Time to see what Oprah's blog reveals about her ongoing 21-day vegan diet (remember, she's also shunning sugar, gluten, alcohol, and caffeine).Last Friday, Oprah stopped by Tom Cruise's Telluride home, where she was met with a "ribs and chicken" (marinated in some sort of Scientology-friendly sauce, I'm sure) lunch.
Granted, this was no vegan-friendly meal, so Oprah opted for salad, corn on the cob (no butter, of course) and kale.
Which brings me to a very important point. Well-balanced vegan mealplans need to be researched and planned.
I believe a vegan lifestyle can be healthy, but it must be looked into carefully prior to taking the plunge.
If anyone reading this is considering going vegan, be my guest -- but speak with a Registered Dietitian or, at the very least, read educational materials (preferably written by RDs) on how to meet your nutrient needs with meat and dairy alternatives.
Becoming familiar with vegan alternatives and always being prepared (i.e.: carrying a source of protein like nuts or seeds in your bag in a small Ziploc bag) sets you up for success.
Otherwise -- especially when attending an event at a non-vegan's house who is not familiar with your "diet," -- you run the risk of piling up on side dishes.
Oprah's lunch offers very little protein, zinc, iron, and fat. Nibbling on corn and greens is simply not nutritious -- or filling!
The next day -- Saturday -- Oprah is in Vegas and begins her entry with the following:
"Tal [the vegan chef 'assigned' to Oprah and her team] has Fed-Exed food to Vegas, so we have egg-less omelets for breakfast and lasagna for the plane ride home."
Alright, I cry foul. Come on -- anyone can do a 21 day vegan/sugar/wheat/alcohol/caffeine cleanse if a vegan chef Fed-Exes them meals!
I would have liked to see Oprah "keep it real" and traverse the meat-laden obstacle that is Las Vegas.
In that same posting, Oprah proudly mentions abstaining from having a celebratory glass of champagne.
I still don't understand how the shunning of alcohol (or gluten or sugar, for that matter) relates to becoming a more spiritually aware being.
Besides, any dietary plan that has you obsessing over certain foods and beverages (the "I would like a drink but I am on this clease so as good as that would be I am just going to have seltzer and lime" sentiment has appeared a few times already) needs to be examined more closely.
Sure, alcohol can be a source of empty calories, so although two drinks a day is not a good idea, not allow yourself one drink two days out of the week?
The next day, a pooped Oprah mentions the vegan chef dropping off gluten and wheat-free waffles at her house just in time for breakfast. Oh goodie, how convenient!
It frustrates me to think that viewers of Oprah's show will blindly follow a similar diet, oblivious of some very necessary nutrients they may miss out on.
Additionally, this idea that wheat and gluten are evil is misleading and completely subjective; it is only a problem for someone with a gluten allergy or celiac disease.
This is a perfect example of something applicable to a small percent of the population being heralded as "general nutrition advice"
Allow me to repeat my plea. Oprah, enough with the fad dieting. You're a smart, accomplished woman with an immense fan base.
Next time you want to tackle nutrition, why not invite a panel of Registered Dietitians to share information, debunk myths, and give people practical information they can apply to their daily lives?
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1 comment:
This Oprah thing is very annoying to me. I agree the "cleanse" is a fad and that it doesn't teach anyone anything about nutrition. I'm also annoyed since I've seen young food bloggers go on this cleanse as well and I just don't get why people think it's necessary. At all.
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