reviews & Reports

nathan poirier Virtuous Veganism Carlo Alvaro: Raw Veganism. The Philosophy [email protected] of the Human Diet. Routledge 2020.

Alvaro’s intent with Raw Veganism is to It is indisputable that eating raw would use convince people that eating a raw vegan much less electricity, water and natural gas diet is the optimal diet for all of human- as cooking, heating and washing would be ity. As a philosopher, he set out to achieve greatly curtailed. It is also quite indisputable his goal philosophically. Alvaro finds the that raw fruits and vegetables and the occa- prevailing animal rights theories of utili- sional bit of nuts and seeds retains more nu- tarianism and deontology (chiefly associ- trients than cooking which kills nutrients. ated with Peter Singer and Tom Regan, And while cooking may also kill harmful respectively), lacking in that they both logi- bacteria, this is hardly a worry when eating cally support the eating of animals. Instead, all fruits and vegetables. Lastly, the vegan therefore, Alvaro argues for raw veganism aspect of raw veganism is also clearly the on the grounds of embracing and following best option for animals as they would not virtues such as temperance, nonviolence be required to be held in captivity and even- and others, and eschews the necessity of an tually killed. Thus fundamentally, Alvaro’s overarching ethical theory. Being virtuous, argument is sound. If one follows virtues then, suggests raw veganism as the ideal such as temperance and nonviolence, raw way to eat not only for the animals but for veganism is the logical conclusion. Vegans human health and environmental protec- who do not eat raw would do well to try to tion. In fact, being virtuous would imply include more raw foods into their diet ac- that raw veganism is the only way to eat cording to their own ethics, whatever those because eating animal products and cooked ethics may be. food is clearly violent, unnecessary, widely But where Alvaro excels philosoph- destructive and energy intensive. ically, he is lacking socially and practically. Philosophically, Alvaro is on point. In theory, raw veganism is the optimal diet,

trace journal for human-animal studies vol 6. (2020)

∴ and perhaps even scientifically in terms of ations aside. But these are important social nutrition. But it is a different matter of how and practical matters when considering to holistically thrive on a raw vegan diet. whether to become and stay vegan. Indeed, One significant critique I would leverage is feeling social pressure to eat animal prod- that it is incorrect to equate the social per- ucts is the leading cause of vegans becom- ception of (raw) vegans to that of those with ing non-vegan. celiac disease, as Alvaro does. He brings Alvaro also states that animal prod- this up in the context of raising children as ucts and processed foods are widely sug- raw vegans and how these children may be gested to be eaten in moderation. Formal perceived by other children who eat animal dietary guidelines and practical wisdom products. Given that eating animal products support this. So, part of Alvaro’s argument is the norm in Western societies it is rea- is that foods that are recommended in mod- sonable to think that children who do not eration should be avoided as the recom- eat many common foods may face negative mendation itself signals the food’s dubious stigma from others. Alvaro doesn’t think so nature. Raw fruits and vegetables, on the and states that veganism is no “stranger” other hand, are presumed to be edible in than any other aspect of diversity such as abundance. Yet, one must moderate how religious diets, celiac, or being homosexu- much sweet fruit one eats as too much sug- al. Thus, Alvaro states, (raw) vegans would ar can still cause health issues. One must not be singled out for being vegan. But the also moderate to allow for a diversity of literature on veganism, as well as practical foods eaten as a lack of diversity in foods experience (which I can vouch for person- is unhealthful. Thus, moderation must still ally as well as many stories from vegan be exercised in raw veganism and is not an friends and acquaintances), challenges this. integral way to dismiss eating animal prod- Vegans do face hostility because they chal- ucts and cooked food. lenge the status quo, purposefully or not; There is also a bit of a practical vegans often report feeling singled and left problem in Alvaro’s reliance on virtues. out because they do not consume food pro- My last critique is that if one is committed vided at gatherings; vegans are often inter- to nonviolence and temperance, then geo- rogated aggressively and disingenuously graphic location poses a major problem for about their dietary and ethical choices. Fur- raw veganism. Many people live in areas thermore, abstaining from certain foods where fruits and vegetables are not avail- due to allergies or religion are generally ac- able year-round. Growing and shipping cepted by society much more readily than these foods requires massive amounts of being vegan which is a conscious choice. energy, and roadkill is a leading cause of Alvaro too swiftly brushes these consider- death for wild animals. So, to truly follow poirier 99 a raw vegan diet, it would seem necessary ism and the literature on veganism. I sim- that one lives in a location where fruits and ply would have liked to see the social and vegetables are easily available year-round. practical concerns addressed a little more This would suggest, then, that much of the robustly. Such issues are also without as world’s population shouldn’t live where many references to outside literature as they live--in theory, at least. This is clearly Alvaro provides for the philosophical and problematic. To be clear, Alvaro does not scientific components. Granted, philosoph- claim this, but he also does not address this ically, many limitations pointed out in this issue at all. Thus, one can eat all raw vegan review do not harm Alvaro’s philosophical foods but still not be virtuous, and virtues argument. But they may constitute overall form the backbone of Alvaro’s argument. weaknesses that prevent people from actu- There could have been more practi- ally adopting a raw vegan diet. Raw vegan- cal advice on how to live on a raw vegan ism remains, however, an ideal pursuit in diet. One must know how to navigate this order to reduce one’s impact on Earth and space before they can inhabit it. Alvaro all of its inhabitants. simply says that diversity in raw vegan food exists. While I don’t doubt him, some more explanation would be helpful. This is especially so as many vegan foods are ruled out for not being raw. Besides the obvious examples of any cooked foods, also ruled out are coffee, tea, alcohol, many spices, as well as some fruits and vegetables like eggplant because they are not optimal to eat raw. Some guidance in how to navigate here would be helpful. To be fair, I consider myself an ethical vegan and have promoted veganism in my scholarly work on similar consider- ations as Alvaro. Despite the limitations discussed in this review, I fundamentally agree with Alvaro. I support raw vegan- ism and will look to increase my intake of raw foods because of this book. This is a worthwhile read because raw veganism is an undertheorized component to vegan-

100 trace 2020