08/07/2025
1. Ethics: Calling ourselves vegan means that we are committed to an ethical set of principles. Vegans do not use animals for food, clothing, cosmetic or entertainment purposes, Being able to speak to a health professional who understands and shares those values means a lot to the vegan clients I have worked with over the years.
2. Credibility: having RDs personally choose to be vegan lends the vegan movement credibility. Veganism often gets attacked as extreme or unsafe, and when health professionals choose veganism for themselves it helps people understand that we truly can meet all of our nutritional needs as vegans.
Conversely, when an RD stops being vegan, it might make people worry that the vegan diet and way of life are in some way lacking. This can happen when any influencer stops being vegan, but a health professional has an educated opinion about nutrition and our food system, so they may hold more sway. Building a platform where a commitment is made to protect the animals and then turning away from that may give the impression that it is no big deal to stop being vegan. In fact, vegans believe that animals are sentient beings and their bodies are not ours to eat and exploit. Moving away from veganism is changing an entire worldview and ethical framework, not a decision to be made lightly.
3. Specialization: Vegan Dietitians who specialize in plant-based diets are important because while any dietitian should be able to work with vegans, and provide them with informed advice, a vegan dietitian committed to the specialty of plant-based diets will have the opportunity to keep up to date with current research and also have their own real-life experience of eating this way. Specialization helps to ensure that the vegan community is getting the best possible advice to thrive as vegans.
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