Vegan Diets Promote Weight Loss

"A review of a vegetarian diet shows it is highly effective for weight loss. Noticeably vegetarian populations tend to be slimmer than meat-eaters, and experience lower rates of heart disease, diabetes, high blood pressure, and other life-threatening conditions linked to overweight and obesity.

The review, analyzing data from 87 other studies, shows the weight-loss effect does not rely on exercise or calorie counting, and its individuals lose weight at a rate of approximately 1 pound per week.

Susan E. Berkow, Ph.D says, 'Our research reveals that people can enjoy unlimited portions of high- fiber foods such as fruits, vegetables, and whole grains to achieve or maintain a healthy body weight without feeling hungry.”

Berkow continues, 'There is evidence that a vegan diet causes an increased calorie burn after meals, meaning plant-based foods are being used more efficiently as fuel for the body, as opposed to being stored as fat.'

Dieticians believe insulin sensitivity is increased by a vegan diet, allowing nutrients to more rapidly enter the cells of the body to be converted to heat rather than to fat.

Researchers found that the body weight of both male and female vegetarians is, on average, 3 percent to 20 percent lower than that of meat-eaters."

McDonald's goes 'vegan' in Bangalore

"Bangalore, March. 21 (PTI): It may come as a surprise to many that McDonald's, the company known worldwide for its meat burgers and milkshakes, celebrated 'Meatout', an annual affair by advocates of vegetarianism, at select outlets here and Thane by offering a 'Vegan Meal' for two days this week.

It was made possible thanks to the efforts of 'vegan' advocates from Bangalore-based activist group DIYA (Do It Yourself Activists).

'Vegan' is a lifestyle choice in which no animal products are consumed and no animals are harmed.

Mcdonald's Vegan Meal promotion in the country consisted of a regular iced tea and medium fries which could be used to complete a meal of one of the many McDonald's India vegan dishes including 'McVeggie McAloo Tikki' and 'Cripsy Chinese', which comes on a bun and are also egg and milk tree, a People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) release said.

PETA points out that chicken and fish 'suffer incredibly' in meat production.

'Health experts agree that going vegetarian is the single best thing we can do for ourselves and our families. The consumption of meat and diary products has been conclusively linked with heart disease, obesity, arthritis, osteoporosis, Alzheimer's, asthma and impotence,' the release said.

On average, vegetarians and vegans live six to 10 years longer than meat-eaters, the statement claimed.

McDonald's India is not the only company to offer products labelled as 'vegan' in India. Popular chain Cafe Coffee Day offers a 'vegan shake' sans milk or other animal products. Lush India marks many of its soaps with a green 'V' indicating they contain no animal-derived ingredients."

An ethical diet: The joy of being vegan

"When the 33-year-old animal rights campaigner adopted the more extreme version of vegetarianism in 1988, her new-found beliefs met with perplexed looks. She said: 'When I said I was a vegan people would look at me as if I had just said, 'I'm from the planet Mars'.'

The transformation of veganism from oddball movement to the fringe of the mainstream has taken 60 years. Its progress to the mainstream is likely to be much quicker."

Oddball movement? Oh well.

Vegan Porn: Time for a contest! Got your oranges ready?

An orange rind art contest? Sure, why not:

"post your best orange-related artwork in the comments and we'll send a copy of Vegan Freak to the best entry that's in there by March 17th"

Turkey confirms new bird flu cases among poultry

Reuters AlertNet - Turkey confirms new bird flu cases among poultry: "Turkey confirmed on Friday three new cases of the H5 strain of bird flu among poultry in an area to the west of Istanbul and said culling of birds was under way.

The Agriculture Ministry said samples from the infected ducks and chickens had been sent to Britain for further tests to ascertain whether they had the H5N1 form of the virus, which is dangerous to humans.

Four children died of the H5N1 strain in eastern Turkey in January, the first human fatalities outside east Asia. Eight other Turkish people who tested positive for H5N1 have since recovered, according to World Health Organisation (WHO) data."