ONE HUNDRED & ONE REASONS TO GO VEGETARIAN
http://www.flex.com/~jai/articles/101.html

Vegetarian Nutrition
Wednesday, 21 February 2007

Vegetarians can rest assured. Plant-based foods are loaded with nutrients including ample protein, iron, calcium, vitamin D, iodine, omega-3 fatty acids, and zinc. Vegans require a reliable source of vitamin B12.
Whether you eat a vegetarian or non-vegetarian diet, the key to health is simple. Include a wide variety of different foods in your diet – no one food source is nutritionally complete by itself. Vegetarians choose foods from grains, vegetables, legumes, nuts, seeds and fruits. Whole unrefined foods are best. Eggs and dairy are optional. On a plant-based diet, you will have the distinct advantage of obtaining nutrients from sources high in fibre, and low in saturated fat and cholesterol.

Protein
It was once thought that foods had to be combined within a single meal to provide complete protein. The latest research indicates that an assortment of plant foods eaten over the course of a day can provide all of the essential amino acids you need. This is the postion of the Dietitians of Canada and the American Dietetic Association. Most people can easily meet their protein needs by eating a variety of whole grains, legumes, and vegetables on a daily basis. Although there is somewhat less protein in a vegetarian diet, this is actually an advantage, as excess protein has been linked to heart disease, cancer, kidney disease and osteoporosis. Foods high in protein include tofu, tempeh, TVP, beans, nuts, seeds, soy milk, some vegetables (such as broccoli, asparagus, spinach, snowpeas, Brussels sprouts), eggs, and dairy products.

Iron
Only about one fifth of the iron in a standard diet comes from meat. Dairy products are deficient in iron. The richest plant sources are dark green vegetables, soy products and legumes, whole grains, dried fruits, nuts and seeds. Cooking with cast-iron pots also contributes to dietary intake. Adding fruits and vegetables high in vitamin C to your meals (such as citrus, peppers, cabbage, broccoli, kale or tomatoes) enhances iron absorption. Foods that decrease absorption include: tea, coffee, milk products, spinach, rhubarb, Swiss chard and chocolate.

Calcium
Dairy products are high in calcium, but needs can also be met on a well-planned vegan diet. Rich plant food sources include dark green vegetables such as broccoli, bok choy and kale, beans, tofu (made with calcium), tahini, sesame seeds, almonds, figs, seaweeds, unrefined molasses, and fortified soy milks. Since the consumption of animal protein increases calcium requirements, a person following a vegan diet may have much lower needs. Although some plant foods contain oxalates and phytate which can inhibit calcium absorption, the calcium in plant foods is generally well absorbed.

Vitamin D
This vitamin is essential for the absorption of calcium and is formed in the presence of direct or indirect sunlight. Your body stores vitamin D during the summer for winter use. On average, about 10 to 15 minutes a day of sun on the face and hands for light-skinned people should suffice. Darker-skinned people, the elderly, and those at higher latitudes may need more sun exposure. Sunscreen lotion rated SPF 8 or above prevents vitamin D synthesis. Dairy products and some rice and soy milks are fortified with vitamin D. People getting insufficient sun or not eating fortified foods should consider taking a daily multiple vitamin that includes 400 IU of vitamin D.

Zinc
Zinc is readily available in many plant foods such as whole grains (breads, pasta, rice), wheat germ, tofu, tempeh, millet, quinoa, miso, legumes, sprouts, nuts and seeds, as well as eggs and dairy products.

Vitamin B12
Very low B12 intakes can cause anemia and nervous system damage. Meat-eaters acquire B12 through micro-organisms living in the animal flesh they eat. Lacto-ovo vegetarians receive B12 through eggs and dairy products.

The only reliable vegan sources are foods fortified with B12 (including some rice and soy milks, some breakfast cereals, and Red Star nutritional yeast vegetarian support formula), B12 supplements and some multi-vitamins. In the past some non-animal items such as spirulina, tempeh, miso, and soil were considered as possible sources, but these have proven to be unreliable.
In the absence of any apparent dietary supply, deficiency symptoms usually take five years or more to develop in adults, though some people experience problems within a year. Long term studies of vegans have detected a very low rate of B12 deficiency. Some people (including meat-eaters) have problems absorbing B12. It’s especially important for women to ensure B12 intake when pregnant or breastfeeding.

Iodine
Regular iodized table salt is fortified with plenty of iodine, but if you use sea salt instead, be sure your diet includes a reliable source. Sea salt contains very little iodine. The best sources are seaweed, vegetables grown near the ocean, and many vitamin and mineral supplements. Also some breads use dough stabilizers that contain iodine. Iodine is needed for the normal metabolism of cells.
Omega-3 fatty acids
Omega-3 fatty acids include ALA, EPA and DHA. Alpha-linolenic acid (ALA) is found mainly in the oil of flaxseeds, hemp seeds, walnuts, rapeseed (canola oil), and soybeans.
ALA reduces blood clotting, and is good for the heart. The body converts some of the ALA into two other essential omega-3 fats called EPA and DHA. These two are also found to a small degree in seaweeds, and there are vegan DHA supplements available made from micro-algae. Low levels of DHA have been associated with depression. A tablespoon of ground flaxseeds or a teaspoon of flax oil per day will meet the needs of most people.

All other essential vitamins, minerals, fats and carbohydrates are widely found in the plant kingdom. These nutrients can be easily obtained by maintaining variety in a plant food diet.

If you have difficulty adapting to a vegetarian diet it may be that your body needs a few months to adjust and detoxify. Try experimenting with a variety of foods and cooking methods. If you have concerns about a nutrient deficiency, you can always have your blood tested, but rest assured that a varied vegetarian diet lacks no nutrients and is proven to be a powerful health promoting choice. Bon appetit!

Reviewed by Anne-Marie Roy R.D.

Only the sick can do something like this. And you support this?

Factory Farming
http://www.goveg.com/factoryFarming.asp
http://www.goveg.com/factoryFarming_cows.asp
http://www.goveg.com/factoryFarming_pigs.asp
http://www.goveg.com/factoryFarming_turkeys.asp
http://www.goveg.com/factoryFarming_ducks.asp

Oraganic Meats
http://www.goveg.com/organic.asp

http://www.meat.org
http://www.goveg.com

CIUT 89.5 FM Toronto Vegetarianism and Veganism show on Animal Voices
Sorry the sound is pretty bad quality please listen on headphones.

http://www.animalvoices.ca
Show entitled, Vegans on the Hot Seat

Even bodybuilders can be vegan's

http://www.veganmusclepower.org

Animal Rights: The Abolitionist Approach

http://www.abolitionistapproach.com

Wise Words

Non-violence is the greatest force at the disposal of mankind. It is mightier than the mightiest weapon of destruction devised by the ingenuity of man.

— Mahatma Gandhi

Vegetarianism/ Vegan FAQs from Peta

“Why do you try to force vegetarianism on others? Isn't it a personal choice?”

From a moral standpoint, actions that harm others are not matters of personal choice. For example, murder, child abuse, and cruelty to animals are immoral acts, not matters of choice. Today, our society encourages meat-eating and factory farming, but at one time, society also encouraged slavery, child labor, and many other practices that are now universally recognized as wrong.

See what goes on inside a factory farm.

“Animals kill other animals for food, so why shouldn’t we?”

Most animals who kill for food could not survive if they didn’t, but that is not the case for humans. In fact, we would be better off if we didn’t eat meat. Many animals, including some of our closest primate relatives, are vegetarians. We should look to them, rather than to carnivores, as models of healthy eating.

“The animals have to die sometime, so what's wrong with eating them?”

Humans die, too, but that doesn’t give you the right to kill them or cause them a lifetime of suffering.

“Don't farmers treat their animals well so they'll produce more milk or eggs?”

Animals on factory farms gain weight, lay eggs, or produce milk not because they are well cared for, comfortable, and content but because their bodies have been manipulated with medications, hormones, genetics, and management techniques. In addition, animals raised for food are slaughtered when they are extremely young, usually before disease and misery decimate them. Factory farmers raise such huge numbers of animals for food that it is less expensive for them to absorb some losses than it is for them to provide humane conditions.

Watch footage of hens in factory farms.

“What will we do with all the chickens, cows, and pigs if everyone becomes a vegetarian?”

It is unrealistic to expect that everyone will stop eating animals overnight. As the demand for meat decreases, fewer animals will be raised for food. Farmers will stop breeding so many animals and will turn to other types of agriculture. When there are fewer of these animals, they will be able to live more natural lives.

See how factory-farmed animals live.

“If everyone became vegetarian, many animals would never even be born. Isn't that worse for them?”

Life on factory farms is so miserable that it is hard to imagine that we are doing animals a favor by bringing them into that type of existence and then confining them, tormenting them, and slaughtering them.

“If everyone only ate vegetables and grains, would there be enough to eat?”

Yes. We feed so much grain to animals to fatten them for consumption that if we all became vegetarians, we could produce enough food to feed everyone on Earth. In the U.S., animals raised for food are fed 70 percent of the corn, wheat, and other grains that we grow. The world’s cattle consume a quantity of food equal to the caloric needs of 8.7 billion people—more than the entire human population.

Read more about the connection between environmentalism and vegetarianism.

“Don’t vegetarians have difficulty getting enough protein?”

In Western countries, our problem is that we get too much protein, not too little. Most Americans get at least twice as much protein as they need, and too much protein, especially animal protein, can increase your risk of osteoporosis and kidney disease

You can get enough protein from whole wheat bread, oatmeal, beans, corn, peas, mushrooms, or broccoli—almost every food contains protein. Unless you eat a great deal of junk food, it’s almost impossible to eat as many calories as you need for good health without getting enough protein.

Get a free copy of PETA’s vegetarian starter kit.

“Don’t humans have to eat meat to stay healthy?”

Both the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the American Dietetic Association have endorsed vegetarian diets. Studies have also shown that vegetarians have lower cholesterol levels than meat-eaters and are far less likely to die of heart disease or cancer. The consumption of meat and dairy products has been conclusively linked with diabetes, arthritis, osteoporosis, clogged arteries, obesity, asthma, and impotence.

Read more about the health benefits of a vegetarian diet.

“Aren't humans natural carnivores?”

Actually, a vegetarian diet suits the human body better than a diet that includes meat. Carnivorous animals have claws, short digestive tracts, and long, curved fangs. Humans have flat, flexible nails, and our so-called “canine” teeth are minuscule compared to those of carnivores and even compared to vegetarian primates like gorillas and orangutans. Our tiny canine teeth are better suited to biting into fruits than tearing through tough hides. We have flat molars and long digestive tracts that are suited to diets of vegetables, fruits, and grains. Eating meat is hazardous to our health and contributes to heart disease, cancer, and many other health problems.

Read more about meat-eating myths and the truths behind them.

“Don’t dairy cows need to be milked?”

In order for a cow to produce milk, she must have a calf. Each “dairy cow” is impregnated every year so that she continues to produce a steady supply of milk. In nature, the mother’s calf would drink her milk, eliminating the need for her to be milked by humans, but on factory farms, calves are taken away from their mothers when they are just a day or two old so that humans can have the milk that nature intended for the calves. Female calves are slaughtered immediately or raised to be dairy cows. Male calves are confined for 16 weeks to tiny veal crates that are so small that they cannot even turn around.

Because of the high demand for dairy products, cows are genetically engineered and fed growth hormones to force them to produce quantities of milk that are well beyond their natural limits. Even the few farmers who choose not to raise animals intensively must get rid of the calves, who would otherwise drink the milk, and send the mothers off to slaughter when their milk production wanes.

Get answers to all your questions about dairy products.

“I know a vegetarian who is unhealthy. Is vegetarianism really good for people?”

There are healthy and unhealthy vegetarians, but doctors agree that vegetarians who eat varied, low-fat diets stand a much better chance of living longer, healthier lives than their meat-eating counterparts.

Read about the link between vegetarianism and shrinking waistlines.

“Why should I feel bad about eating meat? I didn’t kill the animal.”

You may not have killed the animal yourself, but you hired the killer. Whenever you purchase meat, the killing was done for you, and you paid for it.

“If you were starving on a boat out at sea, would you eat an animal?”

I don’t know. Humans will go to extremes to save their own lives, even if it means hurting someone innocent. (People have even killed and eaten other people in such situations.) This example, however, isn’t relevant to our daily choices. For most of us, there is no emergency and no excuse to kill animals for food.

“Chickens lay eggs naturally, so what's wrong with eating eggs?”

The real cruelty of egg production lies in the treatment of the “laying” hens, who are perhaps the most abused of all factory-farmed animals. Each egg from a factory farm represents about 34 hours of misery and came from a hen who was packed into a cage the size of a filing-cabinet drawer with as many as five other chickens. At factory farms, cages are stacked many tiers high, and feces from the top rows fall onto the chickens below. Hens become lame and develop osteoporosis because they are forced to remain immobile and because they lose a great deal of calcium when they repeatedly produce egg shells. Some birds’ feet grow around the wire cage floors, and they starve to death because they are unable to reach the food trough. At just 2 years of age, most hens are “spent” and are sent to the slaughterhouse. Egg hatcheries don’t have any use for male chicks, so they are suffocated, decapitated, crushed, or ground up alive.

See the conditions on egg “farms.”

"Can fish feel pain?"

Research has shown that fish can feel pain. According to Dr. Donald Bloom, animal welfare advisor to the British government, “Anatomically, physiologically, and biologically, the pain system in fish is virtually the same as in birds and mammals.” Fish have fully developed brains and nervous systems and very sensitive mouths. Fish use their tongues and mouths like humans use their hands—to catch or gather food, build nests, and hide their offspring from danger. Fish also experience fear. An Australian study found that when fish are chased, confined, or otherwise threatened, they react with increased heart and breathing rates and a burst of adrenaline, just as humans do.

Learn more about fish.

“Isn't seafood healthy and low in fat?”

Contrary to popular belief, fish is not a health food. Fish flesh contains toxins from the water that fish live in, and those toxins get passed on to people who eat fish. Fish raised on farms are given antibiotics, which are also passed on to consumers. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 325,000 people in the U.S. get sick or die every year from eating contaminated fish and other sea animals. Even if you could be sure that the fish you eat were free of chemicals, the flesh of some sea animals, especially shrimps and scallops, contains even more cholesterol than beef!

Learn more about tasty, healthy alternatives to meat.

“Why Should Animals Have Rights?”

Supporters of animal rights believe that animals have an inherent worth—a value completely separate from their usefulness to humans. We believe that every creature with a will to live has a right to live free from pain and suffering. For more information, click here.

from http://library.thinkquest.org/20922/text-only/why_vegan.htm

Why - Why become vegan?

. . . . as overgrazing becomes the norm in much of the world, rangelands are being pushed beyond their limits.

Seven kilograms of grain are required to produce 1 kilogram of beef; the conversion is 4-to-1 for pork and 2-to-1 for poultry. Each kilogram of meat represents several kilograms of grain that could be consumed directly by humans, not to mention the water and farmland required to grow the grain. To put this in uncomplicated terms, the beef in a Big Mac represents enough wheat to produce five loaves of bread.

Huge amounts of food - not to mention the water and farmland required to grow the food - can be freed up by modest reduction in meat production. For example, if the 670 million tons of the world's grain that is fed to livestock were reduced by 10 percent, the resulting grain could feed 225 million people or to keep up with growth in the human population over the next three years.

If each American reduced his or her meat consumption by just 5 percent, roughly equivalent to eating one less dish of meat each week, enough grain would be saved to feed 25 million people - the number estimated to go hungry in the United States each day.

The massive waste produced by livestock threaten waterways worldwide. In the United States, where 130 times more animal manure is produced than human waste - 5 tons for every U.S. citizen - animal waste is the principal source of water pollution. And livestock farms are getting larger throughout the world. Iowa Sen. Tom Harkin's recent bill to reform livestock waste management estimates that one 50,000-acre hog farm under construction in Utah will produce more waste than the city of Los Angeles.

According to the Environmental Protection Agency, the world's livestock herds are the largest source of human-induced emissions of methane - a potent greenhouse gas contributing to climate change.

For those concerned about our environment, reducing meat consumption is as fundamental as reducing car use or being a conscientious recycler.

Health Benefits
Health benefits are one of the primary reasons people become vegan. Weight loss, lower cholesterol and blood pressure, less use of medication, avoiding surgery, and feeling and looking great are some of the many health benefits.

Although many people ask how vegans get the nutrients they need or attempt to prove that animal products are essential, a vegan diet is actually healthier than the alternative. Read more about the essential nutrients vegan receive in a later section.

Dieting by eating less is the most common form of weight loss in the United States. However, it is not the healthiest. This method can cause anorexia and other malnutrition disorders. But to lose weight you don't have to eat less. You can eat as much as you like of the right foods and not gain weight. Food itself is not what causing weight gain. Animals products contain extremely high amounts of fat that vegetables don't have. By not eating high-fat foods you will lose weight, even if you continue to eat a lot.

Another major certain for many people is cholesterol. Too much cholesterol can clod your arteries and cause heart attacks and strokes. The good news is only animal products contain cholesterol. Humans naturally also have small amounts of cholesterol. By not eating animal products, your cholesterol level will remain low, limited to the amount already in your body.

High blood pressure levels will also drop considerably, with just a few weeks of eating the right foods.

Often doctors give patients medications to "solve" their medical needs. All these medications are is drugs. The natural state for the healthy human body in a drug-free state. Medications generally make you feel better but not really improve the situation. Healthy foods will allow you to become less dependant on medications.

People who eat high on the food chain, consuming large amounts of meat, dairy products and eggs, are plagued by chronic lifestyle diseases, ranging from cardiovascular deterioration to many types of cancer. A rich body of medical literature links the high quantities of cholesterol, saturated fat and protein found in meat-rich diets to the incidence of these diseases throughout the world.

Although surgery can fix some problems, it is often only a temporary solution. It is often the patient's diet that caused the problem, so continuing to eat the same, could bring the problem back. Becoming a vegan is a permanent change, that can greatly reduce or eliminate this unnecessary and expensive surgery an unhealthy diet can cause.

For those concerned about their health, reducing the consumption of animal foods is as essential as quitting smoking or regular exercise.

Treatment of Animals
Animal cruelty is predominant throughout the world, in slaughterhouses, egg and dairy industries, and animal testing labs. Few people realize just what these conditions are like. Even fewer people know that these conditions are not a thing of the past - they exist today! Others become vegetarian due to the cruelty of slaughterhouses but don't realize how the chickens and dairy cows of the egg and dairy industries are treated.

Most of the industries' animals are kept in extremely small confinement. Chickens live their entire lives in a small cage. Cows leave their fenced enclosures only to be slaughtered. Dairy cows may never be released.

Another very important part of animal treatment is properly feeding the livestock. Not all cattle are feed with the expensive grain mentioned in the environmental reasons to become vegan. To cut costs, some farmers are adding a variety of questionable waste substances to their livestock and poultry feed. It is estimated that fifty to seventy-five percent of the U.S. cattle feed on poultry wastes! In addition, more than forty billion pounds of slaughterhouse wastes like blood, bone, and viscera, as well as the remains of euthanized cats and dogs are annually feed to the cattle that millions of people are consuming. In some cases they are experimenting with dehydrated food garbage, fats emptied from restaurant fryers and grease traps, cement-kiln dust, newsprint, cardboard, cattle and hog manure, and even human sewage sludge!

Not only is it very cruel to feed animals this, but do you want to eat the animals that have been eating this? Obviously this creates many health concerns as well. Unfortunately, the health officials are doing relatively little to stop them. Most claim that it's okay if properly handled. This includes stacking the manure for four to eight weeks while the sun generated heat supposedly kills the bacteria and toxins. Most farmers, however, don't follow these procedures. And remember, bacteria or not - it's still manure.

So what can you do about all this? Become vegan. Abstaining from the consumption of animals products discourages the industry and shows your support for proper animal treatment. You should also consider participating in clubs or groups, such as PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals).

Religious Reasons
Last but not least are the religious reasons to become vegan. Many religious support healthy eating, including Seventh-Day Adventists, Buddhists, Jews, and Muslims. Although not every member of all these groups is vegan, many are vegetarian and others are at least careful of what and how much they eat.

Although most Christians do not tend to be vegan, biblical basis for veganism exists, right from the very first book. In Genesis 1:29 "...God said, Behold, I have given you every herb bearing seed, which is upon the face of all the earth, and every tree, in the which is the fruit of a tree yielding seed; to you it shall be for meat." Here is also the original definition for meat. Meat is simply the food one eats. However, this verse never mentions God giving us animals to eat. Only the seeds and trees which grow in the ground, are to be meat. There are also other verses, including I Corinthians 6:19-20, Romans 12:1, III John 2, and I Corinthians 10:31 that all support veganism and healthy eating.

Think and educate before you consider meat. In my opinion, people who eat meat either don't understand how that meat was prepared-how it got to the dinner table and what goes on in a factory farm. Also a lot of people are ignorant and don't want to know or don't care... Think about this - You wouldn't kill a dog or a human, would you? Then why do you let farmers torture and kill your food?