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What is Vegan?

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Unny Nambudiripad, Kara Fancy & Ami Voeltz
TC Green Guide Contributors
The Twin Cities Green Guide 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. Vegetarianism is a good step in the right direction to conserving resources, and not supporting as much factory farming. Unfortunately, people commonly believe they do not hurt cows by consuming dairy products. For factory farmers, the cow producing milk or producing meat is no different. Dairy cows are still slaughtered after 5-6 years of producing milk for human consumption. It is especially hard on the mother cow that often has her calf taken away at birth. While we drink the mother's milk, the calf is given a milk substitute. Then, after six weeks of living in an individual stall, the calf is killed for veal.

By not consuming the products that come from animal exploitation, each individual is making a statement against inhumane practices, undertaking an economic boycott, and supporting the production of vegan products. These decisions, and the message they send to others, help to move society away from industries that use animals as a means to human ends. Although the end goal is generally the same, the path an individual takes towards veganism is a unique one. Some people follow a methodical process of cutting out foods in the order they consider to be the cruelest, or the foods they find the easiest to avoid. Others, initially concerned with health, eventually cut out "healthy" products such as chicken and fish as they become more aware of the suffering involved in the production of these goods.

Others go "cold-tofu", giving up all animal foods, donating their leather goods to charity, returning their products that have been tested on animals, etc. Changing to a vegan diet can at first seem like a daunting task, but with time and a little motivation, new habits become easy to follow. Here are a few tips on how to live vegan: Eating at home presents few major challenges for most vegans. A wide variety of tasty vegan recipes are available over the internet, and vegan cookbooks can be found in many bookstores and libraries. You can also check with your local co-op for cooking classes on vegan cooking and baking. Fast and easy vegan foods include bean burritos, spaghetti, veggie burgers, chili, french fries, tofu lasagna and veggie stir fries.

Replacing when baking:

Baked goods requiring eggs can be made using Ener-G® Egg Replacer, corn starch (2 T per egg), half of a mashed banana, 1 tsp soy flour mixed with 2 T water or 1 T flax seeds pureed in a blender with 1 C. water. Soy, rice, and nut milks can be used in recipes calling for milk. Fruit juice is good on cereal and can also be substituted in baking. Other dairy substitutes -- including dairy-free cheeses, yogurts, and frozen desserts -- can be purchased (Tofutti brand is great!) or prepared at home (try the Uncheese Cookbook, order through www.vrg.org). You may also find that foods that you had never thought were vegan, are indeed. Bread without eggs or milk and milk-free chocolate, for example, are readily available at any grocery store.

There are many meat alternatives sold at a co-op or in the health food section of your grocery store: tofu dogs, Boca burgers, mock duck (good on pizza and in stir fries), chicken seitan, TVP-textured vegetable protein (great in sloppy joes and chili) and Gimme Lean (tastes just like sausage) are all tasty meat alternatives and have been know to deceive many meat-eaters.

Eating out is generally not difficult, provided that you plan ahead. If you can choose the restaurant where you will be eating, you are in good shape. The Twin Cities has dozens of vegan friendly restaurants. Vegan selections are available at pizza places, Taco Bell, Subway, Bruegger's, and most ethnic restaurants. If you've planned in advance to go to a place that was chosen by non-vegans, call ahead of time to ask what vegan options are available. If you don't have that opportunity, talk to the waiter as soon as possible to let them know that you're vegan. Most places are flexible, so a modification of a menu item is often possible.

  • Vegan restaurant recommendations: Mudpie, Kindho's, Ecopolitan, The Lotus, Pizza Luce, Cafe Brenda, Udupi Cafe, Vo's & the Seward Cafe.
  • Twin Cities Earthsave International often goes out to eat at vegetarian restaurants. Contact them at: http://twincities.earthsave.org,twincities@earthsave.org, or 612-926-5023.

 

Dealing with family and friends may be the greatest challenge to living vegan. The key to surviving birthdays, weddings, and other events where non-vegan food will be present is to plan ahead. Telling your host about your diet in advance gives them the opportunity to provide vegan food at the event. This may be easy or impossible for them, but you'll never know unless you ask. If vegan food cannot be provided, your best bet may be to eat before you go. Bringing your own food can also be a good option, especially since it gives others the opportunity to try your food. This might seem like a lot of work, but you'll be surprised at how much interest you'll get from family and friends. This is the chance for you to have a good discussion on veganism. Some people may seem turned off by your choice of food, but you'll even be surprised to know that they are usually curious about your diet, but may feel guilty about their meat-eating food choice. Some, on the other hand, may simply not ever agree and or be interested in veganism. Giving a pamphlet, loaning a book or even showing a video to your family might help them to understand your diet.

  • Books & free pamphlets: www.peta.org
  • Book recommendation: Diet for a New America, John Robbins
  • Video rentals: Animal Rights Coalition 612-822-6161 or 612-977-9445, www.ca4a.org

 

Traveling and being vegan can be a lot of fun. If you know where you will be traveling to, you can find restaurants to visit on your way! This not only gives you the opportunity to try some new foods, but is a good place to meet like-minded people. Searching the web is the easiest way to find vegan restaurants (search under the city name and the words 'vegan restaurants') It is best to get their hours and directions before you're in the car wondering which exit to get off on.

 

When flying, it's recommended to bring your own food and a reusable cup for drinks. Many airlines say they offer a strict vegetarian meal, but often times you will be disappointed to see non-vegan foods and lots of packaging for your meal. Although, international flights are worth a try, they often have a non-Western-style vegetarian meal. Traveling in a new country is maybe the biggest vegan challenge of all. The easiest thing to do is learn how to describe your diet restrictions in the language of the country you are traveling in. The vegan passport will be very useful. You can often times just let the waiter/waitress read right off the passport. For translations see: www.ivu.org/phrases, American Vegan Society 609-694-2887.

Vegan Nutrition

Surprisingly enough, the USDA's food pyramid gives a good overview of a healthy vegan diet--assuming one slight modification. The USDA's pyramid suggests 6-11 servings of grains, 2-4 servings of fruits, 3-5 servings of vegetables, 2-3 servings of beans (conventionally known as the "meat" group), 2-3 servings of dairy, and sweets and oils sparingly. A vegan diet is quite similar. Simply take out the dairy and put a good source of calcium in its place. See The New Four Food Groups pyramid. A few nutritional needs of vegan diets are often of concern. With a little planning, none of these are hard to reach:
  • Calcium: If you're concerned about bone health, many factors come into play. Exercise, calcium, and vitamin D increase bone health, while smoking and excessive amounts of sodium and protein decrease it. The following foods are good sources of calcium: calcium-set tofu, calcium-fortified orange juice, dried figs, sesame seeds, and broccoli.
  • Iron: Many plant foods are high in iron. Beans, tofu, whole wheat and spinach are just a few examples of iron-rich foods.
  • Protein: Protein requirements are the easiest to meet on a vegan diet, since protein is readily available in most plant foods. Tofu, lentils, peanut butter, and brown rice are all good sources of protein.
  • Vitamin B12: Plants are not reliable sources of B12, so supplements should be taken. They are available at grocery and natural food stores. You can also use nutritional yeast, found at co-ops in the bulk section. It's tasty sprinkled on top of your foods or on popcorn!

 

Unfortunately, the quest for personal purity is practically impossible. All around us are items connected in some way to animal suffering: some brands of white sugar (bone char used in processing), monoglycerides (often animal-derived), non-dairy chocolate (made in machines that also make milk chocolate), beer and wine (animal blood, egg whites, etc. used in refining), photographs and reel movies (gelatin), bicycles (animal fat in tires), roads and buildings (animal products used in curing concrete), medicine (tested on animals), etc. Any steps you can take to remove your support from animal exploitation are valuable. It is not hypocritical to reduce as much suffering as you can in this civilization that has been built on exploitation. Alleviating the suffering of others is the essence of veganism and can be embraced by each of us. Regardless of any other beliefs we hold and however else we choose to lead our lives, we can make a conscious decision to act from kindness and compassion rather than habit and tradition. Making humane choices is the ultimate affirmation our humanity.

 

Sidebar: Natural Resources

* Amount of corn grown in the U.S. consumed by humans: 20%
* Amount of corn grown in the U.S. consumed by livestock: 80%

* Pounds of grain and soy needed to produce 1 pound of edible food from:
Beef: 16, Pork: 6, Turkey: 4, Chicken/Egg: 3

* Pounds of edible product that can be produced on an acre of prime land:
Green Beans: 10,000, Apples: 20,000, Potatoes: 40,000, Beef: 250

* Amount of U.S. cropland producing livestock feed: 64%
* Amount of U.S. cropland producing fruits & vegetables: 2%

* Number of U.S. forest cleared to create cropland, pastureland and rangeland: 204,000,000
* Number of acres of U.S. land which could be returned to forest for each meat-free diet: 0.8

* Gallons of water needed to produce 1 pound of:
Tomatoes: 23, Apples: 49, Milk: 130, Eggs: 544, Chicken: 815, Beef: 5214

 

See Also: Arts: Animal Agriculture Arts: Animal Testing Arts: Cooking Recipes: Vegan Arts: Animal Rights Arts: Fish/Hunt/Trap

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