Happy World Vegan Day everyone! Celebrate it by eating something really tasty and vegan or – I don’t know – do something fun together! Here are some green, friendly hugs to all you other veggie people out there!
Veg*anism
Important days
October doesn’t just bring World Vegetarian Day (October 1) but also the World Animal Day (October 4). In fact, that works out really well. If you eat less meat (preferably none at all) fewer animals will die. On the World Animal Day, at least here in Sweden, it’s the day for making cinnamon buns. That too, fits in very well. You see, it’s perfectly possible to make buns without using any kind of animal products.
Instead of the customary cow’s milk, which is the result of exploitation of cows, and which can cause stomach problems, arthritic pain and harm your ability to digest calcium. You might think that it sounds like a contradiction. Calcium in milk should be great for your bones. No? Consider this: why is there so much calcium in milk? Maybe because there has to be, because of the problem with metabolizing calcium. You can get osteoporosis (brittle bones) from drinking milk.
There are many different kinds of replacements for cow’s milk, like soy milk (won’t work if you’re allergic to soy), oat milk (might be a problem if you suffer from gluten intolerance, though if you do, you probably can’t eat cinnamon buns at all) or rice milk. I’ve heard of other cool replacements but where I live they aren’t available commercially. However, I have tried almond cream/milk, which is yummy and sesamy seed milk, which wasn’t very tasty, I’m afraid, but sesamy seeds are good for all kinds of other things. In some countries hemp milk is also available.
Espresso House again
The chocolate balls (vegan) are as good at Espresso House in Malmö as they are in Göteborg.
After what was supposed to be a reasonably short trip, due to unforeseen circumstances turned into one considerably longer and more tiresome, I had to get something to eat. Since Espresso House is conveniently located inside the Central Station in Malmö, I dropped in, while waiting for the next train.
Actually, Malmö seems quite nice so I think I’ll return some day when the weather is a litte nicer, just to go sightseeing.
Chocolate balls and latte
I was in Gothenburg the other day. (See a separate post in my personal blog). To begin with, I was thinking about going to a veggie restaurant in the center of the city, but I wasn’t there for long enough to really feel like having lunch.
I did go to a place called Espresso House inside the Central Station. (There are at least two of those inside the Central Station and a couple of more in the mall across the street). They have a soy latte!!! I’m not too keen on coffee, but this was pretty nice. They also have a chocolate ball that is (hopefully) vegan! I have to check up on the chocolate they use to make it, but other than that, the ingredients were completely vegan. It was delicious. Normally, I like something a lot less sweet for ‘breakfast’ but all in all, this was really tasty.
jI read about Espresso House in a guide to vegan or veg friendly places in Gothenburg. I’ll link to the site on this blog.
I also read about a place called Condeco, also in central Gothenburg, that has a raspberry muffin (vegan too, naturally). That’s the place I’ll go to next time. Because I’ll definitely go to Gothenburg more often now.
What is a Vegan?
I found this on Care2:
View the page here.
What is a Vegan?
Vegetarians do not eat meat, fish, or poultry. Vegans, in addition to being vegetarian, do not use other animal products and by-products such as eggs, dairy products, honey, leather, fur, silk, wool, cosmetics, and soaps derived from animal products.
Why Veganism?
People choose to be vegan for health, environmental, and/or ethical reasons. For example, some vegans feel that one promotes the meat industry by consuming eggs and dairy products. That is, once dairy cows or egg-laying chickens are too old to be productive, they are often sold as meat; and since male calves do not produce milk, they usually are raised for veal or other products. Some people avoid these items because of conditions associated with their production.
Many vegans choose this lifestyle to promote a more humane and caring world. They know they are not perfect, but believe they have a responsibility to try to do their best, while not being judgmental of others.
Vegan Nutrition
The key to a nutritionally sound vegan diet is variety. A healthy and varied vegan diet includes fruits, vegetables, plenty of leafy greens, whole grain products, nuts, seeds, and legumes.
Protein
It is very easy for a vegan diet to meet the recommendations for protein as long as calorie intake is adequate. Strict protein planning or combining is not necessary. The key is to eat a varied diet.
Almost all foods except for alcohol, sugar, and fats are good sources of protein. Vegan sources include: potatoes, whole wheat bread, rice, broccoli, spinach, almonds, peas, chickpeas, peanut butter, tofu, soy milk, lentils, kale…
For example, if part of a day’s menu included the following foods, you would meet the Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) for protein for an adult male: 1 cup oatmeal, 1 cup soy milk, 2 slices whole wheat bread, 1 bagel, 2 Tablespoons peanut butter, 1 cup vegetarian baked beans, 5 ounces tofu, 2 Tablespoons of almonds, 1 cup broccoli, and 1 cup brown rice.
Fat
Vegan diets are free of cholesterol and are generally low in fat. Thus eating a vegan diet makes it easy to conform to recommendations given to reduce the risk of major chronic diseases such as heart disease and cancer. High-fat foods, which should be used sparingly, include oils, margarine, nuts, nut butters, seed butters, avocado, and coconut.
Vitamin D
Vitamin D is not found in the vegan diet but can be made by humans following exposure to sunlight. At least ten to fifteen minutes of summer sun on hands and face two to three times a week is recommended for adults so that vitamin D production can occur.
Calcium
Calcium, needed for strong bones, is found in dark green vegetables, tofu processed with calcium sulfate, and many other foods commonly eaten by vegans. Calcium requirements for those on lower protein, plant-based protein diets may be somewhat lower than requirements for those eating a higher protein, flesh-based diet. However, it is important for vegans to eat foods high in calcium and/or use a vegan calcium supplement every day.
CALCIUM CONTENT OF SELECTED FOODS
Following are some good sources of calcium:
___________________________________________________________
Soy or rice milk,
commercial, calcium-
fortified, plain 8 oz 150-500
Collard greens, cooked 1 cup 357 mg
Blackstrap molasses 2 TB 342 mg
Tofu, processed with
calcium sulfate 4 oz 200-330 mg
Calcium-fortified
orange juice 8 oz 300 mg
Tofu, processed with
nigari 4 oz 80-230 mg
Kale, cooked 1 cup 176 mg
Tahini 2 TB 128 mg
Almonds 1/4 cup 97 mg
___________________________________________________________
Other sources of calcium include: okra, sesame seeds, turnip greens, soybeans, figs, tempeh, almond butter, broccoli, bok choy, commercial soy yogurt…
The recommended intake for calcium for adults 19 through 50 years is 1000 milligrams/day.
Note: It appears that oxalic acid, which is found in spinach, rhubarb, chard, and beet greens, binds with calcium and reduces calcium absorption. Calcium is well absorbed from other dark green vegetables.
Zinc
Vegan diets can provide zinc at levels close to or even higher than the RDA. Zinc is found in grains, legumes, and nuts.
Iron
Dried beans and dark green vegetables are especially good sources of iron, better on a per calorie basis than meat. Iron absorption is increased markedly by eating foods containing vitamin C along with foods containing iron.
Sources of Iron
Soybeans, lentils, blackstrap molasses, kidney beans, chickpeas, black-eyed peas, seitan, Swiss chard, tempeh, black beans, prune juice, beet greens, tahini, peas, figs, bulghur, bok choy, raisins, watermelon, millet, kale….
Comparison of Iron Sources
Here are the iron contents of selected foods:
______________________________________________
FOOD IRON (MG)
______________________________________________
1 cup cooked soybeans 8.8
2 Tbsp blackstrap molasses 7.0
1 cup cooked lentils 6.6
1 cup cooked kidney beans 5.2
1 cup cooked chickpeas 4.7
1 cup cooked lima beans 4.5
1 cup cooked Swiss chard 4.0
1/8 medium watermelon 1.0
______________________________________________
Vitamin B12
The requirement for vitamin B12 is very low. Non-animal sources include Red Star nutritional yeast T6635 also known as Vegetarian Support Formula (around 2 teaspoons supplies the adult RDA). It is especially important for pregnant and lactating women, infants, and children to have reliable sources of vitamin B12 in their diets. Numerous foods are fortified with B12, but sometimes companies change what they do. So always read labels carefully or write the companies.
Tempeh, miso, and seaweed are often labeled as having large amounts of vitamin B12. However, these products are not reliable sources of the vitamin because the amount of vitamin B12 present depends on the type of processing the food undergoes. Other sources of vitamin B12 are fortified soy milk (check the label as this is rarely available in the U.S.), vitamin B12-fortified meat analogues, and vitamin B12 supplements. There are supplements which do not contain animal products. Vegetarians who are not vegan can also obtain vitamin B12 from dairy products and eggs.
Common Vegan Foods
Oatmeal, stir-fried vegetables, cereal, toast, orange juice, peanut butter on whole wheat bread, frozen fruit desserts, lentil soup, salad bar items like chickpeas and three bean salad, dates, apples, macaroni, fruit smoothies, popcorn, spaghetti, vegetarian baked beans, guacamole, chili…
Vegans Also Eat…
Tofu lasagna, homemade pancakes without eggs, hummus, eggless cookies, soy ice cream, tempeh, corn chowder, soy yogurt, rice pudding, fava beans, banana muffins, spinach pies, oat nut burgers, falafel, corn fritters, French toast made with soy milk, soy hot dogs, vegetable burgers, pumpkin casserole, scrambled tofu, seitan.
When Eating Out Try These Foods
Pizza without cheese, Chinese moo shu vegetables, Indian curries and dahl, eggplant dishes without the cheese, bean tacos without the lard and cheese (available from Taco Bell and other Mexican restaurants), Middle Eastern hummus and tabouli, Ethiopian injera (flat bread) and lentil stew, Thai vegetable curries…
Egg and Dairy Replacers
As a binder, substitute for each egg:
* 1/4 cup (2 ounces) soft tofu blended with the liquid ingredients of the recipe, or
* 1 small banana, mashed, or
* 1/4 cup applesauce, or
* 2 tablespoons cornstarch or arrowroot starch, or Ener-G Egg Replacer or another commercial mix found in health food stores.
The following substitutions can be made for dairy products:
* Soy milk, rice milk, potato milk, nut milk, or water (in some recipes) may be used.
* Buttermilk can be replaced with soured soy or rice milk. For each Cup of buttermilk, use 1 cup soymilk plus 1 tablespoon of vinegar.
* Soy cheese available in health food stores. (Be aware that many soy cheeses contain casein, which is a dairy product.)
* Crumbled tofu can be substituted for cottage cheese or ricotta cheese in lasagna and similar dishes.
* Several brands of nondairy cream cheese are available in some supermarkets and kosher stores.
25 Reasons To Be Veg*an
1. A vegan requires 1/6 of an acre for food per year. A lacto-ovo vegetarian 3 times that. A meat-eater 20 times that.
2. A vegan’s food uses 300 gallons of water a day. A lacto-ovo vegetarian 4 times as much. A meat-eater 14 times as much.
3. In the U.S. animals raised for food create 130 times as much excrement as the entire human population.
4. This pollutes the waterways and kills aquatic life.
5. Farming animals requires more than 1/3 of all greenhouse-gas-emitting fossil fuels in the U.S.
6. And has detroyed 3/4 of the topsoil.
7. Even prisons aren’t as crowded as factory farms.
8. Everyone wants to be free.
9. Animals feel fear and don’t want to die.
10. When animals feel pain they scream too.
11.It takes a small person to kill a defenceless animal and a even smaller one to eat one.
12. Speciesism is the ‘most extreme’ form of racism.
13. No animal deserves to die for your taste buds.
14. You wouldn’t eat your pets.
15. No living creature wants to see their family slaughtered. Animals love their young and mourn their loss.
16. ‘Might doesn’t make right’ eventually people recognised that abuse of other humans is wrong, it’s time other species got some consideration.
17. Every year 40 million people die of starvation related causes. They could be fed by the crops exported to feed farm animals.
18. Nobody should have to kill for a living. Working in a slaughter house has the highest rate of injury and illness.
19. Eating animal products causes heart disease. A vegan diet can reverse this.
20. In every package of chicken there’s a little poop. 98% of chicken carcasses had detectable levels of E.coli.
21. Eating meat and dairy products makes you fat. 18% of Americans are obese, only 2% of vegetarians are.
22. You shouldn’t have to lie to your children about the food they eat. The violence involved would horrify a lot of them.
23. Commerce is no excuse for killing. The slave trade used to be profitable too.
24. ‘Meat’ is just a euphemism for a decomposing corpse used as food.
25. If you wouldn’t be able to kill the animal yourself, why should someone have to do it for you?
Veganism and animals
Recently, I’ve read a few posts in veganism communities, that lead me to believe that some, perhaps many, vegans hate animals like dogs, cats etc, and wouldn’t mind seeing them wiped out.
When I began considering becoming a vegan – when I was a child – it was simply because I love animals (all animals, or almost all) so much. It’s still just as important to me as the environment, solidarity or my own health.
If somehow being a vegan says ‘I hate animals’ I’m not sure if I want to tell the world I am one. It wouldn’t change my diet or my values, but I might get more cautious about how I label myself.
What are you made of?
“If we weren’t supposed to eat animals, why are they made of food?”
That’s what it said in the creep’s signature on a site I’m a member of.
He didn’t make it up himself. I’m pretty sure it’s a quote, probably translated into Swedish from English. From the Simpsons, I think. I don’t watch the show, even if I like Lisa a lot, so I can’t tell if it’s true or not. Whoever said it the first time, I’d like to suggest a little experiment, that is if you agree with the creep with the signature.:
Take a razor and cut yourself straight across the palm of your hand. Put your hand inside a cage inhabited by a polar bear. The polar bear can be exchanged for a tiger, lion, snow leopard or a shark in an aquarium, whichever is more convenient for you.
When you’re done, and you’re screeching and yelling and wondering if you want decorations on your prosthetic hand or if you’re even going to survive, ask yourself what your hand is made of. Go on. Ask the polar bear (tiger, lion, snow leopard or shark).
Think about it. What are you made of?
Meat
Yesterday I read about a demo/protest against meat production that had taken place in Stockholm. To me, it seemed to be a good way to catch people’s attention. Nowadays, you probably need to use shock tactics to make stressed out, apathetic people pay attention, and hopefully, think a little. Then I read a couple of comments about it. Most people were irritated and almost no one (with a few important exceptions) seemed to care. Instead, they seemed to take the whole thing as yet another excuse to hate us vegans.
The word itself seems to be a provocation to many meat eaters (or necrophages as I like to call them). Why is that? If they’re so convinced that what they’re doing is right, why don’t they ignore those of us who don’t eat meat? It’s up to each person to make these decisions.
I’ll admit that I haven’t discussed this topic with that many meat eaters. Unfortunately, almost right away their comments tend to degenerate into personal insults and petty teasing. So I can’t really say what’s causing their spitefulness. I’m guessing they feel guilty over not getting involved in any causes like I do.
101 reasons not to be a vegan (joke!)
You think that you are the last of the unicorns, and your heart flutters whenever someone says the word “vegan”. You think, “Maybe there are others out there…”
http://sbvdesigns.com/veg/reasons.html
I loved this. Most of those are only too familiar. Of course, it makes me realize how lucky I’ve been when it comes to my family. My grandmother only asked me the “when are you going to eat normal food again” question once. She knew I was serious.