Debate Over Veganism Heats up on NY Times Room for Debate

Yesterday, well-known champions of the vegan lifestyle took to The New York Times website to advocate for the ethical, biological, and health motives behind adopting a plant-based diet. Vegan authors Rip Esselstyn and Brian Patton joined four other food experts to discuss the merits and critiques of veganism for the news outlet’s Room for Debate forum, which enables outside contributors to air their opinions on timely subjects. In yesterday’s forum, titled “Is Veganism Good for Everyone?,” Esselstyn points to the success of “plant-strong” athletes as proof of the diet’s nutritional benefits, while Patton states that humans are biologically wired to thrive as herbivores. Both cite the fact that plants provide valuable nutrients without potentially harmful fats and artery-clogging cholesterol.