Annotated Bibliography
Harland, J., and L. Garton. "An Update of the Evidence Relating to Plant-based Diets and Cardiovascular Disease, Type 2 Diabetes and Overweight." Nutrition Bulletin 41.4 (2016): 323-38. Web.
This article defines a plant-based diet and discusses the research findings relevant to the benefits of eating a plant-based diet in terms of nutrient adequacy, disease risk, and weight management. It makes note of the improved blood lipid profiles and lowered blood pressure, which all could contribute to a reduced risk in developing diseases such as Cardiovascular Disease and Type 2 Diabetes. The discussion of nutrient intake is present in this article with the comparison of the similarity of plant-based diets to those of the Mediterranean Diet, which consists of mainly plant-based foods and minimal poultry or diary. This source is helpful and relevant to my research topic of the health benefits associated with Veganism and allows me to use credible evidence within my paper to discuss the reduced risk an individual has in obtaining diseases when you eat a plant-based diet. This article is similar to the article, “Healthy Plant-Based Diets are Associated with Lower Risk of all-cause Mortality in US Adults”, by explaining the outcome of eating plant-based foods and the health benefits associated. I found this to be an intriguing article because it compares the Vegan diet to that of the Mediterranean Diet, which highlights their strong similarities that not many people knew existed. Same goes for the research found about cardiovascular disease and the reduced risk Vegan have in developing that disease compared to omnivores.
Kim, Hyunju, et al. "Healthy Plant-Based Diets are Associated with Lower Risk of all-Cause Mortality in US Adults." Journal of Nutrition 148.4 (2018): 624-31. Web.
The article, "Healthy Plant-Based Diets are Associated with Lower Risk of all-Cause Mortality in US Adults" is a scientific analysis of the association between plant-based diets and disease mortality, depending on factors or race, age, ethnicity, and sex. They surveyed and analyzed participants of each sample group and compared the results to that of individuals who consume animal products. Within their research, they found a decrease of mortality in those who followed a plant-based diet and ate relatively no fish, dairy, or meat. An interesting point made within this study that varies from most, is the recognition of foods that are plant-based but are not considered a “healthy” food source. Although, this factor was not taken into consideration in their survey. This is a helpful source to incorporate into my research on veganism, by enabling me to use evidence from an actual experiment that considered multiple factors aside from plant-based eating. A weakness of this study entails the lack of specificity of exactly what a plant-based/vegan/vegetarian diet means to most people and the exact foods they consume. This is similar to previous sources in the discussion of how exactly to classify a “vegan diet” and the differences in each person’s classification of a plant-based diet.
Interview with Alex McDermott
My interview with Alex McDermott consisted of personal, relatable evidence that could be used in my writing to give a real-life example of an individual who is vegan for primarily health associated reasons and has benefited greatly from eating plant-based foods. During her journey thus far, she’s lost seventy pounds by motivating herself to stay committed to being vegan and has never felt better in her own skin, proud to set an example to others who are struggling to lose weight. Alex loves being vegan knowing she can live her life in a guilt-free way while simultaneously benefiting the environment. Doing this interview with Alex gave me an understanding of what it’s like to be a part of the vegan community, living out a healthy and fulfilling lifestyle. She introduced me to famous vegan accounts, such as “Fullyrawkristina” on Instagram and YouTube that will help further narrow my focus on people who influence the vegan community through health-based approaches. This interview was different from other sources because it gave me real life, personal evidence of the health benefits associated with being vegan. Although this may be a biased and non-credible source of information to use for my research, it adds a sympathetic approach to the vegan community and gives a real-life voice to those who are unaware of this community.