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American
Ahimsa Lights The Way
New Series: Volume 5 Number 1
SPRING 2006
From Her
Tennessee Home
Louise Hagler’s house is built around
her kitchen—a perfect setting for vegan
cooking demos, and the center of her life.
An American soyfoods pioneer, Louise
started experimenting with soy over
thirty-five years ago—at first on her own,
then with other community members at
The Farm in Summertown Tennessee.
They made tofu, soymilk, and tempeh
in their homes on wood stoves, and then,
as a village industry, for The Farm
Community and beyond. “It was our
shared knowledge that really made it
possible to put it all together,” she says.
Louise teaches cooking classes across
the country. Articles by and about her are
published in the media, which calls on
her expertise. She also serves as a
consultant for Soy Nutrition Education
Projects and is a member of the advisory
board for Plenty International.
Central Mexico is where Louise
currently spends part of each year doing
soy education.
More inside, page 3...
INSIDE:
Donald Watson dies at 95
Vegan Health Study: Clinical Summary
McCartneys Plea for Seals
Candle Cafe
Vegetarian History
Unwine & Uncheese Reception
Cows & Global Warming
Firemen Go Vegan
Raw-Vegan Centers Open on East & West Coasts
Recipes, Reviews
AHIMSA
THE COMPASSIONATE WAY
AHIMSA is a Sanskrit term meaning
non-killing, non-injuring, non-harming.
AVS defines it in daily life as
Dynamic Harmlessness, spelled out at right.
THE AMERICAN VEGAN SOCIETY is a non-profit,
non-sectarian, non-political, tax-exempt educational
membership organization teaching a compassionate way
of living by Ahimsa (see above) and Reverence for Life.
VEGANS—pronounced VEE-guns—live on products
of the plant kingdom, so exclude flesh, fish, fowl, dairy
products (animal milk, butter, cheese, yogurt, etc.), eggs,
honey, animal gelatin, all other items of animal origin.
VEGANISM ALSO EXCLUDES animal products
such as leather, wool, fur, and silk, in clothing, upholstery, etc. Vegans usually try to avoid the less-thanobvious animal oils, secretions, etc., in many soaps, cosmetics, toiletries, household goods and other common
commodities.
AN EDUCATIONAL CONVENTION is held each
year, at Malaga or elsewhere.
INDIVIDUAL MEDICAL ADVICE is not given; AVS
educates on ethical, ecological, aesthetic, healthful, economic aspects of vegan living in general.
KNOWLEDGE AND OPINIONS in articles (or
books, tapes, etc., listed or reviewed in American Vegan )
represent the views of the individual authors, not necessarily those of the society or American Vegan.
CONFIDENTIALITY: AVS' membership list is never
rented or given out for commercial use or solicitations.
NO PAID ADVERTISING: any notices printed are for
informational value to our readers, and unpaid.
ARTICLES or items may be submitted for possible
publication.
AMERICAN VEGAN SOCIETY
Since 1960
Founder: H. Jay Dinshah
AVS Council Members & Officers
*Freya Dinshah, Malaga, NJ
–President/Treasurer/Editor
Roshan Dinshah, Malaga NJ –1st Vice President
*Rosemary O’Brien, Woodbridge NJ
–2nd Vice President/Secretary
*Anne Dinshah, Erie PA –Assistant Editor
*Andy Mars, Los Angeles CA
Daniel J. Dinshah, Malaga NJ –Assistant Treasurer
*Gabriel Figueroa, Austin TX
*Council
Website hosted by VegSource
2 American Vegan 5-1, SPRING 2006
ABSTINENCE from Animal Products
HARMLESSNESS with Reverence for Life
INTEGRITY of Thought, Word, and Deed
MASTERY over Oneself
SERVICE to Humanity, Nature, and Creation
ADVANCEMENT of Understanding and Truth
American Vegan
Volume 5, Number 1— Spring 2006
ISSN: 1536-3767 © 2006
CONTENTS
1, 3—From Her Tennessee Home
3—Plenty Projects
4—Canadian Seals Get Help
5—Unwine and Uncheese Reception
7—Dr. Klaper’s Vegan Health Study
12—Vegan Diet: Bad, Good, or Superior?
13—Farewell to Donald Watson
14—Book Reviews:101 Reasons Why I’m a
Vegetarian; Raw Food/real world
15—Raw-Vegan-Gourmet Cuisine Centers
16—Book Review: The Candle Cafe Cookbook
17—Book Review: More Great Good Dairy-Free
Desserts Naturally
18—Book Review: Vegetarian America: A History
19—Book Review: Vegetarian Christian Saints
20—Cows Contribute to Global Warming
21—Vegans Gather for National Conference
22—Vegan Diets Include Most Necessary Nutrients
24—Recipe Demo by Cory Davis
25—Hippies Find Happiness...on The Farm
27 to 29—FarmSoy, Mushroom People, Book
Publishing, Quilt Making, Community Center,
Tempeh Making, Vegan Deli, Ecovillage.
30—Firefighters Gone Vegan?
31—Vegfam & Notices
31—Vegan Dogs Now at Phillies Ballpark
32—Consumer Listings
33—Calendar of Conferences
34—AVS Annual Meeting
34—Letters to Editors
34—Obituary: Gloria Cossaboon
35—AVS membership/subscription
Cover Design: Scott Depew
Front & Back Cover Photos: Linda Long
2005 TN Conference Photos: Linda Long
Printed by GraphiColor, Vineland NJ
Book & Video catalog available from AVS.
From front cover
Soy Huichol
The Huichol, descendants of
Aztecs, live in remote villages in
the Sierra Madre Occidental
Mountains along the Pacific side
of Mexico. Theirs was an isolated
self-sufficient community, strong,
with traditional ways. They resisted assimilation attempts by
governments and religious organizations. But exposure to
global forces reduced their numbers (they are now about 7,000),
impoverished and made them vulnerable to social problems such
as alcoholism. They frequently do
not grow enough food to provide
adequately for their children.
The Huichol Center for Cultural Survival and Traditional
Arts is run by local people. It is in
the market town of Heujuquilla,
in Jalisco, to which villagers
come to sell crafts and agricultural products, and buy supplies;
and from where buses leave for
other parts of the country. Plenty
International is working with this
center, the Mexican government’s
Department of Infants and Families, and Chapingo University –
Agriculture, to develop and maintain a program of nutrition education and soy food supplementation for Huichol families.
Louise Hagler has been working with the Huichol Center’s
staff to develop recipes (using
soybeans, soymilk, tofu, and texturized vegetable protein) that
local Huichol, and urban and rural Mexican families, would comfortably integrate with traditional
meals.
Demonstrations are set up in
village centers. Louise described
one which was soon operating
like a three-ring circus making
gorditas (TVP-potato-chile filled
tortillas), cooking soymilk (some
Enjoy working with soy!
Photo: Linda Long
Louise (with Dorothy
Bates) edited the first cookbook put together by Farm
members which presented
recipes and nutritional information for a completely vegetarian diet based on the use
of beans (particularly the versatile soybean) and grains
along with fruits and vegetables. The Farm Vegetarian
Cookbook first edition was
published in 1975. Louise edited their next landmark book,
Tofu Cookery, which features full-color plates and has
been a consistent best seller.
More books followed.
was made into atole which is a
cornflour-t hickened, spiceflavored drink), and making tofu.
Ladies of all ages attended and
took samples home for their families. They were interested to see
soybeans and how they grow, and
to learn of the protein value and
many ways they can be used..
Now villagers are buying soybeans, which they get at cost
along with illustrated instructive
leaflets Louise helped prepare.
Growing trials of 35 soybean
varieties are underway to see
which are most suited to the area.
•
Other Plenty Projects
Peter Schweitzer has been
working with Plenty International
since 1974 and is its current executive director.
Plenty works with community
groups: natives protecting their
cultures; women improving their
health, economic and social structures; families, schools and community groups focusing on children’s welfare; and those teaching the young respect for the
earth and all its living things.
In Belize projects include organic school gardens, and nutrition and environmental education.
In Mexico, Guatemala, and
Nicaragua the expansion of locally-grown high-nutrient foods
to improve family nutrition and
food security, and increase employment in rural and urban communities is underway.
Plenty’s Kids to the Country
in the U.S. brings inner-city kids
to middle Tennessee.
Katrina
Following hurricane Katrina,
Plenty sent crews to repair roofs,
and train others in this job. Plenty
is providing food, clothing, and
medical care, and doing clean-up
along the Gulf coast of Mississippi and Louisiana, primarily
with Native American communities in the Bayou regions southwest of New Orleans. Volunteer
help is still needed.
To give your support, contact
them, or send a check to, Plenty
International, Box 394, Summertown TN 38483 or donate
through their website
www.plenty.org.
•
Information in this article is
from a talk given by Louise and
Peter at AVS’ 2005 conference,
and from the Plenty website. FD
American Vegan 5-1, SPRING 2006 3
Canadian Seals Get a Little Help from their Friends
Heather and Paul McCartney
Urge Canadian Prime Minister to Prevent Upcoming Massacre
March 9 2006 e-news from
In Defense of Animals
Former
Beatle
Paul
McCartney and his wife Heather
Mills McCartney recently accompanied other animal advocates
on a visit to the Canadian ice
floes in the Gulf of St. Lawrence
in hopes of halting the slaughter
of over 300,000 baby seals for
their fur. While there, they
urged Canada's newly elected
Prime Minister to implement the
will of the people by banning
the annual seal massacre.
"[The] majority of [Canadian]
citizens – as well as those in
Europe and America – are opposed to it," the couple has
said. "We have complete faith
that Prime Minister Harper will
take swift and decisive action to
end the slaughter of these defenseless seal pups for good."
Canadian fisheries officials
had actually considered prosecuting the McCartneys for
"interfering with a marine mammal" because the couple had
been photographed hugging a
single baby seal. The sad irony
is that these same fisheries expressing grave concern about
the McCartneys’ "disruption of
the herd" will soon butcher hundreds of thousands of the newborn seals in a frigid bloodbath
if Prime Minister Stephen
Harper doesn't intercede to
save them. Even though the
defenseless seal pups have only
just been weaned from their
mothers, fishermen will beat
them with clubs and shoot them
with rifles later this month. Last
year, more than 98.5% of the
seals killed were newborn pups
less than two months old. Witnesses to the slaughter saw
many seals skinned alive.
During their visit, Paul also
met with the press and addressed practical concerns
raised about the slaughter's impact on the local economy "[The
seal hunt] is quite a small
amount of [the communities']
annual revenue," he pointed
out, "and this could be easily
sorted out by the Canadian government, if they care to do it."
Sealing is an off-season activity
conducted by commercial fishermen from Canada's Atlantic
Coast. On average, they make
about one-twentieth of their annual incomes (approximately
$14.5 million) from sealing (the
rest comes from working in
commercial fisheries). Canada
exports over three billion dollars
worth of seafood a year to the
U.S. alone, but only makes a
few million from the seal
slaughter. Products made from
seal pelts were banned decades
ago in the U.S. and the European Union.
This is not the only time the
McCartneys have directed their
considerable public visibility into
effective campaigning for the
animals and the public good.
They recently debated the seal
slaughter with Newfoundland
Premier Danny Williams on
Larry King Live. Both vegans,
they have campaigned for cats
and dogs killed in the Chinese
fur trade, chickens abused by
fast food giant KFC and numerous other causes. Paul's former
wife Linda, who died in 1998,
had her own line of vegetarian
cuisine, and his daughter Stella
is a world-renowned fashion designer who often speaks out
against fur. The McCartneys are
joined by other famous animal
friends such as Brigitte Bardot,
Martin Sheen, Mick Jagger,
4 American Vegan 5-1, SPRING 2006
Richard Dean Anderson, Kim
Basinger, Pierce Brosnan, and
even the Dalai Lama, in publicly
opposing the seal slaughter.
The media attention these and
other celebrities have drawn to
the seals' plight creates widespread awareness of what is
going on and stimulates people
to speak out against it. These
compassionate stars join thousands of hard-working activists
and organizations around the
world who are fighting to end
the cruel slaughter.
-Mat Thomas
What You Can Do:
Please join Paul and Heather
in urging newly-elected Canadian Prime Minister Stephen
Harper to end the seal massacre. Click http://ga0.org/
campaign/SealMassacre to send
an automatic message, or contact the P.M. by postal mail, fax
or personal e-mail.
P.M. Stephen Harper
Office of the Prime Minister
80 Wellington Street
Ottawa ON K1A 0A2
CANADA
Fax: (613) 941-6900
E-mail: [email protected]
For questions or comments
regarding furkills.org or
IDA's fur campaign, or to
order materials, contact
[email protected].
In Defense of Animals
131 Camino Alto, Suite E
Mill Valley, California 94941
Tel.: (415) 388-9641
Fax: (415) 388-0388
Unwine & Uncheese Reception
What is every vegan's dream? Aside from wishing for more veg options while dining out, or the
ever-so-hopeful prospect of friends and family becoming converts, most of us have, one time or another, missed the taste, texture or meltability of
cheese. Some of us may have even had quite a
holdup on the oooey-gooey stuff and had a hard
time giving it up when transitioning to veganism.
What better way is there to surprise a group of unsuspecting vegans than to present them with an array of Uncheeses that are so dairy-like in appearance, that the tasters ask many times, “Are you sure
this is vegan?”
L to R: Linda Long, Melissa Maly with Cypress, Jo
Stepaniak, and Art Giffoniello toast to vegan health!
This very scenario was played out when an Unwine and Uncheese Reception was held in honor of
the beloved master of Uncheese itself, Jo Stepaniak.
A talented crew was put together to pull off this
incredible feat: Melissa Maly as lead chef, alongside
the scrumptiously creative Linda Long and the big
helping hand of Art Giffoniello. The Unwine, better
known as de-alcoholized wine, was graciously contributed by Ariel Vineyards, and was a wonderful
accompaniment to the hors d'oeuvres. Tastefully and
artistically laid out, the whole affair had the air of a
shindig for the well-to-do, but the atmosphere was
laid-back and the people were down to earth.
Above: ARIEL PREMIUM DEALCOHOLIZED WINE
The attendees at this reception crowded around a
contains less than ½ of 1% of alcohol, which is less
than is in most fresh-squeezed orange juice. The wine long table and proceeded to devour all that was laid
is made from grapes, fermented, and the alcohol rebefore them, while chatting. There was an assortmoved through a cold filtration process. For informament of Uncheeses to feast on, including flametion call (800) 456-9472, see www.arielvineyards.com, warmed Swiss Fondue served with fresh baked pita
write Ariel, PO Box 3437, Napa CA 94558
chips, Gooda Cheez chunks
served with a variety of crackers, Crock Cheez accompanied
by vegetable crudités, and
Roasted Veggie Focaccia. It
was the Ultimate Uncheese
banquet! It certainly didn't
take a connoisseur to appreciate all of the evening's fare.
When all was said and done,
the guests were impressed, as
was Jo herself!
-Melissa Maly
Thanks to Barb Bloomfield for
prep-time in her kitchen.
Next page…..
American Vegan 5-1, SPRING 2006 5
Gooda Cheez
1¾ cups water
½ cup chopped carrots
5 Tbsp. agar flakes,
or 1½ Tbsp. agar powder
½ cup chopped raw cashews
¼ cup nutritional yeast flakes
3 Tbsp. sesame tahini
3 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
1 Tbsp. Dijon mustard
2 tsp. onion powder
1 tsp. salt
½ tsp. garlic powder
½ tsp. dry mustard
¼ tsp. turmeric
¼ tsp. paprika
¼ tsp. ground cumin
Lightly oil a 3-cup bowl or
mold with a rounded bottom, and
set aside. Put the water and carrots in a saucepan and bring to a
boil. Reduce heat, cover, and
cook until tender, about 10 to 15
minutes. Remove lid and stir in
agar flakes. Bring to a boil again.
Reduce heat and simmer, stirring
often, until agar is dissolved,
about 5 to 10 minutes longer.
Transfer to a blender and add
the remaining ingredients. Process several minutes until completely smooth, scraping down
the sides of the blender jar as necessary. Pour into the prepared
container and smooth the top.
Cool uncovered in the refrigerator. When completely cool, cover
and chill several hours or overnight. To serve, turn out of the
mold and slice into wedges.
This impressive, dome-shaped
cheez has a creamy texture and
lovely golden color. Slice it into
wedges for a delectable snack or
appetizer. For Smoked Gooda,
add a few drops of liquid hickory
smoke or a pinch of hickory salt
while blending. Store leftovers
covered in the refrigerator; keeps
5 to 7 days.
Swiss Fondue
3 cups water
or plain nondairy milk
½ cup nutritional yeast flakes
1/3 cup quick rolled oats,
or ¼ cup flour (any kind)
¼ cup fresh lemon juice
¼ cup sesame tahini
¼ cup kuzu, arrowroot,
or cornstarch
4 tsp. onion powder
1 tsp. salt
½ tsp. dry mustard
Place all the ingredients in a
blender and process several minutes until the mixture is completely smooth. Pour into a medium saucepan and bring to a
boil, stirring constantly. Reduce
heat to low, and continue to stir
and cook a few minutes longer
until thick and smooth. Transfer
to a fondue pot and keep warm
over very low flame.
This thick cheezy sauce makes
a superb dip for crusty, wholegrain bread cubes, seitan chunks,
grilled tempeh, button mushrooms, broccoli and cauliflower
florets, cherry tomatoes, and any
other raw or lightly steamed
vegetables.
THE ULTIMATE UNCHEESE
COOKBOOK—Jo Stepaniak
192 pp 8x9” lie-flat $15.95
The first edition was a huge
popular success. This revised
10th Anniversary Edition (2003)
debuts some new recipes.
An introduction by Vesanto
Melina points out the problems
with dairy products and gives an
interesting comparison of nutritional values for cheeses from
animal milk and their uncheese
counterparts with plant-derived
ingredients.
The not-exactly-the-same
substitutes for dairy cheeses, and
cheese dishes, are easy to make,
satisfy cravings, nourish and
please. Prepared from wholesome ingredients, they surpass
commercial offerings.
The Unwine & Uncheese Reception took place at
The Farm in Summertown Tennessee, August 10 2005.
Photos by Linda Long.
Jo Stepaniak, the “grassroots
vegan” is a trusted advisor
through her website column at
vegsource.com and her books.
Being Vegan, $16.95. Answers
questions on practical aspects
of living as a vegan.
Raising Vegetarian Children
(with Vesanto Melina), $18.95.
Advice for families with vegetarian and/or vegans members.
6 American Vegan 5-1, SPRING 2006
The Vegan Sourcebook (with
Virginia Messina), $21.95. A
thorough examination of vegan
rationale, a history, and resources.
Among her other books are
these cookbooks.
Vegan Vittles, $12.95,
Vegan Deli, $15.95,
The Saucy Vegetarian, $12.95
(Order from AVS;
20% discount for members.)
Vegan Health Study
Clinical Summary 2005
Michael Klaper, MD
The Vegan Health Study examines vegan health through analyzing questionnaires submitted by over 900 participants and includes results from testing blood and urine samples of
some vegan participants. This summary also incorporates findings of numerous surveys of
the medical literature, and clinical interviews with many vegans in the past seven years.
Specifically, it addresses three primary issues:
1. The major health advantages associated with vegan diets
2. The major risks for nutritional deficiencies and disease states associated with vegan diets
3. Recommendations for dietary patterns that minimize risks and optimize health and
function for long-term vegans.
Advantages and Benefits
In recent years, vegan diets have been shown to
exert protective effects against a number of chronic
diseases and medical conditions, including
cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, and certain
cancers, as well as some kidney disorders, immuneinflammatory diseases, toxin exposure,
gastrointestinal diseases and eye disorders.
Whole-food-based vegan diets improve insulin
sensitivity, blood sugar control, reduce insulin
requirements, and aid in weight loss in people who
have type 2 diabetes. These advantages are thought
to be largely due to the increased intakes of fiber,
plant sterols and soy protein, and the reduced
intakes of total fats and refined carbohydrates.
Cardiovascular Disease:
Eating a vegan diet and incorporating prudent
lifestyle practices (abstinence from tobacco,
moderate exercise, etc.) is associated with:
•Regression of coronary atherosclerosis and
improved coronary perfusion with reduced
frequency, duration and severity of angina.
•Reduced oxidation of LDL cholesterol, and lower
blood viscosity resulting in advantages to artery
health.
•Lower total and LDL cholesterol, and triglycerides.
•Reduced rates of hypertension – if salt and refined
carbohydrates are minimized (Note: Vegans can
and do develop high blood pressure as they age and
if they consume excessive salt and refined sugarcontaining foods.)
Cancer:
There is significant evidence that vegans are at a
reduced risk of prostate cancer and cancers of the
colon and rectum.
Prostate cancer – Vegan men appear have a
reduced risk of prostate cancer. This is thought to be
due to the reduced intake of meat and dairy
products, and the increased intake of protective
phytochemicals.
Cancers of the colon and rectum – both male and
female vegans appear to enjoy a reduced risk of
cancers of the colon and rectum. This is thought to
be due largely to the reduced intake of meat and
animal fats, and the increased intake of fiber and
protective phytochemicals.
Type 2 Diabetes:
Vegan diets that are high in whole, unrefined
foods and low in refined carbohydrates, saturated
fat, cholesterol, and trans-fatty acids can offer
significant benefits in both the prevention and
treatment of type 2 diabetes.
Genito-urinary Disorders:
Low fat, moderate protein-containing vegan diets
appear to offer some protection against genitourinary disorders; namely, such diets may:
•Reduce painful menstrual cramps.
•Preserve kidney function – high protein diets cause
hyperfiltration of kidney filters.
American Vegan 5-1, SPRING 2006 7
Toxin Exposure:
People consuming whole food-based,
“organically-grown” vegan diets have reduced
exposure to environmental toxins, especially
mercury (associated with nervous system and
kidney toxicity) and dioxins, associated with
elevated risks for numerous types of cancers and
birth defects.
The reduced toxin levels have favorable
consequences for the breast milk of vegan mothers.
While levels of hydrocarbon contaminants have
been found to be elevated in the breast milk of
omnivorous women, levels in vegans tend to be far
lower.
Immune/Inflammatory Diseases:
Vegan diets appear to offer some protection
against immune/inflammatory disorders, and there
is some evidence that they may provide useful
treatment for some of these conditions. Evidence
suggests that vegan diets:
•Can effectively reduce symptoms of autoimmune
diseases – rheumatoid arthritis and ankylosing
spondylitis, although findings are inconsistent for
fibromyalgia.
•Can improve some skin conditions, such as atopic
dermatitis.
•Can improve asthma symptoms.
•Can possibly reduce severity and frequency of
sinus infections.
Gastrointestinal Diseases:
Evidence suggests that vegans have lower rates
of gastrointestinal disorders. This is thought to be
due to the increased intakes of fiber-containing plant
foods. Vegan diets have been found to:
•Minimize risk of constipation, and provide
effective treatment of constipation.
•Reduce incidence of colonic diverticula.
•Reduce incidence of gallstones.
Eye Diseases:
Vegan diets may reduce risk of age-related
macular degeneration and cataracts. Dietary
components that appear particularly protective
include a variety of carotenoids, particularly
zeaxanthin and lutein. These phytochemicals are
concentrated in a variety of fruits and vegetables,
especially dark greens such as collards and spinach.
8 American Vegan 5-1, SPRING 2006
Risks and Possible Disadvantages
While vegan diets offer considerable protection
against many chronic diseases, the Vegan Health
Study has found that vegans may be at increased
risk for certain nutritional deficiencies. For optimal
long-term health, it is essential that vegans are
aware of the potential pitfalls, and make the
necessary dietary adjustments to avoid them.
Vitamin Deficiencies:
The Vegan Health Study confirms numerous
other studies that vegans who do not supplement
their diets with vitamin B12 are at definite risk for
deficiency of vitamin B12. The effects of vitamin
B12 deficiencies may appear as soon as 6 months
after adopting a purely plant-based diet, or may not
appear following consumption of an exclusively
vegan diet for 10 years or more.
Vitamin B12 Deficiency:
Vitamin B12 deficiency has numerous negative
consequences for health:
Artery Damage:
When vitamin B12 levels fall, homocysteine
levels in the blood begin to rise. Homocysteine is a
waste product of the metabolism of the amino acid
methionine. Elevated levels of homocysteine can
damage the inner surfaces of arteries and in doing so
promote deposition of cholesterol plaques - thus
elevating the risk of heart attacks and strokes.
Neurological Damage:
Peripheral nerves – numbness and tingling and
burning sensation in extremities and profound
muscular fatigue.
Spinal cord injury – a serious form - subacute
combined degeneration - may cause paralysis and be
irreversible.
Other neurological hazards of vitamin B12
deficiency: dementia and depression in adults.
Risks to Children:
If mother is B12 deficient while pregnant: birth
defects. If mother is B12 deficient while
breastfeeding: nerve and brain damage, poor weight
gain and “failure to thrive syndrome.” If child is
B12 deficient during infancy and adolescence:
impaired intellectual function.
Blood System Damage:
Vitamin B12 deficiency leads to macrocytic
anemia (abnormal shape and function of red blood
cells), causing weakness, fatigue, irritability and
inability to concentrate.
Vitamin D Deficiency:
Vegans who have limited exposure to warm sunshine, such as those living in northern climates, as
well as those who have dark skin, and older adults,
are at increased risk for vitamin D deficiency, leading to weakened bones. The vegetarian form of vitamin D (vitamin D2) is only 60 percent as available
as the animal form (vitamin D3), which would raise
requirements for vegans who rely on vitamin D2 in
the form of supplements or fortified foods.
Mineral Deficiencies:
High fiber diets conspire against effective
mineral absorption because (a) minerals are bound
tightly to phytate molecules in the plant fibers and
(b) because the food mass moves through the
intestine so quickly that there is less time for
mineral absorption. In addition, some minerals, like
iodine, magnesium and zinc, simply exist in far
lower concentrations in plant-based foods than
animal-derived foods.
Mineral Commonly Inadequate in Vegan Diets:
Iodine Vegans who do not include iodized salt or
seaweeds in their diet are at increased risk of iodine
deficiency, needed for production of vital thyroid
hormones.
Minerals Sometimes Inadequate in Vegan Diets:
Calcium Evidence from the Vegan Health Study
suggests that a significant proportion of vegans fail
to consume and absorb sufficient calcium,
contributing to reduced bone density. However,
vegans who do ensure sufficient intakes of calcium
and other bone building nutrients, like magnesium,
boron, and vitamins D and K, can have excellent
bone health.
Iron Vegan iron intakes are often higher than that of
non-vegetarians and lacto-ovo vegetarians. Yet
many vegans and vegetarians can show low levels
of iron in the tissues (as ferritin) indicating low
absorption of the iron they consume, probably from
insufficient intake of vitamin C, which facilitates
iron absorption.
Zinc A significant percentage of vegans have zinc
intakes below the RDA, and suboptimal zinc status.
Absorption of zinc in vegan diets is reduced relative
to those consuming non-vegetarian diets. Vegan
diets are higher in phytates, which can significantly
compromise zinc absorption, and lower in animal
protein, which appears to enhance zinc absorption.
To ensure sufficient zinc in vegan diets, intakes
above the RDA may be required.
Magnesium A metal required by hundreds of
essential enzymes needed in energy production and
vital tissue functions (blood, muscle, etc.) While
vegan diets can be higher in magnesium than nonvegetarian diets, absorption may be lower due to
higher fiber intakes.
Essential Fat Deficiencies:
Long-term vegans commonly have low tissue
levels of highly-unsaturated fatty acids (HUFA) of
the omega-3 family – namely, EPA and DHA
(eicosapentaenoic acid – 20 carbon atoms in length,
and docosahexaenoic acid – 22 carbon atoms in
length).
Deficiencies in these fatty molecules can lead to
dry skin and low energy levels, as well as increased
risk for: cardiovascular disease, cancer, diabetes,
osteoporosis, obesity, neurological/behavioral
disorders such as Alzheimer’s disease, depression,
(possibly) ADHD, schizophrenia, immune/
inflammatory disorders such as asthma, rheumatoid
arthritis, lupus, inflammatory bowel diseases,
psoriasis, and atopic dermatitis. Also, deficiencies
of EPA and DHA can lead to suboptimal infant
development with compromised brain function and
reduced visual acuity.
The primary reasons for depressed omega-3 fatty
acid status in vegans are twofold:
First, vegans consume insufficient amounts of
alpha-linolenic acid (the essential omega-3 fatty
acid found primarily in flaxseeds, hempseeds,
canola oil, walnuts, green vegetables) relative to
their intake of linoleic acid (the omega-6 fatty acid
found in margarines, commercial mayonnaise and
many salad dressings, crackers, chips, cookies and
snack foods, as well as cooking and other oils like
safflower, grapeseed, sunflower, corn oil [60-75%
n-6] soy, cottonseed oil and sesame [45-50% n-6]).
Second, vegans seldom consume the long chain
omega-3 fatty acids, EPA and DHA, which in nonvegetarian diets come mainly from fish.
Protein deficiencies:
Although the majority of reports suggest adequate protein intakes in vegans, the Vegan Health
Study has found that sub-optimal amino acid status
(the “building blocks” of protein) is relatively common among vegans, and many vegans have low levels of branched-chain amino acids (valine, leucine,
and isoleucine) due to insufficient protein intake.
American Vegan 5-1, SPRING 2006 9
Vegans who do not consume enough sulfurcontaining amino acids, particularly cysteine and
methionine, are at risk for reduced production of
carnitine, a protein necessary for metabolizing fats
for energy. Low levels of carnitine can lead to
fatigue and reduced physical performance. A lack of
these sulfur-containing amino acids also reduces the
production of glutathione, a powerful antioxidant
needed for detoxification of tissue-damaging free
radicals, which can accelerate aging of tissues and
increase cancer risk
Organ Dysfunction:
Heart and Blood Vessels
Elevated blood cholesterol levels:
While vegans generally have lower blood
cholesterol levels relative to non-vegetarians, those
who consume a diet with:
•large amounts of refined carbohydrates (both
sugars and starches found in highly processed
breads and cereals, pastas, white rice, pretzels,
pastries, candies, soft drinks, etc.)
•trans fatty acids and deep-fried foods, and
•insufficient fiber, and green and yellow vegetables,
commonly develop elevated blood cholesterol.
Elevated triglycerides:
Vegans generally have lower levels of the bloodfat family of triglycerides than non-vegetarians;
however those who consume excessive amounts of
refined carbohydrates – both sugars and starches –
commonly develop elevated levels of triglycerides,
possibly elevating their risk of blood vessel disease.
High blood pressure:
Vegans are generally at an advantage where
blood pressure is concerned; however those
consuming a high sodium (salt) diet, combined with
excessive stress levels and insufficient exercise can
and do develop hypertension – leading to increased
risk of heart attack and stroke. (Risk for
hypertension is especially high if either parent or a
sibling had high blood pressure.)
Heart attacks:
Vegans experience considerable protection
against heart attacks; however, this advantage can
be virtually negated in those consuming insufficient
vitamin B12, with resulting elevated levels of
artery-damaging homocysteine.
10 American Vegan 5-1, SPRING 2006
Bones:
Vegans are at definite risk for osteoporosis
(despite lower protein intakes) if they do not
consume and absorb enough calcium, magnesium,
trace minerals like boron, zinc and manganese, as
well as vitamins K and D – and get enough weightbearing exercise.
Tissue Aging:
In the body, refined sugars are oxidized, forming
“advanced glycosylation end products” (“AGEs”).
These molecules then cross-link with protein strands
throughout the body (the Maillard reaction) which
causes stiffening and dysfunction of connective
tissues in arteries, eye tissues, and other vital
organs. Consequently, vegans who consume diets
rich in refined sugars (candies, pastries, soft drinks)
age their tissues prematurely through these dietary
choices.
Nutrition and Lifestyle
Recommendations
Make whole plant foods the foundation of your
diet. Emphasize (non-genetically modified,
organically-grown) whole foods (“foods as grown”).
Include a variety of fresh, colorful vegetables,
including green leafy vegetables on a daily basis,
fruits, legumes, nuts, seeds and whole grains*.
(*If there is any question of gluten intolerance –
e.g. abdominal cramps, bloating, diarrhea or hives
after eating wheat, barley, oats and rye – consider
eliminating products made from those grains and
emphasize low-gluten grains like quinoa, millet &
buckwheat.)
Minimize refined carbohydrates – both sugars
and starches. Refined sugars, such as white sugar,
brown sugar, syrups, candy and sodas, as well as
refined starches, such as white flour products and
white rice products, crowd out foods that nourish
and protect us and contribute to a variety of health
problems. These foods cause oxidative damage to
tissues and contribute to premature aging of the
body. They elevate blood sugar levels, adversely
affect blood lipids (particularly triglycerides), and
increase risk for type 2 (adult-onset) diabetes, as
well as cardiovascular diseases and gastro-intestinal
disorders.
Include a healthful intake and balance of
essential fatty acids. Aim for 3 to 5 grams of alphalinolenic acid per day for most adults. This can be
achieved by consuming 2 Tbs. freshly ground flax
seeds or 2 tsp. of fresh flaxseed oil daily (add to
gravies, cereals, smoothies, salads, etc.), or an equal
amount of alpha-linolenic acid from a combination
of foods such as hempseed oil, hempseeds, walnuts
and organic canola oil. If taking omega-3 fats in the
above forms is impractical or undesirable, consider
taking an algae-derived DHA supplement (300 mg./
day, in “vegi-cap”), available at natural food stores.
This is particularly important for those who may
have increased needs (e.g. pregnant or lactating
women), or reduced ability to convert alphalinolenic acid to EPA and DHA (e.g. people with
diabetes or hypertension).
Assure an adequate protein intake
(approximately 60 to 90 grams per day for vegan
adults.) Liberally ingest protein-rich foods – lentils,
chickpeas, beans, tempeh, tofu, and other legumes,
as well as nuts, seeds, and products made from
them.
Assure an adequate supply of trace minerals.
Consume ample helpings of dark green leafy
vegetables, legumes, nuts, seeds, root vegetables
and fruits. It is not enough to eat the minerals – you
must absorb them. So, break up the plant fibers by
chewing your foods well and/or using food
preparation methods that help to break up plant
fibers: cooking (e.g. soups or stews), grinding,
juicing, grating or pureeing.
Insure a reliable source of vitamin B12.
Reliable sources include fortified foods and
supplements. Fortified foods such as non-dairy
beverages (rice-based and soy-based drinks), Red
Star nutritional yeast (Vegetarian Support Formula)
and some cereals are good choices. Select at least
two servings of these foods each day, with at a total
of at least 3 mcg. of B12 in total.
If there is any likelihood that your intake of B12
is not sufficient (as is common with many long-term
vegans) then a vitamin B12 supplement is advised.
Take a sublingual “microdot” of approximately
2000 mcg. vitamin B12 at least once a week. When
using large amounts of B12, only 0.5 to 1.0% will be
absorbed - thus high intakes are required to insure
sufficient absorption.
Keep sodium intake to not more than 2400 mg
per day, and preferably around 1800 mg per day.
About 75% of the sodium in most diets comes from
processed foods, and about 20% is added at the
table. This is one more reason to limit processed
foods (meat analogs, canned soups, etc.). Use
flavored vinegars, lemon juice and other lowsodium taste enhancers, rather than soy sauce and
other salty seasonings.
Note: Athletes, especially those living in warm
climates, may require higher amounts of sodium in
their diets.
Eliminate trans fatty acids. Commonly found
in processed foods containing “hydrogenated
vegetable oil,” “partially hydrogenated vegetable
oil” or “shortening” (read the labels!), trans fatty
acids distort the shape, flexibility and permeability
of cell membranes, thus compromising their
function and increasing risk for artery disease, type
2 diabetes, and possibly some cancers. Again,
minimize processed foods and emphasize fresh,
whole foods.
Consider taking a multivitamin/mineral
supplement. If there is any question of adequate
intake of any given vitamin, mineral or essential fat,
consider taking a high-potency (vegetarian)
multivitamin-mineral preparation (tablet or liquid or
powder) daily, or approximately 2-3 times per week.
This supplement should contain the following
nutrients in approximately these amounts: iodine 150
mcg., zinc 15 mg., copper 1-2 mg., boron 2 mg.,
vitamin K .5 mg., and vitamin D2 5 mcg.
Other possibly helpful supplements to consider
would be: a calcium/magnesium supplement
(approximately 1000 mg. of calcium and 800-1000
mg. of magnesium), as well as 300 mg of algaederived DHA and 10 mcg. vitamin B12 daily or
2000 mcg. vitamin B12 weekly.
Be sure to get a consistent, reliable source of
vitamin D. The best way to get your vitamin D is
from sunshine. Aim for about 20-30 minutes on
your face and forearms each day, and more if you
have dark skin. (Such brief exposure times will not
damage your skin or increase cancer risk and will
produce substantial benefits for your immune
system.) If you live in a cooler climate, sunshine
will not be intense enough to produce vitamin D
during the winter months, and you will need to rely
on fortified foods such as fortified non-dairy
beverages or vitamin D supplements. Vitamin D3 is
generally derived from animal sources, while
vitamin D2 is plant-based.
Try to get 20 to 30 minutes of active, weightbearing exercise at least every other day. Include a
balance of cardiovascular, flexibility and strength
exercises.
American Vegan 5-1, SPRING 2006 11
For optimal health, a positive mental and
emotional state is essential – and possibly more
important than nutritional intake. Life is about
more than avoiding disease and death. Get as
much love, laughter and meaningful service into
your daily life as possible. Make your life a
reflection of your hopes, dreams and joys.
(Acknowledgment and appreciation is expressed to
Brenda Davis, RD and Vesanto Melina, RD for their
valuable contribution to these recommendations for
creating health-enhancing vegan diets.)
The Vegan Health Study research program
continues. In the near future we will be
focusing on the dietary patterns and
supplement programs of those long-term
vegans who are experiencing exceptionally
good health as well as those who are failing
to thrive on purely vegan diets. Vegan
athletes and people who have been vegan
since birth are of special interest. We will
distill out patterns of foods and supplements
that seem to promote optimal health and
communicate them to all participants as they
become available.
If you have not already done so, please complete
our questionnaire at www.veganhealthstudy.org, or
write to the address below for a copy.
Inform others of our research efforts and
encourage their participation. Tax-deductible
contributions to support this research are greatly
appreciated.
Michael Klaper, MD Director
Institute of Nutrition Education
and Research
1601 N. Sepulveda Avenue #342
Manhattan Beach, CA 90266
A 501 (C)(3) NOT-FOR-PROFIT EDUCATIONAL AND
RESEARCH ORGANIZATION
E.I.N. #33-0507634
12 American Vegan 5-1, SPRING 2006
VEGAN DIET:
Bad, Good, or Superior?
Contrary to most definitions, vegan diets are defined by what they do not contain! Consequently it
is not possible to say that a vegan diet is bad or
good, for it depends entirely on what each person
eating with these proscriptions chooses to consume.
There are some advantages shared by all vegan
diets, and these pertain to not ingesting animal fats,
animal proteins, and the toxic load (inherent and
environmental) present in all flesh — that increases
as you feed higher up the food chain.
In leaving animal items off the plate a void is
created which calls for substitutions. Some fill their
stomachs by increasing the amounts of the food left
on the plate. If the quality of that food is poor it’s a
bad bargain and likely missing a food group. Many
folk would be left with white bread, French fries and
ketchup, washed down with a soda.
A wholesome vegan diet consists of daily servings of fresh fruit, raw and conservatively cooked
vegetables; cooked whole grains (bread, brown rice,
etc.), and pulses (peas, beans, lentils); some nuts and
seeds, and a little seaweed. Green leafy vegetables
are rich in vital nutrients; few eat enough.
Convenience foods can make vegan living easier,
but their overuse may increase the intake of salt,
sugar and refined grains above healthful limits.
The Vegan Health Study provides a yardstick
by which to gauge our health status as a group. Now
is a good time for each of us to evaluate our eating
habits, pay attention to B12 levels/intake, make sure
we exercise, enjoy fresh air and sunshine, and get
enough sleep. Furthermore, we can find out what
condition our bodies are in through some diagnostic
tests which may reveal troubles in the making.
Most people we know who adopt a vegan diet are
very happy to find their health improves. Those who
are satisfied with their new lifestyle and do well stay
vegan; others drop away. Beyond social and veganfood-not-readily-available factors, failed attempts
may be due to poor practice or physical limitations.
We believe that most people who want to eat vegan can achieve a personal best fitness level. Learn
how by reading, consulting vegan doctors and dieticians (online, at conferences), attending cooking
classes, and sharing vegan meals and recipes with
friends. Experiment a bit to see what works for you.
Take care; live the best you know how.
-Freya
Farewell to Vegan Society Founder
Donald Watson
1910—2005
Donald Watson, the
visionary who coined the
word ‘vegan’ and founded
The Vegan Society in 1944,
died November 16 2005 at
his Keswick England home
in the Lake District. Donald
had celebrated his 95th
birthday on September 2
with a chat to the BBC
World Service.
Son of a headmaster and with
parents who encouraged their
children to find their own paths in
life, Donald grew up in a coal
mining area of south Yorkshire.
As a child he loved to visit his
Uncle George’s farm. But the
idyllic scene with friendly livestock was shattered for him when
he saw a pig slaughtered and
heard its screams. (He later described the farm as a death row
for animals.) At 13 he made a
resolution and became vegetarian.
Later in life he excluded dairy
products and eggs from his diet.
He abhorred the way dairy cows
are exploited: having calves taken
from them within a few days of
birth, and being fed and bred to
produce ever larger quantities of
milk. Milk, egg, and wool production he perceived involved
cruel exploitation and slaughter
of highly sentient life. The animals that “gave” something were
killed when no longer productive;
the male of their kind disposed of
at birth (chicks), or slaughtered
later for meat.
View from the top. Upon retirement
from teaching Donald acted as a
guided walks leader in Cumbria. He
enjoyed fell-walking until 94.
Donald was a member of the
Leicester vegetarian group. By
1942 he was corresponding and
occasionally meeting others to
discuss his insights. When their
suggestion of a nondairy section
in The Vegetarian Messenger was
rejected, they formed a new society. It was 1944 and the small
group accepted the term ‘vegan’
that Donald and his wife Dorothy
had coined. As editor of The
Vegan News it was Donald who
introduced ‘vegan’ to the world,
as is recorded in The Oxford English Dictionary.
Donald was a carpenter employed as a craft-teacher in woodwork then and throughout his
working life. He would be in sole
charge of the new organization
for over 18 months, putting in
many nighttime hours.
o
“Why did we do it then of all
times? Perhaps it seemed to us
a fitting antidote to the sickening experience of the War, and
a reminder that we should be
doing more about the other
holocaust that goes on all the
time. Or perhaps it was that we
were conscious of a remarkable
omission in all previous vegetarian literature — namely, that
though nature provides us with
lots of examples of carnivores
and vegetarians it provides us
with no examples of lactocarnivores or lacto-vegetarians.
Such groups are freaks and only
made possible by man’s capacity to exploit the reproductive
functions of other species. This,
we thought, could not be right
either dietetically or ethically. It
was certainly wrong aesthetically, and we could conceive of
no spectacle more bizarre than
that of a grown man attached at
his meal-times to the udder of a
cow.”
“In the short term it was,
and is, possible to obtain milk
and eggs without killing the
creatures concerned, and from
this the erroneous deduction
was made that these foods
could be produced commercially
and in enormous quantities to
form part of a humane diet.”
“Our tottering civilization is
built on the exploitation of animals, as earlier civilizations
were built on the exploitation of
human slaves.”
Above quotes by Donald Watson from The Vegan,
Summer 1988, Spring 1989, Summer 1989.
Biographical information from these sources and
The Vegan Summer 2003, Spring 2006, an obituary
by his daughter Janet, BBC News Nov. 18 2005,
VegNews Jan/Feb 2006, & www.vegansociety.com.
The Vegan Society
Donald Watson House
7 Battle Road
St Leonards-on-Sea
E Sussex TN37 7AA
ENGLAND
www.vegansociety.com
American Vegan 5-1, SPRING 2006 13
BOOK REVIEW:
101 Reasons Why I'm a Vegetarian
Pam Rice is the chief cook and
bottle washer for VivaVegie Society
(New York City), which has an actual physical office where veggies
can comfortably hang out by appointment. The mailing address is
P.O. Box 294 Prince Street Station,
New York, NY 10012-0005 and the
phone number is (212) 242-0011,
just in case you're going there anytime soon.
Pam founded the group in 1991.
By day she's a writer, but her true
avocation is the assembly of an accurate and exhaustive list of references supporting vegetarianism, for
which she gets paid, guess what,
nothing! The 101 Reasons, plus a lot
more, is accessible for free at her
VivaVegie website, but this book
puts it all in a portable format. The
book gives solid documentation with
28 pages of references, about 50 to a
page, so something like 1400 in all.
Mostly the articles are from reliable
BOOK
REVIEW:
media sources like AP, The New
York Times, and The Guardian, with
a sprinkling of EPA, The Meating
Place, and USDA documents thrown
in. Some of the citations are accompanied by URLs, but not all, and for
the benefit of readers too lazy to dig
in a library, of which your humble
correspondent is a splendid example,
more would have been welcome.
Not that the book itself is a dry
read. Pamela writes cogently and
with an underlying passion for her
subject, and while she admits it's a
negative one, her personal attitude is
positive with a hope that things will
get better. She has always been good
at tracking the spoor of the USDA
and its financial bailouts for the meat
and dairy industries, and in Chapter
44 she details 10 separate and flagrant categories, wryly suggesting
we need "a separation of meat and
state." "It is high time that those who
choose meat pay the true cost of
Rather quickly they
launched Pure Food &
the Glow Wine to immediate success bringing customers
into an experience of exceptional
animal-free, stove-free cooking.
Once so many world-class recipes
had been developed, they, their large
staff, and even non-vegetarian customers were enjoying better health,
and this had to be shared with those
who do not have access to their unparalleled restaurant.
This book can be relished just by
turning pages for the illustrations.
Wonderful photography by Charles
Schiller showcases the authors, the
food, its preparation, and delightful
eating.
It is worth having this book if
only for the recipes for Red Beet
Ravioli (Page 176) and Chocolate
Macaroons (Page 257)!
Raw Food/real world:
100 Recipes to Get
From the overwhelmingly successful Manhattan raw restaurant,
Pure Food & Wine, comes a mesmerizing, energizing and revitalizing
book of exquisite recipes. It is both a
primer for the philosophy and getting
started with raw food, and a sophisticated recipe collection.
“Eating food that is alive keeps
you feeling alive”, say the restaurateurs and authors, Matthew Kenney
and Sarma Melngailis. Although
classically trained at the French Culinary Institute and having pursued
successful careers in the cuisine of
some New York City hot spots, they
could not deny the flavors they experienced while eating in a raw vegan restaurant unsuspectingly one
evening. Even they are surprised
their interest grew to such heights!
14 American Vegan 5-1, SPRING 2006
Reviewed by Linda Long
their predilection" (i.e., cut out the
subsidies, already).
However, the shell game going
on at the USDA and its financial
arm, the Commodities Credit Corporation (CCC), changes so rapidly
that it's hard to keep up with anything but the human, animal, and
environmental wreckage left in its
wake. That she has done very well.
This is an important book for
those in need of factual backup. For
those just getting into vegetarianism,
a very user-friendly resource is her
www.vivavegie.org where you'll
find just about all you need to know,
particularly if you're headed in the
direction of NYC.
Review by William Harris, MD in
The Island Vegetarian, newsletter of
Vegetarian Society of Hawaii, Quarter
One, 2006.
Lantern Books, ISBN: 1590560752
101 Reasons Why I'm a
Vegetarian
by Pamela Rice,
2005, 254 pp 6x9”$20.00
“Raw food is going glam.”
-New York Post
ISBN: 0060793554
Raw Food/real world:
100 Recipes to Get the Glow
Matthew Kenney
& Sarma Melngailis.
(Mostly vegan; some bee products.)
2005, 375pp 7½ x 9½” $34.95
Books in stock at AVS. 20% discount to members, free shipping.
Raw-Vegan-Gourmet Cuisine Centers
Classes, Catering, Commissaries, Cafes.
California:
The Living Light Culinary Arts Institute (LLCAI), which has been
teaching vegan raw food preparation for 10 years, opened its new
premises in Northern California August 2005. Tucked into the historic
Company Store building in downtown Fort Bragg, the center also
houses a marketplace, to-go juice bar and deli, and a raw-food catering
company.
LLCAI, “Living Light”, founded by master raw-vegan chef Cherie
Soria, offers hands-on certification courses in the art of gourmet rawvegan cuisine for individuals, chefs, and teachers. Living Light is
known internationally as the premier raw-chef school in the world.
Courses are designed to assist students in achieving the highest level
of competence, regardless of initial skill level. In its training classes at
the Living Light Center on the beautiful Mendocino coast in northern
California, it is common to meet people from six different countries.
Hundreds of associate chefs and many of the world's best raw-food
chefs have been certified by Living Light.
One-evening classes; three-, five-, and ten-day courses, and sixweek programs are given in Fort Bragg. One-day Raw Living Foods
Intensives are scheduled in cities across the U.S., plus events in other
countries.
New York:
Matthew Kenney has continued to blaze a trail in the vegan community since the publication of Raw Food/real world. Nobody before has
ever opened so many new restaurants in just a few weeks. In Manhattan
are Heirloom, an upscale restaurant, and two Blue/Green Organic Juice
Cafés, and in Brooklyn’s DUMBO area, The Plant.
The Plant is a 4,000 sq. ft. commissary kitchen and café devoted to
raw food preparation, education, and distribution. It is the production
hub for all the Blue Green Organic Juice Cafés, a model of its kind for
fresh, clean, organic nutrition.
The Cafés are part of a lifestyle company, Organic Umbrella, which
Matthew founded as a vehicle to advocate organic living. How very ambitious, wonderful, and not to be missed when visiting New York City!
MANHATTAN:
Heirloom, 191 Orchard Street; New York NY 10002.
(212) 228-9888 www.heirloomnyc.com.
Pure Food & Wine,
54 Irving Place @ 17th Street New York NY 10003. (212) 477-1010.
Blue/Green Organic Juice Cafés at 203 E. 74th Street, New York NY
10021, and 248 Mott Street, New York NY 10012.
BROOKLYN:
The Plant, 25 Jay St./John Street, Brooklyn NY 11201.
See www.theplantindumbo.com or call (718) 722.7541.
LL
Cherie Soria, founder and director of the Living Light Culinary
Arts Institute, with co-director
Dan Ladermann.
Photo: Linda Long, August 2005
Cherie Soria is respected in
the international raw-food
community as one of the
world's top raw-food vegan
chefs, and is an early pioneer in
the development of this style of
gourmet cuisine. Previously she
taught ethnic vegetarian cooking for twenty years. Then she
met and studied with Dr. Ann
Wigmore who encouraged
Cherie to express her talent by
developing new preparation
techniques for fresh foods.
Cherie’s video presentations
are much in demand.
Annual
Vibrant Living Expo
Fort Bragg California
August 24 to 27 2006
Exhibits, Speakers,
Demonstrations
Living Light
Culinary Arts Institute
301-B North Main Street,
Fort Bragg CA 95437
(800) 816-2319
(707) 964-2420
[email protected]
www.rawfoodchef.com
American Vegan 5-1, SPRING 2006 15
Andrea: The secret of sophisticated
and extremely tasty vegan cuisine is
revealed in The Candle Cafe Cookbook with the most popular recipes
from the current or past menus. Full
of specialties and interesting combiPhotos: Andrea Carvalho
nations, the book transforms any ordinary cook into a real chef!
Color your summer with a Strawberry-Rhubarb Crumb Pie that tastes
far more delicious (and is healthier)
than more traditional recipes. ReCandle 79, 154 East 79th Street, New
markably, I had never seen rhubarb
York NY 10021 (212) 537-7179
prior to attempting this pie, and it
Candle Cafe, 1307 Third Avenue,
came out perfectly – evidence that
New York NY 10021 (212) 472-0970
the recipe is foolproof.
Visit www.candlecafe.com for news.
For special events, the
Book reviews:
Seitan Piccata with White Wine
and Caper Sauce – just as it is
served at the Upper East Side
Susan: If you live anywhere near the New York metropolitan area,
restaurants – is worth the substantial time and effort needed
you know that Candle Cafe, and its newer second location Candle
for preparation. This recipe is
79, both in the Upper East Side of Manhattan is the place to be, vegan
full of valuable details such as
or not, for delicious vegan meals and catering. From the smoothie bar
how to make homemade seitan
to delicious soups and salads, Cajun seitan sandwich to tantalizing desand vegetable broth. For those
serts, – just looking at the menu is mouthwatering.
cooks not so experienced, or on
But, if you aren’t able to get yourself into the City, you’re in for a
a tighter schedule, buying the
treat – The Candle Cafe Cookbook is filled with recipes for their fabasics and following the remous dishes. The recipes, much like the dishes in the restaurant, are
maining recipe still makes a
absolutely delicious, even prepared by an amateur like myself! Be pregood dish.
pared though, they may be variations on those you enjoyed in NYC.
Delectable fancy dishes like
The cookbook, at first glance, may not seem appropriate for someEggplant Parmesan Sandwiches are now at your fingerone on a budget (such as a college student like myself!) – ingredients
tips – they make attractive platlike kuzu and agave nectar frightened me! However, rarely do the reciters. It takes time, but believe
pes call for large amounts of ingredients you wouldn’t normally buy.
me, you can do it! Although I
The lesser-known or more expensive ingredients used can be subbed
didn’t have all of the ingrediwith some more well known ingredients – corn starch for kuzu; corn,
ents, it was easy to substitute
rice or maple syrup for the agave.
with less-expensive products
Also, many of the recipes call for sauces and icing – and instruct
that I already had at home.
preparation for disproportionately large amounts. I found this to be
Don’t be scared of new inquite wonderful actually – some of the oil based sauces kept very well,
gredients; the book has a glosand could be used later as a very quick sauce over a simple pasta, or in
sary, and a guide to natural
the case of too much icing (is there ever too much icing?), I found simmarkets where you can find the
simple and hard-to-find items.
ply refrigerating it hardened it into a fudge-like consistency, which
There is a handy conversion
could then be cut into squares and eaten along with dessert or given
chart of U.S. to International
away to friends.
and Imperial measurements.
All in all, the cookbook, much like the restaurants, is exceedingly
Color photos condelicious. Some of the recipes take a little longer than others, but the
vey presentation
end product was good enough to bring compliments from all of my
of select dishes.
Candle 79
awarded New York Naturally's
Restaurant of the Year for 2005!
THE CANDLE CAFE COOKBOOK
non-vegan/veg college friends – who are used to dining hall fare! If I
didn’t already own The Candle Cafe Cookbook, I’d order it today.
-Susan Dubois from New Jersey, recent graduate of Dartmouth College NH
16 American Vegan 5-1, SPRING 2006
-Andrea Carvalho,
from Brazil living
in NYC
Book review:
Candle Cafe
Shines
More
THE CANDLE CAFE COOKBOOK: More Than 150
Enlightened Recipes from New
York’s Renowned Vegan Restaurant –Joy Pierson and Bart
Potenza, with Barbara ScottGoodman. Color photos. 2003,
230pp 7¼x9” $18.00.
Candle Cafe opened in 1994
and has been instrumental in
giving vegan cuisine its current
glossy profile. Bart Potenza and
Joy Pierson, owners, welcome
health-conscious diners including
some well-known celebrities.
Bart and Joy are committed to
serving excellent vegan cuisine
ut ilizing seasonal produce
delivered daily from organic
farms for peak perfection. By not
using animal products and
supporting good farming practice,
they recognize the bonds of
environmental, spiritual, and
physical well-being.
Bart, 68, is very fit and says,
“Experience has taught me that
the (food) fads come and go. I
continue to eat an all-vegan, low
wheat, low-sugar diet.” Joy, 43, is
proud of their culinarily vibrant
fare served in a friendly
atmosphere. Both are kind and
generous.
The candles? They use soybased candles; never beeswax,
petroleum, or lead-wicked.
-Freya Dinshah
These books are in stock at AVS. 20%
discount to members, free shipping.
Great Good Dairy-Free Desserts Naturally
Fran Costigan
This is not a book review. This is a love letter. I hope it is alright to
have a romance with a book! In More Great Good Dairy-Free Desserts Naturally, Fran Costigan does not just write the best dessert
cookbook, she offers us a complete cooking school course. Her tips
and techniques will make us all master bakers!
Most of us miss some favorite desserts from before we started animal-free eating. No more with this book! The three-layer chocolate
cake on the cover is the ultimate one. I was at two parties (at upscale
restaurants in New York City) to which Fran brought chocolate cakes.
The guests and the restaurant owners raved. Such praise was notable
coming from people who normally do not seek natural, dairy-free, eggfree desserts. They were astonished!
If lactose intolerance is an issue, or cutting out trans fats and cholesterol is a goal, this book sets those concerns to rest.
Any owner of this book is a beneficiary of Fran’s years of professional experience: working in restaurants like Angelica’s Kitchen and
Luma in New York City, private baking for select clientele, and teaching at the Institute of Culinary Education (ICE) and the Natural Gourmet Cookery School in New York City.
Besides in-depth information about sweeteners, Fran tells us the
best ingredient choices to make. Use all her advice when making luscious desserts like Coconut Cloud Layer Cake (page 142), Peanut Butter Mousse in Chocolate Candy Cups (page 44) – like the popular
candy but much better for you, Caramel Popcorn (page 207), and even
Pumpkin Pie with Candied Pecans (page 182) that includes the often
illusive Nondairy Foolproof Flaky Pie Dough (page 169)!
Besides the moist cover cake do not overlook a cake you can bake
during your meal, the Amazing Hot Fudge Sundae Cake (page 164)
that makes its own sauce in the same baking dish.
Find exceptional recipes for satisfying gels, creams, cookies (a few
old favorites were updated and included along with new and creative
ones), cobblers, biscuits, and pancakes. Creamy frostings have the
Wow! factor. There are frozen desserts, confections, and beverages –
including a New York Eggless Cream (page 205) which reluctantly
brings this new classic to an end.
As Fran says, “Now let’s go into the
kitchen and make something good.”
-Reviewed by Linda Long
MORE GREAT GOOD DAIRYFREE DESSERTS NATURALLY:
Sin-sational Sumptuous Treats –Fran
Costigan. Color photos. 2006, 224pp
8x9¼” $19.95.
American Vegan 5-1, SPRING 2006 17
Vegetarian America
by Karen and Michael Iacobbo
BOOK REVIEW:
The Iacobbos have performed a
prodigious feat of research in producing this 268-page history of
vegetarianism in America. Although
their prose style is workmanlike, the
reader is carried along by the cascade of information about noteworthy vegetarian individuals and
groups that have been hidden from
view for decades. For instance, they
have uncovered the recondite fact
that the first raw-food community,
Joyful News, was founded in California in the 1880s. Sylvester Graham, Bronson Alcott, Dr. John Harvey Kellogg, John Robbins, Jay and
Freya Dinshah, Dr. Neal Barnard,
Ingrid Newkirk, and other bright
luminaries of the past 250 years of
vegetarian history are here. Lesser
lights such as Curtis Freshel, Henry
Bailey Stevens and Alfred Crosby
are also allowed to shine forth.
On the other hand, there are some
glaring omissions; Horace Fletcher,
for example. At the turn of the 20th
century this corpulent businessman
developed a system of losing weight
through vigorous mastication. When
Fletcher found meat was resistant to
being liquefied through repetitive
chewing, he turned vegetarian.
Fletcherizing became a popular dietary trend for more than half a century and the word was enshrined in
Webster's Dictionary. Fletcher, Bernarr Macfadden and Upton Sinclair
formed a triumvirate of food reformers who helped steer the nation toward mainstream vegetarianism.
Another omission is the Iacobbos’ failure to take note that the very
term “vegetarian" is a neologism that
was coined in England in 1847. Neither do they mention the English
couple, Donald and Dorothy Watson, who coined the term ‘vegan’ in
1944. The Iacobbos might argue that
the coining of the terms vegetarian
and vegan are peculiarly English
phenomena that fall outside the
scope of a history of vegetarianism
in the U.S.; but elsewhere in their
history they pride themselves on adverting to the British connection, as
when they recount the contributions
to American vegetarianism made by
English vegetarian Henry Clubb.
Clearly, the history of vegetarianism
in the U.S. is fatefully entwined with
that of England. The first vegetarian
church was established in Philadelphia by a boatload of English vegetarian missionaries, the Bible Christians in 1817, and the first secular
vegetarian society in the U.S.,
formed in 1850, was headed by an
Englishman, the Reverend William
Metcalfe.
To their credit, the Iacobbos redress the wrong (of being allowed to
fall into neglect) done to many of the
movement’s women, honoring Mary
Gove Nichols, Asenath Nicholson,
Victoria Woodhull, Emarel Freshel,
Connie Salamone, Nellie Shriver,
Marcia Pearson, and other estimable
female activists. But other notables,
such as Rosalie Hurd and Agatha
Thrash MD are missing.
Unfortunate carelessness shows
when they misname the National
Health Association (previously
American Natural Hygiene Society)
the National Medical Association.
Some details are in error; Freya
Dinshah was not a co-founder of the
American Vegan Society.
With their admirable assiduousness in ferreting out facts about obscure vegetarians in late 18th and
early 19th centuries, it is all the more
perplexing that the Iacobbos are so
slipshod in recording the contributions of other vegetarian historians
over the past fifty years. Indeed the
number of vegetarian historians
whose work they appear to have
drawn upon without acknowledgment is astonishing. These include
Janet Barkas' Vegetable Passion
18 American Vegan 5-1, SPRING 2006
(1975), which for all its defects
opened some wide vistas on the
topic; Keith Akers’ Vegetarian
Sourcebook (1982) containing an
excellent outline of vegetarian history in the U.S.; Dr. Bernard Unti's
important article on the Bible Christians and the early history of vegetarianism in the U.S., which appeared in Vegetarian Times (April
1990), and Colin Spencer’s work in
The Heretic’s Feast (1995). Jo Stepaniak, who has written innumerable
vegan cookbooks and a valuable
compendium, The Vegan Sourcebook (1999), also goes unmentioned.
In the section on vegetarianism in
California, material painstakingly
gathered by Gordon Kennedy about
The Nature Boys, Robert Bootzin,
Eden Ahbez, et al, for Children of
the Sun (1989) is not attributed.
What could have been a very fine
work by the Iacobbos is marred by
their seeming unwillingness to cite
the work of other contemporary
vegetarian historians – among whom
Keith Akers, Jo Stepaniak and Bernard Unti deserve mention also for
their role as prominent activists.
Even though it may not live up to
its claim of being a complete history,
for most people Vegetarian America
provides more than any other book
currently in print on the subject.
-Reviewed by Rynn Berry
Rynn is historical advisor to the
North American Vegetarian Society,
author of Famous Vegetarians and
Their Favorite Recipes, Food for the
Gods: Vegetarianism and the
World's Religions, Hitler: Neither
Vegetarian Nor Animal Lover, et al.
He was commissioned to write the
history of vegetarianism in the U.S.
for The Oxford History of Food and
Drink in America (2004).
VEGETARIAN AMERICA:
A History –Karen and Michael
Iacobbo (Praeger Publishers,
Westport Conn. ISBN:0-27597519-3) 2004, 269 pp 6½x9½”
hard $39.95.
From the cover of
Book review:
Your Vegetarian
Pregnancy:
Vegetarian Christian Saints:
Mystics, Ascetics & Monks
Dr. Holly Roberts, a woman of
medicine and herself a vegetarian
over twenty-five years, takes a
straightforward positive look at
some 150 canonized Christian
saints and their eating habits in
her book Vegetarian Christian
Saints: Mystics, Ascetics and
Monks.
Saints such as the famous St.
Francis of Assisi, popular with
believers as well as unbelievers,
St. Catherine of Sienna, the first
woman doctor of the church, and
St. Peter Celestine, the vegetarian
pope, lived their daily lives
e xp r e ss in g co mp as s io n,
meditating, and often fasting. Dr.
Roberts traces their vegetarian
lifestyle from their observance of
asceticism which generally
incorporates the practice of
abstinence, including not eating
meat.
Mystical saints, such as St.
Francis, sense the soul, spirit
and essence of God in all
creation whether it is human or
a non-human animal. Not only
an organizer, leading both men
(friars) and a sister order of
nuns, the Poor Clares, St.
Francis is known as a healer.
Through animals he reaches
people. It was he who instituted
the Christmas Crib.
Similar to St. Francis,
Catherine of Sienna committed
her life to serving the community,
performing works of charity and
assistance to others seeking God.
Helping the sick and the dying,
she is known as a patron saint of
nurses. She lived an
uncomplicated life, consuming
only bread, raw vegetables and
water. In 1970, Pope Paul VI
conferred on her the title of
Doctor of the Church, a title
never before given to a woman.
Pope Peter Celestine V
differed from his predecessors as
well as his successors by living
an ascetic and vegetarian
lifestyle. St. Peter Celestine was
living as a hermit when he was
called to be pope.
Dr. Roberts enjoys tracing the
lives of these holy individualistic
people as an inspiration for those
who choose a lifestyle different
from the majority, vegetarians.
Grouped logically, also by saint
d a y, a nd a lp h a be t ic a l l y,
Vegetarian Christian Saints can
be used as an informational
reference.
Having studied theology at
Georgian Court University, a
private Catholic University in
Lakewood NJ, Dr. Roberts shows
her flexibilit y and openmindedness by exploring the
Hindu, Buddhist and Jain
religions in another of her books,
The Vegetarian Philosophy of
India: Hindu, Buddhist & Jain
Sacred Teachings.
Reviewer: Mary Ann Cavallaro
When you're eating for two,
you need to eat well. There's no
question that a vegetarian or vegan diet is just as nutritionally
sound during pregnancy as one
that includes animal protein. In
fact, vegetarian nutrition offers
pregnant women valuable health
benefits that you simply won't
find in a non-vegetarian diet, such
as higher levels of folic acid,
lower cholesterol, and an abundant variety of essential minerals,
vitamins, and nutrients. Whether
you are already vegetarian or you
simply want to reduce the amount
of meat in your diet, making the
right dietary choices to support
you and your baby is the key to a
safe, healthy pregnancy.
YOUR VEGETARIAN
PREGNANCY: A Month-ByMonth Guide to Health &
Nutrition –Holly Roberts, DO,
FACOG, Board-Certified
Obstetrician-Gynecologist. A
lifetime of expertise, information,
and wisdom that will help
vegetarian and vegan women
achieve healthy pregnancies.
Adequacy – and advantages –
of well-chosen vegetarian and
vegan diets expounded. 2003,
378pp 6x9¼” $15.00.
VEGETARIAN CHRISTIAN SAINTS:
Mystics, Ascetics & Monks. –Dr. Holly Roberts. 2004, 258pp 7½ x9¼” $20.00.
The VEGETARIAN PHILOSOPHY OF INDIA
—Hindu, Buddhist & Jain Sacred Teachings – Dr. Holly Roberts. Presents a journey
into the sacred teachings that have led billions of people in the subcontinent of India to
live as vegetarians and to cherish the values
of nonviolence and compassion for all creation. 2006, 146pp 7½ x9¼” $20.00.
Books are in stock at AVS, 20% discount to members, free shipping.
My Personal
Journey as a
Physician and
Vegetarian
Dr. Holly Roberts
will speak at
AVS HQ
in Malaga NJ
May 28 2006
See page 34
American Vegan 5-1, SPRING 2006 19
COWS CONTRIBUTE TO GLOBAL WARMING
From the Editors of E/The Environmental Magazine
Dear EarthTalk: Someone told me that methane gas emitted by cows is a major
contributor to global warming. I thought it was a joke, but is this true?
—David Rietz, Goose Creek, SC
Accumulation of methane in the Earth’s atmosphere has nearly doubled around the globe over the past
200 years. Scientists believe that rising concentrations of this “greenhouse gas,” which absorbs and sends
infrared radiation to the Earth, are causing changes in the climate and contributing to global warming.
Livestock animals naturally produce methane as part of their digestive process, belching it while chewing
cud and excreting it in their waste. According to the Worldwatch Institute, about 15 to 20 percent of global
methane emissions come from livestock. John Robbins, author of The Food Revolution and Diet for a New
America, says that methane is 24 times more potent a greenhouse gas than carbon dioxide, the culprit normally at the center of global warming discussions.
And there are plenty of sources of it: The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) reports that
animals in the U.S. meat industry produce 61 million tons of waste each year, which is 130 times the volume of human waste produced, or five tons for every U.S. citizen. In addition to its impact on climate, hog,
chicken, and cow waste has polluted some 35,000 miles of rivers in 22 states and contaminated groundwater
in 17 states, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
Ronnie Cummins, national director of the Organic Consumers Association, says that a food chain with
meat at its top is unsustainable not only as a major contributor of greenhouse gases, but also with regard to
inefficient dedication of large amounts of acreage to livestock grazing. The USDA, for example, says that
growing the crops necessary to feed farmed animals requires nearly 80 percent of America’s agricultural
land and half of its water supply.
In addition, animals raised for food in the U.S. consume
90 percent of the country’s soy crop, 80 percent of its corn
crop, and 70 percent of its grain. “If all the grain currently
fed to livestock in the United States were consumed directly
by people, the number of people who could be fed would be
nearly 800 million,” says Cornell ecologist David Pimentel.
He adds that irresponsible livestock farming is directly or
indirectly responsible for much of the soil erosion in the
United States.
Unfortunately, environmental problems associated with
livestock rearing are not limited to the United States. AcPhoto: Lois Dinshah
cording to the international environmental journal, Earth
Times, meat production grew more than fivefold worldwide during the latter half of the 20th century. And
as intensive “factory” farming methods of raising livestock spread from the U.S. to other countries–many
with regulatory monitoring and enforcement standards far worse than our own–this form of pollution is sure
to play an increasingly larger role in environmental problems moving forward.
CONTACTS: Organic Consumers Assn, www.purefood.org; Worldwatch Institute, www.worldwatch.org.
GOT AN ENVIRONMENTAL QUESTION? Send it to: EarthTalk, c/o E/The Environmental Magazine, P.O. Box 5098, Westport, CT 06881; submit it at: www.emagazine.com/earthtalk/thisweek/, or email: [email protected]. Read past columns at: www.emagazine.com/earthtalk/archives.php.
Also see the EarthSave website for Noam Mohr ‘s report, A New Global Warming Strategy: How Environmentalists are Overlooking Vegetarianism as the Most Effective Tool Against Climate Change in Our
Lifetime: www.earthsave.org/globalwarming.htm
20 American Vegan 5-1, SPRING 2006
Article from The Leaf-Chronicle, Clarksville TN, August 17 2005
Vegans Gather for National Conference©
Stacy Smith Segovia
Like all vegans, Davis now believes that in order for humans
to live, it isn't necessary for
other animals to die.
Factory farms
Last August, a who's who of
the vegan world gathered in
Tennessee. The American Vegan
Society's national conference
was held at The Farm in Summertown, Tennessee, led by
Freya Dinshah, wife of the founder (the late H. Jay Dinshah) of
the 45-year-old organization.
Unlike most other all-star
conferences in the world, there
was not a deli meat and cheese
platter in sight.
A vegan, a term introduced
in 1944, is a person who takes
the concept of vegetarianism
and carries it to its furthest extent, using no animal-derived
products whatsoever.
A selfless diet
cheese, or milk chocolate. They
don't use honey or use hygiene
products containing beeswax or
animal fats. They don't wear
leather or silk.
Jo Stepaniak, whose vegan
cookbooks
include
the
"UnCheese Cookbook," teaches
vegans to make non-animalderived substitutes for their favorite cheeses. But Stepaniak
says there wasn't a particular
book or experience that inspired
her change to veganism.
"It was just a light switch
came on," she said to a group
of 40 vegans (out of 100 –AVS)
assembled from New York, California, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, British Columbia, and
many other places.
Vegan diets are in many
ways healthier than meat-based
diets. Vegans are rarely overweight, and do not have the
high cholesterol that plagues
people in the meat-eating population. But they do not make
their choices based on their own
health. Instead, vegans are motivated by the desire to end
slavery of and cruelty to animals for humans' gain.
Vegans eat no beef, pork,
fish or fowl. They do not use
milk, eggs, or anything containing them, such as butter,
"A deer hunter flipped the
switch for me," said Brenda
Davis, a former public health
nutritionist in Canada. "He
dropped two books on my desk
— ‘Diet for a New America’ by
John Robbins and ‘A Challenging
Second Opinion’ by John
McDougal, and asked me if they
were valid."
Davis said the reviews she
had read about the books were
not very flattering, but she
asked to borrow them for a
week, read them herself and
came to her own conclusions.
Learning the horrors of factory farming, as touched on by
two films, “The Witness” and
“Peaceable Kingdom” produced
by Tribe of Heart, motivates
many people to become vegans.
Factory farms bear little resemblance to the family farms
of a century ago. Animals are
given drugs and diets designed
to make them grow faster or
produce more milk or eggs.
They are crammed in small
spaces and not allowed to practice any of their natural behaviors — such as walking freely,
grazing, or for chickens, preening and taking dust baths.
For vegetarians, the fact that
animals aren't killed to produce
dairy products and eggs may
make their consumption acceptable, but for vegans, it is not.
Dairy cattle are not allowed
to nurse their newborn calves,
who may be taken away from
them within a day of their birth.
Veal is a
bypr odu ct
of the dairy
industry,
with many
dairy cows'
calves going
into
c onfinin g,
dark crates
for the duration
of
their short
lives in order to produce white
veal.
And
Brenda Davis
factory egg
American Vegan 5-1, SPRING 2006 21
production is as much of a horror to some, with hundreds of
thousands of chickens crammed
into cages so tightly that they
cannot spread their wings. Baby
chicks' beaks are routinely cut
off shortly after birth to prevent
them from hurting each other in
unnaturally tight quarters.
"For modern animal agriculture, the less the consumer
knows about what's happening
before the meat hits the plate,
the better," Michael Pollan
wrote in New York Times Magazine in November 2002. "Should
we be reluctant to let people
know what really goes on, because we're not really proud of
it and concerned that it might
turn them to vegetarianism?"
Pollan points out the contradiction in humans' relationships
to animals, in which sentimentality and brutality exist side by
side.
"Half the dogs in America will
receive Christmas presents this
year, yet few of us pause to
consider the miserable life of
the pig — an animal easily as
intelligent as a dog — that becomes the Christmas ham," he
writes.
Eating to feed the
world
For many vegans, such as
Meat Free Zone founder and
former EarthSave board member Jerry Cook, the distribution
of the Earth's resources is one
of the motivations for being ve-
gan. Cook, who appears in the
Peaceable Kingdom movie, was
at the American Vegan Society
conference last week, assisting
in cooking demonstrations and
playing music for the children
between sessions.
"To be truly healthful, a diet
must be best not just for individuals in isolation but must allow all six billion people to
thrive and achieve a sustainable
coexistence," according to the
EarthSave International Web
site, www.earthsave.org.
Feeding animals that will
later be slaughtered requires 10
to 100 times as much consumption of water and plants, depending on the animal, than
would be required to feed the
plants to humans directly.
Stepaniak writes about vegan philosophy as well as vegan
cooking. She explains that the
decision to be vegan means
more than simply avoiding all
animal products. Becoming vegan is a life-changing shift that
is a difficult and gradual process
for some people.
"There is no end to the vegan journey," Stepaniak writes.
"Vegans are perpetually challenged to do more, to strive
higher, to see and understand
more clearly, to be more loving
and humble. This is the gift of
veganism. It is a guide for compassionate living. It is the path
of honoring our roots, our
planet, all life, and ourselves."
o
Reprinted with permission
Jerry Cook and JoAnn Farb lead evening singing
22 American Vegan 5-1, SPRING 2006
Vegan Diets Include Most
Necessary Nutrients©
One of the boons of a vegan
diet — which excludes not only
meat, but all dairy products as
well — is better health. Vegans
have almost no problems with
obesity or high cholesterol, living as they do on a plant-based
diet. Heart disease is greatly
reduced.
But the biggest criticism of
vegan diets relates to health, as
well. Detractors say the diet is
short of essential calcium and
protein. But calcium needs are
easily fulfilled with leafy green
vegetables such as spinach
(kale better –AVS), and protein
abounds in nuts, beans, and soy
products.
Lack of B12
The legitimate health criticism of a vegan diet is its lack
of B12, which is found naturally
only in animal products.
In order to function, humans
must have vitamin B12. Lack of
it can cause permanent neurological damage. Jo Stepaniak,
vegan cookbook author and philosopher, attended the American Vegan Society national conference in Summertown, Tennessee. She says the human
need for B12 does not mean
that a vegan diet is unnatural or
inadequate.
"All vitamin B12 comes from
bacteria and is found in the soil
as well as in the intestines of
animals. At one time vitamin
B12 was readily available in our
soil and water supplies, and the
minute amount that humans
require was easy to get," Stepaniak writes. "Today our land
and waterways are polluted,
making it essential that our produce is thoroughly cleaned before we eat it and our water is
purified before we drink it, thus
eliminating any available B12."
>>>
Article from The Leaf-Chronicle, Clarksville TN August 17 2005
Vegan Diets Include Most Necessary Nutrients©
Stacy Smith Segovia
Jo Stepaniak
Colorful and
delicious foods
Vegans can supplement their
diets with B12 tablets or with
B12 fortified foods, such as nutritional yeast, which is used as
a cheese flavoring in many vegan dishes. Many dry cereals
are also fortified with B12, and
fit in with a vegan diet when
used with milk made from soy,
rice or almonds.
In "The China Project," researcher T. Colin Campbell concludes that a vegan diet is the
healthiest for humans. He estimates that 80 to 90% of cancer, cardiovascular disease and
degenerative illness can be prevented until old age by adopting
a plant-based diet.
One of the stars of the AVS
conference was 17-year-old
Cory Davis, who did a vegan
cooking demonstration using
nutritional yeast as a flavoring
for his egg-like scrambled tofu.
He also made carob snacks that
tasted like chocolate fudge, and
a lush banana-mango pie.
Cory's mother, Brenda Davis,
said one of the biggest challenges for people going from
lacto-ovo vegetarians to vegans
is giving up cheese. Lacto-ovo
vegetarians eat both milk products and eggs, while vegans eat
neither. So Davis, in feeding her
teenage son and in creating
recipes for her many vegan
books, keeps mock cheese on
the menu.
"I always put the 'cheese'
sauce in," Cory said, stirring a
nut-based cheese substitute
into scrambled tofu.
Cory is an animal activist
who directs youth programs for
The Responsible Animal Care
Society in Kelowna, British Columbia. But at the AVS conference last week, he spent little
time discussing the plight of the
millions of animals in factory
farms. Because the attendees
were all vegans (or interested
in being so –AVS), the atrocities
to which animals are subjected
are all well known to them.
Instead, Cory and the other
presenters focused on the joys
of food — the colors, flavors
and textures of plant-based cuisine. Vegan eating does not
have to be about deprivation. In
fact, people's diets often become more varied when they
become vegans, chef Elysa
Markowitz said.
Vegan recipes are widely
available, with thousands available free online. While some
aim to mimic meat and milk
dishes by using soy-based meat
substitutes and mock cheeses,
others are all about the simple
beauty of raw fruits and fresh
vegetables.
"There's nothing sweeter
than fresh corn, hot from the
summer sun," Markowitz said in
a presentation on the pleasures
of food. “People should leave
conflicts and stress away from
the table”, she said. “They
should eat slowly, and appreciate the sacred value of the nutrients their food provides.”
"We all deserve the pleasure
and sweetness in life. We are all
born into sweetness. Let that
sweetness come into your life,"
she said. "Food, to me, is a
wonderful source of pleasure,
learning, exploring."
Reprinted with permission.
Cory Davis cooking in Louise Hagler’s demo kitchen
The Farm, Summertown TN, August 2005. (Recipes on next page.)
His T-shirt advertises the CD: COWS WITH GUNS by Dana Lyons from
Reigning Records, Bellingham WA
O
Thanks to Lige Weill, for media
work on behalf of the AVS 2005
Conference in Summertown TN.
American Vegan 5-1, SPRING 2006 23
Recipe Demo by Cory Davis
Melty “Cheese” Sauce
This is my favorite “cheese”
substitute. It is simple and very
tasty.
2 cups water 500 mL
½ small sweet red pepper
2 Tbsp. nutritional yeast flakes
30 mL
1 tsp. salt 5 mL
3 Tbsp. cornstarch 45 mL
1 cup raw cashews 250 mL
1½ Tbsp. lemon juice 22 mL
½ tsp. onion powder 2 mL
¼ tsp. garlic powder 1 mL
Place all ingredients in
blender and blend until smooth
and creamy. (Onion and garlic
powder are optional.)
Pour mixture into heavy
saucepan and cook over medium heat 5 to 6 minutes, stirring constantly until thick.
Return to blender, and blend
again until smooth. Serve warm
over favorite steamed vegetables (e.g. broccoli, potatoes),
pasta; or use with any dish calling for a cheesy sauce (tacos,
scrambled tofu, etc.).
Or put in a container in the
refrigerator. Serve cold on celery, toast or crackers.
Scrambled Tofu
Scrambled tofu is a great
breakfast, but it makes an awesome supper too. Nutritional
yeast and turmeric give the tofu
a yellow color similar to scrambled eggs.
1 lb. medium or firm tofu 450 g
drained and mashed
1 cup chopped spinach 250 mL
2 Tbsp. chopped green onion
30 mL
½ chopped red pepper
1 or 2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tsp. olive oil 10 mL
2 Tbsp. nutritional yeast 16 g
2 Tbsp. chopped fresh parsley
30 mL
¼ tsp. turmeric (optional)1 mL
¼ tsp. salt, or to taste 1 mL
Pepper (to taste)
Drain tofu well and mash
with a fork.
In a heavy pan or cast-iron
frying pan, over medium heat,
sauté spinach, red pepper, onion and garlic in oil until soft.
To mashed tofu, add yeast,
turmeric (if using), salt, and
pepper, and then parsley. Mix
well with a fork, and then add
to vegetables in pan.
Stirring, cook for 2 to 3 minutes, until warmed through.
Serve immediately, with toast.
Makes 1½ cups (375 mL); 3
servings.
Flavor Boost Variations:
Omit salt, and use Bragg Liquid Aminos or Tamari instead
(about 2 tsp (10 mL) or to
taste). Add herbs like basil and
oregano or Spike™. Vary the
vegetables – try mushrooms,
zucchini or other vegetables
that cook quickly.
Banana-Mango Cream Pie
Absolutely amazing pie.
Crust:
1 cup pitted dates 250 mL
1 cup almonds 250 mL
¼ cup coconut 60 mL
Cover all ingredients with
water and let soak about 4
hours or more. Drain.
Put through a Champion™
juicer or use a food processor.
Pat into a pie pan (preferably
glass), and sprinkle with coconut, if desired.
Put pie crust in refrigerator.
Fresh fruit layer:
2 mangos, chopped
3 bananas, sliced
1 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice 15 mL
Slice bananas and mangos.
Coat with fresh lemon juice. Put
fruit on pie crust to evenly
cover pie bottom.
Cream Filling:
½ cup raw cashew pieces 120 mL
½ can coconut milk (lite is best)
3 ripe bananas, in pieces
2 mangos, sliced
1½ Tbsp. agar powder 22 mL
1 cup boiling water 250 mL
3 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice 45mL
(juice of 1 large lemon)
1 tsp. vanilla 5 mL
24 American Vegan 5-1, SPRING 2006
3 Tbsp. liquid sweetener (agave
syrup or maple syrup) 45 mL
Nuts /coconut for decoration
Cover cashews with water
and soak for an hour or more.
Drain. Blend cashews, coconut
milk, liquid sweetener and vanilla until very smooth. Add bananas and mangos. Blend until
smooth.
Stir agar or veg-gel with boiling water until dissolved. Add
agar or gel to the filling. Blend
until well mixed.
Pour immediately over fruit
in pie shell. Sprinkle with pecans, walnuts, or coconut.
Refrigerate for at least 2 to 3
hours until firm. Serve cold.
Makes 6 large or 8 small
servings.
Variations:
Use fresh coconut milk for a
completely raw (uncooked) pie.
Use 1/3 cup soaked dates
instead of liquid sweetener.
Play around with different
types of fruits – strawberries
and kiwi would work well.
Nutty Carob Date Bars
These are super simple, nutritious and delicious.
2 cups dates 500 mL
½ cup water 125 mL
1 cup almond butter 250 mL
or other nut butter
3 Tbsp. carob powder 45 mL
½ tsp. vanilla extract 2 mL
1 cup chopped walnuts 250 mL
or other nuts
¼ cup coconut 60 mL
Place dates and water in a
medium-sized saucepan. Cook
on medium-low heat, stirring
frequently until dates are soft.
Mash dates. Add nut butter
and cook until mixture bubbles.
Stir in carob powder and vanilla. Spread in lightly oiled 8 x
8” (20x20cm) pan, refrigerate,
and cut in squares to serve.
Note: Mixture can also be rolled
into balls and coated with nuts
or coconut.
Makes 21 small bars or balls.
o
Article from The Leaf-Chronicle, Clarksville TN, August 18 2005
Hippies Find Happiness in Community on The Farm©
Stacy Smith Segovia
SUMMERTOWN
— Call the 175 residents of The
Farm hippies and you'll hear no
objection.
Although residents of the
three-square-mile community in
Summertown bear little resemblance to the teenage hippies
who founded the commune in
1971 — many are now doctors,
nurses, midwives and technology professionals — they hold
the same ideals.
The Farm's story began in
1969, when San Francisco State
College English professor
Stephen Gaskin was invited by
a group of ministers and theologians to tour the country
speaking at various churches.
Two hundred members of Gaskin's Monday Night Class on
world religions' relationship to
psychedelic experiences decided to join him.
In 1970, a caravan of
brightly-painted school buses,
VW vans, trucks and campers
departed for a coast-to-coast
tour, picking up more people
at every stop. When, four
months later, the trip was
over, many didn't want it to
end. They decided to pool
their money to buy land for a
new community where they
could all live together. Tennessee was the logical location.
"We came back to the
South where people were
friendly and land was only $70
an acre," says Douglas Stevenson, a resident of The Farm
since its early days.
Within two years, the 320
residents had 1,750 acres near
Summertown, about 50 miles
south of Nashville, but only one
building with electricity. Most of
the residents lived in tents for
years.
"We worked as a commune
The Leaf-Chronicle
for 10 years, and the population
grew to 1,200 people," Stevenson says.
During this surge, The Farm
attracted 20,000 visitors per
year.
No one paid to live at The
Farm, and the aim was to work
together to grow enough food
to feed themselves with surplus
to sell for income. However, the
math didn't work out.
"We were spending $10,000
a week and bringing in $4,000
to $6,000," Stevenson says.
The Farm Store
Compounding the problem
was that residents were charged
full price for any medical services they received because
they had no insurance and were
considered well-to-do based on
the land they owned in common. At one point, The Farm's
bill at Vanderbilt University
Medical
Center
topped
$100,000.
A tough decision was made
— each adult living on The Farm
would have to pay $135 per
month to live there.
"People were disillusioned,
going from a community based
on the Book of Acts structure,"
Stevenson says. "The population fell to 250."
'The Changeover'
The period in 1983 was
called "The Changeover," when
families began to have their
own income and property. Desperate to generate cash flow,
residents started new businesses and expanded those
already in place.
Stevenson explains that The
Farm is much less a farm than
what you'd expect because the
residents had little or no experience with farming. Instead, they were mostly technology geeks. An electronics
manufacturing center was
started by a group of ham radio operators. Within a few
years, their Geiger counters
they sold made them by far
The Farm's most lucrative
business.
Other businesses followed.
The 31-year-old Book Publishing Co. is today a leading
printer of books on healthful,
sustainable living. The Mail
Order Catalog sells vegetarian
foods. FarmSoy Co. operates a
soy "dairy" that produces soy
milk and soy ice cream that is
sold in grocery stores regionally.
Stevenson's business, Village
Media, is a state-of-the-art digital media production company,
creating documentaries as well
as commercial and industrial
promos. His company also created and maintains one of The
Farm's two websites:
www.thefarmcommunity.com.
>
American Vegan 5-1, SPRING 2006 25
Today, the Farm has a grocery store, medical clinic, pharmacy, birthing center, solarpowered school, recycling center and a shed that serves as
the community post office. It
has paved roads, electricity and
modern water supply. Its biggest expense, Stevenson says,
is paying to have its water
regularly tested for safety,
which is required by the state.
Passing on ideals
Residents still do not own
their homes or the land on
which they are built, but those
who decide to leave the community may sell to new prospective members — who must
be approved by a board of residents — for the cost of the materials used to build their
homes.
Stevenson and his wife, Deborah Flowers, a nurse who
works outside the community,
have lived at The Farm since
the days of tent winters, the
only heat coming from wood
stoves. They raised their children, Jody, 31, and Leah, 29, at
The Farm from birth. Now, their
grandchild, 5-month-old Lulie,
lives there as well.
"We're learning that sustainability
is
passing on
your ideals,
handing
it
off to another
generation,"
Stevenson
says.
“Living in a community of
like-minded people, sharing oldfashioned family values and
neighborliness amidst a progressive world view will never
lose its appeal. And after all
these years, most of the residents are like family.
"We've had to work together
to build it all. We cooked for
each other, shared babysitting,"
she says. "We did everything
cooperatively, and you form
pretty strong bonds that way."
Although life on The Farm is
no longer strictly communal, the
group still shares the land and
its upkeep, and meets frequently for community dinners
at the small community center
across from the school. These
gatherings are always festive,
and often include music. Those
who have been at The Farm
since its beginning accept residents' friends, children and
grandchildren as part of the
family, as well.
"We all dance to each other's
music — old and young, dancing
at the same time," Flowers
says. "It's one of the few places
I've ever been where all ages
o
party together."
Stephen Gaskin, charismatic
leader and teacher, and now
private citizen at The Farm,
welcomed AVS, and reminisced.
FARM EXPERIENCE
WEEKENDS
Workshops/Tours/Hikes/Meals
(931) 964-3574
www.thefarmcommunity.com
Calendar of Events
Bed & Breakfasts
Reprinted with permission.
Below: Dancing August 2005.
Bottom left: the birthing house.
Flowers
says
The
Farm hasn't
lost any of
its
appeal
after
more
than
three
decades.
26 American Vegan 5-1, SPRING 2006
Bloomfield Bed & Breakfast
Barb and Tom Elliott of
FarmSoy.
Other Soy Products
When the American Vegan Society held its conference in Summertown, August 2005, we enjoyed
other FarmSoy products produced for The Farm
community. The soy yogurt was superb, and wonderful with blueberries or blueberry sauce. The ice
bean, comes in many flavors, was delightful on hot
afternoons, and packed more nutrition than other
cones. What a treat!
LASAGNA
1 lb. lasagna noodles
2 jars (qts) spaghetti
sauce
1 lb. FarmSoy tofu
1 tsp. dried basil
1 tsp. onion powder
(Tom is also a heavy equipment operator
who maintains roads on The Farm.)
FarmSoy company has been making soymilk
and tofu since the early 1970s and the products
have been certified organic since 1992. It began as
The Farm Soy Dairy in the early 70s to supply The
Farm community – which was totally vegan at the
time. It became a commercial business in 1983.
Barb and Tom Elliott, the current owners, purchased the business in 1991 and have been upgrading the building, equipment, and marketing.
½ tsp. salt (or to taste)
Optional ingredients:
½ tsp. oregano
½ tsp. rosemary
¼ tsp. black pepper
1 Tbsp. olive oil
Prepare noodles as directed.
Drain water from tofu. With a potato masher (or
by hand), mash tofu in a bowl. Add spices to tofu
and re-mash to distribute spices evenly. You may
lightly sauté tofu and spices in olive oil if desired,
but this is not necessary. You may also blend the
seasoned tofu in a blender to make it more creamy
and smooth. Cover bottom of 9 x 11” pan with spaghetti sauce. Layer noodles over sauce. Sprinkle
some tofu over noodles, cover with spaghetti sauce,
continue to layer this way (noodles, tofu, sauce) until all noodles are used. Cover casserole to bake.
Bake at 350ºF, 40 to 45 minutes. Serves 6 to 8.
Tofu:
Unlike some companies, FarmSoy tofu does not
contain certain processing aids which are not required to be shown in the list of ingredients. The
soybeans used are grown organically on small
farms in Tennessee and Illinois. FarmSoy uses the
community well water which is very pure and tested
frequently. The only other ingredient is calcium sulfate, a natural mineral from the earth, used to coagulate the soy milk into the curds that are then
pressed into tofu.
FarmSoy: Equipment for making soy milk and tofu.
FarmSoy tofu is firm yet creamy, and many say it Other equipment includes that in pressing, packagis the best they have ever tasted. The care with
Photos Linda Long
ing and cooling areas.
which it is made is evident. Many youth who have
grown up on the farm worked their first jobs there.
In addition to their regular firm tofu, FarmSoy recently introduced a soft tofu.
FarmSoy tofu is sold in Fresh Market™ stores in
Tennessee and the Midwest. It is also distributed to
other stores in the Midwest area (including Kentucky and Ohio) by Crosset Co. a distributor of certified organic produce. Outside these areas it is
available through another business on The Farm,
The Mail Order Catalog at www.healthy-eating.com
(800) 695-2241.
American Vegan 5-1, SPRING 2006 27
Right: Vicki Montagne
staffs the Welcome Center
at The Farm Gate, and the
Tempeh Lab – housed on
one side of the building. The
Lab is the leading producer of
tempeh culture in the United
States.
< Tempeh made in a class given by Louise
Hagler who, at the AVS 2005 conference,
demonstrated that making tempeh at home is
relatively easy and tastes far superior to what
can be bought commercially. Obtain tempeh
spore and starter kits from The Tempeh Lab,
(931) 964-3574. PO Box 208, Summertown
TN 38483. www.tempehlab.com.
Frank Michael, who has
lived on The Farm for 33
years, is a scientist and
proprietor of
Mushroom People
which provides spawn,
tools, books and videos
on cultivating shiitake,
reishi, and other edible
mushrooms.
Judy initiated this educational
project to foster understanding,
(931) 964-4400
knowledge, and compassion
(August 2005) Judy Meeker
between cultures.
watches Sky Dalrymple, one
www.morethanwarmth.org
of the children working on a
More Than Warmth Quilt
destined for the Middle East.
www.mushroompeople.com
Tunempeh Salad
Yield 3 cups, 4 to 6 servings
8 oz. tempeh
¾ cup Zippy Tofu Salad Dressing,
Or Nayonaise™/Vegenaise™
1 cup celery, diced
¼ cup green onions, chopped
2 tsp. sweet pickle relish
2 Tbsp. fresh parsley, minced
½ tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. freshly-ground black pepper
Toasted slivered almonds (optional)
Steam the tempeh for 20 minutes, then
cut into ¼-inch pieces, or grate. Mix all
ingredients together in a bowl and serve.
From Soyfood Cookery –Louise Hagler
Bob is production and sales manager,
and Cynthia managing editor.
The company has over 150 cookbook
(vegan and vegetarian), healthy living, and
lifestyle titles in print, and over 60 Native
American titles. (Many of their vegan
authors have spoken at AVS conferences.)
To read more about The Farm experience,
order these and other titles from them:
Spiritual Midwifery $19.95,
Monday Night Class $14.95,
Voices from The Farm $9.95,
Bob and Cynthia Holzapfel of
Book Publishing at The
Farm in Summertown TN.
28 American Vegan 5-1, SPRING 2006
The New Farm Vegetarian Cookbook $10.95.
www.bookpubco.com,
www.healthy-eating.com
Ph: (888) 260-8458, Fax: (931) 964-3518
PO Box 99, Summertown TN 38483
FOOD TO LIVE FOR:
Biscuits and Gravy,
Soysage, Pancakes,
Soy Yogurt, Fruit Salad.
Mushrooms & Potatoes,
Tempeh Burgers,
Red Pepper Hummus,
Quinoa Tabouli, Lasagna,
Enchiladas, Tofu Pot Pie,
BBQ Seitan, Knishes,
Vegetable Wraps, Pizza.
Garden Salads.
Tofu Cheesecake/Berries
Chocolate Sponge Cake
Baklava, Ice Bean
& More
The Community Center
(above) at The Farm, Summertown TN, has a commercial
kitchen and large dining hall/
meeting room.
Roberta Kachinsky (top) and
her staff, which includes mother
Claire (87 years old) and friend
Ramona Christopherson, serve
splendid vegan meals with the
fresh touch of vegetables and
herbs from the gardens and
blueberries from the property.
It is the home of
Bert & Rae’s Vegan Deli: Take-out & Catering
ECOVILLAGE TRAINING CENTER
(From back cover)
The Ecovillage
Training Center teaches sustainable design,
natural building
techniques, and
organic gardening, with methods suited to the
third-world, and
environmentalists.
Grey water from
the house is treated
through a series of
ponds in a naturalfiltration purification system.
Alternative energy
sources are used
which include passive and photovoltaic solar systems. Students
from over 70 nations have attended
Above: Tami Brunk shows the
children and adults cob-wall
construction. Bamboo rebars
are used.
Below: A passive-solar
water tank used for showers.
courses and workshops there led
by director Albert Bates.
< Louey Kachinsky may be found in the packing
room at Book Publishing, on a construction crew,
making tofu, or life guarding at the swimming hole.
American Vegan 5-1, SPRING 2006 29
From The New York Times March 26 2006:
Firefighters Gone Vegan? Even Austin Is Impressed©
By DEBORAH BLUMENTHAL
AUSTIN, Texas — The image
of big brawny firefighters devouring platters of four-alarm chili,
sizzling steaks and double
cheeseburgers is as much a part
of firehouse lore as brass fire
poles and heroic Dalmatians.
"They're dinosaurs, they're big
meat eaters," said Joseph T. Bonanno Jr., a former New York
City firefighter and the author of
"The Firehouse Grilling Cookbook" (Broadway Books, 1998).
But not here.
In this health-conscious state
capital, sometimes called the People's Republic of Austin, maverick behavior is nothing out of the
ordinary. But when Jimmy
John's, the local sandwich joint,
names a sandwich after you, "the
Engine 2 Veggie Sandwich";
when People for the Ethical
Treatment of Animals gives you
an award for "Animal-Friendly
Firehouse of the Year"; and when
people call out to passing fire
trucks, "Are y'all the vegans?"
even Austin is taking notice.
The five firefighters of Team
C at Firehouse 2 – Rip Esselstyn,
James Rae, Matt Moore, Derick
Zwerneman and Scott Walters –
now eat vegan, taking turns whipping up plant-based fare like
meatless and cheeseless pizza,
pasta primavera and spinach enchiladas.
It did not happen because they
shared a love of sprouts.
A routine cholesterol test left
Specialist Rae, 37, shaken. The
American Heart Association
ranks anyone with a level of 240
or more high risk; Specialist
Rae's hit 344.
"I was floored, scared," he
said. "I had no clue."
All but one of his male relatives had succumbed to heart disease by age 59. Specialist Rae's
father, the sole survivor, had a
heart attack and then triple bypass
surgery in his mid-50's.
The team's nutrition guru came
to his aid. Firefighter Esselstyn,
43, a professional triathlete for a
decade before joining the department in 1997, was living proof
that meat was not necessary for
hard work and endurance. He became a vegetarian in 1986 and a
vegan in 2002. He persuaded the
group to rally around Specialist
Rae and start cooking vegan
dishes.
Firefighter Esselstyn knew
through his father's work that a
strict vegan diet would help. His
father, Dr. Caldwell B. Esselstyn
www.engine2.org
30 American Vegan 5-1, SPRING 2006
Jr., had been a general surgeon at
the Cleveland Clinic and still
conducts research there.
Dr. Esselstyn's 12-year trial
with patients with what looked
like terminal heart disease
showed that a very-low-fat, plantbased diet with cholesterollowering medicine could bring
striking improvement.
Heart disease "never need exist," Dr. Esselstyn said, but if it
does, "it never need progress."
His son cited another reason
for improving Specialist Rae's
health.
"J. R. became more of a liability than an asset to us," Firefighter Esselstyn said, glancing at
his partner with a half-smile. "Do
I want a guy with a bad ticker
dragging me out?"
But while Specialist Rae adhered to the diet at the firehouse,
he was not as strict outside. He
became what he calls a flexitarian, someone who occasionally
eats meat or fish. When that did
not lower his cholesterol enough,
he switched to the vegan diet
based on fruits, vegetables, whole
grains and legumes. Now, he
said, his cholesterol is under 200,
and he calls the way he eats "a
way of life."
While Team C eats vegan at
work – each man shops and cooks
dinner twice a month – the other
two members, Lieutenant Walters
and Firefighter Zwerneman, are
not always such purists at home.
At a recent party catered by a
barbecue restaurant, Firefighter
Zwerneman did not stick to just
the beans, a mistake he later realized. "The next night I was paying for it," he said. "I felt sort of
the way I did after my first couple
of tofu dinners, which didn't go
so well either. But now I'm one of
the weirdos like everybody else."
For the other 10 men in Firehouse 2, the vegan diet has not
gone down so easily. Inside the
freezer are a bag of cheeseburgers,
French fries and a package of beef
next to vegan offerings. One firefighter even put up provocative
posters on the walls, including one
that reads, "Beef. It's What's for
Dinner." Firefighter Esselstyn and
the others shrug it off.
"Seventy percent of our calls
are medical," he said. "Every day
we see the ravages of people eating to their heart's content." If not
for Specialist Rae's cholesterol,
he said, "there would have been
someone else, someone prediabetic or obese who would have
prompted us."
To reach the public, Team C
has a Web site: www.engine2.org
– with goofy pictures of the men
posing with fruits and vegetables,
campy biographies, health links,
and recipes like Paul McCartney's
enchiladas, tortilla pie and Station
2's award-winning wraps.
Even the firehouse carnivores
benefit from the vegan cookery,
routinely scavenging leftovers.
As Edward Roel, a driver on the
B shift, admitted, "They taste
good."
Copyright © 2006 by
The New York Times Co.
Reprinted with permission.
PHILADELPHIA PA:
Baseball: Thanks to Kevin
Tedesco of Aramark and the
Phillies, Citizen’s Bank Park now
adds Yves™ Smart Dogs to the
flame–grilled Gardenburgers™
which debuted in 2005; both are
vegan, on a vegan bun. Look for
stands in sections 128 (dogs),
206, 318. Also Peace A Pizza
sells a veggie pizza, no cheese.
Scott Geiger has arranged for a
group outing to the Phillies game
Fri. June 16 2006 at 7:05 pm.
E-mail [email protected] or
call (267) 481-0487.
News of this and other
ballparks at www.soyhappy.org.
VEGFAM
Feeds the hungry without
exploiting animals
VEGFAM
The Sanctuary, Lydford,
Nr. Okehampton
Devon EX20 4AL, UK
Checks to American Vegan Soc.,
marked for overseas relief will be
forwarded in £s
Meatout Mondays
Weekly e-newsletter with a
vegan recipe, inspirational
message, and vegan product
www.meatoutmondays.org.
OrganicAthlete.org
Leading the Race for Life on Earth
PO Box 33, Graton CA 95444
(707) 360-8511
GoVeganRadio.com
Bob Linden/SEE, PO Box 220025
Newhall CA 91322.
(818) 623-6477
VEGAN OUTREACH
211 Indian Dr.
Pittsburgh, PA 15238
www.veganoutreach.org
INSTITUTE for
PLANT BASED NUTRITION
333 Bryn Mawr Ave,
Bala Cynwyd PA 19004
Phone: (610) 667-6876
www.plantbased.org
U Penn Law: Jessica Alms
announces first volume/issue of
Journal of Animal Law & Ethics
& lead article by Gary Francione.
Subs. $19; or organizations $29.
3400 Chestnut St Phila PA 19104
www.law.upenn.edu/groups/jale
[email protected]
VEGFAM PROJECTS
Vegfam provides short- and long-term aid to victims
of flood, drought, cyclone, famine, and war, as well as
earthquake. It funds emergency feeding, seeds for
planting, and water supplies. 2004 aid went to Ghana,
Tajikistan, India, Sudan, Mozambique, & Bangladesh.
Tsunami relief was sent immediately to India’s Tamil
Nadu region in the form of food packets of vegetables, pulses and rice. 2005/6: Usual relief efforts, plus
Vegfam’s Indian Ocean Earthquake Appeal is raising funds for long-term vegetable growing projects.
American Vegan 5-1, SPRING 2006 31
CONSUMER NEWS:
Earth Vegan Shoes are among
the latest celebrity fashion statements. They are worn today by
Pierce Brosnan and his wife Keely
Shaye, Gwyneth Paltrow, Cheryl
Hines, Jennie Garth, Tatum
O’Neal, Alexandra Paul, Ed Begley Jr, Mindy Cohn, and Cloris
Leachman –from Market Wire,
Waltham MA, October 4 2004.
Made of soft, breathable simulated leather uppers and linings,
\with multi-density cushioned footbed, natural
latex rubber
sole and
KALSO®
Negative
Heel™ Technology.
(UK) Vegan Society certified components & construction. Many
styles of Vegan casuals for men
and women.
Earth Vegan Footwear
*New line of vegan shoes*
151 Newton St
Waltham MA 02453
(877) 746-3364
www.earthvegan.us
Commercial products today
are often advertised as
"wholesome", "natural", or
"cruelty-free", with no clear
standard of what is really
meant. Some firms don't see
insects as animal; products using lanolin (wool fat) or fish
parts are sometimes sold as
"non-animal". We are pleased
to list some mail-order catalogs
and websites you’ll find helpful, selling vegan clothing,
shoes, cosmetics, toiletries, etc.
For a list of 200+ ingredients
commonly used in foods, cosmetics, etc., see
VEGANISM: Getting Started
(AVS/Ahimsa publication).
Sources of Non-Animal Items
Amberwood
Route 2 Box 300, Milford Road
Leary GA 31762 (912) 792-6246
Laundry/household cleaning products, toiletries/cosmetics, women's
quality belts/bags/wallets.
Beauty Without Cruelty (USA)
175 West 12th Street
New York NY 10011
Lists items non-animal-tested, and
non-animal products. List, info: $5
Different Daisy Webstore
Christi Wymer
10766 State Route 139
Minford OH 45653
www.DifferentDaisy.com
Supplements, apparel, cosmetics,
body care, household cleaners, first
aid, + info, recipes, events, & more.
Working Vegan Network.
Heartland Products Ltd.
Box 218
Dakota City IA 50529
(515) 332-3087, (800)-441-4692
www.trvnet.net/~hrtlndp
Men’s/women’s footwear:
safety, athletic, hiking, dress; also,
luggage, belts, baseball gloves.
moo shoes: alternatives to leather
207 East 26th Street
New York NY 10010
(212) 481-5792
www.mooshoes.com
Non-leather shoes and accessories.
Pangea
2381 Lewis Avenue
Rockville MD 20851
(800)-340-1200
www.veganstore.com
Toiletries, shoes, T-shirts, clothing,
bags, food items, dog food, etc.
soles of the earth
Roger Romanelli
2046 West Charleston Sreet.
Chicago IL 60647
(773) 252-SOLE (7653)
[email protected]
Footwear and accessories.
32 American Vegan 5-1, SPRING 2006
Veg Essentials
7722 W. Menomonee River Pkwy.
Wauwatosa WI 53213
Ph/Fax: (414) 607-1953
(866) 88VEGAN (888-3426)
www.veganessentials.com
Soap; bath, body, dental-care items;
cosmetics; flavorings, and sweets.
The Vegetarian Site
David Sudarsky
PO Box 64956
Tucson AZ 85728
www.thevegetariansite.com
NUTRITIONAL SUPPLEMENTS
►Vegans generally obtain vitamins
and minerals in natural foods rather
than extracts or supplements.
(See Do You Need Vitamin Supplements? article by Dr. Agatha Thrash,
from AVS.)
Freeda Vitamins, Inc.
36 East 41st Street
New York NY 10017
(800) 777-3737
www.freedavitamins.com
Non-animal supplements.
Pioneer Nutritional
Formulas, Inc.
304 Shelburne Center Road
Shelburne Falls MA 01370
(800) 458-8483 orders
(413) 625-8212
www.pioneernutritional.com
Some Pioneer Formulas have Vegan
Action’s seal of approval.
Prescription 2000:
3301 Arden Way, Suite 2
Sacramento CA 95825
(916) 483-1020
(877) DO-VEGAN (368-3426)
www.prescription2000.com
NOT A SUPPLEMENT BUT A
COMPLETE MEAL
The Ultimate Life
Box 4308
Santa Barbara CA 93140
(800) THE MEAL (843-6325)
www.ultimatelife.com
MEETINGS AND CONFERENCES U.S.A.
FLORIDA
2006 NATIONAL HEALTH ASSOCIATION CONFERENCE, Thurs. June 1 to Mon June 5 2006 at the
Regency House Natural Health Spa, 2000 S Ocean Dr, Hallandale FL 33009. To register phone Regency House at:
(800) 454-0003 or (954) 454-2220. All-vegan meals, fitness activities, lectures by members of International Association of Hygienic Physicians (IAHP). (National Health Assn. PO Box 30630, Tampa FL 33630, (813) 855-6607).
NEW JERSEY
Christian Concern for All God’s Creatures Conference, Saturday June 3 2006 10 am to 5 pm at Caldwell College, 9 Ryerson Ave, Caldwell NJ Speakers: Rev. J. R. Hyland -author of "God's Covenant with Animals" and "The
Slaughter of Terrified Beasts", Deborah Jones and Jan Fredericks -Catholic Concern for Animals, and Frank and Mary Hoffman–
who host Christian animal websites. See www.Godscreaturesministry.org. Write [email protected] or God’s Creatures
Ministry PO Box 322 Wayne NJ 07474. Phone: (973) 694-5155.
PENNSYLVANIA
32nd Annual VEGETARIAN SUMMERFEST, Wed. July 5 to Sun. July 9 2006 at University of Pittsburgh
at Johnstown PA. The event vegetarians look forward to all year presented by North American Vegetarian Society,
PO Box 72, Dolgeville NY 13329. (518) 568-7970, www.vegetariansummerfest.org.
VIRGINIA
Animal Rights 2006 National Conference, Thurs. August 10 to Mon. August 14 2006 at the Hilton
Mark Center Hotel in Alexandria VA. 25th anniversary event theme is Promoting Cooperation. Speakers from every
faction of AR. www.AR2006.org, (888) FARM-USA (327-6872), AR2006/FARM, 10101 Ashburton Lane, Bethesda
MD 20817.
CALIFORNIA
Healthy Lifestyle Expo, Fri. September 22 to Sun. September 24 2006 at the Burbank Hilton Convention Center, Burbank California. Drs. McDougall, Gordon, Fuhrman, Esselstyn, Mills; John Robbins, Jeff & Sabrina
Nelson, vegan chefs. See www.HealthyLifestyleExpo.com or call (818) 349-5600.
CALIFORNIA
21st International Compassionate Living Festival, Friday October 6 to Sunday October 8 2006, titled The Strength of Many, will be held at the Renaissance Montura Hotel near Los Angeles airport. The festival is
co-produced by the Animals & Society Institute (ASI) and Tom Regan (Empty Cages) of the Culture and Animals
Foundation.. Information from Kim W. Stallwood, ASI, 3500 Boston St. #325, Baltimore MD 21224, (410) 6754566, www.animalsandsociety.org.
FESTIVAL AND CONGRESSES, OTHER COUNTRIES
DENMARK
10th International Vegan Festival, Skagen, Denmark July 30th – August 5th 2006. At the very top of
Denmark, where the 2 seas Kattegat and Skagerak meet and where there is a special light, which attracts many artists
and tourists is Diget, a folk high school very beautifully situated, 600 m from the beach with a golf course nearby. See
www.vegansworldnetwork.org and make reservations by April 1, please! Contact: Kirsten Jungsberg, Raadmand
Steins Alle 45,7, DK-2000 Frederiksberg, Denmark. Phone 45 3874 3404. E-mail [email protected] or [email protected]. (Cell phone 45 6133 3874.)
BRAZIL
Brazilian and Latin American Vegetarian Congress, Fri. August 4 to Tues, August 8 2006 at Memorial de America Latina, Sao Paulo Brazil. See www.svb.org.br or contact Marly Winckler, Servidao do Nilton, 412
Paia de Cacupé, 88050 Florianopolis SC Brazil. Phone 55 48 2351609.
INDIA
37th World Vegetarian Congress, Sun. September 10 to Sat. September 16 2006 at Radisson White
Sands Resort, Pedda, Varca-Salcete Goa 403721, India. Sponsor: International Vegetarian Union (www.ivu.org) and
others. Opening the doors to Healthy Lifestyle Vegetarian Way! See www.vegsocmumbai.org. Write:
[email protected] or The Vegetarian Society 114-A Mittal Court, Nariman Point, Mumbai 400 021, India
Phone 91 22 85 5755/56 Fax 22 84 5040.
American Vegan 5-1, SPRING 2006 33
American Vegan Society Annual Meeting
Sunday May 28 2006
American Vegan Society headquarters
72 Dinshah Lane, Malaga New Jersey 08328. Phone: (856) 694-2887
12 noon PICNIC LUNCH
Freshly-picked locally-grown and wild foods will be featured on the menu:
Asparagus with Carrot-Herb Dressing, Nettle-Spinach Puree, Potato Salad,
Veggie Burgers, Mushroom-Onion Gravy,
Carob Sponge Cake with Strawberries and Vanilla–Pear-Cashew Cream, Herb Tea.
Reservations required. Suggested donation $15.
Speakers start at 2 pm.
Joe Colanero: Jersey Fresh Produce from the Garden State
Joe is a columnist on food, farming and gardening, writing for various regional NJ newspapers.
A short Membership Meeting to include election of Trustees.
Holly Roberts DO FACOG: My Personal Journey as a Physician and Vegetarian
Dr. Roberts (obstetrician-gynecologist, cancer surgeon) is a long-time vegetarian, religious scholar and
author. Your Vegetarian Pregnancy testifies to the adequacy and advantages of vegetarian and vegan
diets. Vegetarian Christian Saints and The Vegetarian Philosophy of India show roots of compassion.
Monday May 29, 10 am AVS Council of Trustees Meeting (members invited), AVS HQ, Malaga.
Letters to Editors
Los Angeles Times 11-24-05
Eating meat gets vegetarian’s goat
Re: “No Kidding: Americans
Acquiring Taste for Goat,” Nov 21
While “some California farmers
see gold in goat,” I see unnecessary
slaughter, heart disease and cancer,
and a waste of resources. Raising
animals for human consumption
compromises the air, water, and land
where the animals live. Eating meat
contributes to the chronic diseases
that have become epidemic in
developed countries. And with so
much killing in the world, why
people continue to pay others to kill
living beings for them is beyond me.
More peace-loving people are
choosing a non-violent, healthy,
Earth-sustaining vegetarian diet. I
am among them, and I am sad for the
goats and the people who plan to
raise, slaughter and eat them.
PATTI BREITMAN, Fairfax, Calif.
Cuttings of Letters to Editors
printed in mainstream
newspapers or magazines that
express a vegan viewpoint may
be submitted to American Vegan
Society by the writer, or a reader,
to qualify for a free one-year
membership and subscription to
American Vegan.
Patti is already a Life member
of AVS. Her letter was spotted by
another AVS Life member who is
making this offer.
Vineland NJ — Gloria Cossaboon 1936 to 2005
Gloria Cossaboon died August 20 2005, as a result
of injuries sustained in an auto accident, at 69 years.
She had been the artist-on-call for American Vegan,
appreciated for her quick response to our requests for
an illustration to accompany an article, as well as the
quality of her work.
Gloria supported wolf conservation. She was
employed at Precision Electronic Glass as a fire
polisher and on the hot press. She was a lifelong
resident of southern New Jersey, the Garden State, so
we chose to remind readers of her artwork with this
drawing she did depicting produce of the area.
34 American Vegan 5-1, SPRING 2006
Gloria
Your Address Label
shows above your name the year
at the end of which your membership expires. If you are a Life
member, you will see “Life”. If you
have inquired but not yet joined
“Inq” appears above your name.
DEFINITIONS
VEGAN: Uses no animal-source
food or clothing.
TOTAL VEGETARIAN: Uses
no animal-source food, vegan in
diet only; still using some animal
items such as leather, wool.
VEGETARIAN: Uses no flesh,
fish, fowl (products of slaughter),
still using milk or dairy products.
lacto-vegetarian), or eggs (ovovegetarian).
AMERICAN VEGAN SOCIETY MEMBERSHIP
BASIC MEMBERSHIP is open to all: vegan, vegetarian, or non-vegetarian.
ADVANCED Membership (voting, office holding) is open to vegans practicing
Ahimsa (send for application form).
MEMBERSHIP/SUBSCRIPTION is $20 per calendar year (or 4 issues). ($10
student/low-income within U.S.A). Join before midyear, receive back issues
from Spring Issue or join later and you’re on to end of next year. Pay by check/
money order/credit card (Visa, MasterCard, Discover, or American Express).
LIFE MEMBERSHIP IS $200; Life Patron $500 or more; Life Benefactor
$1000 or more. Each type includes lifetime (your or AVS, as the case may be)
American Vegan subscription. Each type payable at one time or in installments,
normally completed within two years.
IRS REGULATIONS permit tax-deductibility for all actual contributions
(including Life Membership donation beyond the first $100—due to the value of
the lifetime American Vegan subscription). FEES paid for annual membership,
or books, tapes, conventions, etc. are paid for value received so are not taxdeductible according to IRS regulations.
CANADA: Please remit in $U.S. only, by International Postal Money Order, or
Bank Cashier’s Draft on account in a U.S.A. bank. Or use credit card.
OVERSEAS: U.S.$20 sea mail; U.S.$25 air mail. As above; or United Kingdom
personal check in ₤ Sterling at current exchange rate.
American Vegan Society
Together we explore and apply compassionate living concepts, and reflect on the beauty of life.
We learn: How to save the animals. How to revere the Earth. How to care for ourselves.
People follow a vegan lifestyle for ethical reasons, for health, for the environment. A vegan diet is an adventure in
taste offering an amazing variety to please the palate. Vegetables, grains, fruits, and legumes are the basics from
which delicious meals are made. Foods from plants best provide for all people in the world. Vegans exclude flesh,
fish, fowl, dairy products, eggs, honey, animal broths and gelatin, and other items of animal origin. Vegans dress
with care; fashion with compassion is the style. We do not use leather, wool, fur, or silk, and choose animal-free
soaps, toiletries, and consumer products. Learn to live in harmony, creating a better world for all.
Subscribe to American Vegan
Make checks payable to American Vegan Society
& receive 20% or greater discount on books purchased from AVS.
Enclosed: …..$20 per year
…..$10 Student/Low Income
…..I’m learning about vegan living.
...I am a new vegan.
….New subs. …Renewal
...I have been vegan …..years.
Remarks::
*Name:
A V 5-1
*Address
*City, State, Zip, plus 4
Phone, e-mail
Send to: American Vegan Society, PO Box 369, Malaga NJ 08328
Phone : (856) 694-2887 or Fax: (856) 694-2288
Sign-up for E-Alerts online at
www.americanvegan.org
American Vegan 5-1, SPRING 2006 35
Cob Building:
Mixing earth, sand, and straw which will be used to build a garden wall in the Ecovillage Training
Center in Summertown Tennessee. Children were attending an American Vegan Society conference.
See inside, page 29.
American Vegan
AVS Annual Meeting notice on page 34.
Published quarterly by
The American Vegan Society
A NONPROFIT EDUCATIONAL ORGANIZATION
56 Dinshah Lane PO Box 369
Malaga, NJ 08328-0908
Phone: (856) 694-2887 Fax: (856) 694-2288
www.americanvegan.org
CHANGE SERVICE REQUESTED
Nonprofit org.
U.S.
POSTAGE
PAID
MALAGA NJ
Permit No. 5
Permit can only be used by
Publisher, at Malaga P.O.