An expert panel's ranking of plant-based diets

[Second Summer]

The website U.S. News has created a ranking of plant-based diets with the help of an expert panel of health professionals and academics (see here for info about the panel members). The vegetarian diet is ranked #4 and the vegan diet is ranked #7.

See the full ranking and details here:
Best Plant-Based Diets (usnews.com)

Do you feel the veg*n diets were given a fair assessment?

Had you heard about all these diets before?

 

[thefadedone]

" U.S. News defines plant-based as an approach that emphasizes minimally processed foods from plants, with modest amounts of fish, lean meat and low-fat dairy, and red meat only sparingly"

I don't understand this definition. If something is plant based then it should be from plants. I don't see fish growing on trees or bushels of bacon growing in nature . This is why I hate the term plant based. It seems like everyone has their own made up definition of the term.

 

[SummerRain]

I think they were probably given a fair assessment. I don't think a vegan or vegetarian diet is necessarily the optimal diet. The diets are so broad though "vegetarian" "Mediterranean" I wonder how meaningful it really is to compare...

 

[Second Summer]

" U.S. News defines plant-based as an approach that emphasizes minimally processed foods from plants, with modest amounts of fish, lean meat and low-fat dairy, and red meat only sparingly"

I don't understand this definition. If something is plant based then it should be from plants. I don't see fish growing on trees or bushels of bacon growing in nature . This is why I hate the term plant based. It seems like everyone has their own made up definition of the term.

I guess it's a bit like the "based on a true story" claims made about certain movies and other fiction. They started off with something entirely plant, then added some animal bits and excretions.

 

[Moll Flanders]

I don't know why they are describing those diets as plant-based.

I don't think a vegan or vegetarian diet is necessarily the optimal diet.

I agree, especially vegan diets actually. I think that is why it annoys me when people say they are vegan for health reasons.

 

[Clueless Git]

My house is 'brick based' despite the fact that it contains wood, glass, plastics and various metals as well.

A base is a base is a base, basicaly.

 

[Second Summer]

Have any of you heard of this eco-atkins diet before? It seems to be a high-protein vegan diet.

 

[rainforests1]

I'm not familiar with most of those diets. I'm very surprised to see vegetarian diet ahead of vegan. Thanks for posting.

 

[Second Summer]

Personally, I feel that they didn't quite give the vegan diet a fair assessment. Sure, since it's a more restrictive diet, it's more difficult to follow in that sense, but these experts failed to take into consideration the strong motivation that vegans usually have for following the vegan diet, which would make it easier for them to follow.

It seems the ranking and assessment of the different diets were done only in the context of weight loss and health, and didn't consider the ethical (or even spiritual / religious) aspects & motivations people might have.

 

[thefadedone]

I'm not familiar with most of those diets. I'm very surprised to see vegetarian diet ahead of vegan. Thanks for posting.

In terms of health and weightloss then I agree that a vegan diet seems like it would rank higher, but convenience wise, then vegetarianism trumps veganism.

 

[thefadedone]

Personally, I feel that they didn't quite give the vegan diet a fair assessment. Sure, since it's a more restrictive diet, it's more difficult to follow in that sense, but these experts failed to take into consideration the strong motivation that vegans usually have for following the vegan diet, which would make it easier for them to follow.

It seems the ranking and assessment of the different diets were done only in the context of weight loss and health, and didn't consider the ethical (or even spiritual / religious) aspects & motivations people might have.

I think that very few people now are going "plant based" and trying these diets because of the ethical aspects. It's all about health and weight loss now. I see it all over Facebook in various vegetarian/vegan/"plant based" groups. The majority of people in those groups are there only for the health and weight benefits.

 

[SummerRain]

It seems the ranking and assessment of the different diets were done only in the context of weight loss and health, and didn't consider the ethical (or even spiritual / religious) aspects & motivations people might have.

Well I kinda assumed that was the point of the article. It said it was about health benefits (hence talking about diet rather than lifestyle also).

 

[Second Summer]

Well I kinda assumed that was the point of the article. It said it was about health benefits (hence talking about diet rather than lifestyle also).

Yes, I suppose it wasn't the experts' fault, but rather an issue with the task they were given.

 

[rainforests1]

In terms of health and weightloss then I agree that a vegan diet seems like it would rank higher, but convenience wise, then vegetarianism trumps veganism.

Most animal products are easy to replace. I don't think it's much more difficult to go vegan than it is vegetarian.

 

[ledboots]

Most animal products are easy to replace. I don't think it's much more difficult to go vegan than it is vegetarian.

Cooking-wise, I agree, but veganism still difficult socially for many people.

And per the article, how is a fish or a chicken more "plant-based" than a cow? "Red meat only sparingly"

 

[thefadedone]

Most animal products are easy to replace. I don't think it's much more difficult to go vegan than it is vegetarian.

I think that only a small percentage of people find veganism to be easy. There wouldn't be so many ex-vegans and long term vegetarians if it came so easily to everyone.

 

[das_nut]

I think that only a small percentage of people find veganism to be easy. There wouldn't be so many ex-vegans and long term vegetarians if it came so easily to everyone.

But how does it compare to other diets? Are vegans more or less likely to abandon their dietary choices?

 

[Poppy]

Aren't Ornish and Engine 2 diets vegan?

 

[kazyeeqen]

Cooking-wise, I agree, but veganism still difficult socially for many people.

And per the article, how is a fish or a chicken more "plant-based" than a cow? "Red meat only sparingly"

It drives me crazy when people tell me how they've given up red meat and eat chicken instead, especially as a respond to my being a vegan. Like I should be... proud of them? There is nothing like sense in that. People eat what they eat, but they traded a large consciousness for many small ones, and the smaller the animal generally the more deplorable the conditions in which they live. I am not proud.

 

[Calliegirl]

Mediterranean diets are the new 'in' thing. I was recently watching a morning show where there was some idiot hawking his new Mediterranean diet based book, and putting down the Forks over Knives diet as being too difficult and unrealistic to follow.