If you’re vegan because of the animals, your diet will be limited in the basic vegan way — no eggs, dairy, meat or honey. But if you’re a vegan who also cares about health, that whittles your options down even further. Here’s a list of vegan foods that vegan and veganish doctors and health experts say we should avoid (or at least strictly limit) along with the animal products:
Agave nectar
- (Jeff Novick RD, Jack Norris RD)
Avocado
- (Dr. John McDougall, Jeff Novick RD, Dr. Dean Ornish)
Blue-green algae/chlorella/spirulina
- (Dr. Michael Greger)
Candy/soda/refined sugar
- (Virginia Messina, Dr. Joel Fuhrman, Drs. Ann & Caldwell Esselstyn, Dr. Michael Klaper, Dr. John McDougall, T. Colin Campbell, Dr. Neal Barnard, Dr. Winston Craig, Jeff Novick RD, Dr. Dean Ornish, Jill Nussinow RD, Dina Aronson RD)
Cocoa
- (Dr. Dean Ornish)
Coconut meat/coconut milk/coconut oil
- (Dr. Michael Greger, Dr. John McDougall, Dr. Dean Ornish)
Coffee
- (Dr. Joel Fuhrman, Dr. John McDougall, Dr. Winston Craig)
Chips
- (Virginia Messina, Dr. Joel Fuhrman, Jeff Novick RD)
Corn (genetically modified)
- (Dr. Joel Fuhrman)
Dried fruit
- (Dr. John McDougall)
Flax oil
- (Dr. Joel Fuhrman, Dr. John McDougall)
Fruit juice
- (Dr. Joel Fuhrman, Drs. Ann & Caldwell Esselstyn, Dr. John McDougall, Dina Aronson RD)
Grains
- (Dr. Joel Fuhrman, William Harris MD)
Kombucha
-(Jeff Novick RD)
Mangosteen juice
- (Dr. Michael Greger)
Mustard
- (Dr. Winston Craig)
Nuts & seeds
- (Dr. John McDougall, Drs. Ann & Caldwell Esselstyn, Jeff Novick RD, Dr. Dean Ornish)
Olives
- (Dr. John McDougall, Dr. Dean Ornish)
Oreo pizza
- (Jeff Novick RD)
Raw mushrooms
- (Dr. Michael Greger)
Red wine
- (Dr. Joel Fuhrman, Dr. John McDougall)
Refined grains (white rice, white flour, pasta)
- (Dr. Joel Fuhrman, Dr. John McDougall, Drs. Ann & Caldwell Esselstyn, Dr. Michael Klaper, T. Colin Campbell, Dr. Neal Barnard, Dr. Winston Craig, John Robbins, Jeff Novick RD, Jill Nussinow RD, Dina Aronson RD)
Rice milk
- (Jill Nussinow RD)
Soy
- (Dr. John McDougall, Jeff Novick RD)
Soy (genetically modified)
- (Dr. Joel Fuhrman, John Robbins)
Soy (processed)
- (Jill Nussinow RD, Marty Davey RD)
Starchy vegetables
- (Dr. Joel Fuhrman)
Starfruit
- (Dr. Michael Greger)
Tea
- (Dr. John McDougall, Dr. Winston Craig)
Turmeric
- (Dr. Michael Greger)
Vegetable oil
- (Dr. Joel Fuhrman, Dr. John McDougall, Drs. Ann & Caldwell Esselstyn, Michael Anderson, T. Colin Campbell, Dr. Neal Barnard, Jeff Novick RD, Dr. Dean Ornish)
White potatoes
- (Dr. Michael Greger, Dr. Joel Fuhrman)
Wheat gluten
- (Jack Norris RD)