Friday, May 12, 2006

Vegans And Dairy Why Vegans Don't Consume Dairy Products

Vegans And Dairy Why Vegans Don't Consume Dairy Products




As with most dietary questions, vegans are split
on the issue of dairy products--not so much on the question
of whether or not they are acceptable, but instead for what
reasons they should not be consumed.

All vegans (or at least true vegans) abstain from consuming
dairy products. Some do so for nutritional reasons;
others abstain for ethical reasons.

Those who do it for nutritional reasons cite a range of
health problems related to the consumption of dairy
products, including high cholesterol. Many also have a
problem digesting lactose or have a blood-iron or diabetic
problem related to milk protein, casein. In addition to
this, milk and cheese often contain small portions of
undesirable hormones that are added to dairy cow feeds
to increase production.

Those who abstain from consuming dairy products for
ethical reasons also have a range of reasons for doing so.

Some cite the poor treatment of dairy cows as a main
reason for not consuming milk and cheese. They note that
dairy cows are forced to become pregnant once each
year to maintain a constantly high yield of milk.
They are also fed numerous steroids
to increase production.

Others who abstain for ethical reasons often cite the
maltreatment of dairy cow offspring. They note that calves
are not allowed to spend time with or suckle from the
mother, but instead are prematurely removed to be reared
for either veal production, beef production, or as
replacement dairy cows.

The calves selected for "veal" production are often forced
to live in crates so tiny that they cannot turn around.
They must face in one direction; they cannot groom
themeselves; and they are fed hormone-laden feed until
they are sent off to be slaughtered.

If you are a prospective vegan, you may want to take
some time now to think about what is best for you.
Ask yourself whether you wanted to become a vegan for
ethical reasons, dietary reasons, or both. And from
there, determine whether or not these arguments were
strong enough to compel you to do so. Either way, you
should emerge with a stronger viewpoint and a better
understanding of what you do and do not want.

Saturday, May 06, 2006

How To Make A Vegan Cake

Vegetarian Information


How To Make A Vegan Cake

Do you have a strict vegan in the family who
has a birthday or celebration coming up that traditionally
calls for cake? If you’re not familiar with vegan dietary
practices, you might not know what vegans do not eat.
Even worse, you might have no idea how to replace what
they do not eat.

But don't worry. In a few short paragraphs, I’ll explain
exactly what you need to make the perfect cake
for your vegan friend or relative. And best of all, no one
will be able to taste the difference.

Let’s start with what strict vegans do not eat.
They do not eat eggs. They do not drink milk.
They don’t eat certain types of sugar. They don’t
eat butter. And they don’t eat frosting.

Eggs can be replaced by "EnerG Egg Replacer," which you
can purchase at many grocery stores. The box will explain
how much replacer to use per egg.

Cow’s milk can be replaced by organic rice milk, which
doesn’t contain any animal byproducts. You can buy rice
milk at your local grocery store, too.

Many vegans do not consume sugar, either, because it is
often whitened by animal bone char. You can avoid sugar
that is whitened by bone char by purchasing "unbleached"
sugar, sugar in the raw, or beet sugar. There are some cane
sugars, too, which were not whitened using bone char,
but they hard to distinguish from others, unless you know
the exact name brand.

Strict vegans will not eat food made with butter, either.
If your cake recipe calls for butter, you can simply
replace it with margarine or vegetable shortening.

In addition to butter, sugar, milk, and eggs, strict
vegans also will not eat dairy frosting. If your recipe
calls for frosting, you can look for a similar flavor of
"non-dairy" frosting or you can make your own, replacing
butter with margarine.

And there you have it: an ingredient replacement key
for your vegan cake. Simply follow the key, replace vegan
-unfriendly items on your recipe, and your cake will be
perfectly fit for even the strictest vegetarian!

Vegetarian Information


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Friday, May 05, 2006

The Top Five Nutrients Vegetarians Lack

The Top Five Nutrients Vegetarians Lack

Both vegetarian and non-vegetarian diets have advantages.
Vegetarian diets tend to be rich in antioxidants, certain
vitamins, and healthy fats. Non-vegetarian diets, by
contrast, tend to contain more protein, iron, zinc,
calcium, and vitamin B-12.

If you already decided to adopt a vegetarian diet,
it is essential you learn how to increase your intake
and absorption of these nutrients to avoid short-term
and long-term health complications.

In the next few paragraphs, I will explain how you
can regularly assimilate larger portions of these
nutrients into your regular diet:

1. Protein. Different types of protein are made up
of different permutations of amino acid chains.
In order to create a "complete protein" or a
protein that can be assimilated into the human
body as tissue, you must consume foods that contain
complementary chains of amino acids.

Wheat, nuts, and beans are three types of vegan-friendly
incomplete proteins; however, wheat is hard to
digest and up to 50% of its protein is lost
during the process.

Isolated soy protein, which you can get from a number
of sources (including soy milk), can be digested
efficiently-enough to match the animal protein yields.

2. Iron. Plant sources contain a significant amount of
iron, but in nonheme form, which is more sensitive
to inhibitors than iron that comes from animal products.
You should do two things to increase your blood-iron
levels: 1) consume more plant iron; and 2) avoid absorption
inhibitors, such as tea, coffee, and fiber.

3. Zinc. Whereas non-vegetarian diets seem to enhance
the absorption of zinc; vegetarian and vegan diets
do the exact opposite--they inhibit it.

Nutritionists suggest that you can overcome
this by consuming more foods that contain zinc,
such as soybeans, cashews, and sunflower
seeds while reducing your intake of inhibitors
by washing vegetables and grains.

4. Calcium. While vegetarians can easily consume
an adequate amount of calcium without any dietary
additions, it is important that vegetarians avoid
consuming certain foods that are high in oxalates,
which inhibit calcium absorption.

Dietitians suggest that vegetarians do not consume
spinach, beet greens, and swiss chard as the
calcium component of a meal plan. While they are
rich in calcium, they also contain high amounts of
oxalates.

Rather than consuming those foods for calcium,
vegetarians should consider other options, such as
soy yogurt, tofu, beans, almonds, and calcium-
fortified foods.

5. Vitamin B-12. Many vegetarians lack
vitamin B-12 simply because it does not exist
naturally in any non-animal forms. Vegetarians
should seek out vitamin B-12 fortified foods,
such as certain soy milks and cereals to
supplement what they lack.

As I outlined, there are a number of nutrients
vegetarians can lack of they do not research
and plan. This is not meant to discourage
people from becoming vegetarians, but instead
to encourage them to spend time planning a
health approach to their vegetarian diet
before starting it.

When planned adequately, a vegetarian diet
can not only make up for what it lacks from
animal products, but it can far exceed
the healthfulness of most non-vegetarian diets.

Thursday, May 04, 2006

Three Health Advantages Of A Vegetarian Diet

Three Health Advantages Of A Vegetarian Diet

While many people lament the nutritional disadvantages
of a poorly planned vegetarian diet, few stress the
health advantages of adopting a vegetarian or vegan diet.
In this article, I will cover the major three nutritional
advantages of becoming a vegetarian.

The first major advantage of a vegetarian diet is
increased heart health. Vegetarians, on average, consume
more nuts (often as a supplemental form of protein). Nuts
contain "good" fats, such as omega-3 and omega-6. This
promotes good heart health by reducing "bad" cholesterol
and unclogging arteries.

In addition to nuts, vegetarians also consume more soy
milk (often to replace milk), which reduces "bad"
cholesterol and has been linked to good heart health.

The second major advantage vegetarians enjoy is increased
skin health. In addition to consuming larger quantities
of nuts (which contain healthful oils), vegetarians tend
to consume more fruit and vegetables, which are rich in
essential vitamins, including A and E, which are linked
to good skin health.

Fruits and vegetables also contain high amounts of fiber,
which helps flush toxins out of the body, further
contributing to better skin health.

The last health advantage vegetarians enjoy is an increased
natural consumption of antioxidants.

Antioxidants are foods that help prevent cancer by
destroying free radicals. Vitamin C and Vitamin E, two
strong antioxidants, are commonly found in vegetarian
meals.

Vitamin C can be found in berries, tomatoes, citrus fruit,
kale, kiwis, asparagus and peppers.

Vitamin E can be found in wheat germ, seed oils, walnuts,
almonds, and brown rice--all foods that are commonly a
part of a well-balanced vegetarian diet.

So what does this all mean for you as a prospective
vegetarian?

It means the popular mythology about vegetarian diets
is false. Not only can a vegetarian diet be nutritionally
sufficient, but it can also affect better skin
health, prevent cancer, and increase your
heart health.

The Raw Secrets:
The Most Acclaimed Raw Food Book!

Tuesday, May 02, 2006

Non Meat Protein

Non Meat Protein
Important Non-Meat Sources Of Protein For Vegetarians

Although most vegetarians consume a considerable
amount of protein, they often do not absorb as much
as they would on a nonvegetarian diet. This is because
plant proteins are considerably less digestible than
animal proteins, which contain amino acid chains that
are closer or identical to human amino acid chains.

Consuming animal proteins might yield close to a 1:1
absorption ratio, while consuming plant proteins, such
as wheat, might only yield 50% of the amino acids needed
to build a "complete protein" or a protein that can
readily be assimilated into the human body.

In order for vegetarians to absorb a healthy amount
of protein, they must consume a variety of plant proteins
to form complete amino chains. By eating vegetables,
legumes, seeds, nuts, fruits, and whole grains, vegetarians
can increase the amount of complete proteins they create
by combining a number of varieties of amino acid chains.

Vegetarians must also consume more foods that contain
proteins because plant proteins are generally
harder to digest. While a nutritional label may suggest
that pasta has 5 grams of protein per serving; you may
only be able to digest 2-3 grams of that protein, which
means you must complement the pasta with other sources
of protein.

In addition to natural sources of protein, vegetarians
should also seek foods that are "protein-fortified"--
or artificially-infused with protein.

For example, many supermarkets offer a variety
"protein-fortified" pasta and bread. I have seen pasta
that contains as much as 12 grams of protein per serving.

Soy milk is also a good source of protein for vegetarians.
Studies on isolated soy protein show that it can be
absorbed nearly as well as animal proteins, yielding close
to a 1:1 protein absorption ratio.

For non-vegan vegetarians, yogurt, milk, and
eggs (which contain complete proteins) are all
excellent sources of protein.

As a vegetarian you have a number of options to
boost your protein intake - and you should consider
taking advantage of all of them. You should diversify
your food selections, drink more soy products, and
eat "protein-fortified" breads and pasta.

The Raw Secrets:
The Most Acclaimed Raw Food Book!

Saturday, April 15, 2006

Why Become A Vegetarian

Why People Become Vegetarians

Many nonvegetarians wonder what drives vegetarians to give
up meat and adopt an entirely different lifestyle.
There is no single answer to this question. Nonvegetarians
become vegetarians for a number of different reasons - some
even for multiple reasons.

Most vegetarians claim that they became a vegetarian for
one of three reasons.

The first reason, which most vegetarians claim, is that
they have ethical problems with eating meat. Most disagree
with how chickens are debeaked, forced to live in small
cages, and are then slaughtered when they do not produce
eggs fast enough.

Most vegetarians also disagree with the crowded and
stressful environments animals are forced into; and
the hormone-laden feed used to make them grow faster
and produce more.

People who become vegetarians for this purpose often
draw ethical boundaries in different spots, depending on
their personal beliefs. For instance, some staunch vegans
wont consume yeast, wear wool, or even eat certain
vegetables, such as carrots, that require killing the
plant to harvest.

On the opposite side of the spectrum, some vegetarians--
sometimes referred to as pseudo-vegetarians--will actually
eat fish and chicken on a regular basis.

The second biggest reason vegetarians claim for not eating
meat is that it conflicts with their dietary preferences.
Some of these vegetarians simply do not like the texture
and taste of meat; others do not eat it because it is high
in cholesterol and often contains high concentrations
of hormones and preservatives.

The third and smallest group of vegetarians cite
environmental reasons for not consuming meat. They complain
that consumption of meat causes farmers to continually
deforest land to create grazing land for cattle.

In addition to these three major groups, there are a number
of other smaller groups of vegetarians who stopped eating
meat for entirely different reasons.

Friday, April 14, 2006

Eating A Healthful Vegetarian Diet

Eating A Healthful Vegetarian Diet

Current info about Vegetarian Diet is not always the easiest thing to locate. Fortunately, this report includes the latest Vegetarian Diet info available.

Many people start vegetarian and vegan diets without
devoting an adequate amount of time to nutritional
research and meal planning. As a result, a considerable
amount of people who start vegetarian diets do not last
for more than 1-2 months.

Many dieters who fail to carefully research and plan
complain that they lack energy - and often experience
a significant loss in muscle mass. Others observe a
number of other more peripheral problems that come with a
poorly-planned vegetarian diet.

The first group--the group that most failed dieters fall
into--is actually experiencing a form of protein-energy
malnutrition (PEM). PEM emerges when a person fails to
consume enough protein, leading to muscle loss - and
subsequently feelings of weakness that are often
accompanied by head and muscle aches.

This problem can be circumvented by dietary alterations.
A vegetarian who is experiencing PEM should either a) find
out what foods contain what amino chains, so they can
combine them to form proteins; or b) start consuming
larger amounts and more diversified sources of protein,
such as nuts, soy milk, and yogurt.

The first group is often iron-deficient as well. Because
vegetarians can only consume nonheme iron, which
is more sensitive to iron inhibitors, they often do
not consume enough to maintain healthy blood-iron
levels. This can cause pervasive weakness and
even anemia.

If you find yourself confused by what you've read to this point, don't despair. Everything should be crystal clear by the time you finish.

Most nutritionists suggest that vegetarian and vegan
dieters consume roughly twice the recommended amount
of iron while greatly reducing their consumption of iron
inhibitors.

People in the second group--the smaller one--who suffer
from a range of other peripheral, diet-related problems are
often not consuming enough of the nutrients that they would
normally take in unknowingly on a diet that includes meat
and dairy products. These nutrients include, for example,
zinc, calcium, vitamin b, and riboflavin.

Some recent studies have suggested that vegetarians
also process certain types of foods with less
efficiency because they consume different amounts
and varieties of absorption inhibitors and enhancers.

Recent studies also suggest, however, that
a vegetarian or vegan diet, when done right, is
not only as healthful as a non-vegetarian diet, but it
is also much more heart-healthy - and usually
contains higher amounts of antioxidants.

What does this all mean for you as a prospective
vegetarian? It means that eating a healthful vegetarian
diet is not only a good alternative to your current diet,
but it can also lower your chances of getting heart
disease and cancer.

However, in order to eat a HEALTHFUL vegetarian diet,
you must actually put in the time to research and plan;
if you don’t, you most certainly will end up in one of the
two groups discussed above.

If you've picked some pointers about Vegetarian Diet that you can put into action, then by all means, do so. You won't really be able to gain any benefits from your new knowledge if you don't use it.

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Does It Really Matter If I Become A Vegetarian?

Does It Really Matter If I Become A Vegetarian?

The following article covers a topic that has recently moved to center stage--at least it seems that way. If you've been thinking you need to know more about it, here's your opportunity.

As a prospective vegetarian, you probably question
whether or not it really matters if you stop eating meat.
You might wonder how much of a difference one additional
vegetarian can make.

And while it might be true that one vegetarian wont make
huge statistical difference in a world of meat-eaters--
and while it is also true that one more vegetarian
probably isn't going to turn the tide in the movement--
you can do a lot as an individual that will be good for
you and good for hundreds of animals animals.

Take, for instance, the number one cause of death in the
United States and other countries with meat-centered
diets: heart disease.

If it weren’t specifically for meat, eggs, and dairy
products--which are the three largest sources of
cholesterol--heart attacks and other heart and circulatory
problems would be far less prevalent. According to
EarthSave, the average vegetarian has about 1/4 the chance
of having a heart attack as the average nonvegetarian. As
for people who are pure vegans, it gets even lower: they
have less than 1/10 the chance of having a heart attack
as nonvegetarians.

It's really a good idea to probe a little deeper into the subject of Vegetarian. What you learn may give you the confidence you need to venture into new areas.

In addition to heart health, you will get a number of other
health benefits as a vegetarian. For instance, you wont be
exposed to nearly as many preservatives, which are common
in meat and are linked to cancer. You wont be exposed to
various hormones (that are packed into animal feed), which
often disrupt normal hormonal processes in the body. And
you wont consume as much lactose, which most people cannot
digest properly--and which some dietitians have suggested
is a cause of digestive problems.

In addition to health benefits you will receive as an
individual, you will also reduce your share of the
suffering human beings inflict on animals.

According to veganoutreach.org, the average American
consumes 2,714 land animals in their lifetime. If you quit
eating meat now, you could literally prevent the suffering
and death of hundreds of animals of the course of a couple
decades.

In addition to this, if you stop eating eggs and drinking
milk, you will also reduce your share in the suffering and
death of battery hens and their offspring, as well as dairy
cows and their offspring, too.

So the answer is yes: it does matter whether or not you
become a vegetarian. It matters to the thousands of
animals you could potentially save and it matters to
you as an individual because you can greatly reduce
your chances of getting cancer and heart disease.

Take time to consider the points presented above. What you learn may help you overcome your hesitation to take action.

Cooking With Tofu

Cooking With Tofu

Have you ever wondered what exactly is up with Tofu? This informative report can give you an insight into everything you've ever wanted to know about Tofu.

Cooking With Tofu

If you aren’t a vegetarian now and haven’t been one in
the past, you probably also haven’t eaten tofu many
times. In fact, the only time most people hear about tofu
it is in jokes aimed at vegetarians.

So why is it that vegetarians eat this stuff all the time?
Is is it simply because they have no other choice?

The answer is both yes and no.

Being a vegetarian doesn’t mean you have to eat tofu. In
fact, there are many vegetarians who never eat tofu or any
popular meat-replacement dishes--such as "veggie burgers"
or "tofurkey"--for that matter.

As long as they research and create meal plans, vegetarians
can maintain a healthy diet eating traditional meals or
ethnic dishes.

The information about Tofu presented here will do one of two things: either it will reinforce what you know about Tofu or it will teach you something new. Both are good outcomes.

Tofu is often cited as something exclusively vegetarian
because it is a versatile, highly-nutritional, and can
be used to replace meat dishes.

Not only can it be created in textures, consistencies, and
flavors that simulate a range of meats--from turkey to
hamburg--but it can also actually replace and far exceed
the nutritional value of similar meat dishes.

While vegetarians do not actually need to consume tofu,
doing so is often a wise dietary choice--and also the next
best thing to eating similar meat products (for those who
enjoyed meat dishes before they became vegetarians).

Tofu is a low-fat, low-cholesterol, low-calorie food made
out of steamed and compressed soy beans. Not only is it a
great source of protein--which many vegetarians lack--but
it is also heart-healthy and has been linked to a decreased
risk in cancer.

In addition to being served as a meat alternative, tofu is
also served in a number of spicy and ethnic dishes, which
were never intended to contain meat. Many ethnic Indian
dishes contain large amounts of tofu cooked and spiced
in different ways.

So here is my suggestion to you: If you aren’t already
a vegetarian, but want to become one, don’t let tofu
get in your way. You can maintain a healthy vegetarian
diet without ever eating it. However, if you already are
a vegetarian, but haven’t tried tofu, I highly suggest you
do. It is both nutritional and versatile - and it might not
taste as bad as you think.

Hopefully the sections above have contributed to your understanding of Tofu. Share your new understanding about Tofu with others. They'll thank you for it.

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Alternatives To Gelatin

Alternatives To Gelatin

The following article includes pertinent information that may cause you to reconsider what you thought you understood. The most important thing is to study with an open mind and be willing to revise your understanding if necessary.

Vegan Alternatives To Gelatin

Gelatin serves both nutritional and culinary roles in
nonvegetarian diets; however, a lot of vegetarians and
all vegans do not consume gelatin in its many forms
because it is often created out of boiled pig skins and
dissolved veal cartilage and bones.

This leaves vegetarians with a gap in cooking
functionality when a recipe calls for a gel or thickening
agent. It also leaves vegetarians with fewer options if they
need a source of gelatin to increase bone and cartilage
health.

If you are a vegetarian and you are looking for something
to replace gelatin, do not despair. Here are some alternative
options for you:

1. Use a rice starch alternative. A&B Ingredients recently
developed a rice starch alternative to gelatins that mimics
the cooking functionality of gelatins closely.

Knowledge can give you a real advantage. To make sure you're fully informed about Vegan, keep reading.

2. Use a soy-based alternative. Soyfoods USA developed
NuSoy Gel, a gelatin alternative which was created
entirely out of of soy isoflavones and contains 100% of
your vitamin c recommended daily allowance.

3. Use seaweed-based alternatives. Agar-agar, for instance,
is a seaweed based alternative to gelatin that can simulate
the culinary functions of gelatin.

4. Increase your calcium intake. One component of gelatin
supplements that allegedly increases joint health is
calcium. If you want to increase your calcium intake
without eating gelatin, you can simply consume more
calcium-fortified foods and even take supplements.

5. Increase your vitamin c intake. Another component of
gelatin supplements that allegedly increases joint health is
vitamin c. You can increase your vitamin c intake by
consuming more citrus fruit.

6. Increase your glucosamine intake. No foods contain
glucosamine, but you can increase your intake by purchasing
supplements at your local grocery store or pharmacy. This
is rumored to improve joint health if taken regularly.

To reiterate - gelatin has two major functions: it works
as a thickening agent for foods and is rumored to improve
joint health; both of these functions can easily
be mimicked by structural and nutritional alternatives.

That's the latest from the Vegan authorities. Once you're familiar with these ideas, you'll be ready to move to the next level.