Vegetarian Information

As vegetarianism continues to make its way into the mainstream, many companies are entering the meat, dairy and egg substitutes markets to satisfy the growing demand for animal product alternatives. Read these reviews of the best substitutes out there that will make the transition to vegetarianism as painless as possible.

For plain meat-free burgers, vegetarians may choose Boca’s Original meatless burgers or Morningstar Farms’ Grillers veggie burgers. For veggie burgers with more flavor, Boca and Morningstar Farms offer flavored varieties such as Boca’s Grilled Vegetable, Roasted Garlic and Roasted Onion burgers or Morningstar Farms’ Mushroom Lover’s, Philly Cheese Steak and Spicy Black Bean veggie burgers.

Boca and Morningstar Farms also sell other meat alternatives. Boca’s other products include meatless ground burger, pizza and Chik’n Nuggets. Morningstar Farms also carries meatless corn dogs, Veggie Breakfast Bacon Strips and meatless buffalo wings.

Several companies offer cheese alternatives. Note to vegans: many cheese products advertised as “soy cheese” or “lactose-free” often contain an ingredient called casein, which is derived from milk but is not lactose. Those who wish to avoid dairy products of all kinds should be sure to read ingredient labels and be aware of casein.

For truly dairy-free grated parmesan cheese, Vegan brand is a good option. Vegan brand also offers cheese slices in mozzarella and American flavors. These slices are great when used cold in sandwiches. Vegan cheese, however, is typically not great for melting.

But there is one dairy-free cheese brand that melts extremely well and is delicious: Follow Your Heart brand cheese. This cheese comes in mozzarella, cheddar, nacho and monterey jack varieties. It can be used in anything from pizza to cheese fries to tacos and quesadillas.

For egg substitutes in baked goods, many health food stores sell powdered Ener-G Egg Replacer that can be mixed with warm water to use in place of eggs in baked goods. If Ener-G Egg Replacer is not available, 1 tablespoon cornstarch plus 3 tablespoons water can be used as a substitute for one egg in baked goods.

For a scrambled egg alternative or an egg salad alternative, tofu is a great option. For scrambled tofu, break up a block of tofu and add turmeric, salt and pepper to taste, along with sauteed veggies like onions, garlic and sundried tomatoes.

For a tofu mock egg salad, mix a broken up block of tofu with 1/3 cup Vegenaise (a mayonaise substitute also made by Follow Your Heart brand) and 1 tablespoon of mustard. Add to this celery, green onions, thyme and salt and pepper to taste.

For those who forego dairy, there are many alternatives to cow’s milk. Silk sells an organic soymilk that can be drank alone or put in cereal or “Silkshakes”. Silk also sells a delicious chocolate soymilk beverage. For a creamier chocolate soy milk, though, you may opt for the 8th Continent brand soy milk.

For those who do not enjoy the taste of soy milk, most grocery stores sell rice milk, which is a lighter beverage than soy milk, or almond milk, which has a pleasant, nutty taste.

Finally, vegans and those who avoid dairy can enjoy dairy-free ice cream that tastes just like the real thing. The most accessible non-dairy ice creams are Tofutti brand and Soy Delicious brand. Some grocery stores also supply rice ice cream.

Being vegetarian or vegan is a lot easier today because of these meat, dairy and egg alternatives. Luckily, most of the above mentioned brands are available in most grocery stores. If you cannot find a product that you want, though, be sure to talk to grocery store managers, who in most cases will be happy to order products for customers.

Michael Russell
Your Independent Vegetarian guide.

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Imagine this scenario: your 12 month old baby is fussing because it is past his feeding time. You warm up his bottle of regular whole milk. No more infant formula. He looks healthy. You are feeding him well and you feel proud!

Wait a minute! There is something wrong with this picture.

It is the cow’s milkthe milk we all consume on a daily basis1%, 2%,homogenized milk. White and seemingly so good for you!

Not so, says Dr. T. Colin Campbell Ph.D, Professor Emeritus of Nutritional Biochemistry at Cornell University who has authored more than 350 research papers. He is also Winner of the 1998 American Institute of Cancer Research Award, the 2004 Burton Kallman Scientific Award by the Natural Nutrition Food Association.

In “The China Study,” (Benbella Books, 2005), he presents the findings of a 45 year study and a 20-year partnership of Cornell University, Oxford University and the Chinese Academy of Preventive Medicine. And what is startling about the conclusions of his study is that cow’s milk ( 87% of which is made of the protein casein) actually encourages the growth of cancer cells in rats and humans. The China Study shows unequivocally that all meat is suspect: “nutrients from animal-based foods increased tumor development” while “nutrients from plant-based foods decreased tumor development.”

What initiated Dr. Campbell’s study was not an attempt to justify vegetarianism. In fact, Dr. Campbell grew up as a farm boy in northern Virginia. For most of his life, he ate the typical North American diethigh in animal proteins, meat, eggs, whole milk, butter. But evidence from his own research pointed such an accusing finger at animal protein that he and his family adopted the plant-based diet fifteen years ago.

In the mid 1960’s, Dr. Campbell was recruited to the Philippines to develop a protein source for malnourished children. His interest then was on a protein source that was local and affordablepeanuts. However, the peanuts were often contaminated with “aflatoxin” which caused liver cancer in rats and humans. This led to a series of studies and tests which showed some surprising results:

-the children who developed liver cancer from the nuts came from the best-fed ( most affluent) families;

-these children consumed more protein than anyone else in the country( high quality animal protein) ;

-in studies on rats exposed to aflatoxin, only the animals fed 20% protein developed the cancer while those fed 5% got none;

-reversing the diet of rats that developed cancer ( from 20% to 5% protein) caused a reduction in tumor development; in rats( initially fed 5% protein), whose dietary protein was increased to 20%, there was an increase in tumor development.

-The dietary protein used in these experiments was animal proteincasein from cow’s milk. When the same experiment was repeated with plant protein (Soy or Wheat), no cancer growth was discovered, even at the highest levels of protein intake. Rats fed 20% Soy Protein or Wheat Protein diets did not experience early tumor development at all. The cancer promoting factor was cow’s milk protein.

Even though these studies were performed on rats, the results were relevant for humans. In a subsequent study on the Chinese diet, Dr. Campbell made several crucial observations between meat-based diets and disease.

-Cancer ( colon, lung, breast, stomach), diabetes, heart disease are all diseases of the affluent. These are also mainly diseases of the Western world where consumption of meat is high.

-As blood cholesterol levels in rural China rose in certain counties, the incidence of Western or Affluent diseases also increased.

-As intakes of animal protein went up, blood cholesterol levels rose; intakes of plant-based protein brought down blood cholesterol levels.

-Lower blood cholesterol levels are linked to lower rates not only of heart disease, but of cancer, and other Western diseases, even though these levels seemed far below those considered “safe” in the West.

What are some of the lessons we can gather from Dr. Campbell’s China Study?

-The Western World is plagued with diseases of affluence which can be controlled by switching to a plant-based diet.

-There are virtually no nutrients in animal-based foods that are not better provided by plants.

-Genes do not determine diseases on their own. Nutrition plays a critical role in determining which genes, good or bad, are expressed.

-Good nutrition creates health in all areas of our existence. All parts are interconnected.

The question remains then–for all of us who have come this far–What can we eat? Dr. Campbell provides a very simple profile of the plant-based diet.

-Eat all you want of any WHOLE, UNREFINED Plant-Based Food such as Fruits, Vegetables, Nuts , Legumes ( Soy beans, lentils) and Whole grains. The more color and variety you eat, the better your diet.

Minimize Refined Carbohydrates ( white bread, crackers, sugars, cakes etc), Added Oils ( olive oil, peanut oil), Fish ( salmon , tuna, cod).

Avoid Meat and meat products, Poultry, Dairy, Eggs.

The facts are there and it is up to us either to ignore them or do something with them in our own lives. Nothing, however, speaks more powerfully than Dr. Campbell’s final words :

“We, as a society, are on the edge of a great precipice: we can fall to sickness, poverty and degradation, or we can embrace health, longevity and bounty. And all it takes is the courage to change.”

A runner for 27 years, retired schoolteacher and writer, Mary is now doing what she loves–running,writing,helping people reclaim their bodies. Nutrition, exercise, positive vision and purposeful engagement are the tools used to turn their bodies into creative selves. You can subscribe to Mary’s newsletter by contacting her at http://www.GreatBodyafter50secrets.com or visit her at http://www.GreatBodyat50.com

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You will often here parents who are vegetarians ask the question, what effect will a vegetarian diet have on my child.

If you consider that as children grow the body is preparing itself for future life, bones and tissues are been formed, the brain is developing rapidly then it is easy to understand that the nutritional needs of a child will be much greater than the needs of adults.

Parents who choose to bring up their children as vegetarians are actively helping them grow not just physically but also morally. Nutritional research ha shown that a vegetarian diet can provide all the nutrients necessary for the development of a healthy child.

I want to focus in on the very young child, those in the 1 - 5 age bracket. At this point in its life the young child is completely dependant upon others, mainly its parents, for food.

Care must be taken to ensure that the child’s diet as regards choice is as wide as possible.

Just as with non-vegetarians there is a risk that adults will insist that children should eat this or that food. Remember children at this age can be very fussy and if they are determined to refuse a particular food they should not be forced to eat it.

Whether vegetarian or not, it is vital that children have a well balanced diet. This is particularly important during the pre-school years, as this is a time of rapid growth and development. The nutrients to particularly watch are calcium, iron, zinc, protein, vitamin B12 and vitamin D.

An advantage of starting your child off early on a vegetarian diet is that it helps form good eating habits, as likes and dislikes are formed in these early years.

As adults we aim for a diet high in fiber and low in fats but that is not what a child’s body demands Pre-school childrengrow very rapidly, they need lots calories (dietary energy). Diets too high in fiber or very low in fat will not provide them with sufficient concentrated energy or nutrients.

Young children should have frequent meals containing food of relatively high nutrient and energy density, although common sense must be used as children’s appetites will fluctuate on a regular basis.

Keep a ready supply of fruit, home made cake and scones within reach. It is difficult to do but try and avoid shop-bought sweets and salty snacks such as crisps.

If the child is not prone to being overweight then there are other steps you can take to increase the energy density of their food. Add vegetable oil to foods like mashed lentils or beans. Always have some fresh or frozen fruit juice or vegetable juice at hand.

Try to include as wide a variety of foods as possible, bearing in mind that children may be fussy or find some foods too strong in taste. Offer nut and seed pur

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