Plant Milks photo from Freepik

In the latest issue of Vegan Journal, Reed Mangels, PhD, RD, reports on the nutritional content of various vegan milk alternatives. Extensive research was done to compile this information. Read the article here: https://www.vrg.org/journal/vj2025issue3/2025_issue3_plant_milks.php

Subscribe to Vegan Journal in the USA only at www.vrg.org/member

Who doesn’t love cookies? Bake Me Healthy offers ready-to-eat dark chocolate chip cookies made with upcycled sunflower protein flour. Read the product review here: https://www.vrg.org/journal/vj2025issue3/2025_issue3_veggie_bits.php

Subscribe to Vegan Journal in the USA only at www.vrg.org/member

In-person conference in Philadelphia, PA!
Sunday, 10/5/2025
8 hours
3 WFPB meals included
Virtual option

Virtual conference day: Sunday, 10/5

For details, go to https://www.preventionofdisease.org/2025-single-day-agendas

Thank you to Elsa Spencer, PhD, who did a VRG booth at Charlottesville Veg Fest. She said

It was a hot one (90 degrees for some of the time) but had a lot of good conversations. I had several people who were wanting to become pregnant soon, and one who had one on the way. They asked about baby food and pregnancy books. I referred them to the books that I used too. Saw lots of members and vegan families and actually a couple of teens recently veg*an. Gave out a ton of literature!

To support VRG outreach, please join or give gift subscriptions at: https://www.vrg.org/member/cabdacae.php

This year, The Vegetarian Resource Group commissioned a YouGov national poll asking many different questions of interest to vegans, food manufacturers, health professionals, media, and others. Read the poll results here: https://www.vrg.org/journal/vj2025issue3/2025_issue3_staying_vegetarian.php

Subscribe to Vegan Journal in the USA only at www.vrg.org/member

Come meet dietitians from the Vegetarian Nutrition Dietetic Practice Group and VRG members. The public is invited. You must preregister. You can pay at www.vrg.org/donate Write in names of attendees and that this is for the Networking dinner.

When: Sunday, October 12, 2025, 6 PM

Where: Sitar Indian Restaurant

Menu (subject to change):

Samosa (potato and pea turnover)
Salad
Papadum (thin and crispy lentil crackers)
Roti (whole wheat bread)
Chutney
Rice
Yellow Dal (lentils)
Chana Masala (chickpeas)
Baingan Bhurtha (eggplant)
Bhindi Masala (okra)
Vegetable Patia (fresh vegetables with sweet and sour mangoes)
Fruit
Tea and Water

Cost: $35 before October 1, 2025. Includes tax and tip. Drinks can be purchased from the restaurant separately.

PLEASE PAY AT   www.vrg.org/donate and write in the Comments: Networking Dinner with the Attendee names. Or call (410) 366-8343. Or mail payment to The Vegetarian Resource Group, P.O. Box 1463, Baltimore, MD 21203. We look forward to seeing you there.

(Note: This replaces a previous dinner location because of a fire in the area.)

Chickpea Korma photo by Hannah Kaminsky

In the latest issue of Vegan Journal, Hannah Kaminsky shows readers how to prepare vegan dishes using different types of vegan milks. Try Royal Milk Tea, Cream of Mushroom Soup, Scalloped Rainbow Potatoes, Spinach & Artichoke Alfredo, Chickpea Korma, and Chai-Spiced Rice Pudding. Read the entire article here: https://www.vrg.org/journal/vj2025issue3/2025_issue3_dairy_free_dishes.php

Subscribe to Vegan Journal in the USA only at www.vrg.org/member

Shire’s Naturals vegan ravioli are filled with creamy cultured cashew cheese and tofu. Read the product review here: https://www.vrg.org/journal/vj2025issue3/2025_issue3_veggie_bits.php

Subscribe to Vegan Journal in the USA only at www.vrg.org/member

photo from Freepik

by Reed Mangels, PhD, RD

Have you ever felt sore the day after a vigorous workout? If you have, you’ve experienced exercise-induced muscle damage. This is the technical name for the muscle soreness and stiffness that you feel after unfamiliar or more intense exercise. Some of the symptoms can last for several days and muscle soreness may take 5-7 days to resolve. Exercise-induced muscle damage can temporarily have a negative effect on performance by reducing strength and speed. Protein plays a role in muscle recovery after exercise. While the Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) for protein is no higher for athletes than for non-athletes, many experts recommend that athletes get between 1.2 and 2.0 grams of protein per kilogram body weight (0.55 to 0.91 grams of protein per pound of body weight).

What is the study?

Researchers wondered if vegetarian athletes would recover faster if they consumed the higher amount (2.0 g/kg) of protein compared to the lower amount (1.2 g/kg). In order to examine this question, sixteen individuals (9 males and 7 females) with an average age of 24 years were studied. All study subjects had followed a vegetarian diet for at least 3 months before the study started. They could eat eggs and dairy products. The subjects kept a record of what they ate for 3 days before the study started. Their baseline protein intake was calculated using these records and the subjects were given unflavored pea protein isolate to add to their diet so that they were getting either 1.2 or 2.0 g/kg/day of protein.

Subjects were randomly assigned to consume either 1.2 or 2.0 g/kg/day of protein for 5 days, eat their usual diet for 2 weeks, and then switch to the other protein level for 5 days. At the beginning of the time that the subjects were eating a measured amount of protein, they completed a muscle damage protocol in which they did controlled exercise that led to muscle soreness and stiffness. They reported the degree of muscle soreness they experienced and did various tests to measure strength and power both before and for 5 days after they completed the muscle damage protocol.

What did this study find?

There was no difference in recovery of strength and power or of recovery from soreness in people following a vegetarian diet who consumed the lower (1.2 g/kg) or upper (2.0 g/kg) ends of protein recommendations for athletes. These results suggest that vegetarian athletes do not need to consume extra protein above the lower end of the protein recommendation for athletes to successfully recover from exercise-induced muscle damage.

Reference:

Presti N, Rideout TC, Temple JL, et al. Recovery of strength after exercise-induced muscle damage in vegetarians consuming the upper and lower ends of protein recommendations for athletes. Nutrients. 2025;17:1046.

More VRG articles for Vegan and Vegetarian Athletes are available here.

Recent topics brought up include:

– I’m looking for suggestions on what to serve at my elementary school age child’s birthday party. No specific theme. Anyone have suggestions?

– Shared Baltimore Maryland Children’s Veg Fest info

– Smash Foods Snack Bites were a hit with the kids! We tried the Cashew Butter & Blueberry Jam flavor.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/VRGparentsandkids is intended to be a group that offers support for families raising children on vegan diets and for vegan kids around the world. We envision it as a place to get advice about a wide-variety of topics: pregnancy, birthday parties, school lunches, Halloween, non-leather apparel, cruelty-free products, summer camps, and more. Please use it as a place to share your wisdom, seek advice, or just find a sympathetic ear. The goal is to offer support.

Consequently, any profane, defamatory, offensive, or violent language will be removed. Feel free to disagree, but do so respectfully. Hateful or discriminatory comments regarding race, ethnicity, religion, gender, disability, sexual orientation, or political beliefs will not be tolerated. We expect that posts should relate to vegan diets and lifestyles. The Vegetarian Resource Group reserves the right to monitor all content and ban any user who posts in violation of the above rules, any law or regulation, SPAM, or anything otherwise off topic.

Please share this information with any veggie families that you know! Thanks.