By Reed Mangels, PhD, RD

Walk down the candy aisle in a natural foods store or in many supermarkets and the number of vegan choices is astounding. There are “mylk” chocolates, dark chocolates, very dark chocolates, and a myriad of flavored chocolate selections. How do these compare in terms of nutrition?

Chocolate is made from the seeds of a tropical tree called the cacao tree. The seeds, which are also called beans, are fermented, dried, roasted, shelled, and ground in the process of making chocolate. The result of this processing is a thick liquid, called cocoa liquor, that contains fiber, fat, and protein from the cacao seeds. Cocoa butter is the fat that is produced from cacao seeds. (Although “butter” may sound like a dairy product, cocoa butter does not contain dairy.)  Additional pure cocoa butter is added to the cocoa liquor. Sugar and other ingredients are also added, and the mixture is formed into chocolate bars.

An ounce of chocolate, whether vegan or not has around 150 to 190 calories. Some chocolate bars may indicate the percentage of chocolate on the label. The percentage indicates the percent by weight of the product that is cocoa butter and cocoa solids. For example, a bar that is 71% chocolate is 71% by weight cocoa butter and cocoa solids. The remaining 29% is mostly sugar. Generally, the higher the percentage of cocoa butter and cocoa solids, the (slightly) higher the calories. For example, Equal Exchange 71% has 180 calories in an ounce,  but Equal Exchange 92% has 190 calories per ounce. This difference is insignificant.

Generally, products with higher percentages of cocoa butter and cocoa solids, have more fat and saturated fat and less added sugar. Those with lower percentages of cocoa butter and cocoa solids have less fat and more added sugar.

Additions like mint or orange flavoring have little impact on a chocolate bar’s nutrient content. Nuts add a small amount of protein and chocolate bars with salted nuts or sea salt will have more sodium (about 50-100 milligrams more per ounce of chocolate) than those without added salt.

An ounce of dark chocolate provides around 15% of the Daily Value for iron and magnesium and more than half of the Daily Value for copper.

Reference:

McGee, H. On Food and Cooking. The Science and Lore of the Kitchen. New York: Scribner; 2004.

For vegan recipes featuring chocolate see:

https://www.vrg.org/journal/vj2014issue1/2014_issue1_savory_side.php

Chocolate-Coated Peanut Butter Candies

Chocolate Coconut Cake (Gluten-free)

Sophisticated and refreshing, Chef Morgan’s Greek Bowls are sure to please a crowd any time of year. Try her recipe for Greek Marinated Tofu on top of couscous and veggies, all smothered in lemon tahini dressing for lunch, dinner, snacks, or even a meal on the go. See this Vegetarian Resource Group video at: https://youtu.be/Q53AiF75M5k

More videos at:

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCvSyCToa_i9fA4D5CLCAFWw
https://www.vrg.org/veg_videos.php

By Jeanne Yacoubou, MS

The VRG has recently noticed several startup companies in the food ingredient space marketing their products with an obvious appeal to vegans and vegetarians, as well as to other consumers with certain dietary restrictions, such as the lactose intolerant.

Here in Part 1 of a series, we look at the whey protein isolate manufactured by Perfect Day.

On their website, Perfect Day is clear about how they manufacture their whey. They start with a piece of a genetic code for beta-lactoglobulin (the scientific name for one form of whey). They found this genetic information available for free on a website.

The actual genetic material on which the virtual genetic code is based was initially taken from the blood of 8-year-old L1 Dominette 01449, a cow living in Montana, in 2009. Her blood was used in the Bovine Genome Project which mapped all 22,000 genes that make up the entire cow genetic signature.

Perfect Day acquired the bovine code from a free online database called UniProt (abbreviation of universal protein resource).

Then Perfect Day inserted the genetic code for beta-lactoglobulin into Trichoderma, a type of fungus. In a large fermentation tank growing on corn sugar, the microbes followed the genetic directions given to it. As a result, Trichoderma produced large amounts of whey that were later separated and purified from the fermentation broth.

The VRG wanted to know if cane sugar was ever used as the growth medium. This could be an additional concern for some vegans and vegetarians if the cane sugar had been processed through a cow bone char filter.

Through email communication in July 2021, Kathleen Nay, Public Affairs and Content Specialist at Perfect Day, informed The VRG:

“At present we use sugar derived from corn. However, our process is feedstock agnostic and can be adapted to local sugar production depending on where the fermentation takes place, to tap into or expand sugar markets. We certainly could use cane sugar if the opportunity were there.”

So far in 2021, this whey protein isolate is an ingredient in the “vegan,” “plant-based,” or “animal-free” ice cream products as marketed by these three brands:

• Nick’s
• Brave Robot
• Graeter’s

Graeter’s indicated on their website that their products contained animal-free whey and casein (another milk protein). We checked into this with Perfect Day and learned:

“At present we only supply animal-free whey protein to Graeter’s, and their on-pack ingredient labels reflect as much (the ingredient is listed as “non-animal whey protein.”)

That said, animal-free casein/caseinates are actively in development. I suspect Graeter’s team developed their FAQs based on our own, which is why theirs mentions casein as well. It’s certainly worth flagging to them – I will pass your note on to our relevant team members here who can touch base with Graeter’s to clarify their website.”

According to Perfect Day’s website, their whey is functionally, genetically, and nutritionally equivalent to the whey in cow’s milk. Consequently, it provides the same texture and taste in foods and beverages as cow’s milk whey. Perfect Day hopes to sell its product to other food companies that will use it in their whey-containing items including soups, sauces, shakes, and snacks.

Since whey is a dairy allergen, federal law requires that it be flagged as such on food labels. The words “Contains milk or milk ingredients” are commonly seen on labels if dairy whey is present.

In the case of Perfect Day’s whey, its presence is indicated on labels by the words “Contains milk protein” or “Contains milk allergen.” It has been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

Is whey from Perfect Day “animal-free”?

The VRG recognizes Perfect Day’s good intentions to move away from a reliance on conventional dairy cows as the source of its whey. We acknowledge the results of a recent lifecycle assessment that quantified how many fewer greenhouse gas emissions are created from its whey production versus those released from raising live cows for milk.

However, on the question of whether their whey is “animal-free,” my personal view is that it wouldn’t be.

The genetic blueprint for the whey is first and foremost bovine. This means there is an animal product (an animal gene) directing the entire process. This is so even if a copy of the bovine gene was used rather than the actual gene isolated from Dominette’s blood. In other words, an animal product is involved in the whey’s manufacture as its initiator.

It is true that the copy of the bovine gene that orchestrated the manufacture does not become incorporated into the whey. Nor is it consumed by the process since the gene is still an integral part of the genetic makeup of Trichoderma fungiwhich are later separated from the whey product. And obviously since genes are so tiny (but are so powerful in their action), only a small amount was needed.

In all these ways, the copy of the bovine gene loosely sounds like a processing aid. From an FDA document on exemptions to labeling, processing aids are thus partly defined:

“…Substances that are added to a food during the processing of such food but are removed in some manner from the food before it is packaged in its finished form.”

Viewing the genetic code as a processing aid in this way, Perfect Day would be exempt from having to label their whey as animal gene-derived.

While it’s true that on its website the company describes its process as starting from animal genes, the phrase animal gene-derived is not specifically used there nor on the ice cream labels of brands (noted above) using its whey. This term is needed so consumers will know beyond a doubt what they are purchasing.

Many vegetarians and vegans do not buy or consume products manufactured with any animal-derived processing aids or carriers even if the food or beverage is otherwise vegan or vegetarian. Animal rennet in cheese making is the prime example. Another is gelatin in fruit drinks or butter/margarine.

They may not want to use Perfect Day’s whey based on similar reasoning. These individuals may not see this whey as “non-animal” or “animal-free.”

If this whey were added to “plant-based” products or items labeled as “vegan” or “vegetarian,” as it already is (see Nick’s ice cream brand above), it could lead to confusion and discontent. It would make some people feel misled, as if products intended for vegetarians and vegans were now covertly tainted with an animal ingredient. In this case, it’s a microscopic gene inserted into fungi responsible for the very existence of the ingredient.

With more animal gene-derived ingredients under development, such as casein (milk protein) and milk fat in the case of Perfect Day, and other animal gene-derived ingredients from other startups that The Vegetarian Resource Group will feature in upcoming blog posts, vegans and vegetarians are advised to seek more information from companies claiming their ingredients or products are “animal-free” or “non-animal.” Find out if the genes are animal-derived or not.

(Under current circumstances) I predict that companies will eventually drop these terms entirely and just call their originally animal- or dairy-derived product “vegan.” If they do, they’ve supplanted the term vegan and redefined it.

“Animal gene-derived” recommendation for labeling

The VRG recommends that all food and beverage companies be clear about the source(s) of all their ingredients on their product labels, websites, and promotional materials. This recommendation applies also in cases where the only animal ingredient was an animal’s gene used to direct its manufacture.

It is only when companies are totally informative about how their ingredients were made will vegetarians and vegans, as well as others with special dietary preferences, be able to purchase and consume foods and beverages with total confidence about what they’re getting.

Stay tuned to this blog for more posts on other startups producing “animal-free” or “non-animal” ingredients.

NOTE FROM THE BLOG EDITOR: Vegetarians and vegans will have different viewpoints on these issues. The Food and Drug Administration and the United States Department of Agriculture have been asking for testimony for the development of labeling standards re foods from cultured animal cells. With clear labeling, consumers will be able to make their own decisions.

For information on other ingredients, see https://www.vrg.org/ingredients/index.php

To support The Vegetarian Resource Group research, donate at vrg.org/donate

The contents of this posting, our website, and our other publications, including Vegetarian Journal, are not intended to provide personal medical advice. Medical advice should be obtained from a qualified health professional. We often depend on product and ingredient information from company statements. It is impossible to be 100% sure about a statement, info can change, people have different views, and mistakes can be made. Please use your best judgment about whether a product is suitable for you. To be sure, do further research or confirmation on your own.

Belen is a Vegetarian Resource Group 2021 video contest winner. She said: “My reasons for including a vegetarian diet into my life, is to not continue involving myself with products that continuously exploit animals and their rights. I also wanted to diminish my carbon footprint as much as I could, and understood that dairy and meat products contained hormones that posed multiple health risks, resulting in me becoming a vegetarian.”

See her video here: https://www.vrg.org/veg_videos.php#belentorres

Deadline for the Next VRG video contest is July 15, 2022.

See: https://www.vrg.org/videoscholarship.php

To support Vegetarian Resource Group scholarships and internships, donate at vrg.org/donate

Despite the present pandemic, The Vegetarian Resource Group continues to be very busy on a daily basis. Below are some examples of successes and activities. Your support through Combined Federal Charity (CFC) or your Local/State Campaign is greatly appreciated! You can also donate directly to VRG at vrg.org/donate

Here’s a sampling of some of our accomplishments and outreach:

● VRG Nutrition Advisor Reed Mangels, PhD, RD, did a webinar on a Plant-Based Diet for 31 Days. Reed also spoke at six virtual seminars for the San Jose Public Library in California. There were separate sessions for teens and parents. VRG interns assisted. Reed also supervised a Mexican graduate student intern from Wageningen University in the Netherlands who completed an extensive project on vegan Latin American foods high in calcium.

● Our VRG volunteer health coach Marcia Schveibinz conducted a webinar for the Lafayette, Louisiana Public Library.

● VRG commissioned a YouGov national youth poll to find out how many 8- to 17-year-olds are vegan or vegetarian. Results are published in Vegetarian Journal and at vrg.org

● The Vegetarian Resource Group submitted comments to the Food and Drug Administration on Labeling of Foods Comprised of or Containing Cultured Seafood cells. See: vrg.org/blog/2021/03/10/the-vegetarian-resource-group-submitted-this-testimony-to-the-fda-concerning-labeling-of-seafood-produced-from-cultured-seafood-cells/

● VRG researcher Jeanne Yacoubou did a podcast with one of VRG’s interns discussing the environmental impacts of diets. Based on his questions, Jeanne will also be doing some updated research on chocolate, bone char, and gelatin. We’ll report on this in the future. Jeanne also compiled a list of several recent (2015 to the present) scientific reports that reveal the relationships between dietary choices and our climate crisis. See vrg.org/blog/2021/02/24/vegan-and-vegetarian-diets-and-our-climate-emergency-scientific-updates-2015-2021/

● VRG donated money to Land of Kush (a vegan restaurant in Baltimore, MD) to give away vegan meals to needy individuals. We also sent I Love Animals and Broccoli and El Arco Iris Vegetariano coloring books to a group in Florida coordinating Vegan Restaurant Week in their area, and that wanted to give a packet to families as they picked up meals. Finally, VRG hosted over 25 virtual interns/volunteers this past year. They all worked/ are working on a number of exciting projects!

This is just a small sampling of what we are doing at VRG every day. Thank you so much! We couldn’t do this without your support.

You can donate directly to VRG at www.vrg.org/donate

You can also mail donations to The Vegetarian Resource Group, PO Box 1463, Baltimore, MD 21203 or call in your donation to (410) 366-8343 Monday through Friday 9am to 5pm EST.

The Vegetarian Resource Group maintains an online Guide to Vegan/Vegetarian Restaurants in the USA and Canada. Here are some recent vegan restaurant additions. The entire guide can be found here: http://www.vrg.org/restaurant/index.php

To support the updating of this online restaurant guide, please donate at: www.vrg.org/donate

Here are some new additions to VRG’s guide (Note: Due to the COVID-19 pandemic many are doing take-out and/or delivery now):

Allegro Hearth Bakery, 2034 Murray Ave., Pittsburgh, PA 15217

This plant-based bakery and sandwich shop offers items such as Apple Galette, Cinnamon Roll, Apple Cinnamon Coffee Cake, Kamalta Olive Loaf, Seitan Melt Sandwich, Avocado Sandwich, and build your own salads.

Bliss, 567 Memorial Ave., Thunder Bay, ON P7B 3Z1 Canada

Bliss is a plant-based restaurant that makes both raw and cooked vegan foods. The soup du jour is made fresh daily. The menu includes several sandwiches and wraps such as the FLT made with carrot “facon,” an UnEgg sandwich made with smashed chickpeas, and the falafel wrap with Bliss falafel balls. Salads can be added with sandwiches and wraps or ordered separately. Pizzahs served on a cauliflower crust are also available The menu varies according to seasonal produce availability. Custom desserts such as birthday donuts and wedding cakes are also available to order.

Ital Vital Living, 2323 N. 24th St., Omaha, NE 68110

Enjoy vegan smoothie bowls and cold pressed juices.

Mama Hill, 295 Joline Ave. Long Branch, NJ 07740

Mama Hill is a grab-and-go deli that offers 100% vegan fare. Their store menu includes vegan beef empanadas and specials of the days such as fried fish made with eggplant and served with greens and mac and cheese. Grab-and-go items include chicken Caesar salad and Italian subs. Donuts and tarts are popular sweet options. Mama Hill also offers private chef work, luxury plant-based picnics, and event catering.

Stefano’s Sandwiches, 1214 Dundas St. W., Toronto, ON M6J 1X5 Canada

Stefano’s Sandwiches is a vegan takeaway specializing in plant-based sandwiches. All sandwiches are on the house-made ciabatta. Sandwiches include the all-day breakfast sandwich with pinto bean sausage, the fried chicken sandwich, and the meatball sub. Italian beverages are available including Italian sodas and wine. Stefano’s Sandwiches also has a vegetarian restaurant named Gia at the same location.

Vegan A.F. Foodtruck, 7951 Melrose Ave., Los Angeles, CA 90046

This bright pink food truck, generally found in Melrose or Hollywood, has an innovative approach to vegan street food. Constantly experimenting with something different to other LA vegan restaurants, they have developed a specialty in a new dish: fried crispy egg rolls stuffed with comfort food — options are always being added, but include an egg roll based on Philly Cheesesteaks, with vegan meet and cheese, and another based on pizzas, with veggies, vegan mozzarella, and marinara. They also offer flavor-filled fries, and, for dessert, a banana pudding.

Vegan Nova, 3255 Rosecrans Ave., Hawthorne, CA 90250

Thai Restaurant, featuring veggie meats and vegetable entrees such as Pho Noodle Soup, Beyond Larb Salad, Green Curry Fried Rice, Tempeh BBQ Ribs, Pineapple Curry, Spicy Jackfruit, and much more. Unique desserts and Thai iced tea or coffee are available as well.

Verve Pie, 313 Schneider Dr., Ste. #121, Cibolo, TX 78108

Located near to Crescent Bend Nature Park in Cibolo, in the North East of San Antonio Metropolitan Area, Verve Pie serves up an all-vegan menu of handcrafted pizza, ice cream and cocktails in sleek, modern décor.  Using many local providers, international chef Keith Cruzan combines traditional flavors and new takes to create a diverse and enticing menu. Pizzas use plant-based versions of mozzarella, ricotta, pepperoni and other meats. Ice creams include flavors ranging from old favorites like chocolate, through salted caramel pecan to lemon thyme. Cocktails include margaritas and the Scooby Snack, which features melon and banana liqueur, coconut rum, and vegan whipped cream, while a wide range of other alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks are also available. 5% of proceeds go towards a local animal sanctuary.

The Vegetarian Resource Group has compiled a list of Senior Independent Living, Assisted Living, Nursing Home, and Other Senior Facilities in the USA that will accommodate vegetarians and in some cases vegans. This is a work in progress and if you know of any establishments that should be added to this list, please let us know. Our goal in this project is to persuade senior establishments to offer more vegan options on a regular basis. Sometimes by just asking you put the thought on their radar. We were successful in doing the same thing 20 years ago when we urged college campuses to do the same thing.

Below are recent additions to our list. You can find the entire list here: https://www.vrg.org/seniors/senior vegan.php

To support this type of project, please donate here: www.vrg.org/donate

Ruby is a Vegetarian Resource Group 2021 video contest winner. She said: “I have been a vegetarian my entire life. I became a vegan this year. I care about animals and believe every life has value. The meat and dairy industry aren’t good for our planet. I wish more people would think about this. I also enjoy vegan food because it’s healthy.”

See her video here: https://www.vrg.org/veg_videos.php#rubysturm

Deadline for the Next VRG video contest is July 15, 2022.

See: https://www.vrg.org/videoscholarship.php

To support Vegetarian Resource Group scholarships and internships, donate at vrg.org/donate

By Reed Mangels, PhD, RD

The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) tracks how much food is available each year, on average, for each person in the United States. These reports provide a fascinating snapshot of what Americans are likely to be eating. To determine how much food is available, the USDA tracks domestic production, initial inventories, and imports of a particular food and then subtracts exports and end-of-year inventories. An estimation of food availability per person is calculated by dividing the total amount of available product by the U.S. population. These estimates cannot tell us how much of a food an individual person eats but they can provide an estimate of the amount of food available for the average person.

     A recent report looks at the years 1970 to 2019. Over those 50 years, the total amount of fruits available, including fresh, canned, frozen, and dried fruit and fruit juice, decreased slightly from 238 pounds per capita to 236 pounds per capita. The amount of available fresh fruit increased and processed fruit (canned, frozen, dried, juice) decreased.

     If we only consider fresh fruits, the fruits with the largest increases in availability included

• Avocadoes 0.4 lbs/capita now 7.4 lbs/capita
• Bananas 17.4 lbs/capita now 27.4 lbs/capita
• Pineapples 0.7 lbs/capita now 7.3 lbs/capita

     Other fresh fruits with greater availability over the past 50 years include

• Lemons 2 lbs/capita now 4.7 lbs/capita
• Blueberries 0.2 lbs/capita now 2.1 lbs/capita
• Grapes 2.7 lbs/capita now 7.7 lbs/capita
• Mangoes 0.1 lbs/capita now 3.1 lbs/capita
• Strawberries 1.6 lbs/capita now 5.3 lbs/capita

     And with lower availability:

• Grapefruit 8 lbs/capita now 1.5 lbs/capita
• Oranges 15.6 lbs/capita now 9.1 lbs/capita
• Peaches 5.5 lbs/capita now 2.0 lbs/capita

Resources: https://www.ers.usda.gov/data-products/food-availability-per-capita-data-system/

To read about vegetable availability in the United States, see: https://www.vrg.org/blog/?s=17+pounds+of+carrots

Vellabox offers monthly subscription boxes with one or two plant-based, small-batch candles, all made in the USA. The latest issue of Vegetarian Journal offers a review of these candles here: Veggie Bits

To subscribe to Vegetarian Journal in the USA, see: vrg.org/member