SoulVeggie

WebMD: "Plant-Based Diet for Heart Health"

Guess more mainstream folks are catching on about a plant-based diet being "heart healthy."

http://www.webmd.com/heart-disease/plant-based-diet-for-heart-health

Decent and validating summary of studies pertinent to the topic, although the Med. Diet is often misunderstood.  As Dr. Caldwell Esselstyn has pointed out, it merely slowed down the progression of heart disease in subjects (many still had heart issues later), and doesn't reverse or prevent heart disease as his recommendations have been shown to do.

Athough the article misses the issue of NO ADDED OIL (proven to reverse heart disease), it's still a timely and current article that provides me with additional encouragement to get my book out.  Doing final layout and indexing (have two incredible endorsements I can't publish yet!).  So close...

FYI, Mark

http://www.hearthealthypizza.com

From the article above:

"In an analysis published in 2009 in the American Journal of Cardiology, researchers reviewed 27 studies on the heart benefits of four different types of plant-based diets:

• Vegan
• Lacto-ovo-vegetarian
• Primary plant-based (similar to the lacto-ovo-vegetarian diet, but allows small amounts of lean meat)
• Combination diet -- a traditional vegetarian or vegan diet combined with nuts, soy, and/or fiber

The researchers found that people who ate the combination diet decreased their total cholesterol and LDL "bad" cholesterol by 20% to 35%.

Those who ate the vegan diet had LDL decreases of 15% to 25%. People who ate the lacto-ovo-vegetarian and primary plant-based diets had significantly smaller decreases: 10% to 15%.

The researchers also noted that plant-based diets are associated with:

• Lower levels of triglycerides
• Lower concentrations of inflammatory markers such as C-reactive protein (CRP)
• Lower blood pressure
• Decreased body weight and body mass index (BMI)
• Decreased risk of death from any cause, including heart disease
• Improved insulin sensitivity
• Better blood sugar control in patients with diabetes

The heart benefits of eating more plant foods are well-established by large-scale studies such as the Nurses' Health Study and the male Health Professionals Follow-up Study.

Studies show that people who eat the most fruits and vegetables have a 20% reduced risk of heart disease and a 27% reduced risk of dying from cardiovascular disease, especially stroke.

Further research shows that each 10-gram increase in daily fiber from sources such as whole grains is associated with a 27% decreased risk of dying from heart disease."

 

MC Newsletter: Msg. from Howard, Heart Healthy Pizza, Pink Slime

The Intro and TOC:

"Howdy!  Welcome to the 72nd issue of the Mad Cowboy Newsletter.

Today we've got a special end-of-the-year letter from Howard, and an announcement about the new "Heart Healthy Pizza" cookbook (with a Foreward by Howard).

In this edition of the newsletter, you'll learn about the prolific and knowledgeable Dr. Greger's new website, "NutritionFacts" with superb short videos on scores of topics.  There's also information in this issue about which food companies are spending the most on lobbying Congress, a new report on the state of America's Heart Health, and how a very large study indicates that vegetables and fruits significantly lower your risk of strokes.

Reading further, find out about the world's "toughest woman" (hint: she's vegan), see a video of former President Clinton discussing his vegan diet, find out what vegan Ellen Degeneres is up to, and  the stats in a recent survey by the Vegetarian Resource Group on the number of vegans in the United States.  Monsanto has some serious problems, cows contribute much more to Global Climate Change than previously thought, the movie "Farmageddon" is screened on Capitol Hill, crows have a "danger" tool, and the Animal Enterprise Terrorism Act is being legally challenged.

As usual, there's an abundance of new items in the Mad Cow Info Round-Up ("Pink Slime?") and lots to see and hear in the Vegan Digital Media Theater.

... as always, a tip of the hat to our new subscribers:  y'all can browse/search through past issues at the Mad Cowboy Newsletter Archives at:http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Mad_Cowboy/
Wishing all readers a bountiful, exciting, and rewarding New Year!

Best regards, Mark    MC editor/webmaster
[Note: have posted draft Table of Contents and Recipe Index for "Heart Healthy Pizza" at:

http://www.hearthealthypizza.com

TABLE OF CONTENTS:

• 00: A Special Holiday Message from Howard
• 01: The Vegan Mind-Bender Contest Winner/Challenge!
• 02: Announcing the "Heart Healthy Pizza" Cookbook
• 03: Mad Cow Info Round-Up
• 04: NutritionFacts, Food Lobbying, US Heart Health, Lower Strokes
• 05: Toughest Woman, Vegan Clinton, Ellen's Site, No. of US Vegans
• 06: Vegan Digital Media Theater
• 07: Monsanto Bugged, New Cow Gas Stats, Food/2011, Farmageddon
• 08: Corp./Animal Rights, Swine Case, Crow Tools, AETA Challenged
• 09: Quick Bytes
• 10: Closing Thoughts

Direct Link to the New Issue:

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Mad_Cowboy/message/95

Re-Post: "Sojourn to Burger King"

Was thinking about upcoming planting & memories of this earlier post came to mind. Posted in 2005, most people following this blog probably haven't read it. One of my favorites, as well as truly intense.  Enjoy!  Mark (Been busy dealing w/ tragedy & work. Hope to announce cookbook's title later this month).

---------

[I wrote this back in May 2002.  The veg'n community was "a buzz" with the arrival of the BK Veggie Burger.  The burger made quite a stir, and invited many debates (among them, is buying one supporting BK's negative impact on society's health and our environment? Eric Marcus of the great "vegan.com" stunned many with his thoughts on the matter).  I hadn't been to a fast food restaurant in years and documented what transpired.]

Oh, gawd... I feel so unclean......

I had to run some errands in Burtonsville, MD, late this morning, and there was this Burger King in the parking lot of the strip mall.  Girding my loins, adjusting my shades, pulling up my pants, I went in.  I tried to swagger a bit, like some of the workmen I saw going in... look tough... you're walking into a store painted in primary colors... could be worse... could be McSlaughter's....

Felt like I was a Dallas fan in a Redskins bar, only I had sunglasses on and no one knew any better.  What do I do? A long line.  Quite the mixture of ethic backgrounds, generally lower middle income.  What sort of demented artist designed this place?  They are so happy selling dead animal products.  Better get in line.

The people behind the counter wear uniforms... are they a para military force of some kind?  The assault on my sense was almost too much.  They spoke some numerical code... "I'll take a Number 4, she wants a Number 5 without onions, I want a super-this and a mega-that"..... very confusing...

I checked out the menu overhead... gaudy and bright.. Yup, the "BK Veggie"  $2.29...  Lord... look at the other products on the menu... my internal calorie counter was going off the scale.  Unbelievable fat-laden and salty food... look at all the dead meat.   I hear Schossler chuckling with a little Twilight Zone music in my head.... look at all the crap they are selling, and buried in that visual abuse is the "BK Veggie" (next month the big promo for all BK's will be Chicken Whoppers, btw).

The lady and kid in front of me were fascinating.  She was clearly his grandmother, and thin as a rail.  The kid must've been around 8 or 9 years old, and rarely have I see any child so obese... he had, literally, three chins.. his ear lobes were the size of my thumbs... it was awful to see what happened next.  She order fried chicken fingers, large order of fries, and a Diet Coke or Pepsi for the boy.  Absolutely amazing.

I placed my order.  "BK Veggie Burger, microwaved."

"Microwaved?" the guy behind the register said, slightly above the yelling of people in the kitchen making and delivering orders (they were very busy.... french fries literally flying around).

"Yup... I'd like it microwaved. You can do that... I checked.  I don't want it cooked on a meat greasy grill."  Was that a mummered rustling from people behind me I heard, or thought I saw peripherally?

He went over to the manager, who was barking orders at the adolescents in the back.  He nodded after a pause, looking at me like I'm an alien.. Hmm, one of "them."  "Okay" was the final pronouncement.

"Here or to go?" the kid asked me.  Hell, I don't know, I thought.... how is this done?

"Ahh... h-here.." I stammered (did the people behind me think I was from a foreign country? I thought to myself).  I paid the blood money.

"Number 61"... guess that's me.  I raised my hand... "You got the veggie burger?" "Yup." "Here!" he dashed to bark out more orders.

The burger was wrapped in Burger King paper and on a plastic brown tray.  Now what?  Are people watching me?  Get a seat, yeah....

Ketchup... sure... grab some packages... napkins... dodge the crowd at the soda fountain.... get seat for good recon (near the kid and his granny).  Try to look nonchalant... cool... with it.... Master of the BK Domain....

Okay.... let's take a bite.... not bad... OUCH! (I don't own a microwave and forgot about the heat...).  It was small, edible, relatively tasteless.... the bun was like eating styrofoam with a slight crust...

"Eat all your chicken fingers before they get cold" the wise Grandma was advising her grandson, as he was shoveling french fries into his gaping maw while grooving on his plastic toy that came with the meal.

I forced more of the burger down.... looking at people around me.... amazed at what they were eating, as though this is civilized and we are the greatest nation in the world.

I'm done... now what?  Jeez... look at the people in the line... at least two-thirds of them are very overweight.  Wonder if there's a connection?

Now what?  Okay... save napkins and ketchup not used.... throw away stuff, advertisement paper place mat trashed, put tray on trashcan.  Unclean... unclean....

I sneaked out the back door.... Ah.... fresh air... sunshine.... it's over.  The cognitive assault had abated.  I was free again... felt like gargling with carrot juice.

Okay, Eric... I bought one outta support for the movement.  Would I do it again?

Only under extraordinary circumstances.  Yes, it's encouraging to some, especially if they promoted it better (at this store it was almost invisible), and Mr. Marcus made good points.  Yes, I would urge every veg'n to buy at least one BK Veggie Burger, even if you throw it away.  I think he's right that it must succeed, or rather, it would be sad if it did not.  Presumably, the other Fat, er, Fast Food chains are watching.

But then, as comparison, at the Giant across the parking lot from the BK, bagels are fifty cents, boca burgers are about a buck apiece when buying a pack of four, tomatoes (or what pass for them), run around 99 cents a pound.  The salad bar is around $2.50 to $3 a pound. Across the street at the incredible Amish market, potato wedges (huge potato) are a buck, handmade burger rolls, six to a pack, about $2.20. Tons of fresh produce, grains, legumes (beans usually $1/lb., millet somewhat less).  The local farmer's markets will open in a few months... fresh local produce.

Limp lettuce, translucent tomato slice, pale mayonnaise, and some carrot flecks in the veg patty.  $2.29 plus tax, lotta paper wasted. Flourescent light and red/yellow color overdose.

Progress?

As luck would have it, packages of vegetable and greens seeds were on sale for 10 cents apiece at the Dollar Store near the BK.  Bought twenty packages (brocolli, mustard greens, lettuce, basil, dill, parsley, etc... most will be micro-greens for me... 30 to 40 gourmet salads for about 5 cents apiece (many many more if I grow them past adolescence), some soil, water, and sunshine).

That's my idea of progress.  This brand of seed is usually six to ten times more in cost.  You can buy organic seeds cheaper in bulk, elsewhere.

The kid was in the Dollar Store, too, his Grandmother buying him candy, among other things.  She was trying so hard to please him and he had her by the pocketbook via her heart.  And in her love for him, his heart was going to have a rough time from the lifestyle being encouraged by her emotions.  How sad!

I shoulda slipped him some seeds..... told him they were magic, and that with love and attention, they would make him strong and healthy, extending his life and enjoyment of same.  He would be able to run faster, jump higher, laugh louder, love longer, and think better.

Of course, that's a fairy tale... and no plastic toys accompanied the seed packets.

 

[Twitter @solveggie]

70th Issue of MadCowboy Newsletter Available

Here's the INTRO, TOC, and a direct link: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Mad_Cowboy/message/93

----

Howdy!  Welcome to the 70th issue of the Mad Cowboy Newsletter.

In this issue we've a 1 hour video of Howard lecturing in Washington back in January 2010, and some articles/opinions about the recent debate Howard participated in on the topic:  "Can You Be An Environmentalist and Eat Meat?"  There's also some vegan recipes from the world's most prolific vegan cookbook author, Robin Robertson, and her latest achievement:  "Vegan on the Cheap."

Further on down there's our "Mad Cow Info Round-Up," an article on why you might not want to use Agave Syrup, how "school lunches" are a National Security Threat, and a fine essay about the growing "Food Movement."  In honor of VegNew's 10th Anniversary, there's a link to a Mad Cowboy Interivew with the VegNews Editor "way back when," and onward some interesting advice/please from the UN regarding diet and agroecology.  You'll also read about the President's Panel recommendations on Cancer and the Environment, find some fine things (don't miss the Esselstyn/Campbell team-up in "Forks Over Knives") to watch and listen to in the "Vegan Digital Media Theater," learn how PETA is taking on BP, and much more.  And don't miss the return of our "Quick Bytes" resources section!

... as always, a tip of the hat to our new subscribers:  y'all can browse past issues at the Mad Cowboy Newsletter Archives at:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Mad_Cowboy/

Here's hoping everyone stays cool for the summer and that a bountiful harvest from your home gardens is just now hitting its stride!

***********************************************
TABLE OF CONTENTS:
00: Howard in the Media of Note
01: The Vegan Mind-Bender Contest Winner/Challenge!
02: Recipes from "Vegan on the Cheap" by Robin Robertson
03: Mad Cow Info Round-Up
04: Agave Bad, Lunch Threat, Fatal Junk Food, Food Movement
05: VegNews Interview, 5-Day Clean-out, Vegan Athlete Award
06: UN & Vegan Diet/Agroecology, Dead Zone, POTUS Panel & Cancer
07: Vegan Digital Media Theater
08: PETA vs. BP,  Unappetising McTruth, Disturbing Dairy
09: Quick Bytes
10: Closing Thoughts

Is "Fat Free Vegan" a Religion?

There was a recent post on the Fat Free Vegan List where someone felt they were being a "heretic" for posting about the "health" benefits of coconut oil (which is myopic, more on this shortly).  This got me to thinking about how some might perceive those of us believing in a no-added fat vegan diet as being akin to dietary fundamentalists.

In formulating a response to the poster, I decided it was best to make it a blog post, for general consumption and that it wasn't really "on topic" for the List.  I've expanded my response to cover a bit more conceputal turf than just the List:

"Someone posted feeling that they were a heretic for what they posted, wondered if "fat free" is a religion, and wouldn't post any more. 

First of all, this is a Group List.  Mistakes can be made, I've made my own share, we move on, we post again.  However, know that advocating hamburger on a vegetarian list would be as bad as praising oil on a fat free vegan list.  There is a "charter" and we join with the tacit understanding that we agree to the bylaws.

As to the issue of fat free being a religion, it's an intriguing thought to me.  In my mind, being religious requires faith, and generally, faith in the unknown to some degree (unless one has had some sort of transcendent experience that "mandates" a religious perspective and/or viewpoint).  Still, not provable, at least from a quantitative or empirical standpoint.  Some akin "vegan" to a religion and/or philosophy.

IMHO, "Fat Free" requires faith to some degree, but more importantly, it also incorporates 20+ years of solid peer-reviewed scientific research, actually physical measurements of the effect of ingested added fat, and a sound understanding of the mechanism by which said added fat can cause harm to the human body in so many ways.  Furthermore, added oil is nothing but, to quote Rip Esselstyn, processed goop.  That's an inescapable reality.  Oil is a highly processed food-like product, but it is NOT real food.  Go ahead.  Tell me how you can "grow oil" or "harvest oil."

The "fat free vegan approach" is much more "provable" than a religion, imho.  And just as with a religion, you can "try it" and see how it works for you.  For many of us, fat free has been a boon, a revelation, invigorating, a release, and/or quite healthy.  Does one size fit all?  Ask someone wiser than me, I don't know.

Anyway, we may sound like religious zealots, and I can only speak for myself here, but in fighting a world that insists that "added oil is good" we get weary sometimes, and often have to remind ourselves that we've science, tested results, and the reversal of heart disease and diabetes (that no one but Essy, Ornstein, and Barnard have accomplished) to validate our perspective.  If you know someone who can walk on water, they are probably worth paying attention to, at least until you meet someone else who can do the same (or tells you where the low-lying rocks are in the pond).

We get tired of having to defend our views.  Our hard fought understanding that added fat is harmful and that oil is NOT real food is often met with scorn, derision, and disdain.  You can tell someone that one high fat meal decreases circulatory elasticity for several hours (that's a measurement, not theory), and over time, will take it's toll as heart disease, diabetes, cancer, Altzheimer's disease, and other serious degenerative conditions, and they will still whine about needing Daiya "cheese" (very high fat processed oil, mostly) or "extra virgin olive oil."  EVOO=EVIL.  Often, just as with carnivores attacking vegetarians or vegans, they will throw out very similar insults and ill-thought out justifications for why you are wrong.  As though it was important that you be shown to be wrong.

Vegetarians and Vegans being scornful of low-fat vegans.  On the surface, it's silly, but in reality, it's that even Veg'ns are susceptable to the addictive qualities of fat, sugar, and salt.  As such, often the List has been a sanctuary of sorts, a support group and a rare place to share a minority view and recipes with others who are also struggling or who have successfully incorporated this new dietary perspective into their lives.  I mean, if there are 1 million vegans in the US (latest stats), how many are low-fat oriented?  We are a minority in a minority that will, most likely, live longer than the majority.

No-added fat is not a religion, but a reasoned approach to health.  Forgive us if we sometimes lash out at those who suggest otherwise.  In many ways, going vegetarian or vegan is/was actually easier than going no-fat.  I get more flack for no-fat than I have for vegan the past decade, although admittedly, when I went veg decades ago, it was truly radical.

We do what we think best, ideally.  But remember... asking 'why' on a fat free List is different than posting "health" information about fat or recipes with fat on a "fat free" List.

We see enough of those bogus health claims as it is.  They might be healthy on some myopic micro-managed selective subset of biological interactions, but, imho, avoiding heart disease, cancer, diabetes, and Altzheimer's trumps them all.  Being firm and resolved to embrace a no-added fat vegan diet should not be confused with religion or groundless faith.  It is the acknowledgement of the research, science, and demonstrated results, that we choose to take advantage of and incorporate into our lives.

Our decision, not yours.  We're fine with it.

Regards, Mark"

Addendum:  Comments Off is a default (thank you Typepad) and I didn't notice it.  It's been enabled.

New Veg Stats: "How Many of Us Are There?"

"More people have gone meatless in the last 15 years, according to the Vegetarian Research Group. It's estimated that more than 3 percent of Americans today are vegetarians (up from 1 percent 15 years ago), which translates to about 7.3 million people.

About half a percent, or a million people, according to Vegetarian Times, consider themselves vegans, which is a subset of vegetarians who not only exclude meat from their diets, but also exclude milk, cheese and other dairy products, eggs and all other animal products..."

...and if we eat low-fat, live longer, and procreate more, those numbers will continue to grow!  The above excerpt is from the short article here.

Latest Mad Cowboy Newsletter - Rip Essy Interview/Recipes

Here's the Intro, Table of Contents, and a Direct Link to the latest Mad Cowboy Newsletter:

LINK:  http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Mad_Cowboy/message/88

"10_19_09:  Engine 2 Interview, Mutant Milk, & SpiderVeg"

Howdy! Welcome to the 67th issue of the Mad Cowboy Newsletter.

In this issue we're proud to present a Mad Cowboy Interview with the amazing vegan firefighter/author, Rip Esselstyn. Rip's the son of Dr. Caldwell Esselstyn and has built upon his father's remarkable research via some very practical and easy-to-do ways in his diet/exercise/lifestyle book, "The Engine 2 Diet."  There's also three of his recipes for you to try!

Moving on further, there's articles about Mutant Milk, how saturated fat enables Altzheimer's, some surprising statistics on what we eat, Brainfood at the White House, a great new position paper by the ADA on the Vegetarian Diet, and more about that same diet reducing cancer risk.

Continuing in this edition, there's the intriguing proposal for a 50 year Farm Bill, 70 pages of solutions to our agricultural woes, the real cost of food, the new composting mandate in San Francisco, how animal abusers are losing, AETA is winning, new math contrasting a vegan diet with a carnivore's, and the Amazing SpiderVeg!

... as always, a tip of the hat to our new subscribers: y'all can browse past issues at the Mad Cowboy Newsletter Archives:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Mad_Cowboy/>http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Mad_Cowboy/

Here's hoping everyone is warm, and to quote Rip: "plant strong" this Winter!

Mark, MC editor/webmaster

***********************************************
TABLE OF CONTENTS:

00: Quote(s) from Howard
01: A Mad Cowboy Interview with Rip Esselstyn
02: Three Recipes from "The Engine 2 Diet"
03: The Vegan Mind-Bender Contest Winner/Challenge!
04: Mad Cow Info Round-Up
05: Mutant Milk, Fat & Altzheimer's, US Fatter, What We're Eating
06: Brainfood, Veg Diet Reduces Cancer & Chronic Disease Risks
07: The Digital Vegan
08: 50 yr Farm Bill, Ag Solutions, Real Food Cost, Composting SF
09: Animal Abusers Lose, AETA Wins, Veg Math, Spider Veg!
10: Howard's Schedule
11: Quick Bytes
12: Closing Thoughts

Boo! Hiss! Scaring New Vegetarians about Protein

It's really disturbing to see a vegan blogger, when asked about becoming vegetarian, still groups foods into "protein" and "non-protein." [See: http://kblog.lunchboxbunch.com/2009/10/ask-kathy-can-i-go-veg-with-my-food.html]  This is such an amazing fallacy.  In a previous post (about the same blogger) I noted many non-legume, soy, and wheat gluten, sources of proteins in plants and grains (all vegetables, fruits, grains, etc., have protein, btw). 

IMHO, she should have told her it's not a big worry, and that a diet full of grains, legumes, and vegetables will be more than sufficient.  But to suggest that there are many non-soy, mainstream options on the Whole Foods shelves? Why not mention any good produce department as well?

Instead, promoting the myth about having to worry about protein is not giving good, reliable, or accurate advice to the would be newbie.  Here's some useful opinions:

"Should I be worried about getting enough protein on a vegetarian/vegan diet?  No, not as long as you're taking in enough calories. Official recommendations suggest that eating 8% of our daily energy as protein will provide an adequate amount. National and international recommendations for protein intake are based on animal sources of protein such as meat, cow's milk and eggs. Plant proteins may be less digestible because of intrinsic differences in the nature of the protein and the presence of other factors such as fibre, which may reduce protein digestibility by as much as 10%. Nevertheless, dietary studies show the adequacy of plant foods, as sole sources of protein as does the experience of healthy vegans of all ages... it is easy to see that plant foods can supply the recommended amount of protein as long as the energy requirements are met. The short answer is: "No, sufficient protein can be obtained by eating a variety of foods..."  [The International Vegetarian Union's FAQ]

"11. How do I get protein on a vegan diet?... "  Protein is an important nutrient required for the building, maintenance, and repair of tissues in the body... As long as the diet contains a variety of grains, legumes, and vegetables, protein needs are easily met."  [Dr. Neal Barnard, PCRM  in "Reversing Diabetes"]

"Myth #1: Plants are low in protein:  Plant foods are generally abundant in protein. For example, lettuce gets 34% of its calories from protein, and broccoli gets 45% of its calories from protein. Spinach is 49%. Cauliflower is 40%. Celery is 21%. Beans range from 23% to 54% depending on the variety. Grains are 8% to 31%. Nuts and seeds are 8% to 21%. Fruits are the lowest at around 5-8% on average.  If you wanted to suffer from protein deficiency, you’d either have to seriously restrict total calories (i.e. starve yourself), or you’d have to eat a really messed up, unbalanced diet like nothing but low-protein junk foods and certain fruits. But in those cases, protein deficiency probably won’t be your biggest risk.

Personally I’ve never met anyone suffering from protein deficiency in the USA, vegan or otherwise. The much greater risk (in the USA at least) is overconsumption of protein."  ["The Great Protein Myth."]

"Often when people consider going on a vegetarian or vegan diet, they are concerned about getting enough protein. Your diet cuts out all meat and dairy so how do people get protein?:  It's important to know that there is no such thing as protein deficiency if you're eating enough calories. If you look at the largest animals on the planet they get all the protein they need by eating green leafy vegetables. I talk about this in the book. Mother's breast milk is 5% protein. We as human beings can only use about 12 percent of our calories from protein. It's the one maco nutrient we cannot store. It's a non-issue as long as you're eating enough calories"  [Vegan Firefighter, Rip Esselstyn, author, "Engine 2 Diet"]

So, I'm hereby calling on Kathy to PLEASE stop with the continued promulgating of the fake and erroneous so-called "vegetarian" or "vegan" protein issue, and to stop emphasizing protein in any diet or from limited sources.  It's so wrong, unscientific, and negligent of dietary reality; it's not helping the cause and is instead, perpetuating an unnecessary anxiety for those considering a healthier, happier, and longer life through a vegan diet.  That they learn the truth is important, and what you wrote misses much of it. If you really care about helping people, then give them the "whole" story, and not just what sounds like corporate "Whole Foods" PR.

Reason #2: A Food Nazi Recommends "Go Max Go" Again

I posted about the fat in "Go Max Go" vegan candy bars awhile back (here), was called a "Food Nazi."  Today, the American Heart Association released sugar intake daily recommendations that provide evidence for considering "Go Max Go" vegan candy bars a DOUBLE hit on your cardiovascular system.  My original post was about the very high added oil/fat content in these products.  Now, we know that it's also the sugar content that is threatening to our health.

The stodgy and conservative A.H.A. recommends no more than 100 calories from sugar per day for women, 150 calories per day for men.  Here's some translations of note (primary source):

1) 1 gram of sugar is 4 calories
2) 1 teaspoon of sugar contains around 15 or 16 calories (4.2 grams of sugar)
3) 8 teaspoons of sugar (like, one 12 oz. can of soda) is 33 grams (around 130 calories)
4) 8 teaspoons of sugar is a little over 2.5 Tablespoons of sugar  (1/2 cup of sugar)

AHA recommendations:  max daily of 37.5 grams of sugar for men, 25 grams for women

"Go Max Go" candy bars:

JokerZ:  22 grams of sugar  (close to a day's worth for a woman)
Twilight:  29 grams of sugar  (over a day's worth for a woman)
Buccaneer:  33 grams of sugar  (over a day's worth for a woman and close to that of a man)
Mahalo:  18 grams of sugar

So, if you want an extremely high-fat high-sugar nutritionally useless vegan "treat" that has potential impact on you manifesting obesity, Type II Diabetes, and/or Heart Disease, I highly recommend "Go Max Go" candy bars.  They are very effective fat and sugar delivery vehicles, and the most important bonus, they taste gud!

THE RANT:  going vegan doesn't mean that using vegan "crappy food products" instead of the original "non-vegan crappy food products" is better for all animals.  The animal not being saved, exchanging one taste addiction for another, is the human animal.

Something to think about the next time you read a recipe with 1 cup of sugar, 1/2 cup of olive oil or Earth "Balance," and/or tablespoons of Tamari.  Added fat, sugar, and salt are the "unholy trio."   We vegans can, without knowing it, kill ourselves by what we eat by ignoring the "trio" just as efficiently and unknowingly as the omnivores doing the same.  The only difference is that they increase their odds of disease by ingesting animal products and less fresh produce, and as a vegan, you can decrease the odds, but if you pay attention to added fat, salt, and sugar, you can drastically reduce those odds.

Just because a product is vegan, doesn't mean it's healthy.  You newbies out there have a unique opportunity: this knowledge is readably available through the Internet, demonstrated by Science in recent years (known by such as Esselstyn, Ornish, Barnard, and McDougall for decades), and you lucky b*st*rds can take advantage of this early in life, extend your life, and enhance the quality of your later life... believe me, it's worth the initial effort.

All you need is a little discipline and will power to re-calibrate your tastebuds and food desires.  The same abilities you used to become vegan in the first place.  Reject what vegan and non-vegan companies would have you buy to fullfill your addiction, increase their profits, and instead, reboot your tastes. 

"GO" for "MAXimum"  health and optimal nutrition:  stop buying and consuming unhealthy vegan products.  Your heart, pancreas, brain, libido, and body, will thank you, and serve you even better.

Researchers Find Possible Environmental Causes For Alzheimer's, Diabetes

"A new study by researchers at Rhode Island Hospital have found a substantial link between increased levels of nitrates in our environment and food, with increased deaths from diseases, including Alzheimer's, diabetes mellitus and Parkinson's. The study was published in the Journal of Alzheimer's Disease (Volume 17:3 July 2009).

Led by Suzanne de la Monte, MD, MPH, of Rhode Island Hospital, researchers studied the trends in mortality rates due to diseases that are associated with aging, such as diabetes, Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, diabetes and cerebrovascular disease, as well as HIV. They found strong parallels between age adjusted increases in death rate from Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, and diabetes and the progressive increases in human exposure to nitrates, nitrites and nitrosamines through processed and preserved foods as well as fertilizers. Other diseases including HIV-AIDS, cerebrovascular disease, and leukemia did not exhibit those trends. De la Monte and the authors propose that the increase in exposure plays a critical role in the cause, development and effects of the pandemic of these insulin-resistant diseases.

De la Monte, who is also a professor of pathology and lab medicine at The Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University, says, "We have become a 'nitrosamine generation.' In essence, we have moved to a diet that is rich in amines and nitrates, which lead to increased nitrosamine production. We receive increased exposure through the abundant use of nitrate-containing fertilizers for agriculture." She continues, "Not only do we consume them in processed foods, but they get into our food supply by leeching from the soil and contaminating water supplies used for crop irrigation, food processing and drinking."

Nitrites and nitrates belong to a class of chemical compounds that have been found to be harmful to humans and animals. More than 90 percent of these compounds that have been tested have been determined to be carcinogenic in various organs. They are found in many food products, including fried bacon, cured meats and cheese products as well as beer and water. Exposure also occurs through manufacturing and processing of rubber and latex products, as well as fertilizers, pesticides and cosmetics..."

"...The authors state that the time course of the increased prevalence rates of Alzheimer's, Parkinson's and diabetes cannot be explained on the basis of gene mutations. They instead mirror the classical trends of exposure-related disease. Because nitrosamines produce biochemical changes within cells and tissues, it is conceivable that chronic exposure to low levels of nitrites and nitrosamines through processed foods, water and fertilizers is responsible for the current epidemics of these diseases and the increasing mortality rates associated with them..."

[Full article here and below.  Note:  (1) I remember all too well being dressed down by the head of the FDA (Kennedy) during the Carter Administration for suggesting that we had a big problem with nitrosamines in our food back in the late 1970s, at a Washington DC Town Meeting (I was interning), and (2) I'm still having to "peck" out words from hand injury... will address overdue COMMENTS responses later this week (I hope).  FYI, Mark]

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