Vegan What?
I know I've haven't really addressed this trend that is all the rage. Vegetarianism. Here I am, talking about all these delicious recipes with meat and dairy in them. But what if you don't eat either of those?
Vegetarianism. You hear this word all the time now...and you think you know what it means. Simply put, it's a diet free of fish, meat, and the flesh of fowls, right? Wrong. The diet of each individual varies as much as the color of human skin. First, there are "lacto-ovo vegetarians", who eat egg and milk products, then "lacto-vegetarians", who only eat dairy products. Second, "pescatarians", whose diet includes fish and seafood. Then, the vegans, who often even protest wearing animal-based products, like honey. Third, the "raw foodists", eating only raw, non-meat plants, and the "fruitarians", eating a fruit, nut, and seed diet. Finally, there are the "flexitarians", eating meat occasionally and the "macrobiotic diet", which is mostly grains and fish.
Why adopt this lifestyle? Many vegan and vegetarian activists happily promote the animal-free lifestyle as not only healthier, but more ethical. This is based on cruel livestock practices and the detrimental effects on the environment, from raising livestock for food. However, according to a 2013 Gallup poll, only 10 percent of the US population considers themselves vegetarians.
Despite this, most doctors and nutritionalists consider a low-fat, plant-based diet helpful in reducing heart disease and type 2 diabetes, by lowering glucose, triglycerides, and blood pressure. However, experts disagree on whether a vegan diet can lower cancer risk, unless coupled with specific essential nutrients from plants and a health-conscious lifestyle.
For vegans, especially, essential focus is on protein, riboflavin, alpha-linolenic acid, vitamin B12 (naturally ONLY in meat products), iron, vitamin D, and zinc. A lack of B12 can lead to anemia, blindness, and muscle complications, so it must be supplemented manually. Another key nutrient is calcium, which can be supplemented naturally, from food, or through supplements. Most important, make sure all calcium supplements are ABSORBABLE, to avoid bone thinning. This is why pregnant or lactating women and mothers of young children must be careful to maintain proper nutrient levels and a proper diet, to avoid child development issues.
Great ways to find all these nutrients include, soy and soy-based foods, dried fruits, dark green vegetables, nuts, dairy products, mushrooms, and nut oils. Another GREAT source of these vitamins and minerals is Jah Manna Bammy. Traditional bammy is gluten-free, nut-free, and absolutely vegan. Several flavors even have roasted vegetables infused into the bread. For vegetarians, several of the bammy flavors are cheese-infused as well.
