Nothing beats a simple graphic to get the vegan message out! The Vegetarian Resource Group created My Vegan Plate to display on outreach tables at various events. If you live in the United States, you can request copies of this handout to distribute by emailing us at [email protected]

You can view the handout here: https://www.vrg.org/nutshell/MyVeganPlate.pdf

This same handout can also be read in Spanish here: https://www.vrg.org/images/miplatovegano.jpg

We also have a version you can print out for kids to color on: https://www.vrg.org/nutshell/MyVeganPlateCP.pdf

Donations towards this outreach are always appreciated: www.vrg.org/donate

By Jeanne Yacoubou, MS

In this article, The Vegetarian Resource Group highlights several recent (2015 to the present) scientific reports that reveal the relationships between dietary choices and our climate crisis.

Background on Our Climate Crisis and Current State of the Emergency

In November 2019, 11,000 scientists from 153 countries declared a climate emergency in an article published in BioScience. The emergency is driven by fossil fuel burning releasing greenhouse gases (GHG), especially carbon dioxide, that began in the early 1800s with the rise of industry. The burning has accelerated rapidly since then. Life as we know it on a habitable Earth is at stake.

In January 2021, scientists reported new calculations that reveal the underestimation of earlier predictions about the degree of temperature increase already locked in from past and current fossil fuel use.

According to the new research, an increase of 2.3⁰C is guaranteed, but can be delayed if measures are taken now to significantly reduce or eliminate burning of coal, oil, and methane gas.

Note: The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) stated in a 2018 report that limiting temperature increase to 1.5⁰C above pre-industrial levels will avert the worst case scenario of extreme weather and sea level rise. The Paris Climate Accord of 2015 is a voluntary agreement among nations to reach this goal.

Emphasizing the gravity and urgency of the matter, 19 scientists wrote in a January 2021 article published in Frontiers in Conservation Science:

“The scale of the threats to the biosphere and all its life forms—including humanity—is in fact so great that it is difficult to grasp for even well-informed experts.”

To better grasp the problem and propose solutions, ecologist William Ripple and several other scientists in January 2021 developed a 6-step plan to reduce or eliminate fossil fuel use. Of interest to vegetarians and vegans, three of the six points are directly related to dietary choice.

• Short-lived pollutant reductions. The authors target methane, the greenhouse gas 84 times  more powerful than carbon dioxide. A major source of methane is animal agriculture, especially beef production. (Note: Inaccurate assessment of methane leaks from fracking and from thawing permafrost are not considered in making this statement because these data are only estimates right now. When confirmed, agriculture’s contribution to total methane production would be lessened but still present.) 
• Habitat destruction reductions. Deforestation to make room for livestock grazing or planting livestock feed is a major concern. So, too, is cutting down mangrove forests and peatlands especially for rice paddies and palm oil plantations. Palm oil ingredients are found in hundreds of food and cosmetic products.
• Fewer animal foods and more plants in human diets. Waste food less. Not only an important way to reduce water and land use to produce food, significant reductions in greenhouse gases result.

Scale of Animal Agriculture Impact on Climate Change: Carbon Emissions

How much does animal agriculture contribute to our climate crisis?

The World Resources Institute assembled the latest available data (2016) from credible sources including the International Energy Agency and concluded:

• Total annual world emissions was 49.4 GT CO_2eq. (73% carbon dioxide CO₂, 17% methane CH₄, and 6% nitrous oxide NO₂)
• The top three carbon polluters: China (26%), USA (13%) European Union (8%)
• The breakdown of major emissions by sector: Energy in transportation (16%); Energy for electricity/heating (30%); Energy for manufacturing/construction (12%)
• Agriculture (12%)

Made up of 6% livestock/manure and 6% from soils. Manure is a major source of methane and nitrous oxide (another extremely potent greenhouse gas).  Fertilizer is a major source of nitrous oxide.

• Land use change, forestry 7% (burning 4%)

In a July 2019 report published by the World Resources Institute, the World Bank Group, the United Nations Environment Programme, and the United Nations Development Programme, further information is given about livestock’s contributions to environmental use and greenhouse gas emissions: “Ruminant livestock (cattle, sheep, and goats) use two-thirds of global agricultural land and contribute roughly half of agriculture’s production-related emissions.”

Despite the enormity of the carbon pollution stemming from livestock, the authors do not clearly recommend a switch to a vegan diet as a way to mitigate the impact of livestock on our climate emergency. They mention only “…shifting the diets of high meat consumers toward plant-based foods” and “plant-based beef substitutes.”

In a 2019 special report titled Climate Change and Land, the IPCC mentions “dietary choices” in reference to how climate change can be curbed, but does not specify vegan or vegetarian diets.

From the report: “Balanced diets, featuring plant-based foods, such as those based on coarse grains, legumes, fruits and vegetables, nuts and seeds, and animal-sourced food produced in resilient, sustainable and low-greenhouse gas emission systems, present major opportunities for adaptation and mitigation while generating significant co-benefits in terms of human health.”

Other notable points from this document:

• 70% of freshwater is used for agriculture
• 25-30% of all food is wasted (responsible for 8-10% of all emissions).

Recent Scientific Reports on Carbon Emissions and Animal Agriculture in Relation to Plant-based Diets

The Vegetarian Resource Group looked closely at the environmental consequences of animal agriculture with its 2009 article on the United Nations’ report titled Livestock’s Long Shadow. In that piece, the focus was on water pollution caused by livestock.

Since that time, many researchers have analyzed the carbon emissions associated with raising animals intensively for food. Here are brief summaries of some of their reports.

“The climate mitigation gap: education and government recommendations miss the most effective individual actions”

1. In 2017, Seth Wynes and Kimberly A Nicholas published an article that quantified the effects of lifestyle choices in terms of tons of carbon dioxide equivalents, tCO_2eq (taking into account methane, nitrous oxide and other chemicals that have substantial global warming potential) produced when people engage in certain activities. They concluded that individuals would contribute the greatest reduction by:

• Having fewer children (58.6 tCO_2eq saved every year per child)*
• Going car-less (2.4 tCO_2eq saved per year)*
• Avoiding flying (1.6 tCO_2eq saved per round transatlantic trip)*
• Buying green energy (1.5 tCO_2eq saved per year)
• Buying a more efficient gasoline-powered car (1.19 tCO_2eq saved per year)
• Buying an electric car (1.15 tCO_2eq saved per year)
• Choosing a plant-based diet (0.8 tCO_2eq per year)*

According to the authors, all of the above actions are considered “high-impact (i.e., low-emissions).” The four which are asterisked are recommended as the most important you can take to lower your personal fossil fuel footprint. Although they do not use the word “vegan” to describe the “plant-based diet,” it appears from the writing that a vegan diet is implied. The VRG has reached out to the authors on this point, but have not yet received a response.

“Calculation of external climate costs for food highlights inadequate pricing of animal products”

2. A report published in December 2020 conducted life cycle assessments of various agricultural products in Germany. The most significant finding was that there is practically no difference between the carbon emissions resulting from organic versus conventional beef production. Organic chicken fared worse than conventionally raised chicken in terms of its contribution to greenhouse gases. Organic and non-organic cow’s milk had similar carbon emission profiles.

By contrast, organic plant foods are responsible for 50% less emissions than plant foods treated with chemical fertilizers and pesticides. All plant production resulted in significantly less carbon emissions than animal foods.

“Substituting beans for beef as a contribution toward US climate change targets”

3. A study published in 2017 compared the environmental costs of beef versus beans. It concluded: “Our results demonstrate that substituting one food for another, beans for beef, could achieve approximately 46 to 74% of the reductions needed to meet the 2020 GHG target for the US. In turn, this shift would free up 42% of US cropland (692,918 km²).”

“The environmental cost of protein food choices”

4. An earlier look at this topic from some of the same researchers in 2015 concluded: “To produce 1 kg of protein from kidney beans required approximately eighteen times less land, ten times less water, nine times less fuel, twelve times less fertilizer and ten times less pesticide in comparison to producing 1 kg of protein from beef. Compared with producing 1 kg of protein from chicken and eggs, beef generated five to six times more waste (manure) to produce 1 kg of protein.”

“Food in the Anthropocene: the EAT–Lancet Commission on healthy diets from sustainable food systems”

5. The EAT-Lancet Commission (2019) published an extensive review of the environmental consequences of food choices. Its major conclusions echoed many of the findings noted here from other researchers.

Additionally, this report showed changes in food production practices (such as using feed additives, manure management, better feed conversion ratios) could decrease total greenhouse gas emissions by only 10%. However, dietary changes that increase plant foods could decrease emissions by 80%.

EAT-Lancet also divided up agriculture’s greenhouse gas share in this manner (top three listed here):

• Enteric fermentation by ruminants: 25%
• Manure (direct/indirect): 31%
• Deforestation/desertification 35%

“Which Diet Has the Least Environmental Impact on Our Planet? A Systematic Review of Vegan, Vegetarian and Omnivorous Diets”

6. A 2019 review article from the journal Sustainability compared many studies looking at environmental impacts of vegan, vegetarian, and omnivore diets. Some of the relevant points included:

• “Livestock farming uses 70% of agricultural land overall and a third of arable land. As such, it plays a major role in CO₂ release and biodiversity loss from deforestation.”
•  “Many vegans replace animal-based products with processed plant-based meat and dairy substitutes (e.g., seitan burger and soy yoghurt) instead of consuming the unprocessed, plant-based nutritious foods…The vegan diet may not have a lower environmental footprint than the lacto-ovo vegetarian diet. The reason for this is that vegans tend to replace animal-based products in their diet by industrially, highly processed plant-based meats and dairy substitutes.”
• “The reviewed studies indicate the possibility of achieving the same environmental impact as that of the vegan diet, without excluding the meat and dairy food groups, but rather, by reducing them substantially.”

Takeaways on Plant-based Diets, Climate, and Environment

Agriculture (12%) and the burning of forests (4%) to plant feed crops or graze cattle are responsible for approximately 16% of all greenhouse gas emissions. This is comparable to the carbon emissions from the transportation sector.

A July 2019 joint report from several major international organizations stated: “Ruminant livestock (cattle, sheep, and goats) use two-thirds of global agricultural land and contribute roughly half of agriculture’s production-related emissions.”

As a rough estimate using the information of the two paragraphs above: 2/3 x 12% = 8% of all emissions from ruminant production + 4% from burning = 12% out of the total 16% from agricultural emissions is due to ruminant production alone.

There are ways to reduce significantly animal agriculture’s contribution to our climate crisis by switching to a vegan or vegetarian diet. In fact, the EAT-Lancet report in 2019 stated that dietary changes which increase plant foods in human diets could decrease carbon emissions (from the agricultural sector) by 80%.

Unfortunately, major international organizations and mainstream media do not clearly make the recommendation to switch to a vegan or vegetarian diet for climate change mitigation.

Individual actions, including switching to a vegan or vegetarian diet, to curb the negative effects of our climate crisis matter by reducing personal fossil fuel footprints. They also have a bigger impact in that they serve as examples for others to emulate.

However, systemic change – notably the drastic and immediate reduction or elimination of fossil fuel use – is needed to prevent worst case scenarios of extreme weather and sea level rise from happening even more than they already are.

Note from the Editor:

See other environmental articles from The Vegetarian Resource Group at:

https://www.vrg.org/environment/

https://www.vrg.org/links/EnvironmentalInformation.htm

Support local veggie restaurants and non-veggie establishments in Maryland offering special vegan menus this month. Find participating restaurants here: https://www.mdveganeats.com/

Some of the dishes you can order online and pick-up include a delicious vegan Cuban Panini sandwich from Roland Park Bagels in Baltimore City; vegan “beef brisket” style bbq sandwich topped w/ vegan slaw & jalapeño bread & butter pickles, on vegan brioche style bun and house fries at Johnny Rads in Baltimore City; vegan and gluten-free baked goods and savory dishes from Harmony Bakery in the Hampden section of Baltimore City; organic vegan cuisine from Great Sage in Clarksville, MD; vegan burgers and sides at PLNT Burger in Columbia and Silver Spring, MD; and fresh cold-pressed juices from Revive in Frostburg, MD.

Vegetarian Journal Senior Editor Rissa Miller was interviewed on the Be Kind Podcast out of Pennsylvania. We thought you would enjoy listening to this recording:

https://bekindpodcast.podbean.com/e/episode-45-vegan-press-and-poetry-with-rissa/

By Rissa Miller, Vegetarian Journal Senior Editor

(Serves 6)

Pre-made hummus is a standby for sandwiches, wraps, and dipping, but it’s also a wonderful ingredient for other meals. Many companies like Sabra, make a wide variety of hummus flavors and are wonderful to adapt to hot meals such as this pasta dish.

3 roma tomatoes

1 large red onion

5 cloves whole garlic, peeled

1 Tablespoon olive oil

Salt and pepper to taste

16-ounce package of pasta, your favorite

2 cups fresh arugula

10-ounce container of hummus (I used Sabra Roasted Garlic)

Juice from 1/2 fresh lemon

2 green onions, chopped

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.

Slice tomatoes and red onion into wedges. Toss tomatoes, red onions, and garlic in olive oil and salt/pepper, then spread into a single layer on the prepared baking sheet. Bake at 400 degrees for 30-40 minutes, until veggies are roasted and slightly browned.

When about ten minutes remain on the timer for the veggies, prepare pasta according to box directions. Drain and toss with arugula and all the hummus in a large serving bowl. As soon as veggies are done, fold gently into the hummus. Serve warm, topped with lemon juice and chopped green onions.

You can now read the latest issue of Vegetarian Journal on Kindle. Some of the articles in this issue include Flat Out Flavor (a wide variety of sheet pan meals); Breakfasts to Savor (savory breakfast recipes); Nutrition Hotline: Understanding Evidence-Based Research; Scientific Updates; Product Reviews; More Harris Poll Results: What Veggie Products Will American Adults Purchase?; Prisoner’s Rights and Vegan Meals in Prison; Vegan Lunch Bag Ideas; and More!

You can subscribe to the Kindle version of Vegetarian Journal in the USA and United Kingdom. In the USA, visit: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07LBY2Y7K/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1544727482&sr=8-1&keywords=B07LBY2Y7K In the United Kingdom, visit: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B07LBY2Y7K/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1544731957&sr=8-1&keywords=B07LBY2Y7K

By Reed Mangels, PhD, RD

Although we usually think of cholesterol as coming from animal products, plants contain very small amounts of cholesterol.¹ The cholesterol content of plants is estimated to be hundreds to thousands times less than that of animals.² These low levels of cholesterol mean that plants’ contribution to dietary cholesterol intake is extremely small. We were only able to find estimates of cholesterol amounts in plant oils but not in whole plant foods. Corn oil, for example, is reported to have 55 milligrams of cholesterol in a kilogram of oil.¹ This works out to less than 1 milligram of cholesterol in a tablespoon of corn oil.  In contrast, one egg yolk has 184 milligrams of cholesterol.

     Plants contain much higher amounts of substances similar to cholesterol but with a slightly different structure called phytosterols or plant sterols. Manufacturers use plant sterols to make cholesterol which is sometimes used in pharmaceuticals.

     Vegans and lacto-ovo vegetarians have higher mean intakes of phytosterols than do nonvegetarians.³ This may be a benefit of a plant-based diet since higher consumption of plant sterols is associated with lower blood cholesterol and LDL (bad) cholesterol levels.^4,5

References

1. Behrman EJ, Gopalan V. Cholesterol and plants. J Chem Educ. 2005; 82:1791–1793.

2. Sonawane PD, Pollier J, Panda S, et al. Plant cholesterol biosynthetic pathway overlaps with phytosterol metabolism. Nat Plants. 2016;3:16205.

3. Jaceldo-Siegl K, Lütjohann D, Sirirat R, Mashchak A, Fraser GE, Haddad E. Variations in dietary intake and plasma concentrations of plant sterols across plant-based diets among North American adults. Mol Nutr Food Res. 2017;61(8):10.

4. Andersson SW, Skinner J, Ellegård L, et al. Intake of dietary plant sterols is inversely related to serum cholesterol concentration in men and women in the EPIC Norfolk population: a cross-sectional study. Eur J Clin Nutr. 2004;58(10):1378-85.

5. Klingberg S, Ellegård L, Johansson I, et al. Inverse relation between dietary intake of naturally occurring plant sterols and serum cholesterol in northern Sweden. Am J Clin Nutr. 2008;87(4):993-1001.

For more nutrition information, see https://www.vrg.org/nutrition/

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.

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):

Bubbie’s Plant Burgers & Fizz, 1829 M St. NW, Washington, DC 20036

Located in Dupont Circle, Bubbie’s Plant Burgers & Fizz offers American-style plant-based lunch and dinner. Sandwiches and burgers include the Bubb Club with “chick’n” and agave mustard sauce and the Gluten-Free Big Bubb with double impossible burgers and house-made cashew cheese. In the mood for something lighter? Try the Cobb Salad with plant-based pork bacon and cashew bleu cheese.

Infinity Room, 210 Liberty St. SE #150, Salem, OR 97301

Located in the renovated lobby of the former Capitol City Theater in Salem. Their menu included Bowls & Salads, Small Plates, Wraps and Sandwiches (Sammiches), Burgers, Tostados, and Deserts.

Jenny’s Plate, Abington, PA 19001

Bulk and catering menu. Focus is on whole foods. No processed meats or cheeses, everything is made by hand. The extensive menu is chock full of fascinating and unique creations such as Parsnip Yogurt, Challah, Carrot Lox, Beet Pastrami, Thai Peanut with Sweet Potato Sushi, Jackfruit Brisket, and a variety of desserts.

Kind Food, 1599 Iron St., North Kansas City, MO 64116

Kind Food aims at providing “good food and kindness for all.” Diners can enjoy delectable dishes such as their CocoBLT, BBQ Jackpot Nachos, and the Bac’n Mushroom Meta Burger. Be sure to try their Caramel Hot Cocoa, which features oat milk and vegan marshmallows!

LesbiVeggies, 112 W. Merchant St., Audobon, NJ 08106

LesbiVeggies provides gluten-free, vegan meals straight to your doorstep! Simply visit their website and order a minimum of 6 meals between Monday and Wednesday, and you’ll receive your refrigerated food on Sunday! The menu changes each week, but past offerings include Lentil Bolognese, Mediterranean Falafel Bowl, and Ratatouille Risotto!

SugarBuzz Vegan Bakery, 23131 Woodward Ave., Ferndale, MI 48220

Vegans dreaming of cookies, cakes, and other pastries will be delighted by the offerings at SugarBuzz. The menu of sweet treats is completely vegan, with a few gluten-free options. Popular selections include the potato chip sandy and apple fritters, and the bakery offers a vegan version of the filled Polish donut known as paczki. Coffee drinks and cold beverages are available, and parking is located behind the building.

TopKnotch, 1000 W. US Hwy. 24, Independence, MO 64050

TopKnotch is a catering kitchen that also offers curbside pickup for advance orders (by phone or online). They specialize in comfort food favorites veganized. Try the wings (your choice of 16 flavors), the BBQ sandwich, or chili dog with a side of macaroni and cheese, potato salad, or baked beans. Combo meals, dinner meals, and sampler platters offer the most value.

Vegan Deadly Sins, 900 15th St., Sacramento, CA 95814

Offers a wide variety of vegan Chinese cuisine including bowls, hot soups, rolls, tofu dishes, vegan meat dishes, chow mein, ramen, rice, and more! Noted for being flavorful and great for non-vegans too!

Vurger Guyz, 1311 W. 3rd St., Los Angeles, CA 90017

This all-vegan food truck was founded by four former NCAA athletes dedicated to putting their own unique spin on street food. The delicious burgers attract vegans and nonvegans alike! Try the Smokey Sunset Vurger – it comes with a Beyond Burger patty, barbeque sauce, and even fried jalapeños! Don’t forget the tacos! The Carnitas Taco features seasoned jackfruit, guacamole, and Vurger sauce. Finish your meal with fries or tater tots!

Recipe from Sabra company

Makes 2 servings for nacho crazed humans or 4-6 servings for regular humans

8 cups pita chips, naan crisps or pita crackers

10 ounce container Sabra Roasted Red Pepper Hummus

¾ cup cherry tomatoes, chopped

1/3 cup roasted red peppers, chopped

¼ cup pepperoncini, chopped

1 cup romaine lettuce, shredded

Optional: 

½ cup pickled red onions

1/3 cup crumbled vegan Feta cheese, like VioLife, or fresh vegan mozzarella, like Miyoko’s

Place pita chips, crisps or crackers on a standard size sheet pan. Top with dollops of Roasted Red Pepper Hummus. Broil 1-2 minutes under a hot broiler to brown hummus and chips a bit. Top with remaining ingredients as desired and serve immediately from the sheet pan. Wrap a cloth or dish towel around a corner or two so no one grabs the hot pan.

How often have you wanted to make a gift in honor of a loved one or friend but weren’t sure which charities are vegan-friendly, pro-environmental, or pro-animal rights? Please remember The Vegetarian Resource Group. You can make a gift in memory of a loved one or as a living tribute to honor someone you care about on a special occasion, such as a wedding or birth. We’ll send an acknowledgment to you and to the recipient(s) you choose. Your gift will support educational programs and help promote veganism.

Make checks payable to The Vegetarian Resource Group and mail to PO Box 1463, Baltimore, MD 21203, or donate at vrg.org/donate