10 Best Books About Veganism in 2022 (Brenda Davis, John Robbins, and More)
Thinking of going vegan? Or want to learn more about the lifestyle and people's reasons for eating more plant-based meals? Although changing your lifestyle and learning something new can seem difficult, reading about how others have done it is an important first step. Even if you decide not to take the plunge right away or at all, you'll still gain new insights into how others see the world!
Our list of books about veganism will help you get a jump start on how to embrace the lifestyle. In our buying guide, you'll learn tips on what it means to be vegan, how the diet can impact your health, the planet, animal welfare, and food safety. We've also got a list of 10 of our favorite books, including our number one, Becoming Vegan: The Complete Reference to Plant-Based Nutrition. Explore what it means to live a plant-based lifestyle and why many consider it to be important for our planet's future.
Quick List - Top Books About Veganism
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How to Choose Books About Veganism
When buying a book about veganism, consider whether you want to learn about animal rights and activism, climate change and the environment, or nutrition-based advice. You can also consider your existing knowledge and experience with plant-based lifestyles. Our buying guide is here to help!
Search for Books About Animal Rights and Activism
Concern about animal welfare and compassion toward animals is one of the main drivers behind plant-based lifestyles. Books that discuss the meat and dairy industry, and ways that animals are mistreated often include content on veganism.
Find Discussions on Veganism by Animal Activists
Books written by animal rights activists discuss how animals are abused by food industries and during product testing. Other books explore how social and cultural forces have shaped our food choices and why we consider some animals as pets and others as food.
If you're interested in a deeper dive into the ethical implications of eating meat and dairy, some books discuss how a meat-eating culture can lead to exploitation. You'll learn about how what we eat determines relationships with human and environmental health.
Look for Examinations of Factory Farming and Food Safety
Books like Grilled and Gristle look at how factory farms and mass meat production practices can lead to safety issues. These issues impact human health in the form of bacteria-caused illnesses and the development of antibiotic resistance.
Some books provide insider accounts of how agricultural practices lead to poor quality of life for the animals, as well as eventual suffering and torture. Books on factory farming also explore the concerns and consequences of GMOs.
Find Books on How to Get Involved in Animal Activism
If you're interested in getting involved in advocating for animal rights, you can look for books from well-known activists like Jane Goodall. Many of these books discuss how veganism is a means of activism.
Other books discuss the creation of animal sanctuaries and wildlife protection. You'll find plenty of content on the impact of these efforts on the lives of animals and the health of the planet.
Search for Books About Climate Change and Agriculture
The mass production of meat and dairy has a profound impact on climate change. Books that discuss this impact show how incorporating more plant-based meals can help mitigate climate change.
Some of the books also discuss how factory farming practices can jeopardize human safety. Those interested in the role factory farming hiring practice plays in social, cultural, and economic consequences will find this type of content useful.
Read About Agriculture's Contribution to Greenhouse Gas Emissions
Interested in fighting climate change? Look for books that discuss how the clearing of land for feedlots harms the environment. You'll also discover how the planting of GMO food for the animals to eat before they're killed creates more harm, and why choosing cage-free and grass-fed products may not be enough.
Even if you don't commit to a 100% vegan diet, these books will show how eating less meat and dairy can help. You'll read about evidence that the agriculture industry contributes more greenhouse gas emissions than vehicles. Learn how government meat, dairy, and GMO subsidies discourage plant-based eating.
Discover How Unsafe Practices in Food Factories Impact Humans
Books that discuss food factory and slaughterhouse practices like Why We Love Dogs, Eat Pigs, and Wear Cows, look at how these working conditions impact us. Unsafe and difficult working conditions can lead to physical and psychological consequences.
Other books expand the discussion by examining the demographics of the workers and the hiring practices of slaughterhouses. The role of the marginalization of specific population segments through this type of employment is examined.
Research Plant-Based Nutrition as a Means of Disease Prevention and Mitigation
You may be interested in veganism for its health benefits and you're not alone. Medical practitioners and nutritionists are beginning to advocate for more plant-based meals to reduce the risk of disease, in addition to a means of weight loss.
You'll find plenty of books about plant-based nutrition and why it may help reduce America's high rates of obesity and obesity-related conditions.
Books on our list like The China Project establish a link between plant-based diets, disease prevention, and lowered risk of cancer and diabetes. Other books like How to Survive a Pandemic show how veganism may prevent the emergence of future epidemics and pandemics from viruses that originate in animals.
Some of the other nutrition books you can look for include stories about vegan athletes and how plant-based diets have benefits besides disease prevention. If you enjoy fiction or science-fiction, you can also look for stories about what would happen if humans became food and animals disappeared.
Find How-To Books for Beginners
Wondering how to get started with a plant-based diet? With how-to books for novices, you'll learn it's not just about eating garden burgers and meat substitutes. Many of these books give practical advice on how to use these types of substitutes, where to shop, and where to find innovative recipes.
These books also discuss the special nutritional needs of vegans like B-12 and iron substitutes. If quitting meat and dairy all at once seem impossible, these books can show you how to go slow or just eat more plant-based meals.
Books like Burger and Mind If I Order the Cheeseburger? can help you navigate social and cultural pressure, including from friends and family that may not understand veganism.
10 Best Books About Veganism Ranking
Products | Image | Click to purchase | Key features | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Brenda Davis, Vesanto Melina Becoming Vegan | | Everything You Need to Know About a Vegan Diet | |
2 | John Robbins The Food Revolution | | Learn How a Vegan Diet Can Impact Your Health and the Planet | |
3 | David Robinson Simon Meatonomics | | An Examination of How the Agriculture Industry Impacts What We Eat | |
4 | T. Colin Campbell, Thomas M. Campbell II The China Study | | The Link Between Diet and Disease | |
5 | Jonathan Safran Foer Eating Animals | | A Moral Look at What We Eat and Why | |
6 | Michael Greger, MD, Gene Stone How Not to Die | | How to Use Dietary Choices to Ward Off Disease | |
7 | Howard F. Lyman, Glen Merzer Mad Cowboy | | A Cattle Rancher's Reasons for Following a Plant-Based Diet | |
8 | Rich Roll Finding Ultra | | One Man's Tale of Physical Transformation With Plant-Based Nutrition | |
9 | Jacy Reese The End of Animal Farming | | An Examination of Why and How Factory Farming Must Change | |
10 | Karen Dawn Thanking the Monkey | | A Book About Animal Rights and Activism |
Everything You Need to Know About a Vegan Diet
This book is a good starting point for beginners or those who want to start eating more plant-based meals. You'll learn about the health benefits of a vegan diet and get advice about nutritional needs to consider.
A few reviewers were turned off about the stories of animal abuse and some of the emphasis on environmental issues. Others thought some of the content is too complex.
A lot of reviewers appreciated the wealth of information and nutritional advice in this book. They said it helped them learn about how to start eating vegan meals and avoid common pitfalls.
Learn How a Vegan Diet Can Impact Your Health and the Planet
John Robbins examines the American diet, ways it can be harmful to individual health, and the well-being of the environment. This book also examines the factory farm system and why plant-based diets can be beneficial.
A few reviewers did not like the tone of the book's content because the author can come off as conceited. Some also criticized the science in the book, so read it with a critical eye!
A lot of reviewers found the information and evidence in the book helpful and convincing. They resonated with the book's message about the dangers of genetically-modified ingredients and the food industry's treatment of animals.
An Examination of How the Agriculture Industry Impacts What We Eat
This book looks at how the meat and dairy producers, in addition to the government, can influence what we choose to eat. The author also offers information on why becoming more plant-based can help rural locations.
Some reviewers thought the recommendations for everyone to go plant-based were not realistic. Others questioned some of the conclusions and sources the author presented.
However, many reviewers found the book's content about the meat and dairy industries enlightening. They were able to follow the connections the author presents between government subsidiaries and the real cost of eating animals.
T. Colin Campbell, Thomas M. Campbell IIThe China Study
The Link Between Diet and Disease
In The China Study, the relationships between diet and disease development are presented. Using data from a scientific study, suggestions that eating more plant-based meals can reduce the risk of diseases like cancer are explored.
A few reviewers found the information in the book to be repetitive. Some also thought the content was better for researchers versus average individuals.
Other reviewers thought the information was helpful in showing how diet can reduce the risk of disease and even reverse some diseases. Some were happy that they were able to use the information provided to improve their health.
A Moral Look at What We Eat and Why
The author explores his journey toward eating more plant-based dishes. Written by a former meat-eater, this book takes a deeper look at the ethics behind veganism and the influences that shape our food choices.
Some reviewers thought the book's content was too subjective and wanted more information about how eating meat impacts the physical body. Some thought it focused too much on factory farms.
Others appreciated the author's honesty and details about his struggle to incorporate plant-based living. Some were able to relate the experiences in the book to theirs.
How to Use Dietary Choices to Ward Off Disease
Written by a medical doctor, this book takes a look at the facts behind diet and disease prevention. Its content also looks at how food can be used as part of disease reversal.
Some reviewers found the information to be too basic for those with more advanced knowledge of nutrition. Others thought it did not cover some diseases enough.
Many thought the book presented a sound scientific argument for eating more plant-based foods. They appreciated the author's discussion on fad diets and why it is better to follow sound nutritional science.
A Cattle Rancher's Reasons for Following a Plant-Based Diet
The author is a rancher whose book offers insights into the meat and dairy industries. His work details the reasons why an animal-based diet can be harmful to our health and the roles the industry and government play.
Some reviewers thought there was too much discussion about certain diets, such as the Zone Diet. Others felt the book's content started to taper off after the opening chapter.
Many reviewers found the author's personal insights and experiences to be revealing. While some were already considering going vegan or vegetarian, they thought the information was important for everyone to know.
One Man's Tale of Physical Transformation With Plant-Based Nutrition
This book is an account of how a middle-aged man improved his health and weight with plant-based nutrition and exercise. The book includes techniques, advice, and tools others can use to better themselves.
Some reviewers were left with the impression that the book was more promotional than informative. Others were disappointed the content did not include more information about running as a sport.
But many enjoyed the author's storytelling abilities and found the book to be inspiring. They appreciated the honest accounts of experiences with maintaining good health and fitness routines.
An Examination of Why and How Factory Farming Must Change
This book looks at the harmful effects of factory farming while exploring what changes the food industry will need to make. Some of those changes include eliminating slaughterhouses and developing more plant-based protein options.
A few reviewers found the book to be uninspiring to read and disagreed with some of its claims. Others appreciated the book's examination of our food system from an animal rights perspective and learning about advances in plant-based foods.
A Book About Animal Rights and Activism
The author explores a wide range of subjects related to animal rights and activism. Diet, clothing, and animal testing of products are some of those subjects.
Some reviewers did not like the discussion about animal testing due to their personal views. Others did not like some of the author's arguments against zoos and eating all forms of dairy.
However, many reviewers liked the way the author presented different viewpoints on the topics. They thought the book was an easy and fun read.
More About Plant-Based Lifestyles!
If you're looking for more information about veganism, eliminating meat from your diet, or topics related to plant-based lifestyles, check out our recommendations below!
Top 5 Books About Veganism
No. 1: Brenda Davis, Vesanto Melina｜Becoming Vegan
No. 2: John Robbins｜The Food Revolution
No. 3: David Robinson Simon｜Meatonomics
No. 4: T. Colin Campbell, Thomas M. Campbell II｜The China Study
No. 5: Jonathan Safran Foer｜Eating Animals
View Full RankingThe descriptions of each product are referenced from content available on manufacturer, brand, and e-commerce sites.