The Intersection of Diet and Environment: The Vision for Global Change of Dr. David Jenkins (vegan), Part 1 of 2

Today, we are privileged to invite Dr. David Jenkins (vegan) to share his story with us. Dr. Jenkins is a globally renowned nutrition scientist whose pioneering work has reshaped dietary research and public health. He is Director of the Clinical Nutrition and Risk Factor Modification Centre at St. Michael’s Hospital in Toronto, Canada, and a Professor in the Department of Nutritional Sciences at the University of Toronto.

Recognized as a pioneer in nutrition science, Dr. Jenkins has spent decades uncovering how dietary choices impact both health and the environment. His work bridges scientific discovery and public well-being. At the heart of it all is a deeply personal mission: transforming diets to benefit individuals and the planet. He became a vegetarian at age 11, but almost 30 years ago, Dr. Jenkins’s perspective changed on his dietary choice. “When friends had said to me, mockingly, jokingly, ‘Well, why do you wear leather shoes and have wool coats? You aren’t really looking after the world and the wildlife. You’re just sort of doing things conveniently.‘ I resented that, but then I had to go away and think about it. And they didn’t intend me to be instructed; they intended to mock me. But I had to agree that their mocking was actually probably correct and justified. So I felt now I should become a vegan. And so that was the beginning of being a vegan.”

This compassion expanded into a broader concern for how food systems affect the environment. Dr. Jenkins’s research not only highlights the health benefits of vegan diets but also their potential to curb greenhouse gas emissions – offering a win-win solution for both people and the planet. “We did some studies, a little while back, looking at vegan diets and regular diets, and greenhouse gas emissions. And we were able to show that the sorts of diets that lowered serum cholesterol also produced less greenhouse gas emissions, because they were more plant-based.”

A dedication to evidence-based research led to one of Dr. Jenkins’s most notable contributions – the Portfolio Diet. Combining vegan cholesterol-lowering foods (nuts, plant protein like tofu, viscous fiber like lentils, and plant sterols like corn) into a therapeutic approach, this diet delivers significant health benefits for the heart. But what inspired this innovative idea? Let’s hear from Dr. Jenkins himself.