Vegan For The Health Of It?

I’ve been resisting the urge to write about last week’s big news story concerning meat and mortality. The study made a case against high intakes of meat and got lots of press. It reinforced the idea that red meat is bad for us, so that’s a good thing for anyone who promotes a plant-based diet.

Like all epidemiologic studies, it had its share of weaknesses, but the large number of subjects helps to counteract some of that. Furthermore, the results are supported to some extent by other research about the dangers associated with red meat consumption.

But the study also found that eating more white meat, like chicken, was linked to a lower risk of mortality. The take home message, according to many of the articles I read, was “Eat less red meat and more chicken and fish.” It’s the same message we’ve been hearing for decades, ever since people started talking about cholesterol and heart disease. And it’s a message that really sticks. Most health conscious people don’t eat less meat; they eat different meat. And even among those who have cut back on meat for health reasons, most haven’t cut it out.

The same goes for dairy. Whole milk may be taboo on many menus, but it’s simply been replaced with nonfat yogurt.

We have piles of good data about the benefits of eating more whole plant foods and a largely plant-based diet. What we don’t have (yet) are studies showing that vegans have significantly better health than those who eat mostly plant foods but still include some small amounts of animal foods in their diets.

That’s just one of the reasons I’ve never been a big fan of the “health argument” for vegan diet. If we are going to rely on the scientific data in a way that is smart and responsible—as all good vegan health professionals should—then the argument falls short of convincing.

The best advocacy is based on arguments that are rooted in solid fact—the ones that focus on the suffering of farm animals. When it comes to health, I’m not convinced that a few bites of chicken would hurt me. But I know beyond a doubt that those few bites would contribute to animal suffering.

Vegans Say “No” to Eggs and Thank You to Boca!

There is great news today for vegans and others who avoid products containing eggs. According to the latest e-newsletter from Vegan Outreach, Boca Foods has pledged to eliminate eggs from all of its foods by the end of this year.

Boca makes a variety of good-for-you meatless products including veggie burgers and entrees. Their decision to eliminate eggs is in response largely to efforts by four organizations: Vegan Outreach, Compassion Over Killing, Mercy for Animals, and the Animal Protection and Rescue League.

While many Boca products are not vegan (some contain cheese), elimination of eggs makes a big difference for farm animals. Egg production on factory farms—including those that are “cage free” –is among the cruelest practices of this industry.

The people at the American Egg Board want you to eat more eggs of course. They say that eggs can help with weight loss because they are good sources of protein. Actually one egg provides only 6 grams of protein. One of Boca’s vegan burgers has 13 grams of protein for just a few more calories. Veggie burgers offer other health-promoting factors, too, like fiber. Whether you are watching your weight or not—no one needs eggs!

If you would like to say "thank you" to the folks at Boca, you can email them at boca@casupport.com.

Vegetarian Carrie Underwood for Entertainer of the Year

I just voted for Carrie Underwood for Entertainer of the Year and you can (and should), too. The award is given by the Academy of Country Music (ACM), and I learned about it on a beef producer’s blog that I follow.

Beef industry proponents dislike Carrie with a passion and would like to undermine her career in any way possible. Carrie is a vegetarian (since she was 13 years old), an animal lover and a supporter of the Humane Society of the U.S. Some of the proceeds from her latest song, Home Sweet Home, are being donated to that organization.

Supporters of the beef industry are asking people to vote for George Strait, a member of the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association, because he supports their values. I followed their link to the online ballot—but I voted for Carrie!

You have to register with the ACM in order to vote—a little bit of a hassle. But it was worth it to me. It’s a small thing to do to support someone who cares about farm animals. Click here to vote for Carrie.

Convenience Foods Are Okay for Vegans!

I had a few emails from readers about my last blog post. They were surprised at the number of canned and processed foods in my list of fast meals for vegans who hate to cook! Aren’t vegans supposed to eat whole plant foods?

Well sure—whole plant foods are the best foods for everyone, vegan or not. And, for many reasons, cooking meals from scratch is the ideal approach. But making responsible food choices is a balancing act and we have to create room for some compromise. It’s not just a matter of choosing the foods that keep us healthy and are kind to the earth and reduce animal suffering. Most people have to also consider cost and time constraints as well.

If we want to reduce the suffering of farm animals, it’s important to make it as easy as possible for people to eat plant-based diets that will keep them healthy and happy—and that are realistic. A long list of restrictions—no added fats, processed foods, chocolate or white bread—isn’t necessary for healthful eating, and it can make vegan diets more than a little daunting.

A diet based on all or mostly convenience and processed foods is not going to be healthy. But it really is possible to strike a balance. Choose whole grains, fresh fruits and vegetables, and beans cooked from the dried state as often as you can. And when you need to opt for convenience, choose wisely: Frozen vegetables, spaghetti sauce from a jar, reduced-sodium canned beans, veggie sausages, soymilk, prepared curry sauces, and peanut butter are all processed foods that can play roles in healthful diets. If they make it easier for you to stick to a vegan eating plan, all the better!

What's For Dinner When You're Vegan, But Can't Cook?

Yesterday I listed some menu ideas that show how luscious and sophisticated vegan cuisine can be. But what if sophisticated isn’t your culinary thing? Or what if you hate to cook?

Well, if you know how to boil water, steam vegetables, and wield a can opener, there is no end to the variety of vegan meals you can make.

Here are ten super quick meals. Most can be on the table in less than 20 minutes, and with a minimum of effort. Add some quickly steamed veggies or a salad to any of these.

Pasta topped with sauce from a jar and a sprinkle of grated soy parmesan.

Vegetarian baked beans served over couscous (the world’s fastest-cooking grain!)

Butternut Squash Soup (look for Imagine brand or Trader Joe’s—and add a can of beans, some frozen corn and salsa if you want to get fancy!).

Veggie burger and sweet potato fries (check the frozen food section in the grocery store).

Refried black beans from a mix (Fantastic Foods makes a great one) wrapped in corn tortillas and topped with shredded soy cheese, lettuce, tomatoes and salsa.

Sloppy Joes: Heat Morningstar Farms Griller Crumbles in a can of sloppy joe sauce (like Manwich brand) and serve over whole wheat rolls.

Veggie hotdog on a hotdog bun topped with sauerkraut.

Make a fast and healthy taco salad: Toss together greens, chopped tomato, chopped onion, rinsed canned black beans, defrosted corn, and some cubes of avocado. Dress with olive oil and lime or lemon juice and top with a handful of crushed tortilla chips.

Toss hot cooked quinoa (a super-fast cooking whole grain) with rinsed canned white beans, defrosted corn, sliced green onions and salt, pepper and herbs (like tarragon or parsley).

Hummus from the deli with pita wedges and raw veggies.

Meat Out! Celebrate Spring By Going Vegetarian

It’s the season of birth and new beginnings in the northern part of the world. We’re starting the time of year when daylight outlasts the night. March 20th is the first day of spring—and it’s also Great American Meatout Day. What a great time to make a few changes and a fresh start.

Going vegetarian is about being kind to animals, responsible to the earth, and eating some of the best food in the world. But it's not just a good thing to do; it's fun, too! Do you think of meatless dishes as boring and limited? Look at some of the best-loved dishes from across the globe for ideas about how truly gourmet vegetarian eating can be. Here are just a few of the things that vegetarians eat:

Crusty falafel stuffed into warm pita pockets and topped with lemon-tahini sauce

Chickpeas simmered in spicy tomato sauce with garlic, onions, olive oil and herbs.

Rice tossed with toasted pine nuts, dried fruit and fresh lemon juice

Soba noodles stir fried with veggies and spicy, spicy peanut sauce

Crisp corn tortillas stuffed with black beans, salsa and avocado

Pasta tossed with fresh spring veggies, toasted almonds and garlic

Savory stuffed samosas

Rich curried veggies over basmati rice

Quinoa tossed with corn and flavored with herbs (a gift from the Incas!)

Gazpacho

Tabouli salad with lots of fresh mint and lemon

Creamy mushroom risotto

Fava beans with garlic, lemon and parsley (the very traditional Egyptian ful medames)

Crepes with creamy mushroom filling

Pasta with sundried tomato pesto

Vegetarian eating isn’t just delicious—it’s easy these days, too, with lots of meat and dairy substitutes and other convenience foods on the market. It’s a great time to go vegetarian!

Vegan Corned “Beef” and Cabbage: Happy St Patty’s Day!

This may not taste exactly like the real thing, but that’s okay. For those who really want to go green this St Patty’s Day—for the earth and the animals—it’s a fun alternative. It's easy to make, too. Serve it with Beer Bread. Here are both recipes:

Vegan Corned Beef
1 pound seitan (I use Westsoy Vegetarian Stir-fry Strips)
2 tsp pickling spice
2 tbsp brown sugar
1 tbsp salt
1 cup water

¼ cup canola oil
½ large onion, cut into chunks
1 garlic clove, smashed and chopped
1 tsp horseradish
1 tsp Dijon mustard
1 carrot, thickly sliced
½ head cabbage, cut into wedges
2 large potatoes cut into big chunks

In a large shallow pan with a lid, stir together the pickling spice, brown sugar, salt, and 1 cup water. Add the seitan, cover tightly and simmer on low heat for about 30 minutes.

While it’s cooking, sauté the onion in the canola oil for just a few minutes to soften it. Stir in the garlic, horseradish, and mustard. Add the potatoes, carrots and cabbage.

Drain the seitan and add to the veggie mixture. Add enough water just to cover. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to simmer and cook until everything is tender—about 30 minutes. Add freshly ground pepper if you like and more salt if needed.

Beer Bread

3 cups all-purpose flour
1 tbsp baking powder
1 ½ tsp salt
12 ounces room temperature beer

Combine the ingredients. Pour into a nonstick loaf pan. Bake at 375 for 1 hour.

Wear Your Soy Milk Mustache for Vitamin D Day!

Today—March 9—is Vitamin D Day—according to the Milk Mustache “Got Milk” Campaign. They are reminding Americans that many don’t get enough vitamin D and that shortages are linked to risk for a variety of diseases.

It’s true. There is a growing body of research showing that vitamin D helps to protect against bone loss and a host of other ailments, perhaps including cancer and depression. But the industry’s spokesperson, a registered dietitian, isn’t quite telling the whole story when she says that foods, not supplements, are the best source of vitamin D.

Whether or not that statement is true, it has nothing to do with milk and vitamin D. Milk and other dairy foods are not naturally rich in this nutrient. They are good sources only because they are fortified with vitamin D. So getting your vitamin D from milk is really not any different from getting it from a supplement. And it’s no different from getting it from fortified cereal or fortified soymilk. Although many brands of soymilk are fortified with a plant-derived source of vitamin D, research shows that it is just as effective as animal-derived vitamin D in keeping us healthy.

Although some people can get adequate vitamin D from sun exposure, most of us can’t. And it is wise to limit direct exposure to sunshine to minimize skin cancer risk, too. So looking to the diet to meet vitamin D needs is a good idea. But the idea that cow’s milk is the best or most natural way to get vitamin D is just wrong.

Five Reasons Why You Think You Can’t Be Vegan

Making the change to a vegan diet, or even a more plant-based diet is easier than you might think. Sometimes, though, people have misconceptions about the way that vegans eat, and it makes this lifestyle look much more difficult than it really is. If any of these reasons for giving up meat and other animal foods apply to you—well, then maybe you really could be vegan!

I could never be a vegan because I just can't eat low fat.

Some vegans eat low-fat, but definitely not all. I don't eat a low fat diet and I don’t even recommend a low fat diet to others. Peanut butter, olive oil, avocado, nuts and seeds—they are all part of a healthful vegan diet.

I could never be a vegan because I don't like tofu.

There is not one single food that is necessary in any diet—vegan or otherwise. You can plan a very healthy vegan diet without ever coming near a tub of tofu—or a carton of soymilk, or any soy food.

I could never be vegan because I don't like to cook.

Well, if you eat, you need to either do some food prep or get someone to do it for you. But that’s an issue for everyone, not just vegans. Vegans don’t’ have to cook any more than anyone else. You can build a perfectly healthful vegan diet around veggie burgers, canned beans, bread, salads, frozen veggies and other convenience foods.


I could never be a vegan because I don’t like vegetables that much.

Eating lots of veggies is good for you—but again, this is true whether you are vegan or not. Vegans don’t need to eat any more vegetables than anyone else.

I could never be a vegan because I eat out a lot and I don't know what's in the food. The servers never seem to know, either.

Every vegan knows that when you eat out, you take a chance on ingesting some animal products without realizing it. I don't love the idea of this, but I don't get too bent out of shape about it either. I make every reasonable effort to be vegan where I can, but I recognize that animal products sneak into my diet and that there are times when I just can't do anything about it.

Preventing Prostate Cancer with Diet

Although prostate cancer is the most common cancer among U.S. men, there is good news about the potential for prevention. It’s a slow-growing cancer, typically diagnosed at older ages. Therefore, anything that can slow the growth of these tumors can have a big effect on survival.

For example, research shows that men in Japan are just as likely to have prostate tumors as western men—but far less likely to die from this cancer. One theory is that certain diet or lifestyle factors may slow tumor growth so much that the men die of old age before the cancer ever has a chance to become deadly, or often before the men even know they have prostate tumors. There is evidence that soyfood consumption may be one of those dietary factors. For example, in a study of Chinese men, those who consumed soy more than once a day were less than one-third as likely to develop prostate cancer as men who ate soy less than once a week.

Much of the recent interest in this area has focused on a compound called equol. Equol is synthesized by intestinal bacteria from one particular isoflavone in soybeans called daidzein. (Isoflavones are often referred to as plant estrogens and are found almost exclusively in soyfoods.)

But not everyone has the bacteria to make equol, and this may actually affect risk for prostate cancer. In a study of Asian men, prostate cancer patients were much less likely to be equol producers than healthy controls.. And among Japanese men, risk was found to be inversely related to blood equol levels--that is, the more equol in the blood, the lower the risk.

One way to look at dietary effects on prostate cancer risk is to examine impact of different compounds on prostate specific antigen (PSA) In men with prostate cancer, PSA levels are directly proportional to tumor size—so measuring PSA levels is one way to test the effectiveness of cancer treatment.

Among healthy men—those without cancer—studies have not found any effects of soy or isoflavones on PSA levels. However, in half of the studies done in men with prostate cancer, isoflavones slowed the rise in PSA levels. There is also preliminary data showing that soy isoflavones may lessen the side effects of radiation treatment for prostate cancer.

While the findings are a long way from definitive, the research suggests that soy may prevent the development of prostate cancer and also slow its progression.

Soy and Sperm (and Testosterone, Too!)

The problem with soy is that it is a hugely hot area of research—more than 10,000 scientific papers have been published within just the last decade alone on soyfoods and health. With that level of investigation, there will always be a few studies here and there that show scary findings. By pouncing on those findings—rather than looking at what the majority of the research shows—critics can build a case against soy that sounds credible, even when it isn’t.

Soyfoods are an essentially unique source of isoflavones—which are a type of phytoestrogen, or plant estrogen. So it’s not surprising that some of the stories turning up on the internet have focused on sperm count and testosterone levels. Let’s take a look at what the research really says in these areas.

Soy and Sperm Count

There was lots of interest in a small pilot epidemiologic study showing that soy consumers had lower sperm concentrations than men who didn’t eat soy. But for the most part, the men who consumed soy experienced an increase in semen volume, so that the concentration of sperm was lower—not the total number of sperm. And there were no implications for fertility, since sperm concentration seemed to decrease only among men who had above average sperm concentration to begin with.

In any event, small epi studies don’t really tell us too much of anything. We can draw real conclusions only from clinical intervention studies. Three such studies have examined the impact of soy intake on sperm and semen, all with reassuring results:

In the first, British men took supplements that contained 40 milligrams of isoflavones (the amount in about 1 ½ servings of traditional soyfoods). There was no effect on sperm count or quality.

In a second study, Italian men were given much higher amounts of isoflavones—equaling four to twelve times what men in Japan typically eat. There was still no effect on sperm.

Finally, Canadian researchers compared sperm production in men consuming soy protein to men consuming milk protein—and again, there were no differences in sperm concentration.


Testosterone

Only two studies—of the many conducted on this topic—found reductions in hormone levels related to soy intake. In one, the isoflavone intake of the subjects was unusually high—about four times what men in Japan typically eat. And the researchers didn’t actually make any comparisons to the control group—that is, the men who didn’t eat soy. So there was no way to know for certain that there was any difference between the two groups.

The other study had only 12 subjects and nearly all of the reduction in testosterone levels were from just two of those subjects (one of whom had unusually high levels of testosterone to begin with).

On the other hand, the research showing that soy has no effect on testosterone levels is much stronger. A recent analysis of 32 studies found that neither soy protein nor soy isoflavones had any effect on testosterone levels. The researchers looked at the data in a number of different ways—they used several different statistical models—and the results were always the same. Furthermore, studies published too late to be included in this analysis showed the same thing—that soy had no effect on testosterone levels.

Looking at the evidence, there is little reason to think that soyfoods aren’t safe for men. And in fact, when it comes to prostate health, there is good reason to think that soyfoods have some real advantages for men. More on that tomorrow.

Vegan Diets Support Healthy Pregnancy

Yesterday’s headlines about diet and birth defects caused some completely unsubstantiated claims about vegan diets. The news stories were based on research published in the journal Pediatrics, showing that there is a greater risk of birth defects in babies born to women with low blood levels of vitamin B12.

Some journalists saw this as an opportunity to discredit vegan diets—despite the fact that the words “vegan” and “vegetarian” never appeared in the Pediatrics article! The subjects in this study were women living in Ireland at a time when fortified foods were not widely available in that country. There was no indication that any of these women were vegetarian.

Those whose eat plant-based diets do need to supplement their intake with vitamin B12, either from supplements or fortified foods. All smart vegans know this and all responsible vegan health professionals advise it. And it’s not a unique situation among eating patterns. All people in northern climates, for example, need to supplement their diets with vitamin D, and pregnant women are advised to take prenatal vitamins regardless of their diet.

Well-planned vegan diets that are appropriately supplemented can support healthful pregnancies. And the article in Pediatrics never said otherwise!

Just For Fun—Eat Like a Japanese Vegetarian

Japanese researchers have just published a food guide for vegetarians living in Japan and also for those in the United States who wish to follow a more traditional Japanese eating pattern.

This meal planning tool differs from western vegetarian food guides in some important ways. With both health and traditional Asian eating patterns in mind, it places vegetables—not grains—at the center of the diet and the base of the pyramid.

Despite the fact that dairy foods are a relatively new habit to Japanese culture, the guide is aimed at lacto-ovo vegetarians and (surprisingly) specifies 3 servings of dairy foods per day, although serving sizes are only half what American food guides typically recommend.

If you’d like to add a little variety to your diet and eat more like Japanese vegetarians, here are guidelines from the new Japanese Vegetarian Food Guide, with some modifications for vegans. The guide provides around 2,000 calories; many vegetarians will need to eat more to meet their calorie needs. (The guide also didn’t provide very specific serving sizes, so I’ve added that information.)

The New Japanese Vegetarian Food Guide

7 ½ servings of vegetables: Include seaweeds, mushrooms, and starchy vegetables in your choices, and of course, Japanese meals include lots of nutrient-rich leafy greens. A serving is ½ cup cooked or 1 cup raw veggies.

4 ½ servings of grains: Brown rice, whole buckwheat cereal, oatmeal, udon noodles, rice balls. A serving is ½ cup cooked.

4 servings of protein foods: Peas, beans, meat analogues, tofu, soymilk, sesame seeds, peanuts. A serving is 3 oz meat analogue, 1 cup soymilk, ½ cup tofu or beans, 2 tbsp seeds or nuts.

3 servings of dairy: The Japanese Food Guide recommends 1 ½ cups of milk per day, but vegans can easily get calcium from calcium-set tofu, fortified soymilk, and leafy green veggies. These foods fit well into a Japanese eating pattern—and are far more traditional and healthful than dairy.

2 servings of fruit: Asian pears, mandarin oranges, melons, persimmons, and apples are all choices that are frequently found in Japanese cuisine. A serving is one medium piece of fruit or ½ cup.

Less than 1 tbsp added fat: The food guide doesn’t give specific recommendations about omega-3 fats, but savvy vegetarians will want to get some fat from canola oil, walnuts, and ground flax seeds. Japanese diets tend to be low in fat, but higher amounts of healthful fats are fine for all vegetarians.

For Healthy Meals, Shop the Center of the Grocery Store

One of the newest “nutrition education” groups to hit the web is The Nutrient Rich Foods Coalition (NRFC). Funded by twelve commodity groups, including the National Pork Board and the National Cattlemen’s Association, the group’s focus is on encouraging people to eat more nutrient-rich foods.

Not surprising, the foods being touted through its education materials and recipes are those produced by its members. (The members do include a number of commodity groups devoted to plant foods. But it’s an odd assortment, suggesting that groups are included based only on their willingness to pay a membership fee.)

The main tip that the NRFC gives for smart shopping is to “shop the perimeter of the grocery store.” In fact, based on their Supermarket Map, you shouldn’t ever step a foot away from the perimeter!

Honestly, this has to be the most tired and outdated piece of nutrition advice in the world. It dates back to the 1970s and it has long since lost its relevance. Sure, fruits and veggies are on the perimeter and you definitely want to spend a chunk of your food dollars there. But the rest of the foods that take up space along the perimeter of the store—meats, dairy, deli items, bakery goods—should play only a minor role in healthy diets. And for us vegans, most of these foods are not on our shopping list at all.

When I get to the grocery store, I start in the produce section. But the rest of my time is spent in the bowels of the store where I’m filling my shopping cart with brown rice, dried and canned beans, frozen veggies, pasta, spaghetti sauce, veggie burgers, olive and canola oil, peanut butter, dried fruits and nuts, and oatmeal. I might swing back out to the perimeter to pick up some hummus from the deli, a carton of soymilk, and maybe a bottle of cabernet. But most of the perimeter of the store is foreign territory to me.

Compared to someone who follows the advice of the Nutrient Rich Foods Coalition and loads up their cart with pork chops, Swiss cheese and T-bone steak—all items that are recommended on their web site—I know my diet is a whole lot healthier!

Feed Your Daughters Well

It still isn’t clear that what we eat as adults will impact our risk for cancer. But there is lots of evidence that what girls eat—especially during puberty—can affect their risk of getting breast cancer in adulthood. The theory is that certain compounds in food impact breast tissue as that tissue is developing, either conferring lifelong protection against cancer or raising risk for cancer.

I wrote several months ago about soyfood consumption during the teen years and how it can protect against breast cancer in adulthood. More recently, Harvard researchers looked at the effect of red meat consumption during adolescence. They asked more than 40,000 women what they ate in high school, and then followed their health over the next seven years. Those who reported eating the most red meat and processed meat during their teen years had a more than 30% higher risk for getting breast cancer as adults.

What is most interesting is that changing eating habits for the better later in life may not confer that much protection. The evidence tells us that the time when breast tissue develops is the crucial time for raising or lowering risk.

So do your daughters a favor: Replace the hamburgers in their diets with veggie burgers and pour them a glass of fortified soymilk. Their lifelong health may depend on it.