Are vegans responsible for starvation in developing nations?

That is what The Guardian claims in a recent article which points the finger of blame at vegans for eating all that quinoa. So much quinoa is being eaten by vegans, according to Guardian columnist Joanna Blythman, that rural Bolivians can no longer afford their own grain.

It’s indisputably true that quinoa is an important grain in many developing nations. Unlike rice or corn, quinoa is rich in vitamins, minerals, key amino acids, and is very high in protein (14-18%). It is hardy and tolerates a wide range of conditions. In fact, quinoa is such a “miracle grain” that the United Nations recently declared 2013 to be “The Year of Quinoa.” They hope to promote quinoa agriculture throughout the world as a solution to global hunger.

Quinoa has become a favored dietary staple of vegans and vegetarians for all the reasons that it appeals to people in the developing world. It’s cheap, nutritious, and can fill in a lot of dietary gaps caused by the lack of meat. It’s true that the price of quinoa has shot up over the last few years, but vegans and vegetarians are not to blame. Instead, blame the global economy, the rising demand for biofuels, the use of soy to feed livestock, and other big messy issues.

This article at Vegansaurus does an excellent job of debunking the Guardian article. Restrained, really. My personal favorite part of the Guardian’s article is the bit about “a rummage through the shopping baskets of vegetarians and vegans.” Because a rummage through the shopping basket of any given shopper wouldn’t turn up this kind of food crimes? Oh no, omnivores are blameless when it comes to issues of food miles and global food supply issues. Wait, I mean the opposite of that.