s climate, world hun- have proved.
ger, animal rights and human rights. If Al- You can find the accompanying short film
bert Einstein had been familiar with current to this booklet at
scientific evidence, surely his words would www.ProVegan.info/short-film-vegan
have been a bit different:
“Nothing will benefit human health and Dr. med. Ernst Walter Henrich
increase the chances for survival of life
on Earth as much as the evolution to a
vegan diet.”
A vegan diet is one that contains no ani-
mal products. If well planned and well bal-
anced, it is, from a medical point of view,
the healthiest diet one can follow, benefit-
ing the environment, the world’s climate,
animals and humans. Because following a
vegan diet and a vegan lifestyle can bring
such great benefits to each and every one
of us, I have decided to publish this little
booklet for the sake of society – especial-
ly for our children and grandchildren – as
well as for the benefit of the environment,
the world’s climate and animals. In order to
make the healthiest decisions for ourselves
and the planet, we need to have the best
available information.
This brochure and the website www.ProVegan.
info are a contribution in the fight against
the unlimited madness of mankind. The re-
sulting devastating effects are consciously or Translated by Nadja Kutscher
3
The Healthiest Diet Our diet influences our health tremendously: “You are what you eat.” A well-planned diet means that we have a wonderful chance to live a long, fit and healthy life. So if our diet is so important, shouldn’t we learn more about how to eat right from the stand- point of nutrition, working with reputable studies from all around the world? We are all familiar with articles that urge thousands of people. But will people react us to eat more fruit and vegetables and in the same way when millions of people less meat. Even so, meat is still considered suffer from and die of cancer, cardiovascu- a completely normal part of an allegedly lar disease, high blood pressure, diabetes, healthy, balanced diet, despite the fact that Alzheimer’s, obesity and other diseases that numerous scientific studies have proved are related to diet and malnutrition? While that consuming meat damages our health. the public is being misinformed and misled The disastrous impact that milk, cheese and about a healthy diet, certain industries will other dairy products have on our health profit from this situation. is less well known or not widely known at all. The public is shocked whenever natural Doctors, clinics, producers of medical in- disasters or terrorist attacks kill hundreds or struments and pharmaceutical companies 4 Vegan – The Healthiest Diet.
can only profit if people suffer from and other profitable opportunities by the meat,
are treated for chronic diseases. The ani- milk and egg industries. Will these organi-
mal industry only profits if people consume zations and their scientists under these cir-
damaging foods such as meat, milk, dairy cumstances speak out against the products
products, eggs and fish. What’s tricky is that of companies that pay them or that they
the health consequences that result from profit from in any other way? In politics, too,
consuming products derived from animals the animal industries’ interest groups are
don’t become apparent immediately but very active. And this is why huge amounts of
only years later. Medical progress has been money worldwide are paid to animal indus-
enormous, but we’re paying a high price for tries as subsidies. The EU alone every year
this situation in two ways. First, health costs spends more than 50 billion euros on sub-
rise and, with them, fees for health insur- sidies for the agricultural industries. Most
ance. Second, people who have become of this money goes to the animal industry.
sick because of ingesting unhealthy animal Additional export subsidies are even paid
products now live longer because of our so that cheap animal products from the EU
medical progress. But with chemotherapy, can flood the world market and destroy the
pills, state-of-the-art medical equipment, livelihood of farmers in poor countries.
surgeries and other expensive invasive pro-
Around the world, many representatives
cedures, we don’t treat the cause but only
of the animal industry sit on government
the symptoms of chronic diseases, and we
councils that publish official dietary rec-
lengthen people’s lives and, in many cas-
ommendations. Often, they are even in the
es, prolong their suffering. In contrast, the
majority. Usually, though, they cannot readily
goal of responsible medicine that is truly
be identified as animal-industry represent-
in the interests of all people should be to
atives. Well-paid adviser contracts with the
help people lead a long life in good phys-
animal industry or other lucrative offers don’t
ical and mental health. This goal can be
attract too much attention as part-time jobs.
achieved only through prevention, which
T Colin Campbell and Thomas M Campbell
means through a healthy diet and lifestyle.
II exposed this system in their book The Chi-
But doctors, clinics, the pharmaceutical in-
na Study. Consider just one example from
dustry and producers of medical equipment
Switzerland, where representatives didn’t
don’t profit from healthy people. So who is
even attempt to hide their connections to
really interested in keeping people healthy,
the animal industry: until recently, the meat
anyway? In my experience, it’s not medical
industry’s marketing representative was part
insurance companies, either – no matter
of the Swiss food commission, which is con-
how much health costs rise, the insured pa-
sidered the highest authority for official die-
tient will pay for it by paying higher insur-
tary recommendations in Switzerland and
ance premiums. Politics, too, is so closely
advises the Swiss government. As the meat
linked to the profits of the health and animal
industry’s marketing representative, this per-
industries that politicians won’t help, either.
son was responsible for promoting meat. So
how likely would this representative ever be
But it gets even worse. Seemingly inde-
to speak out against meat and the interests
pendent nutritionist organizations publish-
of the meat industry?
ing official dietary recommendations to the
public are partially financed by the meat, There is a worldwide and highly effective
milk and egg industries around the globe. system of legal manipulation. Nutrition
A lot of scientists in seemingly independent committees are full of lobbyists, nutrition
nutritionist organizations are, for example, scientists and doctors, PR and marketing
offered well-paid consultant contracts or experts financed by the meat, milk and egg
Vegan – The Healthiest Diet. 5
industries. And these people work out the supposed to be healthy and help you devel-
official dietary recommendations for the op strong bones. However, animal protein,
world’s human population, which is why especially milk protein, can cause cancer,
recommendations often contradict the which has been demonstrated by several
latest findings of reputable science that studies. Dr T Colin Campbell also studied
demonstrate the negative effects of animal this problem for The China Study – which
products on our health. The Campbells was financed by American and Chinese tax
write about this manipulative system in their money – and found: “What protein consist-
book: “We know an enormous amount ently and strongly promoted cancer? Casein,
about the links between nutrition and which makes up 87 % of cow’s milk protein,
health. But the real science has been bur- promoted all stages of the cancer process.
ied beneath a clutter of irrelevant or even What type of protein did not promote the
harmful information – junk science, fad di- development of cancer even when admin-
ets and food industry propaganda.” istered in high doses? All safe proteins were
those of plant origin, e. g. wheat and soy.”
It is a popular and common method of ma-
There are numerous further studies reveal-
nipulation by the animal agriculture indus-
ing the tremendous health risks associated
try and its supporters to question studies by
with milk. But it gets even worse: According
reputable scientists that present clear facts
to a study conducted by the Swiss Federal
about the health risks of animal products. In
Office of Public Health in 2013, 92 % of tox-
such cases, unimportant details of the stud-
ic substances in food (including dioxins and
ies are often criticized, like the methodolo-
PCBs) occur in animal products. Milk and
gy of a study. Although the criticism may be
dairy products make up the largest source
completely irrelevant and far-fetched and
of these toxins with a share of 54 %!
can in most cases be easily proved wrong,
the animal industry nonetheless achieves its Calcium is better derived from plant foods.
goal: since the study was criticized by a sup- The bioavailability of milk calcium is rel-
porter of the animal industry, all of a sud- atively low compared to several types of
den it is considered “controversial”. By using vegetables rich in calcium (eg, broccoli),
this underhanded and devious method, the which means that whereas milk is rich in
credibility of reputable scientists and their calcium, it cannot be absorbed and used
studies can be effectively challenged. The by our bodies very well. Animal-protein
average citizen has no opportunity to watch sources, including dairy products, meat and
the whole process unfold and equates “con- eggs, can also cause a significant loss of
troversial” with “wrong” or “dubious”. And it calcium through the kidneys because of a
is this uncertain citizen who will often suffer high amount of sulfurous amino acids. The
for years from drastic long-term health con- facts are clear: the protein content that milk
sequences caused by that kind of manipula- is praised for makes the absorption of the
tive propaganda. calcium that milk is also praised for more
difficult and even causes a net loss of cal-
Another popular and common method of
cium! In fact, the osteoporosis rates (bone
manipulation is to focus selectively on cer-
atrophy) are the highest in countries where
tain substances from an unhealthy prod-
people drink the largest amounts of milk
uct, such as milk, which are undoubtedly
and lowest where people drink the least
important to our diet, and manipulatively
amounts of milk.
represent the whole product only by these
nutrients. For example, the dairy industry It goes without saying that the average citi-
and its supporters have long been focusing zen doesn’t know that milk contains several
on the calcium and protein in milk, which is types of hormones (such as growth and sex
6 Vegan – The Healthiest Diet.
hormones) that are otherwise only available diet called “Urkost” (primordial food), which
with a doctor’s prescription at a pharmacy has nothing to do with a healthy vegan diet.
because of their health risks. Biologically, As is too often the case, the media did not
cow’s milk is produced to help a calf grow think it was necessary to do proper research
in very little time. When this hormone mix- about the story or the nutritional basics of a
ture is ingested by a human, who is not vegan diet. Instead, the media condemned
adapted for it, the unsurprising result may vegan diets in the interests and favour of
be a chronic and even fatal condition, such the animal industry with the usual prejudic-
as cancer, heart disease, diabetes, dementia, es, even though this very case had nothing
Alzheimer’s, strokes or obesity. to do with veganism. What remains in the
public mind, though, is a faulty impression
To praise the health advantages of milk be- about veganism which is completely in the
cause of its protein and calcium is just as animal industry’s interests.
absurd as praising toxic mushrooms for the
healthy vitamins that they undoubtedly con- Millions of people suffer and die because of
tain. extreme malnutrition caused by meat, milk,
dairy products, eggs, and animal fats and
The animal industry’s fairy tales about the proteins – from obesity, hypertension, heart
alleged health benefits of meat, eggs and attacks, angina pectoris, strokes, atheroscle-
dairy products often go unquestioned by rosis, osteoporosis, cancer, diabetes, Alzheim-
uninformed consumers and uninterested er’s and other chronic diseases. In recent
politicians. But that’s not all: in the EU and in years, numerous studies have demonstrated
many countries elsewhere, unhealthy and a connection between the consumption of
cruel products are subsidized with tax mon- animal products and these diseases. Studies
ey. It is scandalous that sales of plant drinks have also shown that many fish are contam-
in Germany are impeded by a value-added inated with shockingly high levels of envi-
tax of 19 % while cow’s milk is massively ronmental toxins, such as dioxin and heavy
supported by a value-added tax of only 7 % metals. The universities of Barcelona and
in addition to subsidies. This political activity Granada in 2009 conducted separate studies
is absolutely unacceptable since it obviously on the mercury levels of children and preg-
places the interests of the animal industry nant women and found a clear connection
above the health of the people whom gov- between fish consumption and mercury con-
ernments should be representing. tamination. Elevated mercury levels obviously
affected the children’s mental effectiveness
Even the media attacks healthy diets from
(memory, language) and were connected
time to time. In most cases, it never comes
with delayed development. Several studies,
to light whether a journalist was simply
including a French one from 2007, indicated
uninformed or might have had close con-
that fish and milk, in particular, are the most
nections to the animal industry and there-
common sources for the intake of toxins (in-
fore an economic interest. One example: in
cluding dioxin, furans and dioxin-like PCBs).
2004, a toddler whose parents had report-
edly fed him a vegan diet died. However, the Numerous studies have demonstrated a
child had not actually eaten any vegan food. connection between milk consumption and
In fact, he hadn’t eaten any food at all! He a number of serious diseases, such as breast
had lost his appetite because he’d contract- cancer, ovarian cancer, prostate cancer,
ed pneumonia and hadn’t received medical Alzheimer’s, multiple sclerosis, Parkinson’s,
treatment for the condition. What’s shock- types 1 and 2 diabetes and osteoporosis.
ing is that the child had not been fed at all Statistics published by the World Health Or-
and that his parents believed in a special ganization about the worldwide incidences
Vegan – The Healthiest Diet. 7
of breast cancer correlate with the levels of general health status are more often nor-
milk consumption in the respective coun- mal.”
tries. The “EU-BST-Human-Report”, com-
missioned by the EU to show the effects of In 2009, the Academy of Nutrition and Di-
milk consumption on human health, con- etetics, or A.N.D. (formerly the American
cluded that hormones in milk can increase Dietetic Association) published an updated
the growth of malignant tumors, especially position paper on vegetarian and vegan di-
in cases of breast and prostate cancer. ets and confirmed its support of them. This
is outstanding, especially since the con-
The fact that millions of people are victims nections between the A.N.D. and the an-
of animal products is simply accepted as imal industry are well known – however, it
“normal” – it generates no outcry from the is simply impossible to ignore the scientific
media. However, if one person dies because data supporting a vegan diet. The A.N.D.
his irresponsible parents fed him a diet that concludes that well-planned vegetarian di-
people could only wrongly allege was ve- ets – including vegan diets – are healthful
gan, the incident sparks a huge public out- and nutritious for adults, infants, children
cry and outrages uninformed consumers and adolescents and can even help prevent
and meat-industry representatives. The and treat chronic health conditions such as
findings of scientists and the statements heart disease, cancer, obesity and diabetes.
of renowned nutritionists and physicians Published in the Journal of the American
strongly contravene the lyrical rhapsodies Dietetic Association in July 2009, the paper
of journalists and animal-industry lobbyists. outlines A.N.D.’s official position on vegetar-
For example, in 2003, in a joint position pa- ian diets, including a vegan diet:
per, the Academy of Nutrition and Dietet-
ics, or A.N.D. (formerly the American Die- “It is the position of the American Dietet-
tetic Association), and Dietitians of Canada ic Association (currently, the Academy of
commented on the health advantages of Nutrition and Dietetics) that appropriately
vegan diets. Some of the most renowned planned vegetarian diets, including total
dieticians in the US and Canada belong to vegetarian or vegan diets, are healthful, nu-
these organisations. The A.N.D. alone has tritionally adequate, and may provide health
approximately 70,000 members. The posi- benefits in the prevention and treatment of
tion paper states, in part: certain diseases. Well-planned vegetarian
diets are appropriate for individuals during
“Well-planned vegan diets and other all stages of the life cycle, including preg-
forms of vegetarian diets are appropriate nancy, lactation, infancy, childhood, and
for individuals during all stages of the life adolescence, and for athletes.”
cycle, including pregnancy, lactation, in-
fancy, childhood, and adolescence.” Statements like these show that large or-
ganizations like the A.N.D. and DC unfortu-
In addition, Dr Claus Leitzmann, one of the nately make compromises because of their
most renowned dieticians in Germany, has members and their connections to the ani-
said: mal agriculture industry and call vegetarian
diets “healthy” even though they are actually
“
“Studies on vegans, which have been
very unhealthy because they include un-
done worldwide, and also by us, show
healthy dairy products and eggs. The only
clearly that vegans on the average are
healthy diet is a vegan diet.
healthier than the general population.
Bodyweight, blood pressure, blood fats The medical organisation PCRM (Physicians‘
and cholesterol, kidney function and Committee for Responsible Medicine) is a
8 Vegan – The Healthiest Diet.
nonprofit organisation that supports pre- “People who ate the most animal-based
ventive medicine, conducts clinical research foods got the most chronic disease.
and supports higher standards in research Even relatively small intakes of ani-
concerning ethics and efficiency. PCRM rec- mal-based food were associated with
ommends a vegan diet as the healthiest diet adverse effects. People who ate the
and presents logical reasons for this: most plant-based foods were the health-
iest and tended to avoid chronic dis-
“Vegan diets, which contain no animal ease.”
products are even healthier than vegetar- “What protein consistently and strongly
ian diets. Vegan diets contain no choles- promoted cancer? Casein, which makes
terol and even less fat, saturated fat, and up 87 % of cow’s milk protein, promoted
calories than vegetarian diets do because all stages of the cancer process.” What
they exclude dairy products and eggs. type of protein did not promote the de-
Scientific research shows that health ben- velopment of cancer even when admin-
efits increase as the amount of food from istered in high doses? All safe proteins
animal sources in the diet decreases, were those of plant origin, e. g. wheat
making vegan diets the healthiest overall.” and soy.”
“Nutrients from animal-based foods in-
Dr T Colin Campbell, author of The China creased tumor development while nutri-
Study, defends the benefits of a plant-based ents from plant-based foods decreased
diet: tumor development.”
“The strong association of a high-animal
“In fact, these findings indicate that the
protein, high-fat diet with reproductive
vast majority perhaps 80 to 90 % of all
hormones and early age of menarche,
cancers, cardiovascular diseases, and
both of which raise the risk of breast
other forms of degenerative illness can
cancer, is an important observation. It
be prevented, at least until very old age,
makes clear that we should not have
simply by adopting a plant-based diet.”
our children consume diets high in an-
“Additionally, impressive evidence now ex- imal-based foods.”
ists to show that advanced heart disease, “Animal protein intake was convincingly
relatively advanced cancers of certain associated in the China Study with the
types, diabetes and few other degenera- prevalence of cancer in families.”
tive diseases can be reversed by diet.” “The people who eat the most animal
protein have the most heart disease,
Campbell, professor emeritus at Cornell
cancer and diabetes.”
University, has been one of the leading and
“These findings … show that heart dis-
most renowned scientists of nutrition re-
ease, diabetes and obesity can be re-
search worldwide for more than 40 years.
versed by a healthy diet. Other research
He has published more than 300 research
shows that various types of cancer, au-
papers, and his outstanding survey, The
toimmune diseases, bone health, kidney
China Study, is the most comprehensive
health, and vision and brain disorders in
study of health and nutrition ever published.
old age (such as cognitive dysfunction
It was financed by governmental research
and Alzheimer’s) are convincingly influ-
funds from the US and China and therefore
enced by diet. Most importantly, the diet
closely monitored by the authorities.
that has time and again been shown to
Here are some quotes from the book The reverse and/or prevent these diseases is
China Study by Dr T Colin Campbell: the same whole-foods, plant-based di-
Vegan – The Healthiest Diet. 9
et that I had found to promote optimal ceptionally complex, but the message is
health in my laboratory research and in still simple. The recommendations com-
The China Study. The findings are con- ing from the published literature are so
sistent.” simple that I can state them in one sen-
“The evidence now amassed from re- tence: eat a whole foods, plant-based
searchers around the world shows that diet, while minimizing the consumption
the same diet that is good for the pre- of refined foods, added salts and added
vention of cancer is also good for the fats.”
prevention of heart disease, as well as “Whether scientists, doctors and policy
obesity, diabetes, cataracts, macular makers think the public will change or
degeneration, Alzheimer’s, cognitive not, the layperson must be aware that a
dysfunction, multiple sclerosis, osteo- whole foods, plant-based diet is far and
porosis and other diseases. Furthermore, away the healthiest diet.”
this diet can only benefit everyone, re-
gardless of his or her genes and person- Dr Caldwell B Esselstyn was included
al dispositions. All of the diseases, and on the list of the best doctors in the US
others, spring forth from the same in- in 1994/1995. For example, he led former
fluence: an unhealthy, largely toxic diet US president Bill Clinton to adopt a vegan
and lifestyle that has an excess of sick- diet. Dr Esselstyn wrote the book Prevent
ness-promotion factors and a deficien- and Reverse Heart Disease. In this book,
cy of health-promoting factors. In oth- he speaks about a study that he conduct-
er words, the Western diet. Conversely, ed in the 1980s and 1990s with patients
there is one diet to counteract all of who had severe heart diseases and who
these diseases: a whole foods, plant- could not expect any improvements from
based diet.” medication or surgery. Many of them had
“In short, it is about the multiple health not much time left. All the patients fol-
benefits of consuming plant-based lowed a strict low-fat vegan diet and not
foods, and the largely unappreciat- only survived until the book was finished
ed health dangers of consuming ani- but also won their health back.
mal-based foods, including all types of
According to the findings of Dr Esselstyn
meat, dairy and eggs.”
and other scientists, no one ever has to
“I have come to realize that some of our suffer from coronary heart disease, be-
most revered conventions are wrong cause all cases of the disease are caused
and real health has been grossly ob- by diet, including those that include meat,
scured. Most unfortunately, the unsus- milk, dairy products, eggs and fish. Coro-
pecting public has paid the ultimate nary heart disease, like heart attacks, is the
price.” most common cause of death in Western
“I want to condense the nutritional les- industrial nations, even more common
sons learned from this broad range of than cancer. Dr Esselstyn also makes it
evidence and from my experiences over clear why even a vegetarian diet is not
the past forty-plus years into a simple healthy:
guide to nutrition.”
“One of the most fortunate findings from “What’s more, eating fat causes the body
the mountain of nutritional research itself to manufacture excessive amounts
I’ve encountered is that good food and of cholesterol, which explains why veg-
good health is simple. The biology of etarians who eat oil, butter, cheese, milk,
the relationship of food and health is ex- ice cream, glazed doughnuts, and French
10 Vegan – The Healthiest Diet.pastry develop coronary disease despite diseases should be considered at least
their avoidance of meat.” as important as their treatment. But our
health systems earn millions with the
It therefore comes as no surprise that in treatment of chronic diseases caused by
some occasional studies vegetarians show unhealthy diets. A massive new health
an even worse health status than meat policy aimed at prevention might take
eaters – because often the avoidance of away large parts of the health industry’s
meat is overcompensated with the most profits. So it comes as no surprise that
harmful food products: dairy products. the conflicting interests of the health
Dr Esselstyn, in all his public appearanc- and animal industries, combined with
es and in his book, emphasises that only a widespread misinformation, have led to a
plant-based diet without animal products situation in which the prevention of dis-
is healthy and can prevent or cure heart eases through good nutrition falls by the
disease. He opposes any deviation from a wayside. And so it completes a circle in
strictly vegan diet: which humans, animals and the environ-
ment suffer tremendously. It is therefore
““And the key to success is attention in de-
in the interest of all citizens to look after
tail. In this program, we eliminate entire-
their own diet.
ly the ingestion of all building blocks of
atherosclerosis. There are no exceptions. A vegan diet that is varied and carried out
Patients must erase the phrase “This little appropriately is the healthiest diet of all –
bit can’t hurt” from their vocabulary and and the only truly healthy diet for human
from their thinking. As we have learned, beings. However, just leaving out meat,
the opposite is true: every little bit can milk, cheese, eggs and fish won’t make it
hurt – and does.” a healthy diet. A poorly devised vegan di-
et that is not varied and includes too much
Bill Clinton healed his serious coronary refined sugar and too much additional
heart disease by adopting a vegan diet, oils and fats is unhealthy, too! And this is
strictly sticking to the principles brought despite the numerous scientific nutrition
forward by Professor Campbell and Dr studies that found that the majority of ve-
Esselstyn. His disease was life-threaten- gans are healthier than meat-eaters and
ing and had required several surgeries vegetarians.
before. In an interview, Bill Clinton ex-
plained: It must be emphasized once again that a
vegetarian diet offers no health advan-
“I‘ve stopped eating meat, cheese, milk, tages and, least of all, any ethical bene-
even fish. No dairy at all.“ He continued fit. Although studies have shown a better
by saying: “I decided to pick the diet that health status for many vegetarians, this is
I thought would maximize my chances of primarily related to vegetarians generally
long-term survival.” leading a healthier lifestyle and developing
increased health awareness. According to
Despite the clear and weighty evidence
scientific studies, milk and dairy products
based on reputable scientifi c facts, large
are the unhealthiest of all foodstuffs (due
parts of the media, unwitting doctors and
to high levels of hormones, carcinogenic
alleged “nutritionists” keep spreading in-
animal proteins, carcinogenic environ-
correct and misleading facts about the
mental toxins).
animal food industry and archaic and
faulty doctrines. Altogether, this is a ma- Anybody wishing to eat a vegan diet
jor health scandal. The prevention of should be particularly aware of his or her
Vegan – The Healthiest Diet. 11vitamin B12 intake – a vitamin built only order to make veganism the healthiest di-
by micro-organisms (bacteria). It is there- et, one has to make sure his or her diet is
fore mostly found in easily perishable varied and obtain an appropriate source
animal foods like meat and milk. It has of vitamin B12.
been suggested that plant-based foods
For a vegan diet to be the healthiest of all di-
can contain vitamin B12 under certain
ets, a few simple rules need to be followed.
circumstances, but as this source is too
In my view, unfortunately, these principles
uncertain, I will not discuss this option
are considered too seldom.
further. Alleged “experts” tend to name
a possible lack of vitamin B12 as the big- By analyzing scientific literature, we have
gest argument against a vegan diet. And established the following 7 golden rules for
this is despite the fact that many omni- a healthy vegan diet which I strongly rec-
vores are defi cient in vitamin B12, too. In ommend:
The 7 Rules of a Healthy Vegan Diet
Rule 1 Rule 5
Most importantly: A vegan diet should Use only small amounts of addition-
be as varied as possible al fats or oils (cardiac patients should
Rule 2 avoid additional fats or oils complete-
Take vitamin B12 as a dietary supple- ly). This rule does not apply to vegan
ment. You may want to add vitamin D infants.
in winter (vegan vitamin D2 or vitamin My advice: Omega-3 fatty acids are
D3 derived from vegan sources). You best derived from freshly ground flax-
will get iodine from seaweed or iodized seed
salt – the latter, however, should not be Rule 6
used in large quantities Industrially processed foods should be
Rule 3 consumed rarely
Having drinks rich in vitamin C with Rule 7
meals optimizes iron absorption Aim to eat fresh fruit, vegetables, puls-
Rule 4 es, and wholemeal products
Avoid refined sugar and white flour/su-
perfine flour
From a doctor’s perspective, an addition- how absurd it would be to eat animal
al source of vitamin B12, in the form of products just to obtain vitamin B12. Not
enriched foods (juice, breakfast cere- only would it be extreme, it would also,
al, soy milk, etc), as well as vitamin B12 in fact, be absolutely ludicrous to try to
nutritional supplements must be recom- equate a possible lack of vitamin B12 –
mended in any case. Alternatively, B12 which is not even proven and can easily
levels in the blood could be checked reg- be solved by consuming enriched foods
ularly. However, if one compares these and a supplement – with the massive
small precautionary measures to the health risk associated with animal-based
proven and serious health risks connect- products.
ed with consuming meat, milk, cheese, Please read Dr Campbell’s book The Chi-
eggs and fish, one will notice right away na Study. Or, better yet, study this book! It
12 Vegan – The Healthiest Diet.will surely be the most important book of tween these types of diets along with the
your life. This concerns not only your future major benefit a vegan diet provides, are
health and future quality of life but also the based on the fact that vegan food, unlike
health and life of your children – for whom a meat diet, contains considerably less
you are responsible. harmful ingredients.
In his book Prevent and Reverse Heart According to research of the Federal Office
Disease, Dr Esselstyn remarks that 70 per of Public Health in Switzerland (Schweizer
cent of 12-year-olds in the US showed fat- Bundesamt für Gesundheit) as well as stud-
ty deposits in their arteries caused by the ies carried out by French health researchers,
typical Western diet, including meat, milk, about 92 % of toxins contained in foodstuffs
dairy products and refined sugar. These for human consumption are derived from
fatty deposits directly cause heart disease. animal products! Animal feed additionally
In his book, Professor Campbell refers to a contains slaughterhouse waste unfit for hu-
study of American soldiers killed in action man consumption.
who were only 22 years old on average.
Crucial research findings of animal tests
77,3 % of the examined hearts had gross
carried out by Professor Dr T Colin
evidence of heart disease. At the age of 22!
Campbell and other scientists have re-
Overweight and unfit people were already
vealed that animal protein fed to animals
rejected!
is the most significant catalyzer of cancer
Every child deserves to have the best pos- in animals. In addition, results of numer-
sible start in life with the best physical and ous scientific studies suggest that also
mental health, and that can be granted hormones naturally contained in animal
through the healthiest nutrition possible. products strongly enable cancer growth.
Therefore, every child deserves a healthy, These natural carcinogenic substances
varied vegan diet. It is one of the most im- are present in organic meat or organic
portant responsibilities of every parent or milk as well!
legal guardian to gain reputable, scientif-
Feeding your animal companion a vegan
ic knowledge of nutrition and to put this
diet is vitally important. An excellent ex-
knowledge into practice – it’s in their chil-
ample is the world’s oldest dog who, with
dren’s best interests.
27 years of age, earned himself an entry
However, a vegan diet is not only the in the Guinness Book of Records, hav-
healthiest option for humans. Please al- ing been fed a strict vegan diet. For more
so consider the wellbeing and health of information on the oldest dog in the
any companion animals you are respon- world, go to:
sible for. Dogs that are fed a vegan diet www.provegan.info/vegetarian-dog
often enjoy better health and achieve a
My own dog was fed a vegan diet and
higher age. This can be easily explained,
reached the age of 19. He finally died of side
although the difference is not found in
effects from medication he received follow-
the nutrient content. Dogs and cats get
ing an eye operation.
all necessary nutrients both from a well
balanced meat diet as well as from a well There’s one experience I had over and
balanced vegan diet. Therefore, from a over again: everyone who speaks against
nutritional point of view, what matters a vegan diet either doesn’t know enough
is not the source of nutrients an animal about it or profits from animal products.
needs but that the animal receives all nu- Concerning the switch to a vegan diet,
trients to begin with. The difference be- Professor Campbell says:
Vegan – The Healthiest Diet. 13“The first month can be challenging, but transition is a challenge. There are psy-
it gets much easier after that. And for chological barriers and practical ones.
many, it becomes a great pleasure. I It takes time and effort. You may not
know this is hard to believe until you ex-
get support from your friends and fam-
perience it for yourself, but your tastes
ily. But the benefits are nothing short
change when you are on a plant based
diet… The bottom line is that you can of miraculous. And you’ll be amazed
eat a plant-based diet with great pleas- at how easy it becomes once you form
ure and satisfaction. But making the new habits.”
These references are highly recommended for further study:
• Vegan Gesund – sich besser fühlen und • The Physicians Committee for Responsi-
deutlich leistungsfähiger werden mit der ble Medicine, www.pcrm.org
gesündesten Ernährung
• Vegan Nutrition by Gill Langley, 2nd re-
The cookbook and standard reference for
vised edition, August 1995
healthy vegan cuisine by gourmet chef
Raphael Lüthy and Doctor Ernst Walter • Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics
Henrich (ISBN 978-3-00-047572-6) position paper on the health advantages
• The China Study by T Colin Campbell, of a vegetarian and vegan diet, 2009;
BenBella Books (ISBN-10: 9781932100662) www.ProVegan.info/ada
• Prevent and Reverse Heart Disease by • Film on DVD: Forks Over Knives (A very
Caldwell B. Esselstyn, Avery, Penguin good and informative movie about the
Group, New York, 2008 work of Dr. Campbell, Dr Esselstyn and
(ISBN-10: 1-58333-272-3) other scientists)
• A brief report on health problems caused • TV report of NDR (Norddeutscher Rund-
by dairy products: www.ProVegan.info/ funk, ARD) about the health dangers of
schaedigung-milch milk: www.ProVegan.info/video-milch
• “Milch besser nicht” by Maria Rollinger, • An essay about vegan nutrition by Gentle
JOU-Verlag, ISBN 3-00-013125-6 World author Angel Flinn:
www.ProVegan.info/article-vegan
• The Food Revolution, How Your Diet
Can Help Save Your Life and Our World • Earthlings is an impressive documentary
by John Robbins, Conari Press (ISBN-10: about factory farming, narrated by actor
1573244872) (A fantastic book that I highly Joaquin Phoenix:
recommend!) www.ProVegan.info/video-earthlings-en
14 Vegan – The Healthiest Diet.For Human Rights Around the world, about 1 billion (1,000,000,000) people suf- fer from hunger. Every second, one person on this planet dies of starvation, 30 million (30,000,000) per year. Every day, between 6,000 and 43,000 chil- plant-based foods are diverted into animal dren die of starvation, while about 40 per products and are therefore no longer availa- cent of fish caught worldwide, about 50 per ble for human consumption. cent of the world’s grain harvest and about 90 per cent of the world’s soy harvest are Plant foods for “animal farming” are exported fed to “farm animals” in the meat and dairy from the “Third World” to industrial nations industries! Eighty per cent of the children even though children and adults in these who go hungry live in countries that have a poor countries go hungry and die of starva- surplus in food production, but the children tion. You might have heard the saying, “The remain hungry and die of starvation be- animals of the rich eat the bread of the poor.” cause the grain surplus is exported to be fed For example, the 1984 famine in Ethiopia to animals. Using plant foods to produce didn’t happen because local agriculture didn’t unhealthy animal products is an absurdity, a produce food but because this food was ex- scandal and the ultimate waste: to produce ported to Europe to be fed to “farm animals”. just 1 kg of meat, one needs – depending It was during this famine – which cost tens of on the species – up to 16 kg of plant foods thousands of people their lives – that Europe- and 10 to 20 tons (10,000 to 20,000 litres!) an countries even imported grain from Ethio- of water. This means that vast quantities of pia to feed chickens, pigs and cows. Had the Vegan – For Human Rights. 15
grain been used to feed the Ethiopian people, Dr W Bello, director of the Institute for
there wouldn’t have been a famine after all. Food and Development Policy, mentioned
In Guatemala, about 75 per cent of children above, also emphasizes that breeding ani-
under the age of 5 are malnourished. But still, mals for meat production is a waste of re-
more than 17,000 tons of meat are produced sources:
every year to be exported to the US.
“… [a] fast-food diet and the meat-eating
Feeding these animals requires enormous habits of the wealthy around the world
amounts of grain and soy – food that remains support a world food system that diverts
unavailable to malnourished children. Instead food resources from the hungry.”
of feeding the starving people of the world,
we take their food to feed abused “farm an- Philip Wollen is the former vice president
imals” in order to satisfy our illness-inducing of Citibank and was included on the top 40
addiction to meat, eggs and dairy products. list of influential executives at the age of 34
The animal agriculture industry’s enormous by The Australian Business Magazine. He
need for soy and grain drives prices for these completely changed his life at the age of 40
food plants up, which means they become because he wanted to contribute his share
unaffordable to many in countries where to stopping crimes against animals, humans
people go hungry. and the environment:
The British newspaper The Guardian clari-
“When I travel around the world, I see that
fied in 2002:
poor countries sell their grain to the West
while their own children starve in their
“It now seems plain that a vegan diet is
arms. And we feed it to livestock. So we
the only ethical response to what is argu-
can eat a steak? Am I the only one who
ably the world’s most urgent social jus-
sees this as a crime? Every morsel of
tice issue.”
meat we eat is slapping the tear-stained
face of a starving child. When I look in-
Dr W Bello, director of the Institute for Food
to her eyes, should I be silent? The Earth
and Development Policy, says:
can produce enough for everyone’s need.
But not enough for everyone’s greed.”
“... the fact is that there is enough food
in the world for everyone. But tragically,
Here are two more quotes from Jean
much of the world’s food and land re-
Ziegler, former member of the Swiss Na-
sources are tied up in producing beef and
tional Council and UN Special Rapporteur
other livestock – food for the well off –
on the right to food:
while millions of children and adults suf-
fer from malnutrition and starvation.” “The world‘s grain harvest is about 2 billion
tons per year. Over 500,000,000 tons
This quote from the WorldWatch Institute
are fed to the cattle of the rich nations –
leaves no doubt:
while 43,000 children die of hunger in
the 122 Third World countries every day
“Meat consumption is an inefficient use of
according to UN statistics. I don’t want to
grain – the grain is used more efficient-
participate in this horrible mass murder
ly when consumed by humans. Contin-
any longer: eating no meat is the mini-
ued growth in meat output is dependent
mum.”
on feeding grain to animals, creating
competition for grain between affluent “A child who dies of hunger these days is
meat-eaters and the world’s poor.” murdered.”
16 Vegan – For Human Rights.Murdered by whom? By everyone involved tem and hungry locals. An article in the
in this system. Also by consumers who fi - British newspaper The Guardian describes
nance it with their money! it this way:
The political system, especially the EU, sub-
“We can eat fish, but only if we are pre-
sidizes the meat and dairy industries with
pared to contribute to the collapse of ma-
massive amounts of tax money. This flies
rine ecosystems and – as the European
in the face of any reason or morality. The
fleet plunders the seas off West Africa –
EU’s agricultural subsidies account for al-
the starvation of some of the hungriest
most half of the EU’s annual budget, which
people on earth. It‘s impossible to avoid
means more than 50 billion euros every
the conclusion that the only sustainable
year. One example of how absurd these EU
and socially just option is for the inhab-
subsidies really are is that, on the one hand,
itants of the rich world to become, like
campaigns against tobacco consumption
most of the earth‘s people, broadly ve-
are financed, and on the other hand, tobac-
gan.”
co farming was subsidized for many years,
wasting tax money, until January 1, 2010. Every day, every one of us decides whether
Fishing fleets from industrial nations like the he or she wants to participate in the system
US, Japan or from Europe acquire fishing of the farmed-animal industries by con-
rights for areas surrounding poor countries suming meat, milk, cheese and eggs – in-
in, for example, Africa and South America. cluding all the cruel consequences for the
After plundering these oceans, they move environment, the starving people and the
on and leave behind a devastated ecosys- animals of the world.
Recommended reading for further study:
• The Food Revolution, How Your Diet • Speech by Philip Wollen:
Can Help Save Your Life and Our World www.ProVegan.info/video-philip-wollen-en
by John Robbins, Conari Press (ISBN-10:
1573244872) (A fantastic book that I highly
recommend!)
Vegan – For Human Rights. 17The Moral Reasons
In today’s society, it is considered completely normal as well as
morally acceptable to exploit animals for human use (as in the
raising of “dairy” cows), to torture them (as in vivisection) and to
kill them (as in the slaughter of “beef cattle”).
Evolution gave humans the ability to real- our society’s moral values – in fact, moral
ize this exploitation of animals. Mankind values exist mainly to shield the weak from
is tempted to use this ability to vest itself the arbitrary actions of the strong – it still
the so-called “right of the strongest”. This needs to be examined whether the human
self-awarded right of the strongest is then exploitation of animals can ever be consid-
used as the moral foundation for exploiting, ered morally acceptable.
torturing and killing animals.
In attempting to morally justify the ex-
To the contrary the moral standards of our ploitation of animals, society uses a shaky
society are just not based on the “right of the “ethical” construction. The human species
strongest”. A true ethical framework does proclaims a higher intrinsic value for itself
not allow the strong simply to apply moral and simply excludes animals from the cur-
tenets randomly in order to suit their own rent ethical framework of our moral pre-
interests. Therefore, the “right of the strong- cepts. Simply the power of the so-called
est” and true moral values are mutually ex- “right of the strongest” allows us to elevate
clusive. Although it is clear that the “right of our own “value” and devalue animals. This
the strongest” cannot be reconciled with special construct, which people use as a
18 Vegan – The Moral Reasons.moral justification for exploiting animals, … conduct cruel “scientific” research on hu-
needs to be logically examined so we can mans?
decide whether it is in any way morally de-
… test toxins on humans in order to ascer-
fensible. However, as I said before, a true
tain fatal doses?
ethical framework cannot depend on the
“right of the strongest”, and it cannot sim- … celebrate their culture with deadly “hu-
ply be based on the interests of the pow- man-fighting” rituals in arenas?
erful. … confine humans to prisons and call the
Just imagine an intellectually superior “super prisons zoos?
being” which possesses much more power … force humans to do tricks and call the
and higher intelligence and is more highly tricks circus acts?
evolved than any human. (It is not unrealistic
to think that scientists could one day create … go human hunting and call it a sport while
such a being through genetic engineering.) even claiming that it is an environmental
protection measure?
This “super being” would likely have just as
much power over humans as humans now … enforce a human welfare law that rea-
have over animals. Naturally, the “super sons that people can be killed – some
beings” would consider themselves more while fully conscious – for eating their un-
valuable than humans and humans would healthy meat and wearing their skins?
therefore be excluded from their moral val- … conduct tests on humans in order to test
ue system and shunted off into a separate medication that has been developed to
value system. cure diseases caused by the unhealthy in-
Would such “super beings” have the “moral” take of human meat?
right of the jungle to ... Probably you would consider it as immor-
… torture humans on factory farms or in al if these “super beings” treat you and your
concentration camps for the humans’ en- loved ones like this. But why? These “super
tire lives? beings” would be in exactly the same po-
sition towards humans like humans to-
… kill humans in slaughterhouses while wards animals at the present day. It is only
many of them are fully conscious? the “right of the strongest” that creates the
… artificially inseminate or rape and impreg- “moral” foundation for justifying the con-
nate human mothers year in and year out sumption of meat and all the cruelties that
in order to steal their milk? result from the purchase of meat, eggs and
dairy products.
… take these mothers’ babies away from
them so the babies won’t drink their milk? Arthur Schopenhauer once said, “Com-
passion is the basis of all morality”. That
… kill the babies so they can turn them into includes compassion towards a weak-
sausages and other meats? er being who is at my mercy. Of course,
… kill BSE-infected people and their relatives you – as a compassionate living being –
in mass slaughter facilities? would claim that a “super being” is only
acting morally if he or she spares you and
… transport humans for several days without
your loved ones. However, if you think that
giving them food or water?
it is unethical for super beings to exploit
… conduct cruel tests on humans in order humans based on an arbitrary, self-deter-
to gather information about new medica- mined “might makes right” values system,
tions? it is only logical to conclude that it is just
Vegan – The Moral Reasons. 19as unethical for humans to exploit animals are easily revealed as such – are actually the
on the same “moral” construct. foundation for animal exploitation, which is
easy for everybody to understand.
Therefore, humans only act morally with
respect to animals who are at our mercy The history of mankind is filled with mor-
when we spare them and refuse to exploit al crimes, all of which were legal at some
them or cause them suffering by buying point in time. Just think of slavery or racial
meat, milk and eggs at the counter. Or do discrimination. For this very reason, Dr Mar-
moral values only exist for you if they fall in tin Luther King, human rights activist and
your favour and protect you against “might Nobel Peace Prize winner, has said:
makes right”? Or do moral values only exist
for you if they fall in your favor and protect “Never forget that everything Hitler did in
you against the “right of the strongest”? Germany was legal.”
If moral can be randomly applied, and de- It is legal to torture and abuse animals every
pends on one´s own position of strength day of their lives and to finally murder them.
or weakness, then these “moral” con- The fate animals are suffering is perhaps the
structions are not really morals but rather most horrendous and worst atrocity ever
pseudo-morals to justify one´s own brutal caused by humans. John Maxwell „J. M.“
and egoistic misuse of strength against Coetzee, winner of the Nobel Prize for Liter-
the weak. Such pseudo-morals only serve ature, commented:
to satisfy one’s own selfish interests at
the expense of helpless, weaker beings “Let me say it openly: We are surround-
and are simply psychological constructs ed by an enterprise of degradation, cru-
that are used to clear one’s conscience elty, and killing which rivals anything that
and whitewash one’s own participation in the Third Reich was capable of, indeed
crimes against weaker beings. dwarfs it, in that ours is an enterprise
without end, re-generating, bringing rab-
How legitimate is a system of morals that bits, rats, poultry, livestock ceaselessly
is accepted only if we selfishly profit from it into the world for the purpose of killing
but not if it would allow a stronger individual them.”
to exploit us, kill us or cause us suffering?
These pretended morals are unmasked as Isaac Bashevis Singer, Jewish winner of the
pseudo-morals, double standards and mor- Nobel Prize for Literature, who lost many
al crimes. In the end, these pseudo-morals family members in the persecution of the
are evidence of our moral ineptitude. Jews by Germany’s Nazis, puts it this way:
Now it has been proven that the “ethi- “As
“ long as human beings will go on
cal constructs” of our society in relation shedding the blood of animals, there will
to animals, as they are currently applied, never be any peace. There is only one
are based on a wrong thinking and incon- little step from killing animals to creating
sistent “pseudo-morality” and are used to gas chambers à la Hitler and concentra-
justify our crimes against weaker beings. tion camps à la Stalin. [...] There will be
The crimes that are “legitimised” by this no justice as long as man will stand with
pseudo-morality are also legalised through a knife or with a gun and destroy those
so-called animal “welfare” laws in order to who are weaker than he is.”
make them appear morally correct and, at
first glance, almost impossible to question. Romain Rolland (1866-1944), a Nobel Prize
But the logical examination of the facts winner who lived before the crimes of fac-
clearly reveals that immoral acts – which tory farming were committed, wrote:
20 Vegan – The Moral Reasons.“In my view, the cruelty towards animals Bertrand Russell, mathematician and phi-
or even the indifference towards their losopher, 1950 Nobel Prize for Literature
suffering is one of the gravest sins ever (1872-1970)
committed by humankind. It is the foun-
dation of human depravity. With man It is now up to you to decide: do you want
causing such enormous suffering, what to hide behind rogue pseudo-morality while
right has he got to lament about his own taking part in the crimes that are perpetrated
suffering?” against weaker beings (by consuming animal
products), or do you want to open a chance
“There is no impersonal reason for re- to a true and honest-to-goodness moral
garding the interests of human beings as system in your personal life that considers
more important than those of animals.” the rights and welfare of weaker beings?
I highly recommend the following publications for further information:
• Food Revolution, How your diet
can help save your life and our world,
John Robbins (in English), Conari Press,
ISBN 978-1-57324-702-3 A fantastic
book – highly recommended
Vegan – The Moral Reasons. 21You can also read
