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Jack Norris

Virginia Messina

Vegan for Life: Everything You Need to Know to Be Healthy and Fit on a Plant-Based Diet Paperback – July 12, 2011

by Jack Norris (Author), Virginia Messina (Author)

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Going vegan? Here's the go-to-guide, with a six-step transition plan to a plant-based diet, with detailed nutritional information for everyone from athletes to kids to pregnant women.

Whether you're considering going vegan or just want to learn more about plant-based nutrition, Vegan for Life is your comprehensive, go-to guide for optimal healthy eating. Registered dietitians and long-time vegans Jack Norris and Virginia Messina debunk some of the most persistent myths about vegan nutrition and provide essential information about getting enough calcium and protein, finding the best supplements, and understanding the "real deal" about soy.

Covering everything from a six-step transition plan to meeting protein requirements and even calorie and nutrient needs during pregnancy and breastfeeding, Vegan for Life is the guide for aspiring and veteran vegans alike, complete with an easy-to-use food chart, tasty substitutions, sample menus, and expansive resources.

Print length

304 pages
Language

English
Publisher

Da Capo Lifelong Books
Publication date

July 12, 2011
Dimensions

6.88 x 0.75 x 9 inches
ISBN-10

0738214930
ISBN-13

978-0738214931
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Editorial Reviews

Review

"This book explains everything one needs to know about going vegan. Comprehensive and succinct, it is a must-have for nutritionists and anyone contemplating a vegan diet."
―Library Journal

"Armed with this compendium and a vegan cookbook, novices will make an easy, healthy transition to meat, egg and dairy-free meals, while practicing vegans can use it as a guide to the best food choices."
―Publishers Weekly

"Packed with science yet never boring, Norris and Messina-both long-time vegans themselves-put their wealth of knowledge at your fingertips while putting to rest any nutritional issues that concern those aspiring to a plant based-diet...No vegan myth goes unbusted...Vegan for Life is a complete reference guide that deserves a spot in your library or kitchen."
―VegNews

"Whether you've been enjoying a plant-based diet for years or are just starting on the adventure, Norris and Messina will prove to be outstanding mentors. Even if you don't plan to eliminate meat and animal products completely, there's valuable information here about incorporating foods that help you fight disease, build the immune system, and feel better in general. Vegan for Life is one of those books that you'll pull off the shelf for inspiration and consultation time after time."
―Curled Up With a Good Book

"Any general lending library catering to vegetarians needs this introductory guide."
―Midwest Book Review

"Vegan for Life is full of helpful charts that show specific nutrients found in numerous fruits, nuts and vegetables. I love how easy this makes it to be sure you are getting the proper nutrition in your Vegan lifestyle."
―Texas Kitchen (blog)

"A book that is both so encouraging and so incredibly necessary right now."
―Run Vegan (blog)

"Vegan for Life makes going vegan doable. I would definitely recommend this book to vegans, the vegan-curious, and those living with vegan family members."
―Veggie Voyeur

"Beyond setting straight some outdated nutrition information, the book will put to rest most nutrition worries you might have."
―Lone Star Plate

"This book offers a great deal of information and practical suggestions for maintaining a healthy vegan diet."
―Going-Vegan.net

"Never before have I ever come across such an excellent, factual book...This book would be great for anyone. I think it would be wonderful for new vegans to start them on the right path. It would also be a great gift to any family members of a vegan who have questions (I know my mother did when I started). It should also be required reading for any longtime vegan, like myself, to make sure that you are getting the most of our diet...Get this book. Seriously... 5 Stars."
―Quick & Easy magazine

"If you're a new vegan, or a vegan who might be buying into the hype that a vegan diet is not sustainable, read this book. If you're a vegan who wants a quick resource at your fingertips or the perfect book to hand over to your vegan-curious family member or friend read this book."
―VegKitchen.com

"Whether you're considering veganism or you're an old hand, Vegan for Life is a book that you won't want to be without."
―Cooking the Vegan Books

"Norris and Messina have the knowledge, understanding, and experience to tell it like it is about vegan diet. And they do...I'm telling you now! Read This Book!"
―SavvyVegetarian.com

"Clearly written and easy to understand, this book is a must for both long-term vegans and those just considering such a path."
―San Francisco Book Review

"Jack Norris and Ginny Messina have produced a highly readable, information-packed book about vegan nutrition...I highly recommend Vegan for Life-for new vegans, established vegans, people curious about vegan diets...It's essential reading!"
―Vegetarian Journal, Vol. 30, Issue 4

"With this resource, readers learn how to make the transition to a plant-based diet while still getting the nutrition they need."
―Taste for Life

"The most authoritative vegan nutrition book on the planet."

―Vegan.com

"A great book I think every vegan should have...Jack and Virginia know their stuff."―Positively Vegan

"Registered dieticians and longtime vegans, Jack Norris and Virginia Messina, debunk some of the most persistent myths about vegan nutrition and provide essential information about getting enough calcium, protein and finding the best supplements...Vegan for Life is the guide for aspiring and veteran vegans alike, complete with an easy-to-use- food chart, tasty substitutes, sample menus and expansive resources."

―The Vegetarian

"One of the ten best vegan books of 2011...Vegan for Life is a book you will keep for life, and if you follow the advice of RDs Norris and Messina, chances are it will be a long one."
―VegNews

"Nutritionists Jack Norris, RD, and Virginia Messina, MPH, RD, fully explain what a vegan diet is, and how to avoid deficiencies of such important nutrients as protein, calcium, and iron. For those considering a vegan lifestyle but afraid that the diet won't keep them healthy, Norris and Messina have the answers... The advice is easy to follow, and can result in a longer, healthier life."
―AllVoices.com

"For those who, for whatever reason, intend to become vegans, this book will be helpful."―Bookviews

"An effective primer for those just starting to live as vegans and those interested in trying the vegan lifestyle but uncertain about its potential benefits."
―InfoDad.com

"Delicious nutrient-dense menus."―Tucson Citizen

"Awesome...A common-sense guide to eating a healthy and varied plant-based diet...If you are vegan or vegetarian, you should get-and read!-Vegan for Life."

―Vegansaurus.com

"It's a quick, easy, informative read."―NorthwestHerbivore.com

"A densely-packed treasure chest of nutritional information for vegans and those who feed them."
―OurHenHouse.org

"Simply amazing...Displaces Becoming Vegan as the definitive vegan nutrition book."―Reno Gazette-Journal

"A great starting point for anyone who wants to become vegan, and an excellent reference even for people who have always followed a vegan diet."
―Metapsychology Online Review

"I cannot speak highly enough about this book. It is well researched and well referenced. It doesn't make any claims without substantial scientific (ie. peer-reviewed publications) support and, best of all, it wasn't too preachy about the whole animal thing."
―FoodCite (blog)

"If you're an animal lover, this book may be helpful in helping you find a more compassionate way to eat."
―Portland Book Review

"Required reading for those wishing to maximize their plant-based diets."
―Complete Yoga (South Africa)

"A welcome and timely addition to [vegan] literature...Vegan for Life provides reliable, evidence-based, common sense advice for anyone following or seeking to follow a vegan diet. The book is clear, concise and easy to read...[and] is both comprehensive and practical, with clearly-presented dietary advice, menu plans and nutrient tables."
―Vegan Views (UK)

"Vegan for Life is comprehensive in its use of research (and the authors explain how and why and which research they use) and it's laid out so simply that me, a non-researcher, totally gets it... If you're a new vegan, or a vegan who might be buying into the hype that a vegan diet is not sustainable, read this book. If you're a vegan who wants a quick resource at your fingertips or the perfect book to hand over to your vegan-curious family member or friend read this book."
―JL Goes Vegan (blog)

"No matter what category you find yourself in, if you are looking for a soup-to-nuts template, bible, road-map, or crystal ball guide to the why's and where-fore of veganism, then Vegan For Life is a must-read...Vegan for Life is one of the most thorough resources for all things vegan on the market...It covers everything about veganism, from Top Ten Myths about Vegan Diets to entire diet nutritional profiles, How to Meet Protein Needs, sample vegan food choice menus, and the importance of inter-relationships between various vitamins and minerals and the food combinations that elicit their greatest nutritional and dietary benefits...Because it leaves no stone unturned, Vegan for Life is an incredible resource that experienced vegan deacons or new vegans still using their vegan training wheels should keep close at hand, and share with vegan curious family and friends."
―Green Vegan Living blog

"It is just well researched, useful information that all vegans need to know to maintain good health and is written in an easy to understand way, filled with tables and great references."
―Vegan Things I Like (blog)

About the Author

Jack Norris, RD, is a vegan dietitian, the cofounder and executive director of Vegan Outreach, and has been elected to the Animal Rights Hall of Fame. He is a widely-sought speaker on vegan nutrition. Visit his website at jacknorrisRD.com.

Virginia Messina, MPH, RD, writes about vegan and vegetarianism for both consumers and health professionals and serves on the advisory boards of One Step for Animals, the Vegan Trade Council, Oldways Vegetarian Network, Better Eating International, and True Health Initiative. Learn more at theveganrd.com.

Product details

Publisher ‏ : ‎ Da Capo Lifelong Books; Original edition (July 12, 2011)
Language ‏ : ‎ English
Paperback ‏ : ‎ 304 pages
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0738214930
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0738214931
Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 11.3 ounces
Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 6.88 x 0.75 x 9 inches

Best Sellers Rank: #956,996 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #454 in Gluten-free Diet
- #772 in Vegetarian Diets (Books)
- #1,825 in Gluten Free Recipes

Customer Reviews:
396 ratings

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About the authors

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Jack Norris
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Jack Norris is a Registered Dietitian and President of Vegan Outreach.
Jack won VegNews magazine's Columnist of the Year award for 2003 and 2004.
Jack writes a nutrition blog at JackNorrisRD.com. He is the author of Vitamin B12: Are You Getting It? and maintains VeganHealth.org.
Jack co-founded Vegan Outreach in 1993. Vegan Outreach produces Why Vegan and other booklets. Their Adopt a College program directly hands booklets to over 500,000 students every semester. In 2005, Jack was elected to the Animal Rights Hall of Fame.
Jack earned a degree in Nutrition and Dietetics from Life University (Marietta, GA) in 2000 and performed his dietetic internship at Georgia State University in 2001.
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Virginia Messina
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Virginia Messina, MPH, RD is a dietitian and public health nutritionist specializing in vegan nutrition. She has a degree in nutrition from Douglass College of Rutgers University and a master's degree in public health nutrition from the University of Michigan.
Ginny publishes widely on topics related to vegan diets for both health professionals and the public. She has worked as a dietitian for the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine (PCRM), taught nutrition to dietetics students at the university level, and was the director of nutrition services for a group of medical clinics serving 50,000 patients in Washington, D.C.
She serves on scientific advisory boards to both vegetarian and professional nutrition organizations. Ginny has twice co-authored the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetic's Position on Vegetarian Diets, and is co-author of a textbook on vegetarianism written for health professionals and nutrition students.
A long-time vegan herself, she seeks to share the best and most up-to-date information on vegan nutrition and to make ethical eating an easy and realistic option for everyone. She writes about a variety of issues related to health and animal rights on her blog www.TheVeganRD.com and at www.VeganForHer.com. She is also a regular contributor to www.OurHenHouse.org and www.OneGreenPlanet.org.
In addition to her work as a vegan dietitian, Ginny volunteers at the local animal shelter, serves as a board member of a local spay/neuter outreach organization and of the national advocacy group Alley Cat Rescue, and spends her leisure time feeding feral cats, reading, gardening, and learning piano.
See more on the author's page

Customer reviews

5 star		75%
4 star		14%
3 star		8%
2 star		1%
1 star		2%

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Top reviews from the United States

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Josey JacquesTop Contributor: Cooking

don't become a "former" vegan - read this book!

Reviewed in the United States on May 2, 2016

Verified Purchase

I have been feeling the nudge to return to a vegan diet for quite some time now, and when I decided to obey it I determined that I would not fail this time (I have tried and failed twice before, for a total of 4.5 vegan years). I knew the answer was to be more conscientious about the nutrition of my diet, so I found and bought this book to give me a leg up.

Written by two Registered Dietitians who are vegans, the book covers a few of the main nutrients that vegans either tend to be deficient in, or are rumored to have difficulty getting. It provides a food guide for not just adults, but children as well, including sample meal plans for people with varying caloric needs. It also gives some great tips like what to do with leftover beans, how to feed a vegan teen, and how to make sure you get enough calcium in your diet.

I was thrilled to see that the authors also tell you straight out that every vegan – not to mention many omnivores – needs to take a B12 supplement (B12 deficiency-induced memory loss during my 1-yr stint as a Raw Vegan several yrs. ago scared me back into eating meat).

They also show you how nutritional research points to veganism as the healthiest overall diet, and get into the ethics of the diet at the end of the book (I learned some horrifying things I hadn’t heard before – and yes, I’ve seen the PETA videos).

The one negative I have to say about this book is that IMHO the authors provide too much encouragement in the way of eating processed vegan foods; i.e., the fake meats and cheeses, and dried cereal. Eating whole foods isn’t hard, and doesn’t take up that much time to prepare if you’re smart about it.

If there is ever a future edition of the book, I would also like to see the issue of grain sensitivity addressed. What’s a wannabe vegan to do whom grain bloats at the drop of a hat? The answer for myself is to eat more fruit and confine myself to one serving per day of the one grain that doesn’t cause me gas – white rice – but the authors glaze over the fact that many would-be vegans are grain-sensitive and recommend a minimum of five (!) half-cup servings of grain per day.

Which is why I am giving them four rather than five stars.

Those issues aside, if you are considering taking the plunge into a vegan diet, I highly recommend this book so that you will have the information you need to stick with it long-term, and not become a former vegan because you neglect your body’s nutritional needs.

68 people found this helpful

Helpful

Super informative

Reviewed in the United States on December 4, 2020

Verified Purchase

I appreciate that the authors here aren't scared to go against some vegan exaggerations, if they find that the claims simply aren't that supported by the scientific evidence.

And they even take a step back, explaining some general research principles, that apply not only to diet but other fields as well. For example, the authors explain how certain types of studies like randomized control trials (RCT's) hold more weight than others.

That all being said, the authors still do find that the research is clear that veganism is healthy. It's just that they do it in a well-rounded, balanced way, that I feel I can trust. They point out what supplements are important to take; what ones are maybe important to take; specifically why you don't have to worry about soy being bad for you; lots of good info.

I appreciate that this book was just updated a few months ago. I know I am getting up to date info from two well-respected vegans.

6 people found this helpful

Helpful

Domain Earth

Not a recipe book! Great information about the benefits of and how to live a vegan lifestyle!

Reviewed in the United States on December 3, 2019

Verified Purchase

Head's up people. It's not a recipe book. If you're looking for data to support your choice to go vegan, this book has got it in spades. But, you'll be hard pressed to find a real recipe section.

9 people found this helpful

Helpful

Extremely useful and probably the best book I have on vegan nutrition -- full of information for newbies

Reviewed in the United States on March 2, 2013

Verified Purchase

I've only been following a (mostly) vegan diet for a few months, and have found that the times when I've fallen away from it and have slipped back into eating dairy have been because I have felt stuck with what to eat and how many nutrients I need to get. I wish I had bought this book at the start! The authors are two registered dieticians, and the entire book focuses on all the health and nutrition needs that one needs to take into account when starting a vegan diet. A few months back, I also ordered Dr. Neal Barnard's 21-Day Kickstart book; while I enjoyed it and found it helpful, it focuses much more on persuading readers of the health benefits of a vegan diet, whereas this book focuses on the *how's* and *why's* of doing so.

The first few chapters provide thorough explanations of the nutrients you need and why you need them. Their discussion of why vegans need to take a B-12 supplement, for instance, is one of the best I've read. They also address issues about getting enough protein and about the soy controversy, and also have chapters covering pregnancy and breastfeeding, raising children, and being an athlete.

The best chapter -- and the reason I really wanted to get this -- is Chapter 7 The Vegan Food Guide. In this section, the authors lay out a vegan food pyramid, exactly what supplements to take, and sample menus. This chapter will be extremely helpful to me in planning out my meals. This chapter alone makes this the best book I've bought on veganism; it helped alleviate my worries about getting enough nutrients, and made everything very clear.

What I especially appreciate is how balanced their view is. For instance, they look at research that is both for and against certain aspects of vegan nutrition, and are up front with the fact that it's OK if occasionally things slip by in packaged goods. For instance, they let readers know that there are "hidden" animal ingredients in products like white sugar and maple syrup, but encourage readers to not get "bogged down" with stressing about it.

One of my favorite sections in the book is where the authors quote blogger Robert Mason, who talks about not trying to "strain credulity" by trying to prove that humans are naturally vegans. We most likely, Mason maintains, evolved by eating meat, and it's dishonest to deny it. That being said, Mason suggests that vegans instead focus on why they made the decision to eat as they do: "The argument for veganism has always been primarily ethical, and ought to remain that way. It's based on a concern for the future, not an obsessions about the past."

25 people found this helpful

Helpful

BookWoman

This Is The Best Overview of Vegan Lifestyle

Reviewed in the United States on July 19, 2018

Verified Purchase

Excellent! Jack Nortis addresses every concern and question about the right way to go plant-based. Highly recommend it! His research is impeccable, and he presents many common concerns (protein, calcium) with easy, practical solutions. One of the very best books on how and why to “go Vegan”.

4 people found this helpful

Helpful

Top reviews from other countries

PurpleWidow

Great book for a new vegan

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on November 14, 2015

Verified Purchase

I'm using this book to guide me through becoming a vegan. It is easy to understand while incorporating all the necessary science. Have been slowly converting my diet with no ill effects at all. In fact I feel better than I have in years! I also bought a vegan cookbook for my iPad which helps to vary what I shop for and eat.

6 people found this helpful

Adrienne Frances

very informative!

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on October 3, 2011

Verified Purchase

Purchased as a result of trying to become a more healthy vegetarian/vegan - whilst simultaneously trying to lose weight and get fitter! I found I felt like it was a struggle to effectively figure out what I needed to eat in order to have a truly 'balanced' diet - and this book has given me some really useful factual information to assist me in making better choices.

23 people found this helpful

Ali B

Really clearand useful info and recipes

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on January 20, 2018

Verified Purchase

Very clear and useful info, great receipes to try out

One person found this helpful

Loes

Most useful book out there

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on January 20, 2019

Verified Purchase

Definitely a must have for vegans at any stage of their veganness and life. Accessible, easy read and everything I needed to know. I have used some other books, but this is the one I would recommend.

Katt

Best vegan lifestyle book I own

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on February 7, 2016

Verified Purchase

Best vegan lifestyle book I own. Super easy to read and understand. Filled to the brim with all the knowledge on nutrition you need. Would recommend for beginners and already vegan people. Buy it.

3 people found this helpful

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