Vegan Diet Bests ADA Plan at Diabetes Control

"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

"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'

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

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

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

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

"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"