Vegan Before 6 and How it Works

Food allergies. The environment. Medical issues. Fitness goals. These can all lead one to try a new food routine, but they often do not last because of the restrictions, complications or both. It is a struggle in today’s world to eat responsibly while also enjoying food and not breaking the bank in the process. Mark Bittman attempted to solve all three of these issues with his plan VB6. This stands for “vegan before 6 p.m.” and promotes a part-time approach to veganism.

One great thing about Bittman’s food philosophy is that he lays out food problems and solutions in a straightforward and simple manner. The problem is most Americans eat too many processed foods and too much saturated fat. A simple interpretation of the vegan diet is to eat way more vegetables and healthy fats like avocado, coconut and nuts. Putting aside your favorite foods for a moment, the balance VB6 provides is pretty genius. For most of your waking hours, you eat plant-based everything, which allows for a dinner that includes some cheese, some meat and even butter or dessert. If you are sticking to a portion-controlled diet, then you can only eat so much animal-protein after dark. This results in a drastic reduction in animal products overall, leading to positive results regarding health, food allergies or sensitivities and the environment.

An added bonus is Bittman actively discourages you from counting calories, and instead encourages you to accept food as a healthy fuel source for your body. Most notable about VB6 is it does curb food cravings. After eating mostly plants for a couple of weeks, the plan drastically reduces your sugar and fat desires without much pain. And the fact you can eat anything you want after 6 p.m. makes the allure of the forbidden much less appealing. If life is about balance, then VB6 is worth a try.