On a very divisive subject, Martin Quirion is the one who seeks to see both sides of the coin. Immersed, at first a little unwillingly, in the discourse opposing veganism and carnism, he wanted to rely on science to separate the wheat from the chaff. Seven years of work later, he signed Végécurieux, a well-documented work which leads to a deep reflection on our food.
A professional translator, Martin Quirion came to writing through his taste buds. This long-term project emanates from his personal experience, which is however not at the heart of the subject. The perceptive reader will suspect this long before, but it is only at the very end that he reveals it: he is vegan, most of the time. “I didn’t want people to start reading and say, “Right now, a vegan is telling me all that.” I really have the impression that it would have colored the reading with a lack of receptivity,” he says in an interview, by videoconference, from Berlin, where he lives with his family.
The term vegan having become, according to him, “very loaded”, he wanted to break away from it to make room for nuances and salute the efforts of all people who reduce their consumption of animal products. This book is not intended so much to convince as to support and guide towards an increasingly plant-based diet.
In 2014, he himself was plunged into an unknown world when his partner became vegetarian. He was never interested in the subject then. “I was a meat lover. I bought the four-meat pizza at La Banquise [Montreal poutine hotspot], I ordered the T-Rex [ground steak, pepperoni, bacon and hot dog sausage]. I wasn’t happy when she told me the news. »
In good faith, he agreed with her to adopt a vegetarian diet at home, while remaining free to eat what he wanted outside, without judgment. At the forefront of heated disagreements, at the table with those around him, but especially online, Martin Quirion wanted to do his research to see which side science was on. He has reviewed numerous studies (the book has nearly 600 references!) on human evolution, the environmental impact of various foods, the nutritional implications of a vegan diet and the ethical foundations of meat consumption. He delivers the result in an impressive popularization exercise divided into 12 bites.
“I wanted to focus the book on science, because that’s what I rely on day to day when I try to get an idea of the issues in the very complex world in which we live,” underlines the one who was born to a mother working in environmental sciences and public health.
If meat played an undeniable role in evolution, humans are no longer in survival mode in nature today, he argues. Rather, they aspire to a long, healthy life. “Omnivorism is the first thing people think of when they are offered the idea of a 100% plant-based diet. “Omnivorous” means we can, but does it really mean we should? And “naturalness”, what is natural in the 21st century? “, he asks, while being careful not to tell indigenous peoples and populations suffering from malnutrition to stop consuming meat.
His initial fear of nutritional deficiencies is not confirmed either. Vegans may indeed be lacking in vitamin B12, but this deficiency can be remedied by taking supplements or eating fortified foods. “We use supplementation for pregnant mothers, babies. There is nothing wrong with supplementing when it can optimize health,” he argues, specifying that farm animals also receive dietary supplements.
Although uncertainty still reigns over several aspects of nutrition, he concludes that two findings are supported by a majority of studies: favoring foods that are minimally or not processed and giving a central place to foods of plant origin. For him, there is no doubt: both from an ecological point of view and from that of animal health or ethics, our diet benefits from being more plant-based. “There is a convergence of evidence across disciplines and a preponderance of evidence. We can no longer act as if this is something that we can refute and brush aside. »
However, vegetarians and vegans often have a hard time at family dinners. Social norms still tend towards the promotion of meat consumption. Martin Quirion calls for dialogue and mutual respect so that, he says, the vegetarian niece is no longer perceived as a black sheep or as the one who comes to spoil the supper, but as “someone who takes a little extra step to be in accordance with its principles and values”.
“Vegetarians” will be able to learn about plant-based eating during the 10th edition of the Montreal Vegan Festival. The event, which will be held on September 30 and October 1, at the Palais des congrès de Montréal, will feature conferences, stands and culinary demonstrations hosted by Lloyd Rose, Emy Levasseur and Christian Ventura, founder and owner of Sushi Momo and executive chef. Lov restaurants.
