Interview with Jack Norris, RD (English)



Jack Norris is co-founder and the current president of Vegan Outreach. He runs Vegan Outreach’s Adopt A College program. He is a Registered Dietitian and runs JackNorrisRD.com and VeganHealth.org. 

1) Since when have you been vegan and what made you go vegan?
I went vegan in 1988. I found out how farmed animals were treated after buying a benefit record album for People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals.

2) What’s your best trick to convince a vegan who does “not want to take pills” to take a B12 supplement?
I would tell them about the people I know of who got nerve damage from not taking B12. I know one vegan how ended up in a wheelchair for a few days until he discovered that it was B12 deficiency. Luckily for him, he caught it in time. Other people haven't been so lucky and have suffered permanent damage.

3) In the largest part of Latin America sufficient vitamin D levels are probably less of a problem than in North America. How much does using sun cream inhibit vitamin D production by the body?
It completely inhibits it. You should be out in the sun each day for about 15-20 minutes without sunscreen.

4) Do vegan athletes have any special dietary requirements?
Not compared to other vegans. If someone is a world-class strength or speed athlete, then they might try creatine supplementation.

5) Could you give us five whole plant foods that can boost our calcium intake? (Soymilk is available in Chile in powdered form, fortified, but has less calcium than soymilk in the US. Molasses, collard greens, tahini, baked beans and kale are not commonly available here.)
Broccoli, collards, kale are the main ones. I'd recommend calcium supplements if you can't eat these foods or fortified soymilk every day. You need to eat at least 525 mg of calcium a day, but I'd recommend at least 700.

6) You recommend that vegans take a DHA supplement. Vegan DHA supplements are expensive and not widely available in most countries. Who should absolutely make sure that they consume these supplements?
DHA supplements are more for optimal health and the research isn't 100% convincing that they are necessary. If you can't take DHA, then I'd recommend 1 teaspoon of flaxseed oil every day.

7) Whole grain products are more nutritious than white flour, white rice or white pasta. But can it sometimes be advisable for people to consume some refined grain products e.g. to gain weight?
If you need to gain weight, then eating more processed foods is probably a good idea. Nut butters, olive oil, and pastas might help. But don't eat only processed by any means.

8) The majority of the people in Latin America are to some extent lactose intolerant. What are typical symptoms if someone who is lactose intolerant consumes dairy products?
Gas, bloating, possibly diarrhea.

9) Would you like to share anything else, thank anyone or uncover any other nutritional myth?
Protein is important. Make sure you eat legumes (beans, peanuts, soyfoods, lentils, or peas) 2 to 3 times a day for protein.

Don't become a raw foodist. Humans have cooked their food for hundreds of thousands of years. Eat some raw, but also eat some cooked.


[This interview was done for FUENTE VEGANA in Chile, that's why there are references to Chile and Latin America.]