Clearing Some of the Confusion Surrounding Vegan Diets!

A lot of people nowadays seem to be afraid of carbohydrates. Once, when I was taking a "Philosophy and Animal Rights" weeklong mini-course, a fellow student told me that she wouldn't go vegan because "Carbs make you fat."
Other people are less focused on carbs and more focused on "getting enough protein"... They say, "Oh, if you're a vegan, you have to be extra, extra careful to get enough protein!" and "You have to combine your proteins!"
I think that these people are really just mis-educated on nutrition. Here are some facts:

• In reality, carbohydrates from unprocessed, whole-food sources are very healthy! Whole grains, beans, fruits, nuts, seeds, and vegetables all contain a combination of carbohydrates, fat, and protein. According to Becoming Vegan by Brenda Davis, R.D., and Vesanto Melina, M.S., R.D.,
     "Populations consuming animal-centered diets, rich in fat and protein and low in carbohydrates, have high rates of heart disease, cancer, diabetes, obesity, and other chronic diseases. By contrast, those consuming plant-based diets, rich in carbohydrates, have significantly lower rates of disease." (page 77)
  Of course, whether or not you're a vegan, junk foods such as chips and pop aren't good for you, so it's important to opt for plant-based whole foods such as veggies, fruits, whole grains, etc. instead!
• Most people eating a standard North American diet get about twice as much protein as they need per day! Consuming excess protein, especially from animal sources, can actually lead to health problems.
• As a vegan, it is quite easy to meet and even exceed your daily protein requirements. It is recommended that people get about 10 to 15% of their calories from protein, according to No Meat Athlete. Studies of vegans in the US, UK, Canada, New Zealand, and Australia over the past 60 years or so have found that vegans get around 11.3-12.2% of their calories from protein. (Source: Becoming Vegan by Brenda Davis, R.D., and Vesanto Melina, M.S., R.D.) If you're still worried about getting enough protein, you can consider using a plant-based protein powder, although this shouldn't be necessary for most people.
• As for the protein-combining theory, it's actually not true. As long as you eat a variety of foods throughout the day, you'll be getting a good combination of amino acids-- you don't have to worry about combining your proteins to form a "complete protein" at every meal. (Source: Becoming Vegan)

You can read more about protein in the vegan diet in the book Becoming Vegan or on websites such as VeganHealth.org and Vegetarian Resource Group.

The Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine points out some of the risks of low-carb diets on their website here:
http://www.pcrm.org/health/diets/ffl/newsletter/no-carbs-no-way
And, if you're interested in reading "Five Protein Myths" on PCRM's website, you can read this here: http://www.pcrm.org/health/reports/five-protein-myths

If you haven't gone vegan yet, please do so today! Veganism is a compassionate, non-violent choice. It promotes non-violence towards animals, the environment, and your health. You can find information on going vegan at https://www.vegansociety.com/try-vegan/how-go-vegan. You can also read Mercy for Animals' trendy and colourful Vegetarian Starter Guide (if you live in the US, you can order one at http://www.mercyforanimals.org/vegan-starter-kit.aspx, or, if you live outside the US, you can see the PDF online for free at http://www.mercyforanimals.org/VSG.pdf).
And, if you're already a vegan, I hope you can use this information to help others become vegan, too!
Have a nice day, and thanks for reading!

Picture from http://veganfoodpyramid.com/

Mercy For Animals Inspirational Short Video

Hello everyone,
This is a pretty neat video. It gives a reminder of some of the reasons why people choose a vegan lifestyle, and it also provides a unique insight into the fact that people from many different walks of life are vegan. You can view it right here on my blog or on Mercy for Animals' website at http://www.mercyforanimals.org/i-am-mfa.aspx.


Have a nice day! :)

Antibiotics Given to Farm Animals-- Dangerous for the Animals and Humans

I recently got the latest e-newsletter from Mercy for Animals Canada that included a link to an article on their website about the use of antibiotics on Canadian factory farms.


"...healthy farmed animals are routinely administered antibiotics to prevent them from becoming sick from the cramped and squalid factory farms in which they spend their lives. These antibiotics can be purchased along with fencing and footwear from farm supply stores.
"According to the World Health Organization, unless antibiotic use is curtailed, today's treatable infections will become tomorrow's deadly illnesses."
You can read the rest of the article here: http://www.mfablog.ca/2014/07/antibiotic-misuse-runs-rampant-on-canadian-factory-farms.html




Photo from Farm Sanctuary website

Antibiotics are known to cause harm to the human gut biome by killing probiotics. The "farm" animals almost certainly would experience health problems caused by the routine antibiotics as well.
Some people would argue that animals kept for food should be raised on "natural", "free-range" farms, so that human health isn't adversely affected and the animals don't suffer as much as they are suffering now. It's great that these people can see that there is something wrong with the current system, but switching to "natural" meat, milk, and eggs isn't going to solve the problem. Animals are not ours to exploit and "farm" as we wish. They are sentient creatures who deserve to be free.


There is also the fact that there simply isn't enough land or resources on Earth to sustainably feed everyone with animal flesh. According to Worldwatch Institute,


"...as environmental science has advanced, it has become apparent that the human appetite for animal flesh is a driving force behind virtually every major category of environmental damage now threatening the human future—deforestation, erosion, fresh water scarcity, air and water pollution, climate change, biodiversity loss, social injustice, the destabilization of communities, and the spread of disease."
See the rest of the in-depth document here: http://www.worldwatch.org/system/files/EP174A.pdf


To make the switch to a vegan diet (if you haven't done so already!), please see www.ChooseVeg.com or www.ChooseVeg.ca, or take out a good book on veganism from the library. There are lots of books to choose from!

Please-- If you haven't already, cut out dairy now!

Dear blog followers,
I recently received an e-mail from Mercy for Animals Canada about Simon the calf. It may be heartbreaking, but please watch the short video to understand why we need to cut out dairy from our diets without delay. Thanks for caring and for taking action. The animals need us.
(The video might not fit into the frame of my blog-- if that is the case, please simply click on the words at the top of the video to see it on Youtube.)




Good guides to going vegan can be found at the following websites:
Vegan Outreach: http://www.veganoutreach.org/guide/
ChooseVeg with Mercy for Animals: http://www.chooseveg.com/
The Vegan Society: http://www.vegansociety.com/try-vegan


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