Here’s the thing. ED likes to twist things, but the end goal is always about the weight. Veganism and vegetarianism are common facades that it likes to hide behind. That way no one asks questions.

Of course, being vegan or vegetarian is not automatically associated with an ED, but folks who are truly practicing this dietary pattern for health, ethics and values are unafraid to eat consistently, adequately, with variety, flexibility, and spontaneity. Sometimes we need to eat more often and in greater portions of food following a plant-based diet compared to omnivorous diet to meet needs. Would your ED be willing to do that?

And if you do have an ED but is still growing or have been told that you are malnourished, being a vegan/vegetarian unfortunately can have harmful consequences. It can exacerbate ED food rules and emphasize rigidity with eating. In ED recovery, we would often ask you to pause this pattern of eating, it’s certainly not meant to be forever. We may strategize other equally meaningful ways to honour your values and ethics in the meantime. If you notice food rules, any food rules, can fuel your ED, then I’d invite you to consider whether this preference is helpful towards recovery or not.