There’s a controversy brewing over Whole Foods’ new “Health Starts Here” campaign promoting the merits of a mostly vegetarian diet. Last week, the Weston A. Price Foundation, which promotes the consumption of healthy fats (including animal protein), issued a press release attacking the Whole Foods campaign, and saying that people can’t get enough nutrients from a plant-based diet.
I am involved with my local chapter of the Weston A. Price Foundation because I believe in the overall soundness of its nutritional principles. However, I eat very little animal protein because that diet works better for me personally. Therefore, I don’t side with either Whole Foods or WAPF because I don’t believe there is one way of eating that is correct for every person on the planet.
My diet is of the “a little from Column A and a little from Column B” variety—I combine principles from several different nutritional plans, including pH Miracle (alkalizing foods), raw, and WAPF. About half my diet is plant-based, and some of that is raw. A typical dinner is a large salad with a small amount of animal protein (usually a hard-boiled egg and/or some canned wild salmon). For healthy fats, I make my own salad dressing with hemp and flax oils, use coconut oil on my toast, and eat yogurt and cheese a few times a week. I eat meat or chicken whenever I crave it, which is generally a few times a month. When I eat at a restaurant, I usually order fish. The only thing I want to add to my menu is more whole grains, which I don’t cook as much as I should out of sheer laziness.
I feel good on this diet—better than I felt when I was eating more meat and chicken and fewer plant foods. Animal protein often makes me feel tired and sluggish, while veggies energize my body.
The bottom line is that some people thrive on a vegetarian diet, and some do not. I know plenty of people who simply don’t feel good on a mostly vegetarian diet and need to eat animal protein.
As far as health benefits go, they extend to both types of diets. I would wager that for every argument in favor of a vegetarian diet, there is a counterargument in favor of meat, and vice versa. There is no “one size fits all” approach to eating.
For Whole Foods’ nutritional advice, click here.
For WAPF’s response, click here.
Our Corporate Website: Cutting Edge Catalog
Become a Facebook Fan
Share on Friendfeed
