This 1st place award-winning vegan pie recipe is a real eye opener. Let's glom the nutritional numbers (leaving out the non-fat ingredients):
12 grams of saturated fat per serving
TOTAL FAT: as percentage of Preventing Heart Disease Recommendations (14 to 24 grams, Esselstyn, et. al.): 300% to over 150%
As percentage of the Feds Daily Fat Total Recommendation (60 grams): over 50%
TOTAL SATURATED FAT PER SERVING and AS % RECOMMENDED BY THE AMERICAN HEART ASSOCIATION (16 grams): around 75% recommended
Mostly this unnecessary and added fat and saturated fat comes from Earth Balance, which is, (to quote Rip Esselstyn regarding oil), "synthetic goo." It's not a real food by any stretch of the imagination and is essentially nutritionally void. Remember, even ONE high fat meal can affect the elasticity of your arteries for several hours. Saturated fat has also now been linked with Altzheimer's disease (here), in addition to heart disease.
"What about in Moderation?" some people will whine: let's read what Dr. T. Colin Campbell (lead investigator of the largest study on diet in history, who also advocates the same low fat recommendations of Ornish and Esselstyn) has to say in a recent interview:
"KF: Isn't anything in moderation ok, as long as we don't overdo it?
TCC: I rather like the expression told by my friend, Caldwell Esselstyn, Jr., MD, the Cleveland Clinic surgeon who reversed heart disease and who says, "Moderation kills!" I prefer to go the whole way, not because we have fool-proof evidence showing that 100% is better than, say, 95% for every single person for every single condition but that it is easier to avoid straying off on an excursion that too often becomes a slippery slope back to our old ways. Moreover, going the whole way allows us to adapt to new unrealized tastes and to rid ourselves of some old addictions. And finally, moderation often means very different things for different people."
From even the governmental conservative food corporation-influenced standard, at over 50% of the daily fat recommended per day, and 75% of the saturated fat, this is hardly a "super" or "award-winning" recipe in regards to your cardiovascular system and brain. That's it's vegan is a useless determinent.
Let's hope more people begin to understand that taste isn't as important as how what's in what you eat affects your body, and in particular, your heart and mind.
ADDENDUM: just noted how ironic it is that a vegan blogger has quoted (http://kblog.lunchboxbunch.com/2009/09/casein-most-relevent-cancer-promoter.html - she won't allow links from my blog to hers, guess the truth bothers her) what Campbell said in that same interview about casein, milk, cheese, and cancer, and then recommended "Follow Your Heart Cheese," omitting the above quote and not mentioning how incredibly high that synthetic goo is in fat, IMHO, if you're going to quote someone, at least don't leave out what that person says (and believes) which runs totally against what you then advocate. It's either careless or hypocritical, and certainly bad blogging.
was the contest supposed to be fat-free vegan? or healthy vegan?
[Doesn't matter. It was an incredibly unhealthy recipe, primarily due to the addition of a non-food: oil-ladden Earth Balance.]
... because it seems to me your mixing your arguments .... it's not apples to apples ... now, i'm not saying "earth balance" and the such IS healthy ... but just because it's vegan doesn't mean it has to be, potato chips are vegan and their not healthy ... but vegan most definately is, if it is compared to it's animal product counterpart ...
[Again, I don't agree. Too many vegans ignore the salt, fat, and sugar content of their "superior" food. It's important, imho, to point this out. Heart Disease, Obesity, Altzheimer's, et. al., are killing us in record numbers, too.]
so please don't put down all vegan food, just because it is not fat-free vegan food ...
[I'm not putting down all vegan food, I'm pointing out unhealthy vegan food.]
c'mon, i know you need someone/something to rant about on your blog, but don't take credit away from what deserves it ...
[BFD: the cook subsituted Earth Balance for butter.]
it is in my opinion a great thing to be able to have an occasional treat that is just as decadent as anything we ate in previous non-veg years ... and yes, you are right for most people "moderation" takes quite a lot of different shades in its definition depending on whom you ask ... but, still, don't take credit away where it is due ... don't put down all "veganized", jsut because it doesn't have the nutritional value of a salad!
[ONE fatty meal affects your circulatory system for over 6 hours, and this is measured fact, not theory. Over time, this can cause some real problems. Which snowflake causes the avalanche? IMHO, better to get rid of unhealthy taste addictions asap so as to truly enjoy the taste of really healthy vegan food.
Regardless, I appreciate all feedback. We'll have agree to disagree (and a salad with a oily dressing can also be unhealthy!! Mark]
Posted by: nereyda | 2009.09.29 at 16:32
What a disaster! I am glad that desserts really do not appeal to me. I can always skip them, and never read that chapter in the cookbook. I also hate that word "moderation". It means nothing. Only if you have a clear view of the extremes, does moderation mean anything. Mostly, people use it as an excuse for their bad habits. I really like Campbell's explanation of the issue, since it is such vague concept it's always better to go with the science. Inevitable mistakes will take over any wiggle room.
[Well, again we're in agreement. I thought it absurd that a vegan blogger would excerpt the "casein" stuff from the Campbell interview and then promote a product he would be clearly against.
I agree with you on "moderation." What does it really mean? Love your use of the term "wiggle room."
Me? I keep going back to the "which snowflake causes the avalanche" idea... as you get older, you worry about these kinds of things!
Thanks for an interesting comment.... Mark]
Posted by: vgpedlr | 2009.09.25 at 17:56
I really thank you, Soul Veggie, for uncovering a lot of the myths that are found in the vegan community. A lot of things are not what they seem, and you don't mind letting us know the truth. I don't even understand why if one considers themselves VEGAN, they would need a CHEESE or MEAT substitute. Mind you, I am all for BEAN substitutions, like the ones that are primarily made of organic rices, black beans, vegetables, etc, but all of that extra processing just to create something that looks like what you supposedly committed to erase from your diet is ridiculous. I agree, there is no such thing as moderation. At least not with me. Moderation is just a way to perpetuate your weakness and addiction for certain foods. I don't get why more people don't see it that way. If it isn't something I can eat with no regard, I won't touch it.
[Thanks for the kind words. As I've mentioned, I get a range of feedback, most positive, from those who think it's rude to point out the facts to those who've reversed their own heart disease or ameliorated MS symptoms by going low-fat vegan.
I do enjoy the occasional meat analog, but that's not too often (as they can be a bit high in salt and/or fat depending upon type). I do consciously try and not eat too much tofu too often, and have beans more than not.
Appreciate your note! Best regards, Mark]
Posted by: Chaz | 2009.09.25 at 15:41