MeatFilter

Cookbook review "You Won t Believe It s Vegan - Inside Bay Area"

2008-09-16T06:38:00.000-05:00

Cookbook review "You Won t Believe It s Vegan - Inside Bay Area": "Vegans are like everyone else — they want their food to be yummy and maybe even to taste like it comes from a fine restaurant. As it turns out vegans may just get their wish thanks to 'You Won t Believe It s Vegan ' a book by vegan restaurant owners Lacey Sher and Gail Doherty. Their book shares a fun uncompromising unapologetic way of eating for vegans and for everyone else."

Vegan baking tips | HamptonRoads.com | PilotOnline.com

2008-09-16T06:37:00.000-05:00

Vegan baking tips | HamptonRoads.com | PilotOnline.com: "Susan Kaplan is an experienced cook but wanted to learn more about vegan baking to create desserts all four would enjoy; she's often cooking three different dishes.

So the Norfolk mom recently drove to the Virginia Beach kitchen of Betsy DiJulio, another accomplished cook who's been a vegan for two years. DiJulio had an impressive menu ready to prepare: cookie-dough brownies with chocolate ganache, gingerbread cupcakes with orange cream-cheese frosting, chocolate mousse pie and oatmeal dried-cranberry cookies. All without dairy milk, butter or chicken eggs."

Lawyer also sculptor, marathoner, vegan -- chicagotribune.com

2008-09-16T06:36:00.000-05:00

Lawyer also sculptor, marathoner, vegan -- chicagotribune.com: "He took up sculpture as a young attorney, displaying his work at the Old Town and Gold Coast Art Fairs. He began distance running in middle age, completing several marathons. In his 60s, he gave up meat, trying, mostly in vain, to convince old friends of the benefits of a vegan lifestyle."

Low Sperm Count Linked to Beef

2007-03-28T13:36:00.001-05:00

Consumption of beef by women during pregnancy may alter a male's in utero testicular development and compromise his future reproductive capacity, researchers here reported.

The reason could be residual anabolic steroids in the meat, Shanna Swan, Ph.D., of the University of Rochester (N.Y.), and colleagues, reported online in the March 28 issue of Human Reproduction.

In a study of 387 fertile partners of pregnant women, men whose mothers reported eating more than seven beef meals a week while pregnant, had a sperm concentration more than 24% lower than that of men whose mothers ate less beef, they found.

In addition, three times more sons of high-beef consumers had a sperm concentration that would be classified as subfertile according to World Health Organization standards, compared with men whose mothers ate less beef, said Dr. Swan and colleagues.

MedPage Today - Eating Beef in Pregnancy Linked to Reduced Sperm in Adult Sons

The Post Punk Kitchen: Vegetarian cooking & vegan baking with no attitude

2007-01-19T08:26:00.000-06:00

An online vegetarian cooking show:

"We've always loved cooking shows but they tend to be gross. So we thought it would be nice if there was something watchable for vegetarians. And people who may not have fancy accoutrement. (Please say that word in a french canadian accent because it's funnier that way)."

Vegan Lunch Box

2007-01-18T13:17:00.000-06:00

Good recipes

"Here are some recipes from my cookbook, along with others I've created exclusively for free on my website. Don't forget to browse through the Vegan Lunch Box Blog archives for dozens of additional menu ideas, product and cookbook recommendations, and easy recipe ideas."

Children with a high IQ are more likely to become vegetarian :: University of Southampton

2007-01-18T12:59:00.000-06:00

"Intelligent children may be more likely to be vegetarian as adults, suggests a University of Southampton-led study published online by the British Medical Journal today.

The study led by Dr Catharine Gale of the University's MRC Epidemiology Resource Centre looked to see why people with higher IQs appeared to be less likely to suffer from heart disease.

'We examined the records of 8179 men and women aged 30 years, whose IQ had been tested at the age of ten. Twenty years on, 366 (4.5 per cent) of participants said they were vegetarian. Of these, 9 (2.5 per cent) were vegan and 123 (33.6 per cent) stated they were vegetarian but reported eating fish or chicken,' says Dr Gale.

'Those who were vegetarian by the age of 30 had scored five IQ points above average at the age of ten. This can be partly accounted for by better education and higher occupational social class, but it remained statistically significant after adjusting for these factors.'"

Vegan diet taught as cancer deterrent

2007-01-17T11:46:00.000-06:00

"Studies have shown that people on plant-based diets tend to have significantly lower cancer rates than those on meat-based diets, according to a Cancer Project handbook distributed at the class."

Milk in tea erases health benefits

2007-01-10T23:31:00.000-06:00

Yet more proof that Milk is a load of bollocks!

Drinking tea can reduce the risk of heart disease and stroke but only if milk is not added to the brew, German scientists said Tuesday.

Research has shown that tea improves blood flow and the ability of the arteries to relax but researchers at the Charite Hospital at the University of Berlin, Germany, found milk eliminates the protective effect against cardiovascular disease.

"The beneficial effects of drinking black tea are completely prevented by the addition of milk, said Dr. Verena Stangl, a cardiologist at the hospital.

"If you want to drink tea to have the beneficial health effects you have to drink it without milk. That is clearly shown by our experiments," she told Reuters.

Tea is second only to water in worldwide consumption so any benefits could have important public health implications. But until now it was not known whether adding milk had an impact.

Stangl and her team discovered that proteins called caseins in milk decrease the amount of compounds in tea known as catechins which increase its protection against heart disease.

They believe their findings, which are reported in the European Heart Journal, could explain why countries such as Britain, where tea is regularly consumed with milk, have not shown a decreased risk of heart disease and stroke from drinking tea...

Chicken safety 1/07: Dangerous bacteria, Contamination

2007-01-10T12:19:00.000-06:00

f you eat undercooked or mishandled chicken, our new tests indicate, you have a good chance of feeling miserable. CR’s analysis of fresh, whole broilers bought nationwide revealed that 83 percent harbored campylobacter or salmonella, the leading bacterial causes of foodborne disease.

That’s a stunning increase from 2003, when we reported finding that 49 percent tested positive for one or both pathogens. Leading chicken producers have stabilized the incidence of salmonella, but spiral-shaped campylobacter has wriggled onto more chickens than ever. And although the U.S. Department of Agriculture tests chickens for salmonella against a federal standard, it has not set a standard for campylobacter.

Our results show there should be. More than ever, it’s up to consumers to make sure they protect themselves by cooking chicken to at least 165° F and guarding against cross-contamination.

Think premium brands are safer? Overall, chickens labeled as organic or raised without antibiotics and costing $3 to $5 per pound were more likely to harbor salmonella than were conventionally produced broilers that cost more like $1 per pound.

Meat, milk from cloned animals OK'd - The Boston Globe

2006-12-29T11:59:00.000-06:00

"A long-awaited study by US scientists has concluded that meat and milk from cloned animals and their offspring are safe to eat and drink and should be allowed to enter the food supply without any special labeling.

The finding is a strong signal that the Food and Drug Administration will endorse the use of cloning technology for cattle, goats, and pigs when it publishes a key safety assessment intended to clear the way for formal approval of the products. That assessment is expected this week."

Official: Vegetarians are smarter

2006-12-14T20:40:00.000-06:00

Mr Spock, being from the planet Vulcan might have stated these words: "Vegetarians are Logical". Now he can say 'Vegetarians are Smarter'.

A scientific study by a Southampton University team in the British Medical Journal reports that the average vegetarian tend to have five IQ points more than the average person.

However, the report seems to indicate it isn't the exclusion of meat that makes one smarter because "there was no difference in IQ score between strict vegetarians and those who said they were vegetarian but who reported eating fish or chicken."

This suggests to me that intelligent people tend to eat healthier and because of this they are more likely to gravitate towards a vegetarian diet. And because Brits tend to become vegetarian more out of ethics than health (the exact polar opposite to their American counterparts in my estimation), maybe there is a correlation between intelligence and empathy. I guess we'll have to wait for that study.

BBC - High IQ link to being vegetarian

Forget the Cheerleader. Save a cow, save the World.

2006-12-12T14:40:00.000-06:00

No superpowers required; just go Vegetarian
A United Nations report is now saying what I've been saying all along: meat eating hurts the planet more than anything else.

A United Nations report has identified the world's rapidly growing herds of cattle as the greatest threat to the climate, forests and wildlife. And they are blamed for a host of other environmental crimes, from acid rain to the introduction of alien species, from producing deserts to creating dead zones in the oceans, from poisoning rivers and drinking water to destroying coral reefs.

The 400-page report by the Food and Agricultural Organisation, entitled Livestock's Long Shadow, also surveys the damage done by sheep, chickens, pigs and goats. But in almost every case, the world's 1.5 billion cattle are most to blame. Livestock are responsible for 18 per cent of the greenhouse gases that cause global warming, more than cars, planes and all other forms of transport put together...

The Independent - Cow 'emissions' more damaging to planet than CO2 from cars

Give out vegan-friendly sweets this Halloween

2006-10-23T13:27:00.000-05:00

"Vegans have no need to be scared on Halloween. Even though some candies have hidden animal products, there's still a variety of tasty treats to please even the pickiest of trick-or-treaters.

You could be trying to raise a vegan child or just want to hand out treats that don't betray your beliefs.

There is a surprising amount of vegan candy available produced by vegan and mainstream companies.

Some vegan food companies, such as Sun Flour Baking Company (www.sunflourbaking.com), offer vegan-friendly Halloween gift baskets of goodies.

Parents who want to keep their children vegan on this candy-filled holiday should be prepared.

Look for a vegan-vegetarian-friendly Halloween event to attend or make a game of sorting candy post-trick-or-treating. If your children are old enough to read, tell them to look for animal products such as gelatin, casein, honey, lard and pepsin in the ingredients list of the candies they collected.

Put all the candy with animal products in a special trade-in pile and have a variety of vegan candy to swap for the nonvegan candy.

Peta Kids (www.petakids.com) offers this list of vegan candy to use as a guide:

Airheads taffy, Atkins peanut butter bars, Blow Pops, Brach's Cinnamon Hard Candy, Charms lollipops, Chick-o-Sticks, Cracker Jack, Cry Babies, Dem Bones, Dots, Dum-Dums, Fireballs, Goldenberg's Peanut Chews, Hubba Bubba bubblegum, Jolly Ranchers (lollipops and hard candy), Jujubees, Jujyfruits, Lemonheads, Mambas, Mary Janes (regular and peanut butter kisses), Now and Later, Pez, Ring Pop lollipops, Smarties (U.S. Brand), Sour Patch Kids, Starburst (jelly beans and hard candy), Super Bubble, Swedish Fish, Sweet Tarts, Tropical Source mini chocolate bags, Twizzlers and Zotz."

US recalls ground beef over E.coli worries

2006-10-08T07:20:00.000-05:00

"A US meat processing firm is recalling some 2,360 kilograms of ground beef possibly tainted by E. coli bacteria, health officials said, just weeks after several people died from contaminated fresh spinach."

Def Leppard Guitarist Rocks a Vegan Diet

2006-09-20T10:41:00.000-05:00

Legendary rock band DEF LEPPARD is enjoying critical acclaim for its 12th studio album, 'Yeah!', and — in the midst of a whirlwind world tour — guitarist Phil Collen took time out of his busy schedule to record a public service announcement (PSA) for PETA in which he sings the praises of a vegetarian diet.

'Not only is a vegetarian lifestyle healthier, it's better for the animals and for the environment,' says Collen, who has been a vegetarian for more than 20 years. Visitors to PETA's Web site GoVeg.com can watch Collen's videotaped interview and enter a drawing to win a Fender guitar signed by Collen, which he has had with him on this current tour.

In an exclusive interview with GoVeg.com, Collen talks about how making the connection between living, breathing animals and the carved up bodies on his plate was what convinced him to forgo animal flesh once and for all.

'It started freaking me out eating dead body parts,' he says. 'The whole Jeffrey Dahmer fridge concept of things was weird. It started when I was a kid, but you know, you have that whole parent propaganda when they say, 'Oh no, you got to eat this, and it's OK,' and even when you go, 'Well, that chicken is kind of like...a dog,' and they go, 'Come on, eat, eat, eat your meat,' and I always felt kind of uncomfortable. And I think when I got to a certain age, when you start making choices for yourself, that's when I was like well, I am not going to do this anymore.'
"

Vegan Diet Bests ADA Plan at Diabetes Control

2006-08-09T15:10:00.000-05:00

"The Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine, a crusading group that has long ranked vegetarianism high on its agenda, has made a compelling case for a low-fat vegan diet to improve glycemic control.

Both a low-fat vegan diet and a diet following American Diabetes Association guidelines improved glycemic control and cardiovascular risk factors in patients with type 2 diabetes, found a 22-week study partially funded by NIH and published in the August issue of Diabetes Care.

But the vegan diet was better, reported Neal D. Barnard, M.D., an adjunct associate professor of medicine at George Washington University, who is president of the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine, and colleagues.

The vegan diet -- consisting of fruits, vegetables and grains but no animal products and only limited added fats -- did a better job of lowering glycated hemoglobin (HbA1C) levels, body weight, and LDL, reported Dr. Barnard."

Study: Low-fat, vegan diet might be best for type-2 diabetes

2006-07-27T16:36:00.000-05:00

"People with type-2 diabetes might be able to lose more weight and deal better with the disease by following a low-fat, vegan diet - rather than commonly recommended low-carbohydrate diets - a study released Thursday found.

The study, conducted by the vegan organization Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine and George Washington University, followed 99 people with type-2 diabetes for 22 weeks - half ate a vegan diet and half followed dietary guidelines from the American Diabetes Association.

Members of both groups lowered their weight, and improved blood glucose control and cholesterol levels.

But those who avoided meat and dairy had greater success, said Neal Barnard, president of PCRM, a nonprofit organization that focuses on preventive medicine and nutrition, and promotes vegetarian diets and alternatives to animal research."

Vegan cuisine is much more than 'rabbit food'

2006-05-31T10:17:00.000-05:00

Interesting article, includes recipe for ravioli with vegan parmesan cheese:

"For the last 23 years my husband and I have evolved into a lifestyle free of animal products or by-products-a plant-based diet-which advocates health and compassion. We no longer allow meat, dairy or egg products or by-products into our diet. Our lifestyle has been labeled vegan. We are vegans!

And, for the last 23 years I have heard the same question, 'So...what do you eat?' Usually followed by 'rabbit food?'"

Why Vegan / Try Vegetarian

2006-05-21T07:24:00.000-05:00

Some good points made in this article:

"For modern animal agriculture, the less the consumer knows about what’s happening before the meat hits the plate, the better."

Being a vegan is nothing of mythic proportions | The University Daily Kansan

2006-05-05T11:13:00.000-05:00

Interesting article:

"I always get a strange look whenever I tell people I’m a vegan. Some people have an expression of disbelief upon hearing that a fellow homo sapien could be alive and standing without animal products in their diet. Some look in awe that I can sustain such a complex lifestyle. Others glare back in mocking disgust because they themselves need meat. Most non-vegans seem to have a great many misconceptions about vegans.

I will dispel some of these myths."

Click the link for more.

SuperVegan - Homepage

2006-04-05T15:20:00.000-05:00

It's a bird, it's a plane, it's SuperVegan. New website:

"Welcome to SuperVegan, a shockingly ambitious website made by vegans for vegans. Check out our New York City restaurant guide and our vegan web directory, as well as all the latest vegan-interest news "

Vegan Diets Promote Weight Loss

2006-03-31T10:40:00.000-06:00

"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

2006-03-23T13:40:00.000-06:00

"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

2006-03-16T08:42:00.000-06:00

"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?

2006-03-13T13:33:00.000-06:00

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

2006-03-03T06:34:00.000-06:00

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."

Vegan diet holds lessons for others

2006-02-23T11:18:00.000-06:00

newsobserver.com | Lifestyles: "Ever eat a cheeseless pizza or dunk a cookie into a glass of soymilk? For about one out of every 100 people, avoiding all animal products -- meat, fish, poultry, eggs and dairy products -- is second nature.

They're vegan (VEE-gun) -- vegetarians who go a few steps farther than the rest. In fact, most vegans also steer clear of honey, and some avoid refined sugar (much of it is whitened with bone char).

What motivates people to go to such extremes?

Vegans are typically motivated by convictions about ecology, world hunger and animal rights. Any use of animals that exploits them or contributes to suffering is off-limits, and that extends to clothing and cosmetics, too. Vegans don't wear leather, wool or silk and they avoid makeup, shampoo and other household products made with animal ingredients or tested on animals.

Health reasons may be motivating factors, too, though they usually aren't the driving force.

Vegans (and vegetarians) are less likely than nonvegetarians to be overweight, and they have lower rates of coronary artery disease. They have lower blood cholesterol levels and lower rates of high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, and prostate and colon cancer."

Austria Detects Bird Flu in Poultry; Virus Spreads in Nigeria

2006-02-22T06:53:00.000-06:00

The deadly HN51 bird flu virus was found for the first time in poultry in the European Union, after a dead swan infected by the disease was taken to an animal shelter housing three ducks and two chickens.

The infected ducks and chickens aren't from a farm, Austrian Agency for Health and Food Safety spokesman Oskar Wawschinek said today in an interview. Final test results on the birds are expected next week from an EU laboratory. In Nigeria, the virus may cause a ``regional disaster'' as infections widened and local authorities struggled to enforce disease control measures, the Food and Agriculture Organization said today.

``There is ample evidence that the Nigerian bird flu situation is difficult and worrisome,'' said Joseph Domenech, FAO's chief veterinary officer, in the e-mailed statement. Nigeria may need to start a vaccination program, Domenech said.

The World Health Organization is tracking the spread of the H5N1 virus in the event it evolves to spread easily from person to person, sparking a pandemic such as the 1918 outbreak that killed 50 million people worldwide. GlaxoSmithKline Plc said it's already sold out this year's production of the antiviral drug Relenza, and more than 60 countries have ordered Roche Holding AG's Tamiflu drug, also used to treat bird flu in humans.

The spread of the virus in birds creates more opportunity for human infection as people come into contact with poultry during slaughtering, plucking feathers, butchering or preparation for cooking. At least 92 of the 170 people known to have been infected with the H5N1 avian influenza virus since late 2003 have died, mainly in Asia, according to the WHO.

Pandemics

A pandemic occurs when a new influenza virus emerges and starts spreading as easily as seasonal flu, by coughing and sneezing, according to the Geneva-based WHO. Because the virus is new, humans will have no pre-existing immunity, making it likely that people who contract pandemic flu will become more seriously ill than when infected by seasonal flu, WHO said on its Web site.

So far, there isn't any evidence that H5N1 is evolving to become become more easily transmissible to humans as the disease spreads in Europe, Africa and Asia, WHO said this week. The most recent pandemic in 1968, known as Hong Kong flu, killed 1 million people worldwide.

Animal diseases are mutating to infect humans at an ``unsustainable'' rate, with more than one new pathogen capable of causing infectious diseases reported per year over the past quarter-century, a British scientist said.

Over the past 25 years, a total of 38 new pathogen species including viruses, bacteria, fungi and other organisms associated with infectious diseases in humans have been reported, Professor Mark Woolhouse, Chair of Infectious Disease Epidemiology at the University of Edinburgh, Scotland, said this week at a meeting of scientists in St. Louis, Missouri.

Hungary

Those making the ``species jump'' from animals to humans include bird flu, variant Creutzfeld Jakob disease, derived from mad cow disease, and human immunodeficiency viruses (HIV), Woolhouse said.

The Hungarian government has appropriated 5.8 billion forint ($27.4 million) to respond to the bird flu threat, including compensation for chicken farmers for potential losses, government spokesman Andras Batiz said yesterday.

Batiz said that by early March, Hungary will have the permit in place to distribute 20,000 doses of the bird flu vaccine that is being developed in Hungary. While Hungary's government has pronounced the vaccine effective against the H5N1 virus, it has yet to be fully tested.

``We have precisely enough -- that is, 20,000 doses -- available to us in Hungary, so that if the situation comes up where bird flu spreads to domestic poultry, that the surgeon general can decide to vaccinate people who breed or who work immediately with those birds,'' Batiz said.

Germany

Germany's most recent confirmed H5N1 cases, involving 18 swans, three geese and a Eurasian buzzard, have brought the country's tally above 100 and prompted authorities to place the coastline of the northern state of Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, on the Baltic Sea, under observation.

The FAO has allocated $1 million to support surveillance in 20 African nations, including Nigeria and Egypt, where infections in birds have been reported.

An Indonesian woman who died Feb. 20 tested positive for the H5N1 strain in a local laboratory check, Ilham Patu, a doctor coordinating bird flu efforts at Jakarta's Sulianti Saroso Hospital said today.

Malaysia is investigating how 40 chickens became infected and died last week in the state of Selangor, Kamaruddin Md Isa, head of the disease control unit at the Veterinary Services Department, said today. The outbreak of the disease is Malaysia's first in over a year.

Fighting Cocks

Illegally imported fighting cocks are ``a possibility, as well as wild migratory birds,'' Kamaruddin said. The result of the probe may be known within a week, he said. Cock fighting is common in Southeast Asia as gamblers bet on the winner.

At least five Asian countries including China banned imports of birds following the recent outbreaks in India and Malaysia. Iran banned exports of red meat to check against a ``steep'' climb in red meat and fish prices as customers shun poultry products because of concern over bird flu.

India killed more than 223,000 fowl as officials try to prevent the spread of the deadly H5N1 virus to people in the world's second-most populous nation.

The government will provide livestock insurance plans covering 620,000 animals nationwide following the recent culls, Indian Finance Minister P. Chidambaram told reporters in New Delhi today. India had 489 million poultry as of 2003, when the latest livestock census data was released.

Vegan Farms

2006-02-03T09:38:00.000-06:00

Love for animals turns Liz Hurley vegetarian!

2006-01-22T01:08:00.000-06:00

Love for animals turns Liz Hurley vegetarian!

Washington: British beauty Elizabeth Hurley has become a vegetarian after falling in love with the animals on her farm.

The actress has a working farm in the English countryside that she hopes to retire to when her acting and modelling careers come to an end.

And she admits living alongside nature is having an effect on her.

"There's sheep and cows and chickens and rabbits. It has put me off eating meat because these creatures are so sweet. I know every lamb and have given them names like David, Flora and Angela," she was quoted by Contactmusic,as saying.

"You're not meant to get too attached because it is a working farm and they are meant to go for meat.

But there is a little lamb that I bottle feed and I don't want him to be eaten at all," she added.

MLK Day: Vegan Soul Food

2006-01-17T10:20:00.000-06:00

DCist: MLK Day: Vegan Soul Food: "Dexter and Coretta King believe that promoting animal rights is just the next 'logical extension' of Martin Luther King, Jr.'s philosophy of non-violence. "

Animal scares create demand for vegetarian ingredients

2006-01-16T22:23:00.000-06:00

Corporations are beginning to shift over to vegetarian ingredients in their products, to ward off any potential 'diseases in certain animal species.'

Food safety fears have led to the emergence a new market in vegetarian supplement ingredients, and industry insiders predicting that as many as half of all ingredients could be non-animal derived in the next ten years.

Scares such as BSE in cattle and avian ‘flu in poultry have prompted consumers and marketers to cast about for supplements containing no animal derivatives, and that means ingredient companies are having to reconsider the carriers they use or develop synthetic variants or seek out vegetarian sources for many of their products...

The Vegan Family Cookbook

2006-01-14T13:23:00.000-06:00

If you like to tinker with recipes as much as I do, this is the perfect cookbook. The recipes are well laid out with plenty of space to add notes. Most of the recipes are simple enough to experment with. It's organized by category: Snacks and dips, Soups, Salads and dressings, Vegetables, Side dishes, Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner, Beverages, Breads, Desserts, and more. There's a lot of variety and some great ideas, including a fake cheese sauce for those just making the transition to veganism. One of the best vegan cookbooks I've found. You can buy it here.

Logan students satisfy vegan cravings

2006-01-09T11:52:00.000-06:00

High school student create vegan alternative to school lunch:

"After six months of heavy lobbying, Rupani and her club mates convinced school administrators that healthy food not only belonged in the lunch line, but that students would buy it if given the chance. Now, they are proving their point.

Since school resumed this month after winter vacation, Rupani and other club members

JAMES LOGAN HIGH SCHOOL student Nathaniel Nguyen stocks a cart with water, fruit juice and vegan foods such as soup, salads and nuts. (Bea Ahbeck - Staff)
have hawked soy milk, fresh fruit and vegan burgers from a small stand they call the Smart Cart, strategically positioned outside the school cafeteria in Colt Courtyard."

What’s in a Name?

2005-12-31T15:30:00.000-06:00

"Deciding to make a statement every time he’s asked for or signs his name, a 19-year-old PETA staff member—formerly known as Chris Garnett—has legally changed his name to KentuckyFriedCruelty.com, the same name as PETA’s Web site that gives the lowdown on KFC’s refusal to eliminate the worst abuses of chickens raised and killed to fill its buckets. The former Dover Plains, New York, resident and current Street Team coordinator of peta2—PETA’s youth division—has the official state papers and driver’s license to prove it. His parents—who have been supportive since he went vegan at age 15—were a little shocked at first, but although they insist on still calling him Chris, they’ve accepted the change."

PETA’S SEXY ‘SANTA’S HELPER’ LANDS IN EVANSVILLE TO GIVE AWAY TOFURKY

2005-12-22T11:57:00.000-06:00

Ho ho ho:

A sexy 'Santa’s Helper' wearing a skimpy outfit and a jaunty red hat will hand out free Tofurky—a soy-based roast that includes savory stuffing—in Evansville as part of PETA’s national tour to promote a vegetarian holiday season. The sexy vegetarian hopes to reach people’s hearts through their stomachs and is urging consumers to stay true to the holiday spirit by spreading comfort and joy to turkeys too

Complaints as christmas turkeys killed on TV

2005-12-18T00:05:00.000-06:00

"Chef Gordon Ramsay's TV show is being investigated by watchdogs after showing scenes of turkeys being slaughtered.

Seven viewers complained after The F Word showed Ramsay carrying six turkeys into a slaughter van where they were strung up, stunned and killed."

Ironically, this chef is known for being vegetarian hostile, and his plan may backfire. People need to know where their food comes from, and maybe if they think about it, they'll consider becoming vegetarian.

Donald Watson has died

2005-12-11T01:35:00.000-06:00

Donald Watson, the man who founded the Vegan Society - and invented the word vegan - has died at his home in Keswick at the age of 95.

The Cumberland News - The man who invented the vegan

Vegeterian & Vegan Thanksgiving Recipes

2005-11-24T08:56:00.000-06:00

Vegeterian & Vegan Thanksgiving Recipes:

When a Non-Vegetarian Cook Hosts a Vegetarian Guest: Vegetarians are in the minority, but there are enough of us that you may find one or more on your guest list. Here are some questions you may be asking yourself as you consider your situation at Thanksgiving, one of the most clearly meat-influenced holidays on the American calendar.

Bird Flu found in Canada

2005-11-22T19:31:00.000-06:00

"The United States has banned poultry from mainland British Columbia, Canada after a duck there tested positive for a strain of avian flu over the weekend, a U.S. Agriculture Department official said Monday.

Jim Rodgers, a spokesman for the Agriculture Department's Animal-Plant Health Inspection Service, said federal officials took the step as a precaution until Canadian authorities provided more information about the tests they conducted on the animal...

...Throughout Asia the H5N1 strain of bird flu has killed at least 67 people since 2003. Almost all of them came into close contact with infected birds.

Experts fear that the H5N1 virus could mutate into a form that can easily be passed from human to human, sparking a pandemic."

Livin' La Vegan Loca

2005-11-21T09:23:00.000-06:00

Fairfield County Weekly: Livin' La Vegan Loca:

One recent night at a Lower East Side book signing, all was not as it appeared. About 50 people shouldered into a storefront to peruse funky shoes, gnaw on chicken drumsticks and take a gander at a subculture celebrity author. The chicken, however, was a culinary imposter--a really tasty fake-meat facsimile. And not one pair of shoes--all of them stylish, sexy, practical or all of the above--was crafted from an animal's hide. (Though some were artfully decorated with hair from the several rescued kitties who live in the store, Mooshoes, and lounge among the footwear.) The author, though, was the real deal, all five-foot-nothing of her with her lit-from-within smile, body art-a-plenty peeking out from her vintage sweater, and cute Canuck accent.
Sarah Kramer was in New York promoting the third in her trilogy of vegan cookbooks, La Dolce Vegan! (Arsenal Pulp Press, 2005). With their sassy retro design, kitschy cheesecake photos by Kramer's husband, Gerry, of the author in vintage ensembles, and punny titles ( How It All Vegan! , The Garden of Vegan ), hers stand out amidst the crowded market of guides for making animal-free grub. And though the covers will make a person of a particular sensibility or curiosity pick them up, it's what's inside that earns these books a home in many a compassionate kitchen. In addition to the recipes themselves, all three books feature low-downs on the whats and wheres of vegan ingredients; poignant (and never preachy) personal reflections of this life path; answers to FAQs asked via her website (www.govegan.net) or while she's out greeting and feeding her readers; and lists of the multitude of uses--household cleaning, pest control, health aides--for pantry staples, such as baking soda and salt.

Vegan food drives pizza shop's sales

2005-11-21T09:22:00.000-06:00

Vegan food drives pizza shop's sales - The Daily Free Press - News:

While the name may not suggest it, T.J.'s House of Pizza in Allston is a paradise for vegans.
Pizza, meatball subs, chicken fingers, buffalo wings, baklava and cheesecake are just a few of the vegan-friendly items adorning the menu at T.J's House of Pizza, and vegan-lovers have helped their choice items outsell the T.J.'s traditional pizza shop menu.
Owner Hassan Moutouakkil said the once traditional pizza house evolved its menu to become vegan-based two years ago when an employee suggested the restaurant should include vegetarian and vegan options on the menu. So Moutouakkil contacted distributors and purchased some vegan cheese and meat products.

Guinness criticized by vegan group - Drinks Business Review

2005-11-14T14:24:00.000-06:00

The Vegan Society has given the market-leading stout producer Guinness its inaugural Vegan Raspberry Award for using products and ingredients that do not comply with its vegan standards over those that do.
Guinness's production techniques make use of Isinglass – a type of gelatin made from the bladders of fish – to remove yeast from the stout. Yet vegan-friendly companies such as Samuel Smiths and Pitfield Brewery have shown that fish-free vegan stout is possible.
The society hopes the award will encourage Guinness to change its ways.

Americans may have eaten mad cow

2005-11-05T18:01:00.000-06:00

Americans may have eaten mad cow: Offspring of infected Texas cow suspected of reaching human food supply

Dallas Morning News Story

Researchers hunting the herd linked to the first U.S. case of mad cow disease were cited as finding that most of the animals were slaughteredâ€”and possibly in the human food supplyâ€”even before the government probe began.

The federal and state governments closed an investigation into the infected cow, which was raised at an unidentified Texas ranch, at the end of August.

But the Dallas Morning News obtained details about the search for the 413 cows and calves on Tuesday under a Texas Open Records request. About 350 of them, or roughly 85 per cent, were sent for slaughter.

The story says that the reports, compiled for the Texas Animal Health Commission by a government employee, demonstrate how problematic it was to track the herd mates and progeny of a diseased cow.

The investigators' searches for feed records, as well as "animals of interest" went back years. Many records were no longer available. The state wound up relying on its own data taken in the county between 1990 and 1994 to get a snapshot of the herd.

Dr. Max Coats, deputy director for animal health programs at the Texas Animal Health Commission, was quoted as saying, "If it were not for our brucellosis information and database, we would have had extraordinary difficulty in conducting this investigation. â€¦ We would have liked for the record keeping to have been better. Some producers have flawless records. Others know they had 14 cows last year and they don't know whose they were."

Because the record keeping and identification process at the affected farm was lacking, inspectors had to trace 213 calves in their hunt to find two that were recently born to the diseased cow. They never were able to specifically identify the two calves, but did say that 208 of those investigated went into feed and slaughter channels, entering the food supply. Another four likely did. One calf was untraceable.

Tom McGarity, a professor of food safety law at the University of Texas Law School, was quoted as saying, "If they're fairly confident that the group they identified as the progeny was complete and if nearly all of them were slaughtered, chances are the progeny was eaten by a human being."

Coats and Jim Rogers with the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service said there should be no fear of mad cow entering the human food supply.

Rogers said that regulations keep any possibly diseased cow out of the system.

From VCR to cat feeder

2005-11-02T21:34:00.000-06:00

An English inventor has found a new use for his VCR: as a cat feeder.

This article on c|net's news.com shows pictures on how it is done.

Airport restaurants offering more healthy choices

2005-11-02T21:21:00.000-06:00

"More than half the restaurants at 14 of the busiest U.S. airports offer at least one low-fat, cholesterol-free vegetarian option, according to a survey by the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine, a Washington-based nonprofit group that promotes healthy eating.

Travelers 'will at least be able to find healthy vegetarian meals in most major airports,' said Tim Radak, the committee's associate nutrition director.

Chicago's O'Hare airport, where slightly more than 9 out of 10 eateries offered healthy fare, topped the group's 2005 list. Detroit's Metropolitan, where 89 percent of the restaurants did so, came in second. Las Vegas' McCarran was last, with 42 percent.
Three-quarters of airport restaurants offered healthy options in 2005, compared with 56 percent in 2002, when the group did a similar survey.

The 2005 rankings and percentage scores, after Chicago and Detroit, are: San Francisco, 88; New York's JFK, 83; Dallas/Fort Worth, 81; Denver, 78; Atlanta, 77; Orlando, 76; Newark, 75; Phoenix, 75; Los Angeles, 69; Minneapolis/St. Paul, 68; Houston, 46; and Las Vegas, 42."

World vegan day 2005

2005-11-01T07:56:00.000-06:00

Vegan news:

1st November is World Vegan Day - an annual celebration of all things vegan!

CELEBRATING VEGAN DIVERSITY
This year's theme is vegan diversity and we want you to help us show the world that anyone and everyone can be vegan!

Nine people in Idaho die from brain wasting disease

2005-10-23T00:47:00.000-05:00

State and federal health officials are trying to get to the bottom of nine reported cases of suspected sporadic CJD in Idaho this year. Sporadic, or naturally occurring, CJD differs from the permutation dubbed variant CJD, which is caused by eating mad-cow-tainted beef and has killed at least 180 people in the United Kingdom and continental Europe since the 1990s.
"One thing is very clear in Idaho _ the number seems to be higher than the number reported in previous years," said Dr. Ermias Belay, a CJD expert with the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. "So far, the investigations have not found any evidence of any exposure that might be common among the cases."
Normally, sporadic CJD only strikes about one person in a million each year, with an average of just 300 cases per year in the United States, or just over one case a year in Idaho. Over the past two decades, the most cases reported in Idaho in a single year has been three.
Until this year...

Paul McCartney's wife now vegan

2005-10-21T01:16:00.000-05:00

"SIR PAUL McCARTNEY's wife HEATHER MILLS McCARTNEY is enjoying a fresh change to her diet - she's become a vegan.
The animal rights activist ditched meat from her diet more than a decade ago, but she recently decided she also wanted to throw out all other animal by-products.
She says, 'I've been a vegan for three months. I was a veggie for 12 years. I went vegetarian because I got an infection in my leg in hospital, and, after three months, somebody said, 'I cured myself of breast cancer going veggie,' and I was like, 'Yeah, right, I'm sure.'
'I went to an institute in West Palm Beach... and within three weeks of wheatgrass and garlic and pulses, my whole leg just closed and healed. So I was ruled vegan for about a year and a half. And then I couldn't cope with going to restaurants and all that kind of stuff so then I went to become veggie.'
Since coming across a wider variety of vegan-friendly food, Mills McCartney decided it was time to make another drastic change.
Ironically, McCartney's first wife, LINDA, was also a famous vegan, who launched her own vegetarian food range."

what the hell _does_ a vegan eat anyway?

2005-10-20T15:08:00.000-05:00

A simple blog about what a Vegan eats. Every day. For example:

Dinner 10/19
Soy Boy Okara burgers
(guacamole, lettuce, tomato, onion, mustard)
Homefries
(potato, onion, salt, pepper, ketchup)

Bird flu is confirmed in Greece

2005-10-17T13:08:00.000-05:00

Bird flu news:

Greece has become the latest country to report a case of bird flu as the virus appears to spread across Europe.
The country's agriculture ministry said a form of the virus had been found in a turkey on a farm on the Aegean Sea island of Oinouses.
Twelve swans have also tested positive for bird flu in a second cluster in Romania.
And the European Commission has ordered urgent tests on dead birds found in Croatia.

Vegan Willy Wonka Launches Magical, Healthy, Sugar Free, Dairy Free Chocolate with Essential Fat Nutrition for World Vegan Day

2005-10-13T09:48:00.000-05:00

Vegan Willy Wonka Launches Magical, Healthy, Sugar Free, Dairy Free Chocolate with Essential Fat Nutrition for World Vegan Day:

Plamil Director Adrian Ling is keeping the Willy Wonka-esque innovative traditions burning brightly at the Plamil vegan chocolate factory at Folkestone in Kent, UK. Plamil will focus on health, nutrition and healthy eating for the international vegan awareness day on November 1st by launching new, healthier, chocolate bars.
A tradition of chocolate innovation has always been an integral part of Plamils’ ethical business.
Soya protein, Lupin flour, and other ingredients are utilised to recreate melt in the mouth, golden paper wrapped bars of chocolate that ensure that vegans and those intolerant to dairy can still enjoy a creamy, sweet, smooth chocolate treat.
Regarded by many as eccentric, Plamil’s vegan founder Arthur Ling was the UK pioneer of bio fuel, soya milk and pea protein. He was also the original vegan Willy Wonka of dairy free alternatives for milk chocolate.

American Chronicle: Vegan for Life

2005-10-11T08:26:00.000-05:00

American Chronicle: Vegan for Life:

At the heart of being vegan is a kind of compassionate awareness. We share this planet not only with billions of fellow human beings, but also with uncounted billions upon billions of other creatures, with lives, wants, enjoyment and suffering as real as our own. Humans have had and used the power to crowd them out, push them aside, sometimes driving them to extinction, and often, making them into tools for our use, servitors of our desires, food for our tables, clothes for our backs. As vegans, we look, we pay attention, we see the unnecessary suffering imposed on our fellow creatures. We respond in compassion, refusing to pretend that might makes right, refusing to turn away and ignore what we know. The vegan message is ultimately very simple:
Look. Pay attention. See the unnecessary death and suffering. We don’t have to contribute or help to keep it going. We can stop being a part of this. And so, that’s what we try to do.

A vegan manifesto - The Bulletin - it's the arts

2005-10-03T11:06:00.000-05:00

I used to ridicule non-meat eaters mercilessly in my younger days. Why, I thought, would one want to sacrifice something as great as meat simply for the sake of some silly animal? In retrospect, my ignorance is somewhat appalling.
While there are an abundance of arguments for vegetarianism based on animal rights and environmental concerns, the clearest reason that one might change one's diet is simply for the radical health benefits associated with alternative diets. Meat eating has been linked to stroke, type II diabetes, heart disease, a variety of cancers, gallstones, hypertension, constipation, Alzheimer's, asthma, impotence, coronary artery disease, osteoporosis and myriad other ailments.
The American Heart Association agrees that there is a significant risk reduction for heart problems with a vegetarian diet. Heart patients who switch to vegetarian diets find a drastic reduction in heart problems and attacks. In fact, the only successful doctors in reversing heart disease relied heavily on meat-free diets in their patients.
Dairy products are hardly better. Obviously, cow's milk is best suited for the needs of a newborn calf, not a full grown human. A study in England reports that people who were suffering from irregular heartbeats, asthma, headaches, fatigue and digestive problems 'showed marked and often complete improvements in their health after cutting milk from their diets.'
Furthermore, milk is nothing near the source of calcium we are told it is. American women, who drink far more milk than any other nation, face higher rates of osteoporosis than almost any other nation in the world. Many studies actually indicate that milk depletes calcium from your body!
A balanced diet does not have to include any sort of animal product. Nature has provided us with a huge abundance of fruits, vegetables, grains and legumes to care for our every nutritive need. Animal flesh and animal by-products are clearly harmful to your health; so what are you having for dinner tonight?

Vegan Lifestyles - The Daily Cardinal - Features

2005-10-03T11:04:00.000-05:00

These berating words can be seen blazoned across the chests of various students across campus: 'Don't eat me, I love you.' Accompanied by a sympathetic picture of a pig, this T-shirt is just one of many examples of the various public promotions for animal rights. A common stance against the mistreatment of animals is vegetarianism, but some have chosen to take their defiance to the next level: veganism.
'Veganism is a form of vegetarianism that eliminates all animal products,' said UW-Madison dietitian and clinical faculty associate Julie Thurlow. Besides eliminating meat from their diets, vegans also exclude all animal products such as eggs and cheese.
Although veganism is often associated with animal rights, people have also chosen this course because meat production 'takes a devastating toll on the earth,' according to http://www.vegan.org.
The idea of veganism as a health advantage, however, is a controversial topic.
'It's a choice that can be made without serious detrimental nutritional outcomes, but it takes work,' said nutritional science professor Dale Schoeller. 'I do not support it. I haven't seen a convincing argument in favor of it.'
Thurlow is more optimistic.
'It is possible to have a very nutritious diet as long as you eat from all of the food groups in adequate amounts,' she said.
Thurlow and Schoeller do agree that veganism should only be attempted after thorough investigation.
'When people decide to become vegans, they don't research it, they just avoid meat and dairy,' Schoeller said.
Thurlow concurred, 'It requires good planning.'

Delicious Weblog

2005-09-28T12:28:00.000-05:00

Vegetarian cooking blog from Delicious TV

Senate bans Japan beef imports amid mad cow row

2005-09-20T20:43:00.000-05:00

The U.S. Senate voted twice on Tuesday to keep shipments of Japan's Kobe beef out of the United States until Tokyo ends its ban on American beef, imposed 19 months ago as a precaution against mad cow disease.
Senators said the votes were a signal of frustration with Japan, traditionally the No. 1 customer for U.S. beef exports. The U.S. cattle industry says it loses $100 million each month the market is closed.

'It's just unfair,' said Nebraska Democrat Ben Nelson, decrying the continued ban as unjustified dawdling. 'It is time to move beyond soft talk to harder talk.'
A delicacy, Kobe beef comes from Wagyu cattle massaged with sake and fed a diet enriched with beer. Japan shipped $800,000 of the beef annually to U.S buyers before the ban.

Massaged with sake?!?

1,000 chickens that rode out the storm now escape the frying pan / Vacaville woman leads rescue effort at Mississippi farm

2005-09-13T16:52:00.000-05:00

Hurricane Katrina left behind a still untold death toll, but it apparently spared the lives of some 1,000 lucky chickens.
Now, instead of meeting their fate in a Mississippi slaughterhouse, the birds are on their way to the Bay Area and other parts of the United States where they will live out the rest of their lives in sanctuaries and backyards.
'Some folks say, 'Why save chickens when there are people and dogs and cats to save?' '' says the birds' savior, Vacaville resident Kim Sturla, who traveled to Mississippi to rescue the chickens after learning about their plight on television.
'I'm looking at it from the perspective of their lives,'' she said. 'The life of the chicken is as important to him as the life of the dog or cat is to them.'

Exclusive Interview with Brooke Gallupe of Immaculate Machine

2005-09-13T16:30:00.000-05:00

Close on the heels of our interview with The Organ's Jenny Smyth, Brooke Gallupe of Immaculate Machine took time to talk to MeatFilter about the life of a vegan musician.

MeatFilter: How long have you been a vegetarian and a vegan?

Brooke Gallupe: I've been vegetarian my whole life. I've eaten meat twice: once as a child I was forced by a neighbor who thought my parents were being negligent, and once by accident recently. The former I don't remember, but the latter was traumatizing. On the birthday before last (Aug.2004), I resolved that I could be doing more, challenging myself more, and became vegan. Politically and ethically, I think being vegan is good, so while I don't expect everyone to become one right away, I felt it was important for me to make a good example of myself. Especially since it was so easy for me; it's a small step from being vegetarian, and I am surrounded by pretty vegan-sympathetic people.

MF: What are your musical influences?

BG: My musical influences are varied, but mainly in the rock/indie/punk/pop kind of scene... older bands like The Clash, The Smiths, The Velvet Underground as well as a lot of Canadian contemporary music - The Constantines, The Arcade Fire, The Hidden Cameras. I like bands that have a subversive political attitude, regardless of whether they sing overtly about politics.

MF: When you're on the road with the band has it been hard to find good vegan food?

BG: Not at all. It's all about knowing what you can eat. Being vegetarian and eating well all my life, I was always baffled by people who asked what I could possibly eat. If you really can't think of any vegetarian dishes, you must have pretty boring eating habits. There are tons of things, and being vegan is the same. I'll eat burritos without sour cream or cheese, or falafel, or veggie burgers. We often shop at grocery stores, which is cheaper and easy to make vegan.

MF: What city have you been to that had the best eating options?

BG: In Toronto, I ate a lot of Indian food, which is very often vegetarian or vegan. In Montreal it's middle eastern (ie falafel). In Vancouver there's quite a few great vegetarian retaurants, including a 24 hour one called The Naam. In Victoria I get Phad Thai and ask for no egg or fish sauce. Every cosmopolitan city has options, but obviously the smaller the town, the harder it is to eat well. I'm looking forward to touring through California for the food.

I think it seems harder to become vegan than it actually is. Soy substitutes for dairy are omnipresent, because so many people are lactose intolerant these days. Unless you live in the smallest redneck town in a meat-guzzling family, you have very little excuse -and even then, my vegan girlfriend is the daughter of a butcher from Sudbury, ON. I'm very excited to be seeing so many new places on our upcoming tour with The New Pornogaphers. Maybe I'll meet some friendly vegans too.

Big thanks to Brooke for his time and to Yvette Ray at Mint Records for setting up the interview. Be sure to check out the new Immaculate Machine CD, Ones and Zeroes

Vegan diet causes weight loss, without exercise, calorie-counting, or portion limits

2005-09-12T17:21:00.000-05:00

PCRM >> News and Media Center >> Breaking Medical News Archive >> Vegan diet causes weight loss, without exercise, calorie-counting, or portion limits:

A low-fat vegan diet causes significant weight loss, even without exercise, calorie-counting, or portion limits, according to a study conducted by PCRM researchers and published in the September 2005 American Journal of Medicine. Sixty-four overweight women were randomly assigned to either a low-fat, vegan diet or a more moderate low-fat (control) diet based on National Cholesterol Education Program guidelines. The vegan group lost an average of 13 pounds in 14 weeks, compared with 8 pounds for the control group. The weight loss of the vegan group was partly attributable to the low calorie content of plant-derived foods. In addition, the vegan group showed a 16% increase in its after-meal calorie-burning speed, referred to as the thermic effect of food. This, in turn, appears to be due to the fact that the vegan diet improved insulin sensitivity by 24%. Improved insulin sensitivity allows nutrients to more rapidly enter the cells of the body to be converted to heat, rather than to fat.
Related reports have described the acceptability of the diet and its effects on nutrient intake.

Vegan Diet Helps Postmenopausal Women Shed Weight

2005-09-12T16:56:00.000-05:00

DNC: Health News - Vegan Diet Helps Postmenopausal Women Shed Weight:

Postmenopausal women are able to lose weight and improve insulin sensitivity more effectively when following a low-fat, vegan diet that excludes meat and dairy products, according to a study published in the American Journal of Medicine.
Neal D. Barnard, MD, president of the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine (PCRM) and colleagues at Georgetown University Hospital and George Washington University conducted the research.
Unlimited Servings
Half of the 59 participants -- all of whom were overweight, postmenopausal women -- followed a vegan diet. The other half followed a control diet based on National Cholesterol Education Program guidelines.
'The study participants following the vegan diet enjoyed unlimited servings of fruits, vegetables, whole grains and other healthful foods that enabled them to lose weight without feeling hungry,' noted Dr. Barnard.
The simplicity of a vegan diet appeals to many people who are busy with work and family -- and familiar recipes often are easy to adapt.
'As they began to experience the positive effects -- weight loss and improved insulin sensitivity -- the women in the intervention group became even more motivated to follow the plant-based eating plan,' Dr. Barnard observed.

CNN.com - Pet rescuers race against time - Sep 9, 2005

2005-09-09T16:06:00.000-05:00

On the flooded streets of New Orleans you can hear the dogs barking for miles. They are trapped -- in houses, on roofs, tied to porches. They are frightened and hungry.
For the pets left behind after Hurricane Katrina, relief is on the way, but it's a race against time.
'It's a dire situation,' said Melissa Seide Rubin of the Humane Society of the United States.
Rescue workers are worried most about pets locked inside homes and whose food and water supply may have run out. For them, rescue is their only chance of survival.

Vegan / Vegetarian "Fried Chicken"

2005-09-08T15:52:00.000-05:00

No chicken fried chicken recipe. click link above for full recipe:

# 1/2 cup textured soy protein
# 1 tablespoon vegetarian 'chicken' bouillon powder
# 1/2 cup vegan pancake mix, dry (approximately)
# 2/3 cup crushed cornflakes (approximately)
# Salt, pepper, other seasonings
# Oil for frying

Vegetarian Belts - Vegan & Vegetarian clothing

2005-09-07T10:19:00.000-05:00

Expensive belts.

This is where you can buy the best non-leather belts in the world! You can also buy bracelets and handbags too. All products on this site are from Truth, a Canadian company whose unique products are made with the highest quality. Everything is made in Canada.

Vegetarian glucosamine market expands

2005-09-01T13:28:00.000-05:00

"Japanese firm Kyowa Hakko Kogyo will begin marketing a refined version of Cargill's vegetarian glucosamine on its home market next month, to meet steadily rising demand for quality forms of the joint health ingredient."

Kyowa Hakko to market Cargill's vegetarian glucosamine

Exclusive interview with Jenny Smyth of The Organ

2005-08-29T08:23:00.000-05:00

I've had the Organ's new album, "Grab That Gun", on a constant replay since I got it. A combination of The Smiths, Joy Division, and Blondie, The Organ takes its influences as a starting point and flies from there into its own unique sound. Band member Jenny Smyth took time out to answer a few questions about life as a vegetarian in a touring band.

Meatfilter: How long have you been a vegetarian?

Jenny Smyth: Over 10 years.

MF: What happened that interested you in becoming a vegetarian, was there an "Aha" moment, or was it a gradual change?

JS: My mom fed me vegetarian food as a little kid, but I started eating meat and stuff for a while in later childhood (so did my mom. I don't know why). Then when I started high school around age 14, my friend and I decided to become vegetarian just because we thought it was cool. And of course in theory I realized it made a lot of sense. As time has gone by I can think of more and more reasons why I never want to be "non-vegetarian" ever again.

MF: The Organ has been compared to the Smiths (among others). Was the song "Meat is Murder" an influence?

JS: Well that definitely influenced my decision to stop eating meat as a teen. I just thought the girl in the video was the epitome of cool and I wanted to be like her.

MF: When you're on the road with the band has it been hard to find good vegetarian food?

JS: Yes. Especially on highways. In cities you can usually find out from people you meet where to eat. And people in other bands I know who tour a lot will often say where they found someplace good.

MF: What city have you been to that had the best eating options?

JS: San Francisco I think. Or Tucson. And here, Vancouver B.C.

Many thanks to Jenny for her time and to Yvette Ray at Mint Records for setting up the interview. Now support a fellow vegetarian; go out and buy the album!

Vegan Village: Vegan Travel Guide

2005-08-28T16:47:00.000-05:00

Vegan? Live in the U.K.? Travelling to the U.K.? Check this out.

Vegan Cheese

2005-08-24T12:58:00.000-05:00

Answers questions like "Where can I buy vegan cheese?" and "What are vegan cheeses made from?"

British animal rights activists can be extreme

2005-08-23T14:34:00.000-05:00

"A farm is to stop breeding guinea pigs for medical research after years of intimidation by animal rights activists.
The family-run Darley Oaks Farm in Newchurch, Staffordshire, has been at the centre of a campaign of abuse.
Owners and staff have received death threats during the six-year onslaught.
The family said they hoped the decision would prompt the return of the body of their relative Gladys Hammond, whose remains were stolen from a churchyard."

Do strong arm methods such as this hurt the animal rights movement?

BBC NEWS | England | Staffordshire | Targeted guinea pig farm closes

What some people have said about this: BBC comments

Beef recalled under mad cow rules

2005-08-22T20:15:00.000-05:00

"Beef banned under mad cow disease rules was shipped to wholesalers in a half-dozen states and is now being recalled by a Wisconsin beef plant.The 1,856 pounds of beef came from a Canadian cow. Inspectors there determined the cow was eligible for shipment to the United States, but a Canadian audit two weeks later said the cow was too old to be allowed inside the U.S."

CNN.com - Beef recalled under mad cow rules

Don't be cruel: For Joshua Warchol, it's not just about nutrition — it's also about what the typical American diet does to animals

2005-08-22T08:44:00.000-05:00

Vegan wedding:

Joshua Warchol's future father-in-law loves his prime rib. Unfortunately, he won't have the opportunity to check it off as a meal choice at his own daughter's wedding.
'There will be no animal products in sight,' Warchol said of his upcoming wedding to Tracy Lake. 'There's nothing her father likes more than prime rib. He's a little bit disappointed about the wedding because the only time he really gets to eat prime rib is when people get married.'
Instead, the guests will be treated to a vegan buffet in which there will be no meat, no eggs and no dairy products. There will be plenty of fresh vegetables cooked in olive oil, pasta primavera and even a cake made with soy milk instead of regular milk and either tofu or bananas instead of eggs.

Vegan / Vegetarian Amazing Blueberry Pie

2005-08-21T09:34:00.000-05:00

It's amazing, and it has blueberries. What more do you want?

Vegan diet and exercise may stop or reverse prostate cancer progression

2005-08-11T15:54:00.000-05:00

Vegan news:

Men with early stage prostate cancer who make intensive changes in diet and lifestyle may stop or perhaps even reverse the progression of their illness, according to a new study.
The research is the first randomized, controlled trial showing that lifestyle changes may affect the progression of any type of cancer. Study findings are published in the September issue of the Journal of Urology.

MILLS McCARTNEY TO GO VEGAN

2005-08-11T15:52:00.000-05:00

More celebrity Vegan news:

HEATHER MILLS McCARTNEY is so inspired by her husband SIR PAUL McCARTNEY's devotion to vegetarianism and animal rights, she's gone one step further by becoming Vegetarians International Voice For Animals' (VIVA) new patron.
The former model is so concerned about the animal kingdom, she plans to forgo all dairy products as well as meat in her quest to improve the planet.
She explains, 'It's only since I met Paul that I really got to understand how vegetarianism not only benefits your health but also makes a huge difference to the planet and to feeding the world.
'I could never go back to eating meat or fish and I'm moving towards being vegan.

History of the Vegan Society

2005-08-10T14:06:00.000-05:00

More Vegan history:

The Vegan Society, the world's first, was born in November 1944 - after a lengthy gestation. As early as 1909 the ethics of consuming dairy products were hotly debated within the vegetarian movement. In August 1944, Elsie Shrigley and Donald Watson (a conscientious objector later to be acclaimed as the Vegan Society's Founder) agreed the desirability of coordinating 'non-dairy vegetarians'; despite opposition from prominent vegetarians unwilling to even consider adopting a diet free of all animal products.
In November, Donald organised a London meeting of six like-minded 'non-dairy vegetarians' at which it was decided to form a new society and adopt a new name to describe themselves - vegan derived from VEGetariAN.

History of Vegetarianism

2005-08-10T14:03:00.000-05:00

Quick history:

You can probably give a pretty accurate account of exactly when that Ah-ha moment happened. When you decided a vegetarian lifestyle was the right lifestyle for you. But do you know where vegetarianism started and how it evolved?
Although your college roommate, x-lover or office mate may have turned you on to the benefits of a vegetarian lifestyle, it was the British Vegetarian Society that defined the lifestyle and coined the term “vegetarian” in the mid-1800s.

Easy being green / Bay Area vegetarians spread the word about life without meat

2005-08-05T16:02:00.000-05:00

Vegan news:

For James, vice president of a growing grassroots organization called Bay Area Vegetarians, based in Montara, it's just another day in his yellow- feather suit.

The Vegan Forum

2005-07-29T19:19:00.000-05:00

It's a Vegan Forum. Not much else to say really.

Pam Rotella's Vegan Vegetarian FUN Page!

2005-07-25T19:45:00.000-05:00

Well, it isn't that fun, but there are some interesting articles and some good recipes.

Vegan is easier to define say UK FSA

2005-07-14T13:16:00.000-05:00

The UK Food Standards Agency ( FSA ) has issued new draft guidance on the use of the terms vegetarian and vegan in food labelling.
The move is designed to address the problem of growing consumer distrust of the way the terms are used by food manufacturers. The FSA believes that the main reason for this distrust is the lack of a universally accepted definition of what constitutes a food that is suitable for a vegetarian or vegan diet.
The FSA says that it was relatively easy to reach agreement from stakeholders ( manufacturers, vegetarian and vegan organisations, and religious groups ) on use of the term vegan broadly, the exclusion of any foods made from, or with, animals or animal products.
The term vegetarian was more difficult to define.
Tony Bishop Weston Author of Vegan ( ISBN 0600611906 ) says 'Vegetarianism's bottom line depends on the theory of avoiding the responsibility of having to directly kill something in order to obtain the product - it's not really about cruelty'

Exclusive interview with Triple Tofu Tower writer/director Kirby Ferguson

2005-07-12T10:48:00.000-05:00

While other reporters chase B-list celebs for interviews, Meatfilter has the put them all to shame with this exclusive interview of Kirby Ferguson, who wrote and directed Triple Tofu Tower

Meatfilter: Why did you make The Triple Tofu Tower?

Kirby: Because vegan comedy is so hot right now! I wanna ride the meat-free gravy train, baby.

Requisite comedy aside, I like parodying things that are part of my life but never show up in comedy. I've previously dealt with things like yoga and new age spirituality and polyamory. If you only see one polyamory sketch this year, it should be mine.

MF: Are you Canadian?

Kirby: Extremely.

MF: Why are Canadians so damned funny?

Kirby: I'm not sure that Canadians actually are that funny. Sure, we've got some greats like David Cronenberg, Alex Trebek, and Joni Mitchell, but have you ever seen The Royal Canadian Air Farce? You may never laugh again after that.

But if we are funny, it would definitely have something to do with us being outsiders, with being able to see absurdity that might be invisible to natives. We're just as familiar with American culture as most Americans, yet we don't identify it as "us". It's a good perspective to have for comedic thinking.

MF: Are you making a living off your films?

Kirby: Lord no. Here and there I make a little money, but I'm very far off from making a living at this.

MF: So what's your day job?

Kirby: I'm a mild-mannered graphic designer by day.

Goodie Bag TV: The Triple Tofu Tower

2005-07-11T14:50:00.000-05:00

The Triple Tofu Tower
Written and Directed by Kirby Ferguson
WMV file.

Become vegan and help planet: scientist

2005-07-11T09:06:00.000-05:00

A British scientist says the best way to cut greenhouse gas emissions is for everyone to become a vegetarian.
Alan Calverd says livestock animals bred for their meat produce 21 per cent of the carbon dioxide that's due to human activity.
So cutting out meat can do more to stop global warming than cutting down on oil and coal.
Calverd writes in this month's issue of Physics World magazine that he's not a vegetarian himself.
But he says it's clear that getting rid of meat animals would be an easy way to reduce greenhouse gases.
And it would also free up huge tracts of farmland for production of biofuels, which would further reduce carbon dioxide emissions.

Paper Says Edible Meat Can be Grown in a Lab on Industrial Scale

2005-07-08T13:54:00.000-05:00

Would you eat this stuff?:

Experiments for NASA space missions have shown that small amounts of edible meat can be created in a lab. But the technology that could grow chicken nuggets without the chicken, on a large scale, may not be just a science fiction fantasy.
In a paper in the June 29 issue of Tissue Engineering, a team of scientists, including University of Maryland doctoral student Jason Matheny, propose two new techniques of tissue engineering that may one day lead to affordable production of in vitro - lab grown -- meat for human consumption. It is the first peer-reviewed discussion of the prospects for industrial production of cultured meat.
'There would be a lot of benefits from cultured meat,' says Matheny, who studies agricultural economics and public health. 'For one thing, you could control the nutrients. For example, most meats are high in the fatty acid Omega 6, which can cause high cholesterol and other health problems. With in vitro meat, you could replace that with Omega 3, which is a healthy fat.
'Cultured meat could also reduce the pollution that results from raising livestock, and you wouldn't need the drugs that are used on animals raised for meat.'

Post Punk Kitchen Forums: Show us your mitts! / The Tofu Container Challenge!

2005-07-07T15:45:00.000-05:00

The Tofu Container Challenge!

I hate when I get a package of tofu in one of those plastic containers and all that packaging goes to waste, and I know you do, too. So let it be known that this is THE TOFU CONTAINER CHALLENGE! Use your creativity to come up with fun/functional/decorative ways to use those things.

(via the veg blog)

Epidemic of Vegan and Vegetarian websites during National Cruelty Free Week.

2005-07-05T09:02:00.000-05:00

Hot off the Vegan newswire:

Yes folks, just in case you blinked and missed it, it’s National Cruelty-Free Week, 4-10 July 2005 and the militant fringe of the vegan army are up in arms busily posting on forums and message boards that BUAV are breaking trade descriptions law by calling it National Cruelty-Free Week when some of the products they endorse aren’t vegan.
Good point. BUAV didn’t say “nearly cruelty free”. Cruelty free is weighty claim, a phrase that probably even the sixty-year-old Vegan society would avoid using. Their shopping guide is called the Animal Free Shopper – a lot easier to define and now online at www.animalfreeshopper.com
Meanwhile in the virtual world of the World Wide Web there is nothing virtual about the number of new vegan websites. There seem to be literally thousands of new vegan sites sparking to life around the world from the usual suspects recipe sites such as www.recipes.for-vegans.co.uk to websites gently making fun of vegan militants ( such as Vegan Bitch at www.veganbitch.com ) by vegan police at www.vegan911.com
Even the world of adult entertainment, porn and the ubiquitous sex industry has jumped on the vegan bandwagon. With various sex toys, aids and appliances it goes all the way to sites portraying hairy young naked punks and unshaven hippy teenagers. A veiled attempt to prove that vegans can be as un PC as the UK Sun readers and breast and thong obsessed UK public at large. Search for ‘Naked Vegan’ on Google or Yahoo if you really must see for yourself. www.vegporn.com boasts a recipe section with nude vegan girls and boys cooking vegan recipes, whilst www.veganerotica.com has vegan ‘pleather’ bondage gear.

Raw truth about vegan diets exposed

2005-07-01T15:18:00.000-05:00

Fontana expected the vegans to have low vitamin D levels because they avoid dairy products, which are fortified with the vitamin.
But in fact their vitamin D levels were 'markedly higher' than average.
Vitamin D is made by the skin when the body is exposed to sunlight and is the key to keeping strong bones.
'These people are clever enough to expose themselves to sunlight to increase their concentrations of vitamin D,' Fontana said.
And the vegans had low levels of C-reactive protein, an inflammatory molecule that is becoming linked with the risk of heart disease, diabetes and other chronic disease.
Furthermore, they had lower levels of IGF-1, a growth factor linked to risk of breast and prostate cancer.
Fontana does not advocate a raw food diet. But he said that to lower the risk of cancer and heart disease people should eat more fruits, vegetables and whole grains.

Film features vegan athletes

2005-06-29T15:43:00.000-05:00

The full-length film will be a combination of instructional video, documentary and reality show, said Robert Cheeke, the Corvallis resident who came up with the idea for the movie and one of the film's three subjects.

Vegan Athletes Flex Their Muscles

2005-06-24T11:57:00.000-05:00

Members of OrganicAthlete’s “Vegan Pro-Activist” team are out to prove that a plant-based diet is the best diet for optimal health and performance, and that they can succeed at high levels in sports because they are vegan.

Vote for the World’s Sexiest Vegetarians

2005-06-19T19:38:00.000-05:00

Peta is at it again:

Pop sensation Avril Lavigne, skater girl Cara Beth Burnside, Legally Blonde babe Reese Witherspoon, Phantom Planet’s Alexander Greenwald, snowboarder extraordinaire TJ Schneider, and AFI frontman Davey Havok are among the sizzling celebs vying for this year’s titles. They cite many reasons for forgoing flesh foods, from avoiding the cruelty to animals inherent in meat production to improving their health and helping the environment. Previous winners include Andre 3000, Tobey Maguire, Josh Hartnett, Alicia Silverstone, Lauren Bush, Natalie Portman, and Shania Twain.

Social mcnuggets - Morgan Spurlock downsizes his 'Super Size' concept for TV.

2005-06-13T08:19:00.000-05:00

New show:

Morgan Spurlock, who made himself sick for our sins, eating only McDonald's for a month to spotlight the health risks of fast food consumption in his documentary 'Super Size Me,' is back with a similar gambit — a TV series called '30 Days.' The show, which premieres Wednesday on the FX cable channel, takes the extreme-immersion-as-social-commentary angle in 'Super Size Me' and franchises it out into half-hour segments. Inherent in each episode is a message.

U.S. probes mad cow report

2005-06-11T07:16:00.000-05:00

The U.S. government is checking a possible case of mad cow disease in an animal previously cleared of being infected, the Agriculture Department said Friday.
Agriculture Secretary Mike Johanns said more tests were needed to confirm the disease, but he emphasized that the animal did not enter the food supply.
Only one case of mad cow disease has been confirmed in the U.S., in a dairy cow in Washington state in December 2003. Since then, preliminary tests have indicated the existence of the disease in three cows, but testing had ruled out mad cow disease.

Pathetic Veg*an Jokes--vegetarian, vegan, and animal rights jokes

2005-06-09T12:57:00.000-05:00

Some are pretty funny:

How many vegetarians does it take to screw in a lightbulb?
I don't know, but where do you get your protein?

The Vegan Chef - Vegan Recipes - Beverly Lynn Bennett

2005-06-04T12:12:00.000-05:00

Lots of recipes

Raw Foods Diet

2005-06-03T07:50:00.000-05:00

Info for those considering a raw vegan diet.

Vegan Views Magazine

2005-06-01T09:50:00.000-05:00

The magazine is a free download:

Vegan Views is a UK magazine that is independent of the Vegan Society but shares its aims. It was started in 1975 by a group of vegans who wanted to make contact with others interested in creating a more harmonious way of living based on veganism, and to communicate more informally than could be done in the official journal of the Vegan Society. It realises that many vegans feel isolated from society and appreciate contact with, and news and opinions of, other vegans.

Book review: Vegan World Fusion Cuisine

2005-05-30T06:40:00.000-05:00

A review of Vegan World Fusion Cuisine:

The charm of this book is that it provides so many delectable vegan recipes that even the most confirmed omnivore will find much to savor. Nut lovers are especially well-served since, absent the animal products that are the major sources of protein for most of us, the authors make inventive use of nuts and seeds, which have plant-based proteins.

Celebrity Vegan News, get your Celebrity Vegan News while it's hot!

2005-05-23T06:49:00.000-05:00

GWYNETH PALTROW and her husband CHRIS MARTIN gave their daughter APPLE a feast to remember for her recent first birthday party, when they feted her with vegan dishes.
Friends and relatives - including Paltrow's mother BLYTHE DANNER - gathered at the couple's New York City townhouse on 14 May (05) for a range of vegan dishes catered by Teany, a local eatery co-owned by Paltrow and MOBY.
Co-owner KELLY TISDALE says, 'Gwyn wanted to personalise the cake, so she had a big apple made out of raspberry puree on the vegan cheesecake.'

Animal activists top FBI terrorist list - Breaking News - World - Breaking News

2005-05-20T16:13:00.000-05:00

The FBI says the United States' top domestic terrorism threat is environmental and animal rights activists who have turned to arson and explosives.
Some of the activists also target companies abroad who have policies they disagree with.
Groups such as the Animal Liberation Front, the Earth Liberation Front and the Britain-based SHAC, or Stop Huntingdon Animal Cruelty, are 'way out in front' in terms of damage and number of crimes, said John Lewis, the FBI's deputy assistant director for counterterrorism.
'There is nothing else going on in this country over the last several years that is racking up the high number of violent crimes and terrorist actions,' Lewis said.
Animal Liberation Front says on its web site that its small, autonomous groups of people take 'direct action' against animal abuse by rescuing animals and causing financial loss to animal exploiters, usually through damage and destruction of property. Earth Liberation Front is an underground movement with no public leadership, membership or spokesperson.