Myth Busting: A Vegan Diet is More Expensive

When I am talking about a vegan diet, I mean a whole foods plant-based diet... not one centered on processed and convenience foods. Let's be honest, food is a very political issue. The government (USDA) subsidizes meat, dairy and eggs, as well as the corn and soy fed to the animals. The USDA was created to support agriculture and eventually promote the products of animals, and, they are the same group that creates the nutritional guideline for us all. Conflict of interest? The government subsidies encourage farmers to produce more, which creates excess and leads to artificially cheap meat. Then the excess is dumped into school lunch programs… giving our kids unhealthy, fattening crap (butter, milk, cheese, beef and pork).

One problem is poor food distribution. We are feeding the animals the food that could be fed to the hungry around the world. Over 90% of all grain produced in the US is used to feed livestock. We get back only 1 pound of beef for 16 pounds of grain.

What about healthcare? Healthcare costs are climbing at least 6% a year... an unsustainable level. Bypass surgeries, drugs, medication for lower cholesterol, surgeries for diseases of excess... and on and on.

Plant protein is less expensive than the equivalent amount of animal protein: Eat your beans. Stop wasting food by shopping more often for fresh food. Eat less; many people eat way more food than they need. Buy in bulk. Buy local. Buy seasonal. Grow your own!

We also can’t forget about the high cost of non-veg diets on things like the environment, the animals, and our health.