Politoblog

One of the most surprising things I learnt this year is that only 5% of Europeans are vegetarian, and just 3% are vegan. Perhaps the relative rarity of eating a plant-based diet explains the misconceptions surrounding them. I’ve talked at length before about why plant-based diets are the sustainable and ethical choice, so I don’t want to repeat myself. I also try to avoid being preachy when it comes to vegetarianism, since it’s something I myself managed to talk myself out of for 19 years. That said, omnivores are often very curious about vegetarianism and veganism, and ask a lot of questions. From these conversations, I have learnt that many people are operating under false assumptions about what it means to eat a plant-based diet. With that in mind, let’s challenge some of those assumptions. 1. It’s unhealthy A very common line I hear is that plant-based diets are unhealthy, especially where getting enough protein is concerned. (Side note: what is the obsession with chugging prote...