PETA Grades the Most Popular Diet Plans for Animal-Friendly Food Options

Both Weight Watchers and the South Beach Diet Score a 'B,' Dairy-Heavy Slim-Fast Flunks, and Nobody Gets an 'A' 

For Immediate Release:
May 10, 2010

Contact:
Virginia Fort 757-622-7382

Norfolk, Va. -- As the days get longer and warmer, millions of Americans will turn to popular weight-loss programs to drop those extra winter pounds this summer. So PETA has graded six of the top weight-loss plans according to how animal-friendly or -unfriendly they are. While none of the plans received an "A," at least two are within striking distance. The results are as follows:

*  South Beach Diet: "B." The South Beach Diet is based on 10 "superfoods," eight of which are healthy, animal-friendly options such as broccoli, sweet potatoes, and dark chocolate (which is often made without dairy). The company could earn an "A" by dumping the dairy products and not pushing toxin-laden salmon as a health food, especially when it's so easy to get omega-3 fatty acids from healthy vegan sources.

*  Weight Watchers: "B." Weight Watchers earned points for its points plan, which promotes fruits, vegetables, and whole grains. To bump up to an "A," the company would have to make its "Meatless Comfort Food" section actually meatless (some recipes currently contain chicken broth) and nix plans to team up with fatty-food purveyor McDonald's.

*  Nutrisystem: "C." Nutrisystem grabbed second place for managing to offer at least one vegan option in each of its food sections. To get an "A," the company could start promoting a vegan diet as the best way to lose weight and keep it off.

"Getting the meat and dairy products out of diet plans means less animal suffering and less of you to squeeze into that swimsuit," says PETA Executive Vice President Tracy Reiman, who reminds dieters that vegetarians are about 10 to 20 pounds lighter, on average, than meat-eaters. "Americans spend billions of dollars on weight-loss plans every year when just going vegan could do the trick."

Rounding out the survey are Jenny Craig, which earned a "C-" because its vegetarian foods are way too cheesy; the Zone Diet, which garnered a "C-" because PETA's judges couldn't find a single vegan food option that it offered; and cow's milk-obsessed Slim-Fast, which earned a resounding "F." To earn an "A" for "animal-friendly," Slim-Fast would have to own up to the fact that cow's milk is the perfect food--but only if you're a baby cow.

Weight-loss plans that help improve your overall health through a vegan diet and that are available at your local bookstore include Dr. Neal Barnard's Turn off the Fat Genes and Dr. John McDougall's The McDougall Program for Maximum Weight Loss.

Click here to view PETA's recent undercover investigation of a dairy factory farm. For more information, please visit PETA.org or click here.