FAQ''s
My name is Kiki and I am from Chatsworth located in the San Fernando Valley of California . Growing up with parents who emmigrated from Jamaica, a grandpa that owned his own bakery, we had tons of family over constantly, which meant that there would always be something good to eat at home. The beef patties, ox-tail stew over rice, curry goat, and jerk chicken were some of the favorite meals cooked very often at the house. Eating these foods led to me being a chubby little girl throughout childhood, although I wasn't obese, I definately had some junk in my trunk.
November 2, 2005 was the wonderful birth of our beautiful daughter. Because of my obesity at this point in life, I was considered high-risk. I was diagnosed with preeclampsia, on the verge of gestational diabetes, and had a UTI. After being in labor for 24 hours and then 3 hours of pushing, I bled 6 units of blood (the average human being needs 10). After this near-death experience my health problems did not stop. I was a brand new mother weighing 320 pounds not being able to really walk or hold my child for longer than 5 minutes at a time. I have chronic pancreatitis and feel terrible sharp pain when I eat fatty and processed foods. I have basically come to a point in my life where I now realize nothing has worked to improve my health. With this in mind I began researching nutrition and the causes of poor health. Having tried every diet in the book I've turned to the un-thinkable...eliminating all meat, dairy, and animal products; aka vegan.
Why vegan? Vegan is healthier. Animal fats create free radicals in your body which cause many number of diseases including cancer. Animal products fill our bodies with cholesterol, saturated fat, and other unnecessary and dangerous products. Vegetables, grains, and other plant-based products supply us with all of the needed protien, vitamins, nuttrients and energy necessary for a healthy and happy life. Being vegan helps me to have control over my health and not rely on pharmaceuticals. As a result of being a vegan it has aided in my weight loss and has made it a lifestyle and not a diet for me. My attitude emotionally and spiritually have improved very much as well. I realized that "half way" is a dead end. In order to be healthy and happy, you can't go into this eating dairy or eggs. You have to be fully committed, because even the smallest amount of poison will kill you over time.
I absolutely LOVE banana bread! This recipe is delish and will NOT, I repeat, will NOT last in your home for more than 30 minutes, because it's that yummy :)
* 3 very ripe smashed bananas (peel is mostly black)
* 1/3 C melted vegan margarine
* 1 C sugar
* 1 Tbsp ground flax seeds
* 3 Tbsp water
* 1 tsp vanilla extract
* 1-1/2 tsp baking powered
* 1 tsp baking soda
* 1/8 tsp salt
* Cinnamon to taste
* nutmeg to taste
* 1-1/2 C All Purpose Flour
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a small cup mix flax seeds and water until combined and set aside.
In a large bowl, mix smashed bananas and melted margarine with a wooden spoon. Mix-in the sugar, flax seed mixture, and vanilla until well incorporated.
Add baking powder, baking soda, and salt into the mixture and stir well. Add cinnamon, nutmeg, and flour and stir well.
Pour mixture into a well greased and floured loaf pan and bake for 45 minutes or until done.
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What are the different types of vegetarians?
How many people are vegetarian?
Poll results on the number of vegetarians in the US:
Adult Polls
* This will take you to the 2009 adult poll:http://www.vrg.org/press/2009poll.htm
* This will take you to the 2006 adult poll:www.vrg.org/journal/vj2006issue4/vj2006issue4poll.htm
* This will take you to the 2003 adult poll:www.vrg.org/journal/vj2003issue3/vj2003issue3poll.htm
* This will take you to the 2000 adult poll:www.vrg.org/nutshell/poll2000.htm
* This will take you to the 1997 adult poll:www.vrg.org/journal/vj97sep/979poll.htm
* This will take you to the 1994 adult poll: www.vrg.org/nutshell/poll.htm
How do I become a vegetarian?
There are several ways to make the change. Do whatever feels more comfortable for you. Like other types of cooking, vegetarianism can be simple or complicated, expensive or inexpensive, and use foods that can only be bought in a natural foods store or your local supermarket.
There are a lot of common recipes that are easily made veggie/vegan, or already are - spaghetti and other pasta dishes, burritos, tacos, tostadas, mashed potatoes, three bean salad, pancakes, French toast, waffles, grilled cheese sandwiches, hummus, grilled veggies, oven-roasted veggies, rice, etc.You could also try making the dishes you usually do and just substitute tofu, seitan or other meat substitutes for the meat in the dishes. (Most supermarkets carry tofu and often other meat substitutes in the produce section. Check the frozen section, near the breakfast foods, for veggie burgers, veggie crumbles, links, and patties.)
The American Dietetic Association (ADA) Position Paper on Vegetarian Diets (2003) helps clarify the nutritional needs of vegetarians.
Food Guide for North American Vegetarians (ADA & Dietitians of Canada)(PDF) This contains a vegetarian food pyramid.
Why do people become vegetarian?
Among the many reasons for being a vegetarian are health, ecological, and religious concerns, dislike of meat, compassion for animals, belief in non-violence, and economics.
People often become vegetarian for one reason, be it health, religion, or animal rights, and later adopt some of the other reasons as well.
Help! My teenager wants to become vegetarian. Is it safe?
If you need nutrition information you will want to look at Vegetarian Nutrition for Teenagers brochure at: www.vrg.org/nutshell/teen_veg.pdf
The Nutshell portion of their website might be very helpful and is at www.vrg.org/nutshell/. You might also want to look at the nutrition section on their website at: www.vrg.org/nutrition. There you will find information on calcium, iron, protein, and more.
What are the nutritional needs for young vegetarians?
You might find Feeding Vegan Kids by Reed Mangels, Ph.D., R.D, to be extremely helpful.
You can access "Feeding Vegan Kids" at: www.vrg.org/family.
Their "Tips for Parents of Young Vegetarians" is also helpful. You might also want to read over Raising Vegan Children for information, as well as the articles "Wholesome Baby Foods from Scratch" and "Healthy Fast Food for Pre-Schoolers." These are online at www.vrg.org/family.
What about protein? Calcium? Iron?
Protein
For more detailed information read Protein, Calcium, and Iron in the Vegan Diet online at www.vrg.org/nutrition/protein.htm
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. From Vegan Diets in a Nutshell
Calcium
Calcium, needed for strong bones, is found in dark green leafy vegetables, tofu made with calcium sulfate, and many other foods commonly eaten by vegans. High protein diets appear to lead to increased calcium losses. Calcium requirements for those on lower protein, plant-based 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 regularly that are high in calcium and/or use a calcium supplement.
Iron
Dried beans and dark leafy 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. Vegetarians do not have a higher incidence of iron deficiency than do meat eaters.
Read The American Dietetic Association (ADA) Position Paper on Vegetarian Diets (2003) , Simply Vegan (Wasserman and Mangels, 1999),Vegetarian Way (Messina and Messina, 1996), and Becoming Vegetarian(Melina, Davis, and Harrison, 1995) for more information.
Is kosher gelatin vegan? What is pareve?
Kosher gelatin can be made from fish bones, beef, Japanese insinglass, agar agar, carrageenan, and Irish moss. According to the September/October 1989 issue of Viewpoint, a magazine from the National Council of Young Israel, "a tiny minority of rabbis permit pork gelatin as a kosher product!" Contrary to assumptions, it is also considered kosher to use animal-derived gelatin with dairy products. Unless it is specified as being derived from a non-animal source, such as agar agar and carrageenan, it is very possible that kosher gelatin is animal-derived.
The general meaning of "pareve" refers to foods that are neither milk nor meat, and many people assume this means that the product is vegetarian. However, pareve certified ingredients can contain animal products, such as fish and eggs. Kosher law is very complex and the bones and hides used in gelatin production, even if they are not kosher slaughtered, can be considered pareve by some koser certifying agencies. "Getting Into the Thick of Things, Which Gelatin is Kosher?" an article from the February 2001 issue of Kashrus Magazine, explains the many complexities surrounding kosher gelatin. According to the article.
What is Sodium Stearoyl Lactylate? What about other "hidden" ingredients?
According to our Guide To Food Ingredients, by Jeanne-Marie Bartas:
Sodium Stearoyl Lactylate -
An animal-mineral (cow or hog-derived, or milk), or vegetable-mineral. It is a common food additive which is often used to condition dough or to blend together ingredients which do not normally blend, such as oil and water. Our guide reports it as May Be Non-Vegetarian. Archer Daniels Midland Co., a manufacturer of sodium stearoyl lactylate reports that their product is of vegetable origin; the lactic acid is produced from microbial fermentation and the stearic acid, from soy oil. Sodium is a mineral which is added.
L-cysteine is an amino acid needed by human beings. The most common source is human hair and it is most commonly used in bread products. It is considered vegetarian.
Where can I find out about restaurants in my location?
www.vrg.org/links/restaurant.htm
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