#423 Melody Schoenfeld - Vegan Myth Busting

Melody Schoenfeld is an author, gym owner, nutrition coach, and holds a Master's in Health Psychology. She brings deep expertise, a sharp nonsense detector, and evidence-based nuance to one of the most polarizing topics in nutrition - vegan diets.

In this episode, Melody and Andrew dive into the most persistent vegan myths, bad-faith arguments, and common misunderstandings from both sides of the vegan vs. non-vegan debate.

Melody shares insight on:
• Dispelling the myth - "There’s no such thing as a healthy vegan"
• The most common arguments claiming vegan diets aren’t healthy
• The problem with vegan dogma motives and navigating bad faith actors
• Dispelling the myth - "You can get everything you need from food alone on a vegan diet"
• What supplementation vegans actually need (and why)
• Whether vegans struggle to get enough iron and calcium
• Dispelling the myth - "All proteins are created equal"
• The truth about needing a "complete protein profile" in each meal
• The real story behind soy protein and soy fear-mongering
• Whether veganism is more expensive than omnivorous eating
• The benefits of moving more plant-based even if you don’t go fully vegan
• When vegan diets become too restrictive
• And much more

IG: @5ftoffury1

CHAPTERS

00:16 Catching Up with Melody Schoenfeld
01:50 Debunking Vegan Myths
03:20 Nutritional Considerations for Vegans
09:57 Challenges and Misconceptions of Veganism
16:46 Mental Health and Veganism
22:54 Athletic Performance on a Vegan Diet
25:57 Navigating Vegan Nutrition - Learning What Your Body Needs
26:31 Calcium and Bone Health for Vegans
27:44 Understanding Vegan Protein Sources
32:14 Debunking Soy Myths and Exploring Protein Options
35:43 The Cost and Convenience of Vegan Nutrition
37:30 Health Benefits of a Plant-Based Diet
42:58 Challenges and Misconceptions of Vegan Diets
45:12 Conclusion and Final Thoughts

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