I recently received a copy of Vegetarian to Vegan: Give up dairy. Give up eggs. For good. by Sarah Taylor. I’ve played with vegetarianism and veganism and raw foodism a lot over the years, and I can definitely see a lot of benefits from these different ways of eating, so it’s always interesting to have the opportunity to learn more and find out about different perspectives on the topic.

Some of the things I enjoyed the most about reading Vegetarian to Vegan include:

• The descriptions of factory farming – and the horrors of it – were fantastic. Taylor provides a comprehensive look at factory farming, and it’s enough to make anyone want to steer clear of factory-farmed meat for good!
• The reminder that cage-free, free-range, and organic doesn’t necessarily mean cruelty-free. This is so important and something that I think we often forget about.
• The arguments for why we should care about and be compassionate for insects. Insects are a fundamental component of our world, so it’s a good reminder to have!
• The clear differences between a junk vegan and a healthy vegan. This one is something that drives me nuts, when people make the assumption that as long as you’re not eating animals or animal products, then you’re healthy. So I was really pleased that Taylor made this distinction and pointed out that you can be a very unhealthy vegan.

Of course, as with any book, there were a couple of things that didn’t quite do it for me:

• I wasn’t convinced by the information on “dairy, eggs, and your health,” which talks about how dairy and eggs are bad for you. Mostly I’m not convinced because there are SO MANY conflicting studies out there that I think it’s really difficult to actually have conclusive evidence that all dairy is good for your health or all dairy is bad for your health, for example. Some people do well on dairy. Others do not. And some dairy is better than other types.
• Bioavailability is mentioned in the chapter on vitamin B12, but not extensively, and it’s not mentioned at all in the chapters on calcium and protein. I would have liked to see more about the importance of proper absorption and how vegan foods fit into that.

This book discusses the benefits of veganism and addresses some of the biggest questions about going vegan at length, which is good to see. The last part of the book contains vegan recipes. We tried the Mixed Vegetable Korma, which was quite tasty! It could use a little bit of tweaking (more spice!), but definitely is something I would want to try again. There are some other recipes that have caught my eye which I’m looking forward to trying, as well: Tofu Scramble Italiano, Grilled Vegetable and Quinoa Salad, Mixed Organic Green Salad with Tofu Feta and Green Goddess Dressing, and the Big Momma Freedom Chocolate Cake, in particular. So many delicious vegan goodies to try!

Have you read Vegetarian to Vegan? How do you feel about veganism? What’s your favourite vegan dish? Share in the comments section below!