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April 27th, 2011
06:00 AM ET
World Vegetarian And Vegan News announced on April 1 that the upcoming royal wedding would be entirely free of animal products due to cultural, health and environmental concerns. “Celebrity vegan cook Sarah Kramer is being brought over from Canada to advise on ingredients for the reworked royal wedding cake,” the post said. The report was, of course, just an April Fools’ Day hoax. While Kramer won’t be crafting an egg-free, dairy-free cake for Prince William and Kate Middleton this coming weekend, she will be taking part in the in the third annual Worldwide Vegan Bake Sale along with more than 140 groups across six continents from April 23 through May 1. “My favorite thing in the world is to watch someone who isn’t vegan eat a vegan cookie and watch their eyes open,” Kramer says. “I’m changing people’s minds one tummy at a time.” “You had to go on a bus tour across town to some back alley to try and find soy milk,” she says laughing. “But now it couldn’t be easier to be vegan.” These days, the vegan diet has no shortage of mainstream exposure. Former President Bill Clinton told CNN's Wolf Blitzer in 2010 that he had adopted a plant-based diet in an attempt to reverse his heart disease. Talk show hosts Oprah Winfrey and Martha Stewart both recently aired vegan episodes. Skeptics might assume vegan desserts can’t compete with their dairy and egg-laden counterparts. But last summer Chloe Coscarelli became the first vegan to win a cooking competition on Food Network, taking top prize on “Cupcake Wars.” Doron Petersan of D.C.’s Sticky Fingers Bakery secured another vegan victory on the show in March. “I think vegan baking is finally getting the respect and recognition it deserves,” Petersan says. “When done well it’s just as good if not better than traditional baked goods.” Vegan baking has come a long way since its start as part of a more health-conscious movement in the ‘70s, says Melisser Elliott, author of “The Vegan Girl’s Guide to Life.” It’s not all sawdust cookies and date bars. “Over the years it has gotten a lot more decadent,” she says. “People are really going for it and trying to veganize things that people didn’t think were possible.” As one of the organizers of the first vegan bake sale in Vienna, Austria, Elliott says she’s appealing to people’s taste buds rather than touting the health benefits of a plant-based diet. Gary Loewenthal, director of the Worldwide Vegan Bake Sale, also sees the global event as a way to show people that eating vegan food doesn’t have to mean sacrificing flavor. “People are afraid of having to give up their favorite desserts,” he says. “At a vegan bake sale we can show them that they don’t need to have that fear.” Vegan baking staples can now be found on the shelves of most supermarkets. Cow’s milk can be switched out for non-dairy alternatives like almond or soy milk, and a vegan margarine or vegetable oil can take the place of butter. Replacing eggs can be trickier and depends on their role in the recipe, but common substitutions include ground flax seeds, silken tofu, blended bananas, and a mixture of vinegar and baking soda. Best-selling cookbook author Isa Chandra Moskowitz has been experimenting with vegan baking since she embraced the diet in 1989 and says it has become a lot more accessible since then. “I hope that after a while it stops being this thing where we’re replacing eggs and dairy and we’re just naturally working with vegan ingredients,” she says. “And I think that’s happening.” iReport by Isa Chandra Moskowitz: If Bake Sales Are Outlawed Only Outlaws Will Have Bake Sales Moskowitz runs the popular vegan cooking website “Post Punk Kitchen” and helped put together a bake sale in Omaha, Nebraska, earlier this month. The event raised more than $3,000 for Japan disaster relief. “For me the bake sale is a holiday and it’s a celebration,” says Moskowitz, who recently tweeted that the Worldwide Vegan Bake Sale is one of her favorite times of the year. “And at the same time it’s raising money for a worthy cause.” And that's an idea fit for royalty. |
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Sometimes I contemplate if folks truly take time to write something original, or are they only just dishing out words to fill a site. This certainly doesn't fit that mold. Thank you for taking the time to write with awareness. Once In A While I look at a page and question whether they even proofread it.Fantastic work with this article.
there's tons of vegan options for baking, cookies are great but cheezecake is better!
vegan cheezecake: http://www.fourgreensteps.com/community/recipes/dessertsagoodies/vegan-cheesecake
I've been a vegan for 4 years now and I gotta say, it's been tough at times, but the recipes I have found online have made it so much easier for me! I've done a lot of research over the years and I always end up back at the same site. They have a ton of not only vegan, but vegetarian recipes too!
Check it out: http://www.fourgreensteps.com/community/recipes
If you want to be vegan, fine, that is your choice.
I hate when people try to convince me to be vegan with "oooh, the poor animals". Both for health and moral reasons, I eat meat. I grew up on a farm and in a farming/ranching community. Yes, I know where my food comes from, much better than you do in fact! That goes for both crops and livestock. I choose to include meat in my healthy, balanced, omnivorous diet; and no I don't feel guilty for doing so. I suggest that those individuals that can't mind their own business and try to tell me what I should be eating go spend a year on a farm (independent farmer that raises both crops and livestock), it would be a huge eye-opener.
If you want it really green, please check http://www.fourgreensteps.com/marketplace/, it is the largest green website in the world.
To those who would call a vegan a "retard" for having denied themselves the pleasure of eating meat:
1. Using such terminology, you expose your creativity, or lack thereof, in the art of insulting. It can be so much fun, but it seems you'd rather go the intellectually bereft way and deny those of us with a sense of humor our laugh. Furthermore, to say such a thing implies obvious superiority to those you just insulted, and is thus condescending. Although that was obviously your intention, you seem not to have thought all this through.
2. In saying a vegan denies him/herself the pleasure of consuming meat, you expose your ignorance in the most extreme fashion, having earlier referred to them as "retards". If this is indeed your reason, it serves only to show your likely lack of insight, as one of the founding ideas of not eating meat is not to "deny" oneself such flavors, but to imitate it so as to avoid the suffering of an animal who need not do so on our behalf. Many still enjoy the taste of meat, but do not consume it for this very reason.
3. You've posted this on a story about a vegan bake sale for the earthquake in Japan. If you'd had a better idea of what to do, you'd likely be doing it instead of posting obvious anti-veganism pseudo-propaganda where it would previously have been possible to have a stimulating intellectual discussion.
4. Through of all this, you have more than likely exhibited your comparative retardation to those you have just labeled "retarded". Have fun with that.
You are so retarded you dont even realize it
" Furthermore, to say such a thing implies obvious superiority to those you just insulted, and is thus condescending. "
Sorry retard but I call em like i see em – IT'S A MORAL CHOICE
Eating meat isn't a bad thing. But the issue is how these animals are treated. I am a vegetarian, and have been for one month now. I think it necessary to consume meat, but not if that meat has come from abused animals. And it is very difficult to be able to know if that animals from where you get your meat, has been treated fairly or not.
It is disrespectful to tell someone they are bad and wrong for eating meat. I also think it is disrespectful for telling someone that eating veggies/meat replacements all the time is wrong. You can only give them the facts, and let them make the choice.
i am 34 and did not meat other than the occasional seafood from 18 to 32 years... when i was 29 i went vegan in my diet for several months and i have to say it was the healthiest time of my life probably. i without trying lost weight and felt great. however, it is really hard for me to do without cheese and yogurt even though i am Mediterranean and have never suffered from a lack of dishes otherwise.
on the flip side i have occasionally started eating red meat the past couple of years and it has helped me with certain health conditions that i have (high prolactin, missing periods etc.). i still cannot morally justify eating meat as it is very hard/expensive to get fair meat.
i think it comes down to making conscious choices, there is no doubt that a highly vegan diet is absolutely healthier but everyone's metabolism is different and i now believe that some people may need meat more than others. i find milk (which i love) to be more strange to be honest, humans are the only species that drink another being's babyfood. and it is just weird... the main problem is really the meat/dairy producing industry... for one the torture animals go through is really unjustifiable, but also eating something from a source like that cannot really do you good...
if you have to eat meat, and use dairy products, try to at least get the natural, organic, humane products...
my grandmother had a couple of cows that were like pets to her, and she milked them with love and made butter and yogurt from that milk... these were happy cows that spent most of their life grazing and wandering.
i still do think there is always some cruelty even in the most humane way of eating animal products but if you have to at least do the least bit of damage.
you claim veganism is definatly healthier and in the same post mention health issues remedied by eating meat.If you miss a period thats your bodies way of telling you you have a serious nutrient shortage , to the point where pregnancy is out of the question. just think about that.
I know!!! This is so funny. I'm in the health field and I can't tell you how many times I've heard friends tell me they stopped being vegan because they were having serious issues like not having periods and being cold all the time!
yes, i'm saying it was the healthiest time of my life probably because it made me stop all the dairy i used to consume... i did not say it is the healthiest diet for all if you read again. a little veganism would help all.
you just said you had to stop for what most people would classify as health reasons. the second you did stop,logic would dictate ,you were already a little bit healthier. Therefore it could NOT have been the happiest time in your life
I understand the vegan point of view of treating animals humanely, etc. But what about the meats from "free range", organic fed, etc. What is the beef (pun intended) with that meat source?? Just curious.
I've purchased the vegan cupcake cookbook, and have experimented with vegan baking, and it does taste great. But I don't think it's necessarily healthier to always leave out eggs for example, you miss out on plenty of great protein and vitamins. And if you make sure to buy farm fresh, organic eggs that you know come from humane conditions, it's not hurting animals or the environment. (I would still use soy or almond milk however over cow's milk). It's been repeatedly shown that vegetarians fare better than meat-eaters OR vegans.
"repeatedly shown" misinformation. Non-vegans are just as susceptible as vegans to the possibility of being nutrient-deficient in some way. Anyone who consumes enough nutrients will not be nutrient-deficient, regardless of their diet. It's not rocket science.
but your mother still dropped the ball on that one
Science is misinformation? In that case we can all argue to no end with nothing to back it up, and all stay stuck with our same baseless opinions. I know everyone is susceptible to being nutritent-deficient in some way – that was not my point. The point is that, generally speaking (this is what statistics tell us, it's not a personal attack it's just math), it is much easier for a vegan to be nutrient deficient than vegetarians because they do not come by complete sources of these nutrients, in an easily absorbed form, as often as others. Now I'm sure anyone with lots of time and income on their hand can devise a great diet that IS complete. It's just that for most people out there, time is limited and taken up by other important things besides food and counting up nutrients. So in the end, their vegan diet does not end up as perfect as they intended, and as a result, they are less healthy. Whereas a vegetarian can rather easily pick up organic eggs and be done with it in a day, instead of going to Whole Foods and spending their whole paycheck on a precisely-planned-out-and-measured mountain of various veggies and fruits.
In October 2007, I spent a weekend with a heavenly and heaven-sent woman, kind enough to visit me here in the San Francisco Bay Area. We were matched online through e-harmony.com the previous September.
During our time together, I didn’t force the issue of animal rights on her, either, but I did treat her to meals only at vegan restaurants here in the SF Bay Area, and took her to a book-signing event, where she voluntarily purchased (yes, she seemed genuinely interested in the subject!) a copy of Colleen Patrick-Goudreau’s first cookbook, The Joy of Vegan Baking.
Upon returning to Vancouver, WA, she e-mailed me, saying:
”I miss you already.
"I forgot to steal one of your shirts!
”I will talk to you soon.
"And I won’t eat meat.”
To which, I replied, ”You’re a girl after my own heart!” I later sent her two younger daughters a book aimed at tweens, asking, Should We Eat Animals: What Do You Think?, discussing the ethics of raising animals for food.
I don’t think I’m being a ”self-righteous vegetarian,” here, either. I think the problem lies with the pro-life side, which refuses to even discuss animal rights and vegetarianism as sanctity-of-life issues!
You should start a cult. Just sayin'.
"Upon returning to Vancouver, WA, she e-mailed me, saying:
”I miss you already.
"I forgot to steal one of your shirts!
”I will talk to you soon.
"And I won’t eat meat.”
To which, I replied, ”You’re a girl after my own heart!”
AND THEN YOU AWOKE FROM YOUR DREAM~
Obviously,she did not beat your meat before placing it on the grill!
I went vegan to lower cholesterol. It went from 232 to 182!! I still eat meat on occasion, but primarily vegan. have some delicious recipes. And I'm not a nut case! just health conscious
Vegan baking tastes like chalk. Cookies without BUTTER just don't work.
You've obviously had some bad cookies. Ever had a crappy non-vegan meal? Did you vow to never again eat that meal & leave comments in posts about it? Or did you chalk it up to "well THAT sucked, better luck next time" ?? (<I'm betting it's the latter).
I guess my whole thing with the "stomach flu" was mainly speaking to raw foodism. If a raw foodist had the stomach flu, i would hope that they wouldn't continue to only eat raw vegetables while they are sick as opposed to, say, a bland piece of toast that might be easier on their stomach. I guess my whole point is that a person should listen to the wisdom of their bodies and choose their foods based on what will allow them to function at an optimum level of health. And what makes them feel at an optimum level of health could change over time. So, my point is: we shouldnt judge eachother. Diet is very personal and individual. If you are a vegan, bravo. It is a wonderful, compassionate choice.
Gotcha, I understand what you mean. I became vegan about 3 years ago, and it has evolved as the years pass as I learn more about certain things. At first I was indifferent about people eating meat and would go to restaurants with friends who ate meat and would drink water and sit and talk, now I find it difficult to watch people eat meat simply because with every piece of meat I see, I imagine the type of cruelty that the animal most likely went through. While it is a personal choice for everyone, the only thing I try to encourage people to do is understand where their food comes from. I really get upset when someone asks why I am vegan, and asks for details on things that occur to animals and then someone else around us gets upset and says "I don't want to hear about that", yet they continue to eat that animal. If you know that an animal suffered, yet don't want to hear about it, I don't think you should eat that animal. If you know it suffered, and are okay with the fact it suffered, then fine, eat it if you choose, but don't be ignorant about it just because it makes you sleep better... (by you, I don't mean you personally, but people in general) The ignorance thing persists in all aspects of our culture whether it be food, politics, the environment, etc... it's just an overall issue I have with people, but effects me more when it causes pain on something that has no control over the pain that is inflicted upon it. When someone hurts another person (lets exclude children or handicapped for arguments sake), the person being hurt can at least reason why they are being hurt (whether the other person is a jerk, etc), but an animal doesn't understand.. it just feels pain, but doesn't know why this person is hurting it.. whether it be dairy farmers shocking/stabbing the cow to force it to stand, etc... that's where it really effects me.. the fact that the animal is just doing what an animal does, and we hurt it because it isn't doing what we want it to do.. it could be chickens/turkeys not walking fast enough into their cage/pen, so we kick... cows sitting down so we stab them to force them to stand... it all really just reflects on humans inability to feel compassion towards other living things unless it is a household pet like a cat or dog... I could go on and on... but it's late and I need to sleep :)
Yep, I think we can agree that a vegan who eats only locally grown produce is a good ideal to strive for. Sadly, not everyone's physiologys can handle veganism, althought I used to believe that this wasn't the case and would try to convince everyone I spoke to to become vegan. Some people do wonderfully on even a poorly planned vegan diet, other people do horribly on even an optimally planned vegan diet. We all have unique nutritional needs determined largely by genetics (people of Indian, Mediterranean, and Greek descent tend to do better on vegan diets, for example) and these needs change on a day-today basis and also throughout our lives. Think of pregnancy. Think of when you're training for a marathon. Think of when you have the stomach flu. To apply something as static as "ism" to something as dynamic as the human body seems a bit absurd. We have to work with our bodies, and go with the flow so to speak. Look at Natalie Portman.
I'm not really sure why a person with the stomach flu needs meat and dairy, you just need to drink plenty of fluids and ride it out... or use things like zinc, lysine, etc that boost your immune system. Regarding marathons, there are lots of athletes that are vegans and do just fine regarding muscle tone and strength training... I am not too familiar with pregnancy and vegan diets to speak in defense or against it, so I won't... I will say, though, that naturally, humans didn't "start" on an omnivore diet... only after we gained the skills of hunting did we adopt eating animals and the human race was still populating prior to the skill of hunting, so if eating your necessary vitamins/nutrients through fruit, vegetables, legumes, nuts, etc... I do not see any added need for animal products... I would be interested in some actual info/data on the topic though since I am no expert...
everything you have posted is absurd. Chimps hunt with spears, therefore our chimp-like ancestors most likely did as well. Not only did we start as omnivores we were likely omnivores before we were human
I have nothing against making healthier food choices. But I am opposed to all religions and vegetarianism is a religion. Like all other religions nearly 70% of it's adherents are female who have to look to outside sources to find a sense of worth. And honestly, as a carnivore I have a much healthier diet than most vegans if the are cooking food as show above on a regular basis. I eat red meat about once a week or less. I don't keep eggs in the fridge but end up having to run to the store if I'm cooking a recipe that calls for them and that's maybe once every couple of months. I love milk and will not use any substitutes for it. Don't use much butter for cooking but when I do it's real butter....much healthier and more digestible than margarine (even vegan approved margarine). IMy meat intake is about 2/3rd's chicken 1/3rd fish.
Not to be preachy, just sayin'. Eat local. Being a vegan is not a "get out of jail free" card. You still need to be conscious of your actions and think critically about what you're eating and where it comes from.
The whole "Veganism will save the planet" idea is a bit simplistic and short sighted. I used to be vegan (and before that, a vegetarian for many years). The truth is, no matter what your diet, the key is to eat locally. If your diet consists of locally grown vegetables, than bravo. However, if your diet consists of "Tofutti cuties" and the like, then sadly you are feading into the factory farming, government-subsidized machine as much as any meat eater. To produce the vegan foods that I used to consider so cruelty-free; modern, industrialized agriculture forces land to grow crops that are alien and unnatural to it, robs the planet of its resources, destroys whole eco-systems, and wipes out entire species of plants and animals.
I understand what you're saying, and I don't completely disagree. However, I will say that eating "tofutti cuties" is STILL not as damaging as consuming a meat-based diet, which most of the grown corn and soy goes to anyway. Obviously, locally grown is better than not, but eating non-gmo soy based foods that aren't local, isn't worse than eating a hamburger patty from mcdonalds that was from a suffering, tortured cow that was also fed gmo corn, pumped full of antibiotics and hormones. So while I understand what you're trying to say, eating meat doesn't not rob the planet of it's resources, destroying whole eco-systems, etc... eating meat still comes out worse no matter how you try to spin it.. people often forget that almost all of our corn and soy that is grown goes to feeding all the slaughtered animals, only a small portion of it is actually eaten by people.
Veganism Is Direct Action!
"A diet that can lead to heart attacks, cancer, and numerous other diseases cannot be a natural diet," writes Keith Akers in A Vegetarian Sourcebook (1983). "A diet that pillages our resources of land, water, forests, and energy cannot be a natural diet. A diet that causes the unnecessary suffering and death of billions of animals each year cannot be a natural diet."
I understand there are conservative Christians who fear vegetarianism...which is kind of like being afraid of nonsmoking, nondrinking, or recycling. Ronald J. Sider of Evangelicals for Social Action, in his 1977 book, Rich Christians in an Age of Hunger, pointed out that 220 million Americans were eating enough food (largely because of the high consumption of grain fed to livestock) to feed over one billion people in the poorer countries.
A pamphlet put out by Compassion Over Killing says raising animals for food is one of the leading causes of both pollution and resource depletion today. According to a recent United Nations report, Livestock's Long Shadow, raising chickens, turkeys, pigs, and other animals for food causes more greenhouse gas emissions than all the cars, trucks and other forms of transportation combined.
Researchers from the University of Chicago similarly concluded that a vegetarian diet is the most energy efficient, and the average American does more to reduce global warming emissions by not eating animal products than by switching to a hybrid car.
"Livestock are one of the most significant contributors to today's most serious environmental problems. Urgent action is required to remedy the situation."
–Union Nations' Food and Agriculture Association
Nearly 75% of the grain grown and 50% of the water consumed in the U.S. are used by the meat industry. (Audubon Society)
Over 260 million acres of U.S. forest have been cleared to grow grain for livestock. (Greenpeace)
It takes nearly one gallon of fossil fuel and 5,200 gallons of water to produce just one pound of conventionally fed beef. (Mother Jones)
Farmed animals produce an estimated 1.4 billion tons of fecal waste each year in the U.S. Much of this untreated waste pollutes the land and water.
The following points and facts are excerpted from Please Don't Eat the Animals (2007) by the mother-daughter writing team of Jennifer Horsman and Jaime Flowers:
"A reduction in beef and other meat consumption is the most potent single act you can take to halt the destruction of our environment and preserve our natural resources. Our choices do matter: What's healthiest for each of us personally is also healthiest for the life support system of our precious, but wounded planet."
–John Robbins, author, Diet for a New America, and President, EarthSave Foundation
One study puts animal waste in the United States to between 2.4 trillion to 3.9 trillion pounds per year. The United states produces 15,000 pounds of manure per person. This is 130 times the amount of waste produced by the entire human population of the United States.
A 1,000-cow dairy can produce approximately 120,000 pounds of waste per day. This is the functional equivalent of the amount of sanitary waste produced by a city of 20,000 people.
Factory farm pollution is the primary source of damage to coastal waters in North and South America, Europe, and Asia. Scientists report that over sixty percent of the coastal waters in the United States are moderately to severely degraded from factory farm nutrient pollution. This pollution creates oxygen-depleted dead zones, which are huge areas of ocean devoid of aquatic life.
Meat production causes deforestation, which then contributes to global warming. Trees convert carbon dioxide into oxygen, and the destruction of forests around the globe to make room for grazing cattle furthers the greenhouse effect. The Food and Agricultural Organization of the United Nations reports that the annual rate of tropical deforestation has increased from nine million hectares in 1980 to 16.8 million hectares in 1990, and unfortunately, this destruction has accelerated since then. By 1994, a staggering 200 million hectares of rainforest had been destroyed in South America just for cattle.
"The impact of countless hooves and mouths over the years has done more to alter the type of vegetation and land forms of the West than all the water projects, strip mines, power plants, freeways, and sub-division developments combined."
–Philip Fradkin, in Audubon, National Audubon Society, New York
Agricultural meat production generates air pollution. As manure decomposes, it releases over 400 volatile organic compounds, many of which are extremely harmful to human health. Nitrogen, a major by-product of animal wastes, changes to ammonia as it escapes into the air, and this is a major source of acid rain. Worldwide, livestock produce over 30 million tons of ammonia. Hydrogen sulfide, another chemical released from animal waste, can cause irreversible neurological damage, even at low levels.
The World Conservation Union lists over 1,000 different fish species that are threatened or endangered. According to the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) estimate, over 60 percent of the world's fish species are either fully exploited or depleted. Commercial fish populations of cod, hake, haddock, and flounder have fallen by as much as 95 percent in the north Atlantic.
Livestock production affects a startling 70 to 85 percent of the land area of the United States, United Kingdom, and the European Union. That includes the public and private rangeland used for grazing, as well as the land used to produce the crops that feed the animals. By comparison, urbanization only affects 3 percent of the United States land area, slightly larger for the European Union and the United Kingdom. Meat production consumes the world's land resources.
Half of all fresh water worldwide is used for thirsty livestock. Producing eight ounces of beef requires an unimaginable 25,000 liters of water, or the water necessary for one pound of steak equals the water consumption of the average household for a year.
The United States government spends $10 million each year to kill an estimated 100,000 wild animals, including coyotes, foxes, bobcats, badgers, bears, and mountain lions just to placate ranchers who don't want these animals killing their livestock. The cost far outweighs the damage to livestock that these predators cause.
The Worldwatch Institute estimates one pound of steak from a steer raised in a feedlot costs: five pounds of grain, a whopping 2,500 gallons of water, the energy equivalent of a gallon of gasoline, and about 34 pounds of topsoil.
Thirty-three percent of our nation's raw materials and fossil fuels go into livestock destined for slaughter. In a vegan economy, only two percent of our resources will go to the production of food.
"It seems disingenuous for the intellectual elite of the first world to dwell on the subject of too many babies being born in the second- and third-world nations while virtually ignoring the overpopulation of cattle and the realities of a food chain that robs the poor of sustenance to feed the rich a steady diet of grain-fed meat."
-Jeremy Rifkin, pro-life AND pro-animal author, Beyond Beef: The Rise and Fall of the Cattle Culture, and president of the Greenhouse Crisis Foundation
According to the editors of World Watch, July/August 2004: "The human appetite for animal flesh is a driving force behind virtually every major category of environmental damage now threatening the human future–deforestization, topsoil erosion, fresh water scarcity, air and water pollution, climate change, biodiversity loss, social injustice, the destabilization of communities and the spread of disease."
Brother David Steindl-Rast, a Benedictine monk, similarly says in the February 1995 issue of Harmony: Voices for a Just Future (a peace and justice periodical on the relgious Left): "...the survival of our planet depends on our sense of belonging–to all other humans, to dolphins caught in dragnets to pigs and chickens and calves raised in animal concentration camps, to redwoods and rainforests, to kelp beds in our oceans, and to the ozone layer."
Les Brown of the Overseas Development Council calculates that if Americans reduced their meat consumption by only ten percent per year, it would free at least twelve million tons of grain for human consumption–or enough to feed sixty million people.
The number of animals killed for food in the United States is nearly 75 times larger than the number of animals killed in laboratories, 30 times larger than the number killed by hunters and trappers, and 500 times larger than the number of animals killed in animal pounds.
People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) is challenging those who think they can still be "meat-eating environmentalists" to go veg, if they really care about the planet.
peta2 is now the largest youth movement of any social change organization in the world.
peta2 has 267,000 friends on MySpace and 91,000 Facebook fans.
A few years ago, PETA was the top-ranked charity when a poll asked teenagers what nonprofit group they would most want to work for. PETA won by more than a 2 to 1 margin over the second place finisher, The American Red Cross, with more votes than the Red Cross and Habitat for Humanity combined.
“If anyone wants to save the planet,” says Paul McCartney in an interview with PETA's Animal Times magazine from 2001, “all they have to do is stop eating meat. That’s the single most important thing you could do. It’s staggering when you think about it. Vegetarianism takes care of so many things in one shot: ecology, famine, cruelty. Let’s do it! Linda was right. Going veggie is the single best idea for the new century.”
Holy balls.
1)vasu go back to salon from whence you came, its really not fair of you to be an obnoxious spam prodicer on multiple websites
2) farm waste from animals will be an important resource (and maybegreen fuel) in the future
Do vegans realize that plants ARE ALIVE?
that's one of the most annoying comments people come up with when trying to prove vegans are somehow hypocritical. Plants and animals are very different things. Plants have no central nervous system, therefore cannot feel sensations like pain, depression, etc. That chicken, cow, lamb, milk, etc that you ate was kicked, stabbed, punched, tossed around like it was nothing. Sometimes had urine from the people that were "caring" for it in it's food.... That cow that gave you your morning milk was stabbed or shocked to force it to remain standing, even though it was too tired to stand, so that the machine it was hooked up to could continue extracting milk... it's disgusting the disregard people have for the suffering other animals go through for your food. And to all the religious nuts that say Jesus ate this and drank wine, who cares? First of all, how do you know? Because the bible said so, please. Secondly, they weren't abusing animals back then, they weren't shocking them and kicking them... it wasn't all about how many animals can we push through the production line today.. it was about eating what you needed... that is something we don't do today, so stop comparing two very different situations.
Isn't America great? We are so rich and prosperous as a people that many don't eat meat by choice. There are no vegans in Ethopia or other countries where people are starving.
what's your point? shouldn't eating plants be less expensive than eating meat? How much does it cost to feed lettuce? Water and sunlight... what does it cost to feed a cow? corn/grains (that they shouldn't be eating), water, "shelter", slaughtering, skinning, separating parts, mashing together unusable parts to make "ground beef" for hamburgers, etc etc.... Doesn't it make you wonder why a hamburger at mcdonalds is 39 cents while one big tomato can cost over 3 dollars? Doesn't that make you question what kind of crap you're truly eating?
Another little tidbit for ya, genius 80% of corn grown in the United States is used solely for feeding the animals that we end up slaughtering. So a more appropriate quote from you should be "Isn't america great, we are so rich and prosperous we can afford to feed the 10 billion animals that we slaughter for food every year" Think about how many people that 80% of corn would feed.
all that corn hitting the market at once would be great for the farmers and our bodies!
I have just started to become a vegan. Man's original diet was vegan from the Garden of Eden. Those planning on going to heaven why not get ready now?. The diet will be vegan! Adam lived over 900 years but meat eating was added to the diet after the world-wide flood. Many Seventh-day Adventists are vegan and they live an average 8-10 years longer then the general public and with must less diseases. The quality of life is important and phyiscal exercise is a must.
Isn't America great? We are so rich and prosperous as a people that many don't eat meat by choice. There are no vegans in Ethopia or other countries where people are starving.
Liz Lovely vegan cookies are fantastic. And organic/fair trade. Good stuff.
Some of the best cookies I've ever eaten were Vegan O'Brian cookies. If you're in the New York area, it is worth seeking out Vegan O'Brian baked goods.
Oops, they're spelled Vegan O'Brien. My mistake. They're even more delicious when spelled correctly: Vegan O'Brien. Yum.
vegan cookies (and food) = delicious!
I imagine if I were a cannibal from Papua New Guinea I would not like the taste of Vegans.
I'm not a vegan but I've been making a breakfast cake with whole wheat flour for years that has no eggs or dairy. It's pretty good.
i cant understand why people make thier lives so difficult by not eating meat or dairy. i could understand trying to avoid these items(although i would never avoid them) but it seems to me most vegetarians and vegans act as if eating a little meat was going to kill them. they say they CANT eat meat when what they really mean is they dont WANT to eat meat.
Actually, no. We act like eating even a little meat will kill ANIMALS. Which we're morally opposed to.
It's like getting upset about someone refusing to just beat their kids a little bit or only stab another person once in a while, just for convenience sake, yanno. If it's against our morals, we won't do it. Period. It's that simple.
Also, I don't feel my life is difficult due to avoiding animal products. I have so many delicious things I am ethically okay with eating that what I choose not to eat barely registers. :) Meat, dairy and eggs don't really pop up as "food" on my radar anymore.
your broccolli contains more bugs than animals I would affect in a life time, so you do kill animals. A WHOLE LOT. If every animal counts just a bit then you can't really say you're doing much to lessen suffering, particularly if you eat more broccolli than I do. Admit it, too many disney films have softened your skull and now you can anthropomorphize anything. Except those tiny critters you can't see and will happily, steam or boil to death.
Ashrakay, newsflash: cookies aren't actually intended to be eaten at every meal. You do know that – right?
Sometimes cookies just bring out the worst in people. Relax!
Wonderful! Thank you for covering this story! I love the vegan bake sale movement.
Proof that being vegan can make you just as fat as being a carnivore. I love how people think being vegan is healthier and put a ton of sugar in their food, like somehow the soy milk is going to cancel out the harm done to the body by the flour, sugar and shortening.
You know what else is vegan? An apple. And it's guaranteed not to cause diabetes and heart disease.
You've posted this comment on an article about... cookies.
Thanks for pointing that out. I didn't realize what I was doing.
Post Punk Kitchen's recipes never disappoint. :) Keep up the good work guys! ... And to 99% of the commenters here: Chill! It's just an article about cookies. :D
I have great respect for vegan and vegetarian diets. I think they based on solid principles, and could see myelf being vegetarian someday. My son, however, is allergic to soy and tree nuts. That said, his only complete protein sources are coming from meat. I know some grains like qinuoa have complete proteins, and we do use those options. I think it is an important thing for vegans to take note of the fact that there are some of us who are unable to sustain a vegan diet.
I personally also think it is important for pregnant women to diversify while they are pregnant. Eat what you crave!!
You know, when cookies or cupcakes and happened to use a recipe without dairy in it... people say will eat it no problem and say it is good. If I say I made 'vegan' cupcakes, I have to convince people to eat them and that they are just as normal as non-vegan ones. Then I have to explain how I did it, like I used magic as a bonding agent. Lots of people refuse to even try them.
Why do vegans get scrutinized? And.. why do people who have no intention on being vegan get so threatened by the idea? Most vegans do it for themselves whether it is health or animals rights. They do it because they want to. It is worth the trouble. If you don't like it, that is fine. I won't give you a hard time for eating meat, and you should not give me a hard time for eating a veggie burger.
Those vegan confections will give you as much of a heart attack as any other high-calorie, sweetened non-vegan food. Going by the picture, looks as though a few of them indulge a little too heavily in their own creations.
How incredibly judgmental. What constructive thought have you contributed to this discussion by adding that snarky comment?
This is an article about cookies. Cookies are confectionary items. What was your point again?
I am a meat eater, but I have no problem with vegan baking. I have tried some vegan baked goods, and they are fantastic, I even like chocolate soy milk. But I can't go without flesh, sorry. I love my vegetables and fruits. I eat some carbs, not a huge carb fan, but I eat them. I tried going with meat for a week once. Just to challenge myself. I was very careful and totally balanced my diet with soy, nuts, etc. By the end of the week I was dreaming of hunting. But thats okay, not everyone is meant to be vegan, or even vegetarian. But if I can make my baked good a little healthier, I'm a for it.
I grew up eating meat. In my Korean household, we prepared meat without all of the oils, and seasoning, etc. Now that I'm in college, I've consumed the most heavily seasoned, oily, greasy meats. Yuck. But, I graduate from my university in two weeks. So one month ago, I made a goal: to go vegetarian. I changed, mainly because I do not like how meats are prepared. There are two reasons why I went vegetarian: The way meat is horribly cooked (unhealthy) and also because of how the animals are treated.
However! I still think that it is ok to eat the meat, as long as you are 100% sure that the animals have been raised fairly. I believe that you can eat anything on this earth as long as you are satisfied with the means of how your food came to be. I am not satisfied with the ways these animals have been treated, therefore I go vegetarian. And yes, I might drink milk, eat eggs, cheese, etc., but no beef, no chicken, no pork, no bacon, etc. If I could, I would buy a young calf, raise him fairly, and when the time comes, (for a lack of a better word), eat him. Because I know that I have put hard work into helping raise this animal, and I know that I have also treated him well, giving him a life to live. But lets face it. It's how the triangle of life works. BUT! It doesn't mean that we have to torture these animals, and that we have to use the most unhealthy ingredients to make the meat taste good.
It is honestly hard to eat meat if you know that this cow was treated unfairly. And there is nothing I can do about this particular cow that is sitting on my plate. So what do I do? Just stop eating meat. simple.
I love vegetarian dishes. And I LOVE vegan dishes. There are fanstastic alternatives to meat. Like soy! yum! Grains! yum! Seitan! yum! And roasted red peppers, tomatoes, green onions apples! You can make GREAT dishes with these and NO MEAT!
I guess I'm in transition, and maybe will one day go vegan (but that's a whole other level of goal setting for me to set).
Bottom line: Eating meat is ok. Beating the animals that are to be eaten is a NO NO. Eating vegetarian/vegan is GREAT. We can't tell you to eat meat, or to not eat meat. To go vegan, or to not. But what we can tell you are the facts of meat. The facts of veganism. And it's up to you to make the choice.
Yes, New York Food Coach coming out with 100% whole grain (no flour/no animal product) berry muffin mix with many mixing options to be determined by consumer! There is lots of interest and we look forward to many happy muffin-ites :) Look for it by the year's end http://www.nyfoodcoach.com
Vegan bake sales are fun, but there's a serious reason to go vegan: the almost unimaginable cruelty involved when animals are used for meat, milk, and eggs. Please watch "Farm to Fridge" at meatvideo.com (a video by the group Mercy for Animals) or PETA's "Meet Your Meat" or pretty much any other undercover video of factory farms or slaughterhouses. If these videos shock and horrify you, you can help by taking steps toward going vegan.
Vegan is a good start for your health. It would be more perfect if you eliminate the tons of sugar and salt shown in these recipes. I have significantly reduced sugar and salt content from my diet in addition to being a veg. One amazing benefit is that my taste buds are now more sensitive and I can taste the sweetness in vegs and fruits that I did not before. Overdosing on sugar and salt numbs your taste buds so you need even more of the stuff. I suppose it is a bigger problem for smokers whose taste buds are less sensitive and need more sugar and salt to taste foods. Never mind sugar and salt overdose contribution to disease – diabetes, whatever.
My daughter is allergic to milk and eggs so while my family is not vegan I've done a lot of vegan baking. One popular recipe in my family is called Chocolate Crazy Cake. It is a really good moist, chocolately cake and you would never know it was vegan. This recipe was developed, I'm told, during the food rationing of World War II.
I had the same situation – we are not vegan but my son was allergic to milk and eggs (and fish). Vegan baking became "normal" for us. He has since outgrown those allergies, but I still use the vegan recipes (Thank you Post Punk Kitchen! and vegweb!!!!) for much of my baking because they are soooooooo yummy. I also came across plenty that were downright awful – trial and error. There are some recipes that you just can't adjust and enjoy. And for those I break out the eggs.
I don't think I could go to a vegan diet, but when I have a vegan friend over, I cook vegan and none of us miss the animal products. I have lots of good recipes to use for those occasions. The key is to not make it feel like you are trying to make substitutes.
That cobbler is looking very tasty. :)
I’m a republic meat eater and married a vegan who’s a fantastic cook. I used to make lame jokes/comments about vegans, like some posters here. Now that I truly know vegan food, I understand I was ignorant. Like any food, with a good cook and ingredients, it’s delicious.
Also, when people knock a vegan diet for being unhealthy, or for not being the very best possible diet, he or she is usually making a bad argument. Vegans eat tons of fruits, veggies, nuts, healthy whole grain carbs, things most people barely touch. And the little bit of fruits and veggies most people consume comes from processed foods.
Unless you are that rare bread consuming the recommended daily servings of fruits, veggies, nuts, you minimize your red meat intake, and you actually consume fish at least three times a week (not counting a McDonald’s Filet-O-Fish), please don’t criticize a vegan diet for being unhealthy. Even if you are in that elite category with the latter diet, you have to admit, a vegan diet is better than 95% of the average Joe’s diet.
From my experience, people most hostile towards vegans typically eat lost of junk food and fast food and are on their way toward a life with type II diabetes, or a heart attack and a short life period. I don’t dislike someone because they have a poor diet, but I am irritated by people critical of veganism because it might not be the “healthiest” diet out there. Look in the mirror before you criticize.
My wife’s cooking has definitely helped improve my health. Likely I’ll never go vegan though; I don’t share my wife’s morality about animals, plus I like seafood and the occasional Buffalo wings too much. But I am glad I’ve opened my eyes and understand it.
This is a refreshing comment in a sea of nonsense. Thank you.
I'm vegetarian, and occasionally vegan. Some vegans would say you can't be occasionally vegan, but in terms of my eating I am. It has to be a personal choice made for the right reasons.
For all the people who think vegan foods taste like cardboard, check out Bombshell Bakeshop at http://www.bombshellbakeshop.com. They've got delicious vegan baked goods, and ship most of their goodies. My nonvegan/nonvegetarian friends and family love their stuff!
Eggs are nothing but concentrated blood. Eating animals is no different than eating human beings. Those who consume eggs and meat simply eat unborn and born babies! No different!
Right. And tasty little critters they are, too! Three over-medium, please! With some nice thick-sliced bacon, too!
Nom, nom, nom!
@Arglebargle, exactly the point! If vegans are proud of what they consume, cannibals need to take ownership of what they consume! Good for ya!
Eat what you like...like what you eat. If what someone else eats bothers you, don't eat it.
Some vegan foods are tasty, some not so much. Same with non-vegan foods.
Mushrooms, on the other hand, are nothing but the athletes foot of trees. They should never be consumed.
They WILL kill you. Those insidious little spores, working their way into the center of your organs and setting up shop.
Evil! Pure evil!! ;-)
Eating animal meat is same as eating human flesh! Eggs are nothing but concentrated blood! So, those who eat meat or eggs are just eating fully born and/or unborn babies! sick!
You really should seek counseling. Seriously. Get help.
@Arglebargle, nope! you just need to own up to what you consume. And if you begin to think, you might just finally get it! good luck! reaction is a good start- now think! tough, but try!
Eggs are not unborn chickens unless they have been fertilized.
Vegans are the most sanctimonious, attention-seeking pvssies in first-world societies.
Vegetarianism an Vegan diet is centuries old tradition in India & some part of world. They live longer & healthier life. The concept comes from not harming animals. At one point all ancients human used to eat all kind of meat products. Slowly they gave up 1. Human 2. Pets 3. Dirty (like Snake etc.) due to progress in civilization. One day not all peoples will be Vegetarian or Vegan but they would fully understand the concept. The vegetarian who consume dairy product believes that the milk producing animals are not killed. In fact milking domestic animal like cow is better for cow's health. So there is not much difference between the fundamental of the two concepts. There are thousands of vegetarian food items. Just to give a glimpse of the vegetarian varieties, visit some Hindu temple of special occasions like Anakut & you will see over 1000 vegetarian items (lot more in India). There new items per day to & you do not have repeat a food variety for a year.
@why vegan, very well said! Thanks!
I don't have a problem with veganism. Heck, I see myself as able to go vegan if I was so inclined (imagination and spices are truly great things). I DO have a problem with vegans who adopt an air of smug superiority and vegans that go out of their way to let you know that they think your decision to eat meat and animal products is wrong.
Unfortunately, over half of the vegans I know are like that.
I quit eating meat, but not fish, for years. I eat it now, and sometimes don't feel comfortable, but I DO make sure that what I cook does NOT go to waste if it involves meat. Humans are the problem here...if there were less, or preferably NONE..problem solved. The animals would have taken MUCH better care of mother earth alone. Humans SUCK..and are NOT as smart as they think they are...look at this toilet bowl world since we've invaded it.
Vegan baked goods taste just as good as those with milk and eggs, so why not? I'm only a vegetarian, not a vegan, but limit my dairy intake because it just isn't necessary in most dishes. The substitutes taste just fine and it's much better for the planet..so why wouldn't you swap out the butter for vegan margarine every once in a while?
The best vegan food still tastes like garbage.
Heh. I guess I cook vegan, but its not because I AM a vegan (no offence, but i cant live without my steaks), but its because of food allergies in my family. My brother is allergic to egg, my nephew milk, so for years I've been cooking and baking without the two ingredients. I never considered it *vegan* cooking tho. Just cooking. LOL
I have detested fruit and veggies ever since I can remember. My refusal to eat that swill was a source of constant war with my parents. When I left home at the age of 16, I swore I would never eat another piece of fruit or another helping of veggies as log as I lived and kept that promise faithfully.
I am now on the high side of a hundred and suspect my diet of meat and 'bad stuff' will eventually kill me.
Nah, your age is gonna kill you first.
Just to answer everyone's question here about why the animosity between vegans and well, people who eat the way their bodies were designed to operate; it all has to do with the vegan high horse syndrome. Veganism is the environmental choice. They're friendlier to animals. They're pure at soul. This holier than thou attitude just pisses people off. So vegans, please step off your high horse. Stop pushing your crappy recipes down everyones throat and be okay with being human like the rest of us.
Signed,
Everyone Else
I think the most important thing to do is educate yourself about the food choices you make. That way you can be confident in what you are doing and not care what other people say.
My food takes a dump on your food.
There is a shop in Columbus, Ohio, called Pattycake Vegan Bakery, that has the most unbelievably tasty cookies, muffins, cakes, brownies, cupcakes and rolls. No eggs, dairy, sugar or cholesterol, only whole grains, organic natural ingredients and no hydrogenated oils-and biodegradeable packaging. Fantastic tasting sweets. You can't believe how good they are! I never would have believed it until I tried them myself.
How many of the workers at the bakery have dreads and dress in hemp clothing?
If you like that bakery, check out Bombshell Bakeshop in Dayton...www.bombshellbakeshop.com. They make awesome goodies, and my nonvegan/nonvegetarian familyand friends love their stuff. They also ship most of their baked goods, so it makes it easy for you to try their goodies!
Why do people really get in such a fuss (on both sides) over such a trivial issue? I am an omnivore and I have no problems with trying 'vegan' foods, just as I have no problems trying any other food. I also see no reason to disrespect people for making different dietary choices for health/ethical/whatever reasons than my own.
it's not that trivial when you consider that most meat that is consumed this day and age has suffered greatly and lived in pretty terrible conditions including being abused by the people "caring" for them. So while it may seem trivial to some, to the people that are trying to stop the abuse and cruelty, it is really not trivial at all.
vegan/vegetarian eating is the only sustainable way to live and support our environment. Its healthy, delicious and doesn't involve cruelty to other living beings. I don't see a down side to veganism. Most people don't think about the cruelty that goes into the making of a meal that has animal products. Please eat consciously!
kiran, I eat very consciously, and we even raise some of our own meat. From birth to death, a carefully considered, humane life, a humane death, and a recognition that each of us is fulfilling our place on the Great Wheel of Life. I would never insult the other animals on that wheel, who never step outside of their place on it, by saying that I'm somehow better than they are because I can decide that I know better than nature (or the deity of your choice) how the design should work. Plus, a vegan diet, even a vegetarian one, and I would soon be very ill (yes, I've tried it, carefully balanced, more than once); do not be so arrogant as to assume that what works for your physiology works for everyone, and I'll return the favor and not, without knowing you at all, insist that you could only be healthy on a diet that includes meat or that such is the only sustainable diet.
@TexasHorseLady, eggs are nothing but concentrated blood. Eating animals is no different than eating human beings. Those who consume eggs and meat simply eat unborn and born babies! No different!
You clearly have never watched Animal Planet. Killer whales eat sea lions, after toying with their half alive carcass and using it for practice. Local free range chicken and beef and has no serious negative consequences on the environment. Just to ice that little cake of pious advice you are about to choke on, my chosen deity made sure everyone had enough fish and bread to go around. So suck it...
I don't think the bread was baked at a vegan bakery either :)
@Geoffrey Hamilton, I strongly recommend reading 'Heads and Tails' by Maneka Gandhi to you! You'll begin to understand. cheers!
I was going to comment that I see no reason to make up vegan substitutes for those desserts that are fine just the way they are, but I'm afraid that getting into such a discussion with vegans who think that everyone should (for health or other reasons) eat the way they should or that a well-balanced vegan diet is healthy for everyone no matter what their physiological make-up always raises my blood pressure, which is bad for my health. I have no problem with anyone who wants to eat a vegan diet, as long as they don't start proselytizing (yes, some people do use it as a religion).
It always amuses me how angry and mean meat-eaters get over vegans. Like vegans really threaten them somehow. I don't get these people's responses. Why would they care that much about what someone else chooses to eat?
To be fair, the animosity flows in both directions and it's been going on a long time.
The reasons for anger on either side may not be obvious on this thread. However, if you roll all the militant vegan's comments together with the angry meat-eaters' comments, you will get a clear picture of why some things are said.
I agree! Why the anger towards people who are being good people, good environmentalists, good to animals? While I am not a vegan, I do not feel anger towards vegans, in fact I am darn proud of them for being better human beings than I.
Lighten up everyone!
On what basis do you claim vegans are "better human beings" than other people are?
Just as all vegans are not militant, all meat eaters are not haters either. There has been many comments previously on these blogs where some of the (militant) vegans made comments and wishing "an early death" upon those who eat meat, for us to hurry up and die, etc. I respect both choices, especially the vegan choice as I don't think I could do it.
Probably because vegans are so very preachy about why they eat the way they do.
@VeganMom – there are haters on both sides of the equation – much the same as the Christians vs Atheist arguments. The Vegan are like the Christians and get terribly holy than thou and preachy – that's what becomes frustrating and annoying. They believe they are absolutely, 100% right and everyone should see just how right they are, but life just doesn't work that way.
A good recipe is a good recipe, I'll eat anything that tastes good but the lengths Vegans go to to simulate and mimic and replace feels so unnatural. You have canine teeth for a reason...same reason you have eyes facing forward instead of on the sides of your head: we're not descended from grass munching prey, we're hunters. For all of the back to nature sentiment around the movement, one has to question how natural this diet is since thousands of years of evolution says otherwise.
That said, I support the movement whole heartedly because it means more incredible produce available for everyone, but let's not get too crazy. The real problems come from consuming too much cheap meat, sugar and sodium, much of it from ultra processed food. I think the better message would be a return to real food, much like what Michael Pollan and Jamie Oliver have been espousing for years.
I know. I'm always trying to simulate cookies by baking cookies. So unnatural of me.
Evolution may have given us canine teeth, but it also gave us human brains, allowing us to think about what we eat (and do and say) and make rational and moral decisions. Like most vegans, after careful consideration I decided that I could not in good conscience consume animals or animal products. It has nothing to do with what is "natural," but instead what is moral.
Hey Michael, don't know if you've noticed, but the meat that humans eat hardly is the result of hunting (with rare exception). It's the result of confining docile animals in high concentrations and shipping them off to mechanized slaughter. Nice, uh, hunting. You're not a hunter–you're a consumer.
archaeologists have found proof that early man harvested grains to make primitive bead. there was some hunting yes, but there was a lot more foraging through the woods and such for berries, nuts and seeds.
I'm not quite sure where you are getting your information but it's not exactly correct. One needs to recognize that there is a difference between the mechanisms that we evolved to help us for survival and what is actually the best for one's health. You sound like a Paleo-diet fan, which makes very little sense based on actual anthropological studies on people from a hunter-gatherer society. Their fecal content was extremely high in fiber, showing a very high dependency on fibrous foods. News flash – plant foods are the ones with fiber. Meat was also eaten extremely sparingly, because hunting was a huge event and the meat was split between all members of the tribe. If you want to go 'back to nature', learn the facts. Also look at animals with similar behaviors. Primates have huge canines but do not consume meat (they do occasionally consume bugs). Real meat eating animals have a multitude of canines and can eat meat raw. Humans have to cook it, pointing to the fact that meat is just something we can eat if we need to survive, but consuming it in the high does that we do is unhealthy.
Attacking veganism isn't doing any good for our society either. Vegans stand for a lot more than just eating meat. Ignoring the focus on eating more fruits/veggies, not consuming dairy and whole grains is detrimental to the mindset of anyone who reads your comment. If you think it's okay to eat meat, by all means do it. But don't trash the name of veganism when it is a well thought out, environmentally, ethically, and healthfully beneficial movement.
People become veg or vegan for MANY different reasons! It's not alwys about health, but it's easier to be healthy when you are eating a diet that consists of veggies and whole grains. Mostly it comes down to a personal choice, so CHILL OUT people!!! If you don't like it than don't do it, but don't insult people just because they eat differently than you do.
What would be really healthy for Americans at large would be to stop consuming so much sugar and grains. Sugar is toxic to our bodies and contributes to a whole host of health problems, including heart disease and cancers. Many people are suffering from grain intolerance or full-on Celiac disease as well. I was vegetarian and then vegan for many years, and after what I've learned about health and nutrition because of my own health problems since then, I wouldn't recommend the diet to anyone. Its not healthy for the human body to have a diet centered around grains and foods high in lectins. I know I sound like one of those anti-vegan wingnuts, but really, I love most vegans because their hearts are in the right place... But the diet is sadly not the healthiest option out there. (and I miss vegan cookies!! so good!)
I'm curious, what is it that you've learned about health and nutrition that speaks to veganism being unhealthy? ANY diet reliant on grains and sugar would fail, whether it included animal products or not. Fortunately, there is about a million other foods a vegan can eat, so...yeah.
I think you might be a bit confused Andrea. Veganism may not be the healthiest option out there...for YOU. If your idea of veganism was to continue eating processed foods, simple carbs, and junk food (and there is plenty of vegan junk food out there), then of *course* you felt horrible. I know a TON of people, vegetarian, vegan, and omnivore alike who have bad diets, and all of them center on eating lots of processed food, while eschewing fresh produce. Plenty of vegans out there stop eating animal products and yet continue to ignore veggies...it's no surprise they feel like crap.
A vegan diet full of fresh fruits and veggies, as well as a good dose of complex carbs is just not going to be bad for you. The trick is to shy away from overly processed fake meats, and cook with whole foods. And frankly, that's good advice for *anyone,* vegan or not.
go, it is part of our diet, and should become a greater part.
you are missing the point. vegans aren't so cuz it's healthy, which actually it is. we take issue with animal abuse, and all animal products are the direct result of animal abuse. veganism isn't a diet, it goes beyond what a person eats, we also don't do leather, fur, cosmetics that are tested on animals and so on. A person who eats a vegan diet but still wears leather and uses Pantene is just a strict vegetarian. even if it weren't healthy, which btw it is, I would still be vegan because I'm ethically opposed to animal abuse.
a vegan diet is very healthy. that is a well planned vegan diet. the trick is variety and informing yourself on where to get all your nutritional needs met. it certainly is healthier than eating the standard American diet.
and just so you know, you don't have to be vegan to eat vegan cookies.
@Andrea, read Heads and Tails by Maneka Gandhi and you'll understand how ill-informed you have been. good luck!
If someone is vegan an unhealthy, they're doing it wrong. Missing periods? Seriously? I don't know of one vegan woman that has EVER happened to. And I know a massive amount of vegan mothers with healthy, strong, intelligent and energetic vegan children.
Its always so funny to see people who have absolutely no firsthand experience in something become instant experts on it. Its always kind of sad to see a really positive, non-preachy and fun article followed up with so much unexplainable hatred and anger. No need to be so defensive...the article wasn't attacking anyone. It was a fun piece! Lighten up.
Real vegans don't even cook their food. Everything is raw, so how can they bake?
"Real vegans" don't eat (and often don't use) animal products. It has nothing to do with raw or cooked.
Huh? Veganism and a raw food diet are not the same thing at all.
Real vegans don't cook their food? Based on what?
Real vegans don't eat cookies because of all the processed ingredients that go into them. Why does vegan want to find substitute that taste same as non-vegan food items they think are disgusting, like egg protein, butter fat and bacon?
Because they don't want to admit that they actually like those foods and want to taste those things, of course. That would involve getting off their no-animals soapbox and being a regular human being.
What exactly is a regular human being?
I'm afraid you've been misinformed. Many vegans do like the taste of animal products, but choose not to eat them for reasons like compassion towards animal suffering, minimization of negative environmental effects, and and improvement of health. They are not opposed to the taste of animal products, just the negative impacts of eating them. If a cruelty-free, healthy alternative is available, there is no harm in eating it.
No one said those things don't taste good, but there are a number of good reasons to not consume eggs, butter or bacon. And you don't have to, when you can make delicious things without them. Veganism is not about denying yourself things that taste delicious.
I have to agree. I miss cheese dishes and creams, and ice cream, and cheese and yogurt. But now that I know what is really in that stuff I can pretty easily stay away from it. I do miss a pork chop or chicken or a nice steak with shrimp. I really do miss those things sometimes, but as the days of putting healthy things in your body increase, the longings for animal and fish and bird carcases, and mucous from bovine animals, goes away just like quitting smoking.
Uh.. No one said vegans don't like animal products. I've been vegan for years and I can still admit that yes, bacon did taste good, and so did eggs, milk, chicken, butter, and other animal products. But, I chose not eat those things because of the negative health & environmental effects, as well as for moral reasons. So what's the harm in baking a cake or a cookie that taste just as good or better and isn't as unhealthy & didn't come from such a cruel source?
You'll get a mixed bag of responses to this question. I personally don't miss eating meat, and I don't get into meat substitutes. They're typically very processed, and I prefer to eat food that's not so machined. I've been a vegan for many years, and I don't think of veganism as doing without. Rather, it's doing things differently. I eat an extremely varied diet full of a diverse assortment of tasty foods.
Every vegan I know is a retard. Every one.
Just sayin'
Every person I know who uses the word "retard" is a jerk. Every one.
Just sayin'
Sooooo... you must be vegan.
Just sayin'
Is there a reason you need to be mean?
Observer: You've posted the same thing before. Not very creative, are you?
Every vegan I know won't stfu about it. Btw there's nothing wrong with using the word retard. It's no more offensive than asking someone who didn't see something if they're blind.
Hahaha, very true.
Vegans won't stfu about being vegan because it is amazing! And quite frankly we want everyone to know about the health benefits, the delicious alternatives, and the awesomeness of being able to eat and know for a fact that nothing had to die so that you could enjoy your meal. And because of my ' not shutting the F* up' about being vegan, my mom, husband, aunt, uncle, 4 of my cousins, and several friends have switched to a vegan lifestyle..and every single one thanks me for introducing them to it. As well as my mom being able come off of cholesterol drugs, my husband loosing 50lbs, and several others loosing excess weight that they'd been trying to get off for years, having more energy, and being able to come off of drugs for various illness that they no longer suffer from since they transitioned to a plant based diet. wow, i'm such a horrible person because I wont STFU about being vegan.
That's all well and good, Marina, but it's "losing," not "loosing."
Retard is an offensive word, sort of like using the words negro or oriental to describe a person. It is in poor taste. Also, blindness is a specific condition, whereas retard is basically a slang term.
Also, props to Marina!
Marina, all food has to die so it can be eaten, even vegan food. Food is another being (plant, animal) giving its life so you may eat and continue to live. I am vegan, but I don't fool myself into thinking that my food did not sacrifice its life for me.
A co-worker of mine is fluten free for health reasons. At picnics, she'll bring in gluten free baked goods and everything I've had is quite tasty. Especially the chocolate chip cookies. There is a texture difference – gluten free seems to be a bit dryer and hearty, but I definitely recommend giving it a try. The only bad thing is a lot of the ingredients are very expensive still.
Vegan and gluten free are not the same thing.
I do some Vegan baking, mostly if I'm trying to earn points with the boy's family (vegan sister). In many cases you can't tell the difference
Not a chance. If I was planning to eat vegan-style, I would give it a whirl. But I'm not, so I won't.
I'm a vegan.
who gives a shit?
Vegans do. Really BIG ones, too. That's why they have to flush more than once when using the low-flow toilets. All that fiber takes a lot more water to move.
i am sorry for you
In other words you're a gullible loser.
I would totally believe an Oscar Meyer Hotdog is vegan. Very suspicious ingredients! :-)
I baked a Beef Brisket once...tasted like meat.
It's funny how you omnivores think this is an original or funny comment to put on what is essentially a puff piece. Is your meat eating that threatened by other people? It's so predictable, and *that* is what's funny about your comment.
Amen, Gladcow. Sadly, there is no changing the minds of people without compassion. Best to let it go and live our lives the best way we can.
Get over yourself.
Those of us who find RichardHead's comment funny most likely is because we have a sense of humor. Sorry to see yours has been removed.
Wow, if you think that lame joke constitutes a sense of humor I fear for our nation. Richard Head! HA HA! I'm in 4th grade! ME SMART!
gladcows sense of humor was flushed down the crapper years ago with a bunch of fiber.
Jesus ate meat and drank wine, so do I.
DEAL WITH IT.
How cute, you think Jesus was real!
Sounds like gladcow can use a little meet in her diet. ;)
Yes, and it makes you smart too! This is demonstrated when you misspell "meat". Nicee.