Becoming Vegan

November 15, 2013

This completely revised edition of Becoming Vegan by registered dieticians Davis and Melina (The New Becoming Vegetarian) presents the whys and hows of a vegan diet in a warm, encouraging style. The volume opens with a lucid presentation of the ethical case for eschewing animal products, providing motivation for the dietary plan that follows. Detailed nutritional recommendations are given for all stages of life, from pregnancy and infancy to senior years; the work also provides an honest analysis of the health benefits and challenges of plant-based eating. Though the authors are nutritional experts, more complete citations would bolster the book's authority, as at least one erroneous statistic is offered (regarding water usage in beef production, an oft-repeated figure disproved by Erik Marcus in Meat Market), and would allow readers interested in following up on data to find the sources. A comparable and well-sourced work on vegan nutrition is Jack Norris and Virginia Messina's Vegan for Life: Everything You Need To Know To Be Healthy and Fit on a Plant-Based Diet. VERDICT This title offers inspiration, thorough information, and meal plans useful to vegans and vegetarians; it will be particularly helpful to those looking to start a compassionate and healthy vegan diet.--Leslie J. Patterson, Chicago P.L.

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