It's More Expensive to be Vegan
The vegan movement has gained momentum over the past several years. However, with such a high percentage of the world’s population not getting enough to eat, plant-based activists are completely insensitive to the fact that too many people cannot afford the diet. The truth is that, per calorie and per serving, plant-based foods cost more than animal-based ones:
*NOTE: Foods were selected based off of those most commonly purchased by American consumers according to Numbeo.
Shelf Life
Not only do plant-based foods cost more, they also go bad quicker. Meats and many dairy products can be frozen and stored for years. Unfrozen, liquid milk, cheeses, yogurt, and eggs have a shelf life averaging over one month. On the other hand, fresh produce spoils within a week. This means that more plant-based foods are wasted, causing you to essentially throw your money in the trash.
Ironically, food waste is the reason that so many people go hungry, so it could be argued that going vegan would make even more people financially unable to buy suitable amounts of food, creating a vicious cycle.
Shelf Life
Not only do plant-based foods cost more, they also go bad quicker. Meats and many dairy products can be frozen and stored for years. Unfrozen, liquid milk, cheeses, yogurt, and eggs have a shelf life averaging over one month. On the other hand, fresh produce spoils within a week. This means that more plant-based foods are wasted, causing you to essentially throw your money in the trash.
Ironically, food waste is the reason that so many people go hungry, so it could be argued that going vegan would make even more people financially unable to buy suitable amounts of food, creating a vicious cycle.
Beyond Food
If we look further than just the direct cost of food, there are many other reasons that buying only plant-based products is just not cost effective. Everyone can agree that veganism is not just a diet, it’s a lifestyle. When you take into account all of the plant-based substitutes you have to buy for clothes, makeup, soaps, toiletries, medicines, and so much more, you realize that going vegan would mean a complete rehaul of almost every single item you own. Furthermore, similarly to the issues with food labels, manufacturers can mark up items that sport labels such as “plant-based,” “humanely-built,” “not tested on animals” or “cruelty-free,” because they know those phrases hit a chord with consumers who will, in turn, pay more for them. A survey conducted by Consumerist showed that 43% of makeup consumers were willing to pay more for products that were not tested on animals. |
Health Issues
On top of all of this, eating a diet devoid of animal products has severe health consequences. In my Nutrition Series, I cited over 150 studies that concluded that a balanced, omnivorous diet will always be healthier than even the most well-planned vegan one. Here is a quote from one of those studies:
“A vegetarian diet is associated with poorer health (higher incidences of cancer, allergies, and mental health disorders), a higher need for health care, and poorer quality of life. Therefore, public health programs are needed in order to reduce the health risk due to nutritional factors.”
Burkert NT, Muckenhuber J, Großschädl F, Rásky É, Freidl W (2014) Nutrition and Health – The Association between Eating Behavior and Various Health Parameters: A Matched Sample Study. PLoS ONE 9(2): e88278. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0088278
Did you hear that? A higher need for health care. And health care costs money. This means that, not only does it cost more to buy only plant foods, but it’s also going to cost more money down the line to fight off the diseases caused by the concentration of those foods (or maybe a lack of the less expensive animal products-- there’s research that goes both ways).
If a higher risk of cancers, mental disorders, and heart diseases doesn’t scare your dollar away from a plant-based diet, then food-borne illnesses may. The CDC found that plant-based foods are twice as likely to cause foodborne illnesses when compared to animal products. Furthermore, not only does health care cost money, but time off of work for sick days or doctor appointments cuts into household incomes.
On top of all of this, eating a diet devoid of animal products has severe health consequences. In my Nutrition Series, I cited over 150 studies that concluded that a balanced, omnivorous diet will always be healthier than even the most well-planned vegan one. Here is a quote from one of those studies:
“A vegetarian diet is associated with poorer health (higher incidences of cancer, allergies, and mental health disorders), a higher need for health care, and poorer quality of life. Therefore, public health programs are needed in order to reduce the health risk due to nutritional factors.”
Burkert NT, Muckenhuber J, Großschädl F, Rásky É, Freidl W (2014) Nutrition and Health – The Association between Eating Behavior and Various Health Parameters: A Matched Sample Study. PLoS ONE 9(2): e88278. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0088278
Did you hear that? A higher need for health care. And health care costs money. This means that, not only does it cost more to buy only plant foods, but it’s also going to cost more money down the line to fight off the diseases caused by the concentration of those foods (or maybe a lack of the less expensive animal products-- there’s research that goes both ways).
If a higher risk of cancers, mental disorders, and heart diseases doesn’t scare your dollar away from a plant-based diet, then food-borne illnesses may. The CDC found that plant-based foods are twice as likely to cause foodborne illnesses when compared to animal products. Furthermore, not only does health care cost money, but time off of work for sick days or doctor appointments cuts into household incomes.
Supplements
I hope to have a future article all about nutrient supplementation, but the issue warrants notice when discussing cost. With several nutrients either not available or provided with lower bioavailability in plants, such as protein, Vitamins B12 and D, calcium, iron, zinc, and many fatty acids, plant-based activists have to rest their arguments on the backs of supplementation. This, too, is an added cost. The global dietary supplement market is expected to surpass $194.6 billion by 2025. Industry sales are growing more than 7% annually. |
Disclaimer
I am not writing this post to dissuade consumers from buying plant-based products. I maintain that a balanced diet composed of all food groups is our healthiest option. It is unfortunate that foods such as fruits, vegetables, and whole grains do come at a higher cost compared with animal-based options because these still must be pursued for well-being. The main point, however, is that choosing to go entirely plant-based is not economically feasible when so many people are already food insecure.
In Conclusion
Not only do plant-based products cost more directly, they have to be purchased more often and followed up with health care if purchased exclusively. I’ve always believed that food insecurity is one of the world’s greatest injustices, and it’s important to realize that a vegan diet would only worsen it.
I am not writing this post to dissuade consumers from buying plant-based products. I maintain that a balanced diet composed of all food groups is our healthiest option. It is unfortunate that foods such as fruits, vegetables, and whole grains do come at a higher cost compared with animal-based options because these still must be pursued for well-being. The main point, however, is that choosing to go entirely plant-based is not economically feasible when so many people are already food insecure.
In Conclusion
Not only do plant-based products cost more directly, they have to be purchased more often and followed up with health care if purchased exclusively. I’ve always believed that food insecurity is one of the world’s greatest injustices, and it’s important to realize that a vegan diet would only worsen it.