Vegtaste: Recent Articles

Vegan Diet Can Help Strengthen Bones

Sun, 05 Jul 2009 04:33:13 America/Phoenix

The recent news of course attacks veganism again, using a study that's not even published, and says "vegetarian diet 'weakens bones'". If your friends ever ask, higher bone density does not equal strong bones. Further, vegan diet actually promotes strong bones. Read 'The China Study' and you will find out that osteoporosis was more common in people with higher consumption of animal products. ('The China Study' is a published, large-scale study that was peer-reviewed and was not funded by a particular industry.)

Personally, I've seen many people who suffered from osteoporosis due to their doctor's false assumption that they need more cow's milk for "calcium". However, their conditions worsened as they drank more cow's milk. Puzzled, once they reduced their consumption of cow's milk, their conditions actually improved.

Lisa the vegetarian

Sun, 28 Jun 2009 08:47:31 America/Phoenix

I wrote a review about the episode "Lisa the vegetarian" (The Simpsons) on my blog.
http://cubepark.wordpress.com/2009/06/26/lisa-the-vegetarian/

After a visit at a petting zoo and the encounter with a lamb, Lisa can’t still eat meat so she decides to becomea vegetarian. Her relatives jeer her about this choice (the jingle “You don’t win friend with salad” is so weepy…). The strife with the school is really strong, too.
The barbecue organized by Homer will touch off Lisa and she’ll get so angry to the extent that she’ll throw away the main course. Lisa will take comfort in the Jet Market, where she’ll meet three other vegetarians: Apu, Paul and Linda McCartney.
This episode is a classic and it’s one of the best of the series. It faces an issue that is quite important, in a really professional way. At the same time, funny jokes never lack.
In 1995 – the year when this episode gone in the air for the first time – there was already millions of vegetarian all over the world, but this issue hardly appeared on TV. It’s unusual to hear someone talk about the difficulty that the vegetarian face daily. The response of the people (her family, the school, etc.) toward Lisa and her choice, represent really well this facet. Lisa start figuring out this problem and she’ll find the biggest trouble in school. When she’ll voice her ideas at enmity with the teacher and the chef, it will be launched a “free-thinking alarm”. In order to confute Lisa’s ideas it will be shown a didactic film where Troy McClure explains why it’s right to eat meat. The response of Lisa’s classmate after the film (“You should be stupid to ask all that question about meat”), prove how much feelings and children’s mind is easy to handle with small advertisements and propaganda. Just when Lisa is almost giving up her vegetarian diet, Apu will come to help her with a vegetarian hot-dog. Lisa still be vegetarian for all the Simpsons Seasons. It’s a permanent change for this character because the people who do this kind of choice hardly going behind. It’s not like stop smoking. Often in The Simpsons, at the end of the episode, there’s a return to begin. Not in this case. There’s a full support to the battle engaged by Lisa and there aren’t other interpretative position (it’s quite unusual in The Simpsons). On the contrary, there is an introduction on the motivations that induce a lot of people to become vegetarian, without using a petty way.
Lisa refuses to eat the lamb cutlets ‘cause she was thinking that them came from the little lamb she was playing with. A similar scene, but a more bit strong, was described by a big thinker: “The things that we euphemistically call “meat” are, in truth, pieces of a killed animal’s corpse. Why do we have to turn our stomach in a cemetery? ” Tiziano Terzani

Fabrizio Cirnigliaro

Thanks to Luca Feliciotto for the translation from Italian to English

That's Why We Don't Eat Animals - Children's Book on Vegetarianism

Fri, 26 Jun 2009 01:40:41 America/Phoenix

Don't know how to answer a kid's question on "Why are you a vegetarian?" Don't despair. A brand new children's book that explains vegetarianism in simple words and illustrations is out, and the following video says it all.

The book is called That's Why We Don't Eat Animals, and it's on Amazon for around $11. Wonderful, wonderfully written. Ruby Roth is a talented young author.

Alicia Silverstone's Green Acres

Fri, 26 Jun 2009 01:25:03 America/Phoenix

Alicia Silverstone talks about her love of animals and eco-friendly home while attending a charity gala for Animal Acres, an animal sanctuary for rescued cows, pigs, chickens and more, located just outside of Los Angeles.

You can tell these animals are delicate creatures... and you can't hate Alicia Silverstone, she's got so much love!

HOME - a beautiful film by Yann Arthus-Bertrand

Sun, 14 Jun 2009 06:49:28 America/Phoenix

Home is a story of humankind and its doings to the mother earth. It's simply stunning and beautiful. A must watch!

The following film will be available only for today from YouTube. Enjoy the HD quality here.

Here is a trailer:

And the full-length film:

Wikipedia tells us the following about its creator.

"Yann Arthus-Bertrand intends to show the state of our planet and the challenges humanity faces. Home will be released worldwide on June 5th 2009. It will be shown across the globe in cinemas, television, DVDs and in streaming on the internet (Arthus-Bertrand gave up his author's rights). The emissions of greenhouse gases produced by the movie's shooting were offset through Yann Arthus-Bertrand's organisation GoodPlanet and its 'Action Carbone' program."

Apparently it's financed by PPR, French multinational holding company specializing in retail shops and luxury brands - thus the luxury brand names appearing at the beginning of the film.

Official homepage for Home is http://www.home-2009.com/us/index.html.

[Update]: The embedded video may not work (in the U.S.) - please click here for the link.

The Goode Family (they're vegan)

Tue, 02 Jun 2009 09:08:50 America/Phoenix

Funny and interesting. This new TV show is about a family who is trying to be very good - vegan, eco-friendly to the point that Al Gore preaches, devoutly liberal, etc. Some people may find it offensive but I think it's interesting. Has potential.

Here is a little preview... you can watch full episode here.

Don't Trust Me by 3oh3

Thu, 21 May 2009 11:32:15 America/Phoenix

If there were only two men left in the whole world, what would they say?

3oh3 tells this story...

3oh3 - New Music - More Music Videos

"Tell your boyfriend; if he says he's got beef that i'm a vegetarian and i ain't fuckin' scared of him."

official website - 3oh!3 music website

Going Vegetarian is Healthy For Pregnant Women

Wed, 20 May 2009 06:06:11 America/Phoenix

Medicalnewstoday reports that doctors endorse going vegetarian as healthy for pregnant women! A small planning may be necessary but going vegetarian is good for future moms, their babies, the planet, and the animals.

It turns out, you don't need fish oils or dairy, and is surprisingly easy. Here's the report and doctors' recommendations:

"Well-planned vegetarian and vegan diets are healthful choices for pregnant women and their children, and vitamin B12 needs can be easily met with fortified foods or any common multivitamin, say doctors and dietitians with the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine (PCRM). PCRM nutrition experts are available for comment in response to a new Pediatrics study showing that low levels of vitamin B12 may increase the risk for neural tube defects.

The Real Blame for Swine Flu Outbreak

Wed, 06 May 2009 10:18:18 America/Phoenix

Who's really to blame for swine flu outbreak that nobody wants to talk about?

The following CNN Headline News reports inhumane factory farming practices to blame for the infamous "H1N1 Swine Flu" outbreak:

The hog industry is so afraid and worried about their dangerous farming practices and public attention to pork that they have made WHO to change the virus name to "H1N1 flu" although there's no doubt that this flu came from the pigs. Scientists unanimously agree that this flu is clearly from pigs. Six of the eight genetic segments of this virus strain are purely swine flu and the other two segments are bird and human, but have lived in swine for the past decade, says Dr. Raul Rabadan, a professor of computational biology at Columbia University.

This swine flu is not new. This swine flu has been around and been transmitted to humans, but not human-to-human until now.

The government and media is obviously giving in to pressures from the pork associations and industry, and if you watched the clips above, it is no coincidence that this flu originated right next to the dirtiest pork farm in America - and pork industry is trying to cover up their mess to the public - so that they can continue making their business!

This swine flue is dangerous - not because it's not "lethal" but because it's transforming rapidly. It was originally bird flu, but now it's affecting pigs and humans, as well as transmitting itself from human to human. It is a brand new virus that is transforming itself in no time, and we can have no idea what it is capable of becoming in the near future.

It is so sad that innocent people are getting sick over the dangerous factory farms' malpractices. You know what you can do to help: go vegetarian! Boycott meat!

Check out the following article, and watch The Meatrix while you're at it.

Johann Hari: Life-threatening disease is the price we pay for cheap meat

*Image from Wikipedia swine flu update as of: 19:55, 6 May 2009

10 Very Good Reasons to Go Vegetarian

Thu, 23 Apr 2009 09:12:44 America/Phoenix

Earth day has just passed yesterday. What did you do to make a difference? :)

Here is a pretty darn good article I found online listing 10 darn good reasons to go vegetarian. Pat your back, all fellow veggies out there! You are making a difference.

Girl who silenced the UN

Mon, 13 Apr 2009 11:32:54 America/Phoenix

This may be an inspiration for us all... little Severn Suzuki gave this speech sixteen years ago in UN that silenced everyone for 5 minutes.

Let's pray we can do better for the next generation's future.

Garlic Potatoes

Sun, 12 Apr 2009 11:38:47 America/Phoenix

Garlic? Good! Butter? Replace with non-hydrogenated margarine! Mix those with potatoes and a little bit of salt & pepper, and some tofurky magic, and I have discovered this awesome breakfast dish that was truly enjoyable, especially for a weekend brunch.

This is very simple & yummy! Try at home.

Servings: 2-3

4-6 medium-sized potatoes, chopped

2 links of tofurky sausages (italian) (optional)

1 tablespoon of non-hydrogenated margarine, more for taste

1 tablespoon of minced garlic, more for taste

salt, pepper for taste

Directions:

1. Heat up a pan and place margarine on the pan until soft

2. Place garlic on the pan and heat until fragrant

3. Place chopped potatoes on the pan and cook until soft

4. Place tofurky sausages and cook along with potatoes

5. Add salt and pepper

6. When potatoes become brown and crispy, take out and serve

You may add onions and/or rosemary for taste. Probably going to experiment more on this one and update :)

Check out my vegan brunch this weekend here - it includes the potatoes, vegan chocolate pancakes, and mango smoothies!

Greenpeace France Smiles Up !

Fri, 10 Apr 2009 10:14:05 America/Phoenix

http://miseterre.com/evenements-verts/maintien-du-moratoire-anti-ogm/

Red Meat Again Linked With Cancer & Heart Diseases

Fri, 03 Apr 2009 12:27:50 America/Phoenix

Red meat is again linked with cancer and heart diseases, according to TIME. Following is the news from Yahoo! news.

For more information on why and how animal products are linked with diseases like cancer, heart diseases, osteoporosis, etc. read The China Study.

In more news that has steak lovers feeling deflated, a study published in this week's issue of the Archives of Internal Medicine finds that people who indulge in high amounts of red meat and processed meats, including steak, bacon, sausage and cold cuts, have an increased risk of death from cancer and heart disease. The findings add power to the growing push - by health officials, environmentalists and even some chefs - to cool America's love affair with meat.

The analysis of more than half a million Americans between the ages of 50 and 71 found that men in the highest quintile of red-meat consumption - those who ate about 5 oz. of red meat a day, roughly the equivalent of a small steak, according to lead author Rashmi Sinha - had a 31% higher risk of death over a 10-year period than men in the lowest-consumption quintile, who ate less than 1 oz. of red meat per day, or approximately three slices of corned beef. Men in the top fifth also had a 22% higher risk of dying of cancer and a 27% higher risk of dying of heart disease. In women, the figures were starker: women in the highest quintile of consumption had a 36% increase in death over a 10-year period compared with women who ate little red meat; eating lots of meat was associated with a 20% higher risk of dying of cancer and a 50% higher risk of dying of heart disease.

The data for one of the largest analyses of meat consumption and mortality to date were first gathered for the National Institutes of Health and AARP Diet and Health Study in 1995. Researchers then tracked deaths for 10 years, until 2005, using the Social Security Administration Death Master File and the National Death Index, controlling for factors such as age, race, education, body-mass index and alcohol intake.

"Basically, the consumption of red and processed meat was associated with modest increases in mortality," says Sinha, a senior investigator at the National Cancer Institute's Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, who is careful to emphasize that the institute is a research organization and does not make health recommendations. She suggests, however, that the fat content of and heavy iron concentration in red and processed meats, along with high-temperature cooking methods that can lead to the development of carcinogens, may increase the risk for disease and death. In contrast, the study found that higher white-meat consumption was associated with a lower risk of death. (VT: Help save earth by going vegetarian)

Dr. Barry Popkin, a nutrition epidemiologist and economist who directs the interdisciplinary obesity program at the University of North Carolina, would use a term other than Sinha's "modest." "You're talking about a lot of deaths that would be prevented by cutting your processed meat or cutting your red meat," he says. He suggests framing the issue in real terms. A McDonald's Big Mac contains 7.5 oz. of red meat, Popkin points out. So if your diet consists of a Big Mac every other day - roughly equivalent to the highest quintile of meat consumption in the study; in other words, the typical American diet - you could cut back to one Big Mac a week and see dramatic health benefits.

The impact would be dramatic for the planet as well, Popkin writes in an editorial that accompanies the study. Popkin, whose recently published book The World Is Fat examines the global trends driving the obesity epidemic, joins a growing cohort of researchers, environmentalists and foodies clamoring for an overhaul of the American diet. Currently, the average American consumes more than 200 lb. of meat a year, a habit that comes at considerable environmental cost, Popkin says. He cites a recent United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization finding that livestock account for 18% of global greenhouse-gas emissions - more than transportation - and underscores the fact that the livestock industry uses up to five times the water necessary to cultivate crops.

What's more, the developing world seems to be falling in step, Popkin says. In India, meat and dairy intake more than doubled between 2000 and 2005. In 2006, the average diet of 67% of the Chinese population comprised at least 10% meat and dairy products, up from about 39% of the population in 1989. "We truly did this to the globe - changed the way the world eats," says Popkin.

But our diet can be changed back, says Mark Bittman, a cookbook author, New York Times contributor and deity in the world of foodies. He started by cutting back on meat and dairy and says he now consumes roughly one-third the animal products he used to, adhering to what's become known as the Vegan Before Six (or VB6) diet: vegan foods for the first two meals of the day, then anything you want for dinner.

In his new book Food Matters: A Guide to Conscious Eating, Bittman makes the case for limiting meat, eggs and dairy; increasing fruits and vegetables in our diet; and making small steps to eat healthier, rather than obsessing over terms like sustainable and organic. He advocates an incremental approach to tapering the whopping 600 lb. of animal products the average American eats each year. "I'm not looking to encourage people to do something that they're going to do for two weeks and then say, 'To hell with that!' and go back to eating their regular diet," Bittman says. That would be like trying to jump immediately to an all-bicycle transportation model. "Let's move toward eating less meat," he says, "and then in five years we can re-evaluate."

*Image from http://yubanet.com/cartoon/Red-Meat-Chart.php

Why PETA is the way they are

Tue, 24 Mar 2009 08:30:23 America/Phoenix

I support PETA just because they spread vegetarianism, veganism, AR, etc etc so well, but I never liked them that much.

This is the video to watch if you have any kind of opinion about PETA. Ingrid Newkirk (president of PETA) has a video of why PETA does what it does, both their good AND bad sides, in a DVD called "I Am An Animal", it's well-made but I still don't agree with them. It's very interesting:

How to Make Spicy Korean Hot Pot

Tue, 24 Mar 2009 08:15:56 America/Phoenix

Pronounced "Budae jjigae", this Korean hot pot literally means "army base stew", thanks to the U.S. troops residing in South Korea ever since the Korean war. Why the army? U.S. war-fighters introduced making use of their favorite foods, such as hot dogs and spam, in the traditional Korean stews, making the soup thick and heavy, suiting their taste buds.

So, why is this recipe on this website if it has spam? Isn't spam meat?!? That's right! Spam is a brand of heavily processed meats that are full of cholesterol and bad fats (and probably some of these, too, if you're not lucky). But guess what, spam or hot dogs are actually not needed at all in this hearty stew - the soup becomes healthy and yet flavorful, making it an ideal hot pot item for all.

Serves 5~6

Babylon Circus !

Mon, 23 Mar 2009 11:10:32 America/Phoenix

http://miseterre.com/musique/babylon-circus-nouvel-album/