Author Mark Bittman is one of my favorite food authors out there these days.  He takes a remarkably sane approach to both cooking and the "big issues."  As a New York Times food blogger, Bittman walks the walk - he has a ridiculously small kitchen (me too!) but manages to cook well anyway.  His instructions for popovers (just to name something off the top of my head) were a revelation.

So it was with interest that I read about Bittman's latest thing: "Vegan Before 6."  Put simply, Bittman eats vegan before 6PM, then anything he wants after that.  Now admittedly, this kind of thing is rife for abuse.  If you go dutifully vegan before 6, then pig out on ice cream and baby back ribs and KFC Double Down sandwiches from 6PM until bedtime, it's not going to do you any good.

But as an alternative to the often "all or nothing" line of thinking, "Vegan Before 6" has a lot of potential.  For one thing, it breaks the day down into small increments.  A lot of people who might be considering going vegan can get overwhelmed.  I tried it for a week, and it about drove me crazy having to read and think about all the ingredients in everything I ingested.  The idea of living my whole life that way sounded completely unmanageable.  Faced with a life spent nibbling kale and soy powder, I backed off.

But hey, vegan befor 6?  That's manageable!

Another benefit to "Vegan Before 6" is that it doesn't require a complete pantry overhaul.  If someone decides to go vegan, what are you supposed to do with all the non-vegan food in your cupboards?  I wouldn't be able to waste food if I was being held at gunpoint, so this was a real sticking issue for me.  Unopened packages and cans can be donated, of course.  But what about the 3/4ths full bear-shaped bottle of honey?  The three pounds of butter I bought on sale and stored in the freezer for use throughout the year?  When I realized that I would have to throw away at least half of the food I had on hand, I was not pleased.

Bittman saw a lot of significant health benefits after a few months on his plan.  He lost 35 pounds, and his cholesterol and blood sugar levels returned to healthier levels.  Even as a vegetarian, I have to confess that I eat rather more candy, butter, cheese, and other less than perfectly healthy items.  

The vegan impact on the Earth is also lower - lower than vegetarianism, and far lower than being an omnivore.  With Earth Day fast approaching, starting a "Vegan Before 6" program is an excellent way to help spare the planet's resources.  

The best news of all is that every day new and better vegan products make it to market.  I was marveling over the vegan selection at my local grocery store the other day.  A lot of vegan foods are almost indistinguishable from the original - particularly the lunch meats, sausage, and other substitutes for the cheap kinds of meat that so many people eat without even thinking about it.  I dare say you could substitute vegan patties for whatever it is they serve at McDonald's, and not a single customer would be the wiser.

Creative Commons-licensed image courtesy of Flickr user rebuildingdemocracy