Have you guys seen this article? US News and World Report ranked the 20 most popular diets in terms of “healthiness” based on these criteria.
Before even reading the article, I was suspicious.
After reading it, I am annoyed.
While there are certainly some pitfalls to going vegan without doing any research, I’d hardly consider it to be less healthy than the Slim Fast diet. I mean seriously!?! You’ve gotta be joking me. 1,200 calories a day with shakes for meals is not remotely sustainable. And yet, veganism, a diet lifestyle that tons of people have thrived on – from athletes to world leaders – is still ranked #17 out of 20.
When you look at how the article details the breakdown on veganism as a diet, it’s hard to find a fault in the healthfulness. Even by the article’s own admission it has cardiovascular benefits (duh), helps with diabetes control and prevention, and conforms to the government’s suggested guidelines for all macronutrients (fat, protein, carbohydrates) as well as the USDA’s 2010 “nutrients of concern” (fiber, potassium, calcium, etc.).
They don’t even mention that B12 is hard to find in a plant-based diet, unless your foods are fortified (which would actually be useful info to anyone thinking of veganism). Nor do they mention the oh-so-annoyingly-played-out “where do you get your protein” thing (which was delightful to me, albeit somewhat shocking since I hear it from random people so often). In fact, the biggest problem they address obsess over is how inconvenient it is. The article states that “veganism takes some work and creativity. It’s up to you to plan meals around plant protein rather than animal protein.” Uh. What? That’s why it’s the 3rd lowest in terms of “health”??? Something’s fishy here.
The only other real complaint was how expensive it is. I’m sorry, but are they actually trying to tell me that paying for personalized meal delivery plans like #7 Jenny Craig and #10 Nutrisystem are cheaper options? And in terms of convenience, there’s nothing convenient about tedious point tallying as is the case with #6 Weight Watchers.
I hardly feel the need to address these misconceptions abut price and preparation, but I will say this…I’m the most impatient person ever, so my meals take no time at all to make (by the time my grains have cooked, my veggies are chopped and I’m throwing things on the plate). I’m also a frugal frank, and I know for a fact that meat and fish cost more than dried beans and bulk nuts.
I promise I won’t go into the faults of all the other diets (because I actually think the first few aren’t too bad for the average person). But I have to say I’m appalled with many of the diets they chose to beat out plant-based foods.
The #11 ranked Zone Diet is described as “not the best but not awful healthiness wise” and yet it’s still 6 rankings above veganism. I don’t even know what the diet includes, but it apparently incorporates ratios which seems pretty time consuming.
I had never even heard of #16, the Medifast Diet, until reading this article, but even though it “doesn’t perfectly align with the government’s guidelines for healthy eating” and “at 800 to 1,000 calories a day, it also dips low for many dieters” they still ranked it higher than veganism.
I’d also like to mention that the Raw Foods Diet came is 19th, only ahead of the last place loser Atkins. Sad.
Dear US News and World Report,
Tell me this is not healthy?
Steel cut oats, brown rice, corn, buckwheat, and sorghum grains with carob chips strawberries and almond milk.
Pasta with seitan, kale, peas and carrots.
Home-made vegan banana cinnamon raisin bread.
Quinoa, kale, sweet potato with peanutty peanut sauce (recipe coming!).
Vegan peanut butter and chocolate chip cookies.
I bet veganism is looking pretty good now, isn’t it?
Sincerely,
Hungry Hungry Hippie
As always, you should take this news with a grain of salt (unless you are on the DASH diet and then you may be limited to half a grain). Unsurprisingly, the government approved and sponsored programs are in the top spots and you can see where there was probably money thrown into the the pot. Anyway, feel free to check out the links I provided above and let me know your thoughts in the comments section below.
US News is a lot of bunk for the most part. This study is no different. What a load of crap.
Holy crap, this article is infuriating. Are they kidding me with the Slim Fast diet? How can that even be on this list?!
Regardless of how tricky veganism is to stick too, or how creative they think you need to be, that has no bearing on the healthfulness of this diet. They need to either rate the diets based on health OR rate them based on convenience, not whichever is more fitting for the list!
The fact that they can start with “Not the best but not awful healthiness-wise.” shows that a very small amount of actual scientific research went into compiling this list. It sounds like a 5 year old wrote that line.
The very saddest part is the people who don’t know any better and are just trying to get some advice on their health and diets are going to reference this article, and they are going to believe that drinking a disgusting, processed milkshake in place of a meal is healthier than a bowl of whole grains and vegetables.
Ugh I’m mad.
right???? so crazy that this actually got published.
i know, but unfortunately people actually go by these rankings…best business schools, best doctors, best hospitals…all receive funding and accolades based on “studies” like this
My RD friends and I at work were all over this article last week. I think you have to take their ratings considering the lack of knowledge a lot of consumers have who place themselves on these diets. I work with someone who goes on and on about the benefits of her Paleo lifestyle only to be munching on a cheesecake during a meeting. There are healthy and unhealthy aspects of all of these diets, but the most important thing is balance and moderation – as long as all of the food groups are represented.
true, but does that balance and moderation include processed chocolate shakes? 😛
if they are catering the article to the lay-person, then they should explain in more detail WHY they ranked the diets in such a way. it’s certainly not by “healthiness.” i don’t think we give people enough credit and dumbing down the research findings doesn’t help. we need to educate! we need to provide the info so that the knowledge isn’t lacking. that way people can make informed decisions about how they want to maintain their health through diet.
It’s so frustrating when misinformation like this goes out. I get so upset when veganism is seen as or compared to a weight-loss diet, because it is so so so much more than that. Weight-loss is a side effect for some (not for all!) but it isn’t just a temporary way to get skinny!
I really hate when big name publishers put out crap stories like this because so many people are easily swayed by what they read. Especially if it comes from someone who is a supposed “reputable” source. I really wish people would research more thoroughly before believing anything they read. Oh well…
I kinda drooled a little at the picture of your vegan banana bread. Oh and I forgot to tell you, I made your seitan loaf last night for the third time and even my husband (who is a total meat-eater) thought it was really tasty. He asked me to make this more often and swap it in for some of his meat dishes. Pretty rockin, huh?
thats freakin’ awesome!!
I read that article a few weeks ago and was just as shocked. It’s SO misleading! It even annoys me in the first place that veganism is being compared as a weight loss diet, rather than a carefully considered lifestyle.
I completely agree with you. A few of my friends are in school to become RD’s and we spent an entire lunch hour ripping this article apart. It was quite fun actually. I really wish they would’ve added a lifestyle component to their research–i.e. can one really live off of Slimfast?
oh my gosh!!! so unbelievable, who the hell wrote that, I mean seriously how can real food (raw foods) not be considered healthy?? wow i am very annoyed right now too
I think veganism can be healthy but it’s not synonymous with healthy. Like any ethics-based diet, it’s very easy to overeat or not pay attention on the nutrition of something so long as it’s vegan. When it comes to weight loss or weight maintenance diets I think the best thing is to eat the right foods in the right amounts. Going to an extreme in any direction is foolish and possibly dangerous.
oh , you KNOW that some money was thrown around behind the scenes…there’s no WAY the Slim Fast diet is healthy…or really any “Diet”.
i definitely agree with you – i was more appalled with the fact that those other diets out-ranked veganism. for many reasons, a few of which i mentioned, i think there’s a flaw in the “study” and the definition of “healthiness”. maybe veganism shouldnt be #1 and maybe its not for everyone, but slim fast shakes?? really??
i worked with a physician who started himself on the medifast diet and before he told me what diet he was using i noticed changes in him. he was cranky (more than usual), he would get jittery very often, and would comment about how he was hungry many times throughout the day. granted, he lost weight and was very proud of that, but was sustaining himself on medifast bars throughout the day and an approved home-cooked dinner – his only real meal of the day.
i think that these types of diets are just hyped up for their convenience, therefore making other ways of eating (ie – veganism) seem sooooo difficult, when in actuality it’s not. (i’m not a vegan, so i can’t truly speak to that, but you can!) i feel that in our culture eating healthfully is not a priority, despite things like childhood obesity rates, diabetes, cardiovascular issues, etc.
oh and do you have the recipe for those vegan PB choc chip cookies?? drool.
oh and one more thing (sorry!) – given that a large number of the population is so reliant on information from big name newspapers/magazines/shows/websites, sometimes that info just isn’t trustworthy, but because that is where people get their news, they believe it to be true. i run into this a lot as well with parents and childhood immunizations; there’s just too much information out there and it’s difficult to sort through to pick out the helpful vs harmful info.
Wow, I have no words! I am about to write an article for my college paper about being vegetarian/vegan. My number one pet peeve is the looks I get when I say I don’t eat meat. You would think I was growing two heads. This article does not help the situation!
Ha, this just makes me laugh (if I didn’t laugh I’d probably cry for all those misguided folk following some crazy ‘shake meal-replacement’ diet. ick)
Crazy crazy world we live in.
Ugh, frustrating article! Seems very sponsored and infuriating with amount of misinformation!
Articles like this frustrate me to no end. For one, I hate that it’s called the vegan “diet” and grouped along with things such as Slim Fast and Weight Watchers. Both my roommates are on WW and there’s no way I’m not healthier and happier. And my meals are way more delicious! Not to mention, it scares people off from veganism, which I truly believe is what’s best for our health, environment and the animals.
That article was so frustrating. Also I like how WW was so far above veganism….when you can easily be a vegan and be on WW (I know because I’ve done it!)
Veganism is portable and so much more than a diet. Thanks, USNews, for furthering the misconceptions.
ditto. its infuriating that veganism is seen as a means to and end. its much more than a “diet” in the sense of the word. its a lifestyle and its sustainable, whereas so many of the other “diets” listed are definitely not meant for the long term (i hope!).
ditto. its so odd that nonvegan people get so defensive about it too! articles like this only further propagate the us vs them mentality.
thanks elaine! i definitely agree with you. it really shows where people’s priorities are when they choose the “convenience” of processed milk shakes and home delivery meals over the “inconvenience” of cooking whole foods. ugh.
the recipe for the cookies is here: http://peasandthankyou.com/2010/11/09/having-a-ball/
most definitely.
exactly. well said.
yup. 🙁
I’m not even a vegan and I 100% agree with you!
That is insane. And so frustrating. The world is eating so much processed food (um, slimfast!?) and now this article is telling people it’s healthy! This is so upsetting.
I don’t really like that they categorize being vegan/vegetarian/healthy minded with the word “diet” – to me a diet is something you know is unhealthy that you only do to loose massive amounts of weight quickly but then go right back to your regular (and most likely also unhealthy) way of eating… people who choose to eat vegan/vegetarian/etc do it for much less superficial reasons than rapid weight loss and more often for health gain!
I swear, I just wrote a blog post like this a few days ago. I was so tired of my friends hatin’ on the vegan diet because it “takes too much effort” yet they’re always complaining about how lazy, lethargic, unhealthy and fat they feel. They also wonder how I’m getting enough fuel, yet I go to the gym every day and they find waking up before 10am daunting. I am so with you on this one. Clearly, the meat and dairy companies paid for this article, to keep on convincing everyone to buy their products and stay unhealthy! I hate that so many people are so uneducated about their health, but it doesn’t surprise me considering all of the shady articles out there now a days…
Hi, Elise-
I haven’t commented on your blog before (but read all the time!) but really had to chime in on this. I am outraged by this article! I am absolutely shocked that something this illegitimate and biased was actually published, not to mention that it comes from a supposedly reliable source.
I was doing some research on the so-called “experts” who rated the diets, and found that more than a few of them work for organizations like the Egg Nutrition Center, have had their research funded by the USDA, or have simply published books that encourage animal-based diets. (One led the development of the USDA’s 2010 Dietary Guidelines…)
Their reason for ranking the Raw Food Diet #19 (!!) was that it could be “too restrictive,” yet so many of the others involve meal replacement smoothies, or packaged meals delivered to your doorstep, or caloric intakes as low as 800 calories a day. And those are the RULES of those diets–the only reason they think eating raw would make a person deficient in calories, calcium, vitamin D, etc is because they think the American public is too damn stupid and incompetent to get it right! So naturally, a smoothie and “one homemade meal each day… is mostly nutritious and safe.”
Please forgive my novel-length comment; I just can’t believe this article is for real… and now people are going to follow this crap.
okay SO I am right there with everyone else, especially you, Elise, on this topic. I was reading it the other day and I couldn’t believe some of the diet’s they had put towards the top of the list. As everyone has already stated, being a vegan is NOT a diet. It is a lifestyle, and a way of life…Which brings me to my point… while they consider being vegan/vegetarian restricting, it isn’t. It teaches balance as well as listening to your body for what it wants and needs. It teaches eating whole foods that are natural and free of artificial EVERYTHING. Also, another point to make. While these people looking to restrict calories, cut out major food groups, and spend tons of money to lose pounds fast… tell me, what happens when they go back to eating the way they normally do (no more shakes or point counting?). They gain it all back. Whereas living a vegan/vegetarian lifestyle is an everyday occurrence. You aren’t yo yo-ing all over the place.
Being vegan is not a diet! Some vegans only wear vegan clothing, so it’s definitely a lifestyle choice. NOT a diet. Grrrrr
Who sponsored this “study?”
I was furious when I read this article as well! The fact that veganism ranked behind those other diets is absolutely ridiculous. Sure, if done the wrong way, it can be a diet filled with sugar and carbs but that isn’t common.
I have friends who swear by Slim-Fast shakes and low-carb/high animal-protein diets, which I will never understand.
I can’t wait for the quinoa, kale, peanut recipe! 🙂
What a ridiculous article – I’m furious right along with you after reading it. But then I remembered that popular diets are sold on ‘rapid weight loss’ claims with ‘no effort’ and ‘no deprivation’, so if they’re putting veganism in that category it shouldn’t be there anyway. It’s not a diet in that sense at all – it’s a lifestyle as you so appropriately point out.
it would be really sad if it didn’t make such little sense?? i’m not sure the world really understands that a life without meat is alright!
Peanutty Peanut Sauce recipe ASAP, please!! I was just thinking last night I needed a good peanut sauce for some tofu I am marinating to go with brown rice and kale for tonight’s dinner (I am also a planner). Yay!
Like other posters have pointed out, there is a difference between a “healthy diet” and one that is easy to follow in our meat-based culture. I get so frustrated with any diet that pushes a processed food rather than fresh, whole foods.
There are plenty of great foods that vegans can choose to be healthy. On the other hand, Slim Fast would be one of the last things on a list of healthy foods for anyone!
i agree, the term “diet” is inaccurate in conveying what veganism is to most people.
the marriage between these big businesses (meat and dairy) and the government…ugh…
i have found the same thing with people complaining about how crappy they feel and how they want to lose weight. in the same breath, they criticize how i can “get enough protein” and maintain my plant based diet with my active lifestyle. i want to scream its BECAUSE OF how i eat that i CAN thrive like this. while id never say this, im thinking, hmmm, which one of us looks and sounds more healthy?
hi michele! thanks for reading and commenting.
i love your novel length comment…thanks for checking into the “researchers” behind this “study” because it definitely makes sense. with both the panel members and the funding coming from biased places, its ridiculous this even made it to print. the whole thing is insane.
its unfortunate that they have to assume the american public is too dumb to get it right. i mean really. if we are going to treat people like idiots, why even bother with these studies…the government and their damn marriage to the meat and dairy industries is disgusting. ugh. ok i am getting too riled up now.
anyway, thanks for commenting. i love hearing from readers 🙂
totally!! i didnt want to rant forever on the subject but thats another point that is completely valid. veganism is a lifestyle not a weight loss gimmick. drinking 2 shakes a day is most definitely not the same. many of the other diets that are listed are also unsustainable…so presumably they will return to their pre-diet health (or lack of health) once they stop.
my guess is there were funds coming from the usda (aka government money biased by the subsidized dairy and meat industries). not to sound jaded…but really…
i just hope most people see this propaganda for what it is.
thanks emily.
recipe coming today 🙂
thanks kari. i would understand if the article were based on popularity but its supposed to be based on “healthiness”…which is total BS. weight loss does not equal healthy. deprivation and lack of effort also shouldnt be factors that contribute to making a diet healthy. nothing about this study makes sense!!
lets hope 🙂
holler to my fellow planner 🙂 recipe coming later today.
i 100% agree suzy. thanks for commenting 🙂
Wow! I was thinking about this as I was working out this morning, I really believe it is time for people to start thinking for themselves and really start questioning what society makes acceptable in terms of health and lifestyle, it is pretty evident that what they are living by is not successful. Love the post! Change needs to happen.
I just got finished reading this and was shocked as well. Slimfast ?!?!?! WHAT! And i am so interested in the PALEO diet because there are so many people around singing the praises of paleo, and it just dosn’t seem very balanced to me. Vegan seems more balanced honestly. We are not vegan but due to severe food allergies to beef, pork and dairy we do use many vegan recipies and have definatley moved to a much more plant based diet. I feel a million times healthier than ever in my past.
btw I bought Kombucha because of you!
Not to mention, if one did decide to ‘Slim Fast’ it for decade upon decade, the lack of fibre would further potentiate the incidence of diverticulitis, colorectal cancers in the population, and thats without factoring in CVD/peripheral vascular diseases etc… and besides everything else, restricting your energy intake to 800-1000kcal is unwise for health, given that at that point the human body increases its secretion of cortisol, leading to increased circulating free fatty acids, cholesterol, shifting any adipose stores to the abdominal area regardless of the form of food consumed… and on, and on and on! I’m always left mystified why these bodies+studies don’t take into account that a large proportion of the population of India, Tibet etc eat pretty much a vegan diet, have done without any fuss for century upon century, and given the extreme poverty they experience, no-one can really credibly complain that vegan diets are expensive, or inconvenient. Well, maybe if you eat spirulina, kelp noodles and hemp seeds, but then the average omnivore would find it tricky to source caviar and quail’s eggs… On another note, I wonder why such US studies don’t examine traditional South American diets more often, given the proximity of these countries, and the influence that these cultures have had on American society and food? (forgive me if that last sentence wasn’t totally PC- blame the Atlantic divide?!)
I actually like this study for the simple fact that people can vote if these diets worked for them or not. Looks like this diet is working for people at a 10:1 clip. Winning, that’s all we know how to do!
I know, it’s ridiculous. I wish people realized how ridiculous they are. This study was in no way truly scientific, and you can feel the slant in the tiny write-ups about each diet. I liked the “Did this diet work for you?” part. Vegetarian and vegan had BY FAR the most yeses. 🙂
I just wanted to say that I love that you checked out the experts. I didn’t think to do that, and your research is very telling. You rock!
I literally was just shaking my head. Appalled at the list and reasons behind the list. I believe this is similar to the article the put out about the top law schools in the nation and then maybe NPR went back to the panel that put the list together and asked them to compare different law schools that weren’t on the list. There were people who said that one law school was better strictly because of the name and prestige of the actual university for undergrad, but in fact, there wasn’t even a law school there to begin with! Completely ridic!
This is how I feel this particular list was generated. No consistency at all. Sounds like if the diet was popular because people thought it was a fast way to lose weight, well then it went high on the list. As far as a sustainable diet for one’s daily life, they DID NOT factor that in. Shall we write letters? I’m down for those. =)
did you like it??? which flavor did you try?
so well said. people DO need to think for themselves. i wonder if they teach that in school. how do you tell impressionable youth that even though there are times to obey your superiors and respect that they know more than you, there are also times to question the info youre being fed. maybe thats more of a parents role but what if adults dont know how to use their heads either? ugh. these articles infuriate me.
glad you feel good on a whole foods based diet bebe. i too have heard a lot about paleo lately. since when is reverting to cavemen ways normal? isnt progress in all other areas of life what we strive for? i dont see apple ditching the iphones to go back to the nokia? advances are made for a reason. we arent hunting and gathering in the forest anymore. please.
haha.
i didnt see anywhere to comment on the article’s website, but i did write in a comment on the huffpo coverage of it. lots of like minded opinions but also a ton of ignorant (and disrespectful) responses. it kinda makes me feel like why bother…
I have to be honest.. It’s a way different taste than I’m use to. I drink a lot of Steaz products… I think my taste buds are adjusting to it, and i love the benefits of it! I got the Botanic NO 3. If there is one you LOVE, let me know! I love all of your blogs. I’m slightly pathetic when it comes to them ahah I read them in night class (i even bought sweet potatoes this weekend b/c of your posts) But the Kombucha is a nice, natural pick me up.. considering i’m got from 4 am until 7 pm, and i drink wayyy too much Starbucks.
oh my gosh, you started with a pretty intense one! haha. ok, ive never tried the ones that arent flavored bc im a bit scared. i love the gingerberry the most. its the blue one. if you like ginger i think youll love it. otherwise my other favorite is trilogy. i like the green one too but i have to be in the mood for it. the mango one tastes a lot like steaz to me, but i can see how your taste buds would have to acclimate after the sweeter (steaz) beverages.
The article is pretty shocking. And I am defo surprised at how far down the vegan diet is on the list, particularly as the evidence for it being there isn’t really presented in the article. Very interesting that the top ones are government sponsored diets!
how very interesting…in a bad way. like most of the above, i think its pretty absurd for the most part. i guess its hard for me to understand why people cant just eat healthy in general? vegetables, fruits, whole grains, leans meats, fish, etc…not too much processed sh*t. i just dont think its difficult, expensive, or unappealing. but i guess to each his own…
thanks for sharing this!
While I agree with the idea that veganism is a way of life and not a diet, I will put in my two sense to stick up for WeightWatchers. I discovered your blog because of WeightWatchers. We had a meeting focused on going meatless and I was researching ways to incorporate more meat-free meals in my diet. I routinely eat quinoa, leafy green, veggie packed, hummus salads because seeing them here. But please remember, your well-documented diet is for maintaining a healthy weight for a very active person. These tools, particularly WW, are helpful for us who need to be educated on lifestyle changes. I don’t see my counting points as tedious, but rather helpful and successful.
thanks for adding your two cents brooke. i definitely appreciate what youre saying. while i dont know too much about ww, i do know that its entirely possible to be a vegan on WW. additionally, you are correct in saying my diet is for an active person who is not trying to lose weight but simply maintain a healthy lifestyle.
while i dont know your weight loss goals, i think youre setting yourself up quite well with your diet rich in leafy greens, hummus and quinoa.
i guess my main frustration with the article was that it didnt seem to base the diets on uniform measures. they said “healthiness” was the standard, but it was never truly defined. if lowering your cholesterol is your health goal, then you arent going to want to choose some of the plans that are higher up in the rankings. if weight loss is your health goal, maybe you would have greater success with ww, but i can almost promise you wont have any long term success with slim fast. ultimately it depends on the goal of the individual, but it didnt seem a fair article.
they seemed to give demerits to a vegan diet for things unrelated to “healthiness” – like convenience. and while i can see how it may be hard at times (like dining out with mixed company at a non-veg friendly restaurant), i think sometimes your health is worth it.
oh, and its also environmentally friendly and saves animal lives 🙂
thanks again for commenting!
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