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]
VRG volunteer Marcia Schveibinz reported, “Dietitians
working in health care communities visited the VRG table at their annual
practice group conference in Maryland. Dietitians are seeing more patients
in long term care who follow vegetarian diets than in the past.”
Dharshan Varia stated: I am interested in vegetarianism because of the overwhelming health benefits I have seen associated with this diet. Additionally, morally, it does not sit well with me that we must kill animals and let them suffer from personal satisfaction when there are other plant-based options available. In the past few years, I have been really interested in vegetarian restaurants and cooking. I have learned how to effectively substitute plant-based proteins for meats while still maintaining the overall flavor of a meal. I believe that vegetarianism is a growing trend and I hope that my interest in vegetarianism will allow people to learn about environmental, health, and moral benefits associated with vegetarianism.
To support The Vegetarian Resource Group scholarships and internships, donate at www.vrg.org/donate or The Vegetarian Resource Group, Box 1463, Baltimore, MD 21203
Video scholarships have been given in honor of W.M. Zahn, who was a great mentor.
This time of year, it’s easier to find fresh pumpkin to make vegan dishes. We have pumpkin recipes that previously appeared in Vegetarian Journal that you might want to try out:
Patti Bess shares recipes for Lemony Lentils with Pumpkin, Pumpkin with Black Beans, Braised Pumpkin, Cream of Tomato and Pumpkin Soup, and Stuffed Pumpkin.
The Vegetarian Resource Group is hosting our 38th Annual Pre-ThanksgivingVegan Potluck Dinner on Sunday, November 24th, 2018 at 5 PM. The event is taking place at:
North
Baltimore Mennonite Church
4615 Roland Avenue
Baltimore MD 21210
We will be showing appreciation for
turkeys by not eating them! Come join us for a variety of festive, delicious
vegan dishes! Please bring a vegan dish – free of meat, fish, poultry, dairy,
eggs, honey, or any other animal by-products – that serves 4 per adult
attending.
Adult admission is $5 and children
eat free! Any questions call (410) 366-8343 Mon-Fri 9am-5pm.
Also, you may want to bring a vegan
canned good for the church that will be used for feeding the hungry. We hope to
see you there!
Appetizers include Tofu Satay, Fresh Rolls,
Pot Stickers, Veggie Tempura, and more. Enjoy salads including Mango Salad and
Tofu Larb, as well as soups such as Hot and Sour Soup and Silver Thread soup.
They offer a wide range of curries and you can order them with tofu, seitan,
vegan chicken, or vegan prawns. Also try one of their stir-fries such as Sweet
and Sour Tofu or Cashew Delight. You’ll also find a wide variety of
noodle-based dishes and fried rice.
Bodhi Kosher Thai offers an extensive and
diverse array of colorful vegan Thai dishes. There are curry dishes, noodle
dishes, and rice dishes to choose from, as well as salads, burgers, and wraps.
It is easy to order online (on Yelp) and see what dishes others have liked that
they have ordered. Bodhi Kosher Thai also offers a lunch special—an entree of
your choice served with salad, rice, and tofu, soy beef, or soy chicken.
9819 Foothill Blvd., Unit F, Rancho Cucamonga,
CA 91730
Bright Star Vegan Thai features an extensive
menu of traditionally-based Thai dishes — vegan-style! Enjoy items such as
Orange ‘Chicken,’ Pad Thai, Pineapple Curry, Sweet Chili Soy ‘Fish,’ and Spicy
Mint Noodles Soup. Bright Star boasts a family-friendly, casual atmosphere; one
of its most unique features is an open kitchen, allowing diners to view the
preparation of their meals. The restaurant is accessible from Route 66.
Kati Vegan Thai’s tofu is fresh, local, and
non-GMO. They strive to use organic and local produce whenever possible. Kati’s
bags, boxes, and utensils are all biodegradable. Their menu often changes, so
check their website for the latest updates.
This modern Los Angeles restaurant offers
burgers, noodle and rice dishes, curries, pancakes, wraps, and more! Try the
Chu Chee Salmon, which is grilled mock salmon with spicy red curry sauce, or
the Thai fried rice.
Lotus Vegan offers an extensive menu and
great prices! Enjoy all-vegan Thai cuisine along with some American dishes.
With a focus on organic ingredients, Lotus Vegan uses no MSG or white sugar.
Breakfast is served all day. Outdoor dining is available.
Sometimes it can be tricky to eat Thai food
as a vegan, with the ubiquity of fish sauce and other animal-based ingredients.
But not at Mugi! Here you can get authentic Thai classics like green curry,
massaman curry, larb (made with jackfruit), mango salad, and more! They’re not
just accommodating, they’re all vegan. Try them today for a tasty, no-hassle
dining experience!
My Thai Vegan Café offers Thai cuisine that
is delicious and all-vegan. Their extensive menu consists of inventive mock
meat and mock seafood dishes made from tofu and gluten. A vegan dessert or some
bubble tea is the perfect ending to your meal.
My Vegan Restaurant offers an extensive menu
of vegan Thai cuisine. Try the Seitan Wrap, Pumpkin Fried Rice, Pineapple
Curry, or the Spicy Bamboo Shoot dinner.
Nice, quiet, intimate restaurant with very
reasonable pricing for a full meal. Appetizers include Fresh Roll, Kale Salad,
Quinoa Arugula Salad, and more. Soups such as Seaweed Soup, Coconut Soup, and
Spicy Lemongrass Noodle Soup are offered. Also enjoy a wide variety of curry
dishes, Orange Soy Chicken, Pad Thai, etc.
This kiosk offers vegan Thai food including
Fresh Vegetable Tofu Roll, Papaya Salad, Tofu Vegetable Soup, Spicy Mint
Noodles, Pad Thai, Massamun Tofu Curry, Pineapple Tofu Fried Rice, plus much
more. They also have fresh juices and are located near the beach.
This restaurant offers vegan Thai food
including Fresh Vegetable Tofu Roll, Papaya Salad, Tofu Vegetable Soup, Spicy
Mint Noodles, Pad Thai, Massamun Tofu Curry, Pineapple Tofu Fried Rice, plus
much more. They also have fresh juices.
Thai Vegan offers an extensive all-vegan
menu. Enjoy Chef’s Specials such as Mushroom Steak, Soy Shrimp Spinach Noodle,
or Lentil Loaf. Prices are fair and their lunch and dinner combinations are
especially good values. Thai Vegan on Osuna is closed on weekdays between lunch
and dinner, so please call ahead for hours.
The Wheel of Life is a warm, inviting
informal restaurant with Thai and Chinese dishes. Entrées include stuffed tofu
delights, Pad Thai, curries, Thai salads, a variety of veggie “fish”
dishes, and dishes made from soy meats created from their own recipes. No MSG
is used. The Wheel of Life is closed between lunch and dinner, so please call ahead
for hours.
Vegan Glory offers delicious Thai-influenced
vegan cuisine that is mostly organic. The open kitchen allows diners to view
the careful food preparation. Menu items include Lentil Loaf, Tofu Satay, Glass
Noodle Salad, and Miso Soup. Make sure to save room for some vegan carrot cake.
Vegan Glory is located near many shops and services including the Beverly
Center.
Vegan Plate offers an extensive all-vegan
menu of Thai cuisine along with some American favorites. Enjoy such dishes as
Yellow Curry, Papaya Salad, Pad Thai, Wonton Noodle Soup, or Grilled Tofu
Burger. Make sure to try their daily lunch or dinner combinations for a lot of
food at a great price. Wheat-free menus are available.
Vegan Thai Cafe offers an extensive menu
including appetizers, soups, curries (including pumpkin!), noodles & rice,
and stir fry. Drunken noodles with mock duck or beef are customer favorites.
The curries are also quite popular. Mock seafood, including squid, shrimp, and
abalone are also available.
East Carolina University is recruiting currently and recently pregnant vegetarian and vegan women to participate in a research study that examines nutrient intake while pregnant. Eligibility requirements include:
Adherence to a vegetarian or vegan diet Being currently or recently (within 12 months) pregnant Being 18 years of age or older Living in North America
If you are interested in participating, please complete a screening survey at go.ecu.edu/screeningsurvey
A recently published study from the UK examined more than 48,000 vegans, vegetarians, fish eaters, and meat eaters and their risk of heart disease and stroke over an 18 year period. Because of the relatively small number of vegans, they were combined with lacto vegetarians and lacto-ovo vegetarians into a group called “vegetarians.” The vegetarians (including vegans) had a 22% lower risk of heart disease than the meat eaters; fish eaters had a 13% lower risk than the meat eaters. According to the study’s authors, these results suggest that if a group of 1000 meat eaters was compared to a group of 1000 vegetarians, over a 10 year period, there would be 10 fewer cases of heart disease in the vegetarians than in meat eaters.
In contrast, vegetarians (including vegans) had a higher risk of a kind of stroke called hemorrhagic stroke and of stroke overall than did meat eaters. This suggests that if a group of 1000 meat eaters was compared to a group of 1000 vegetarians, over a 10 year period, there would be 3 more cases of stroke in vegetarians than in meat eaters. There are two main types of stroke – ischemic and hemorrhagic. Ischemic strokes are more common (87% of all strokes) and are due to a blood clot blocking blood flow to the brain. Hemorrhagic strokes are less common and are caused by a weakened blood vessel rupturing and bleeding into the brain.
When vegans were examined separately from other vegetarians, vegans had a lower risk of heart disease than meat eaters but a higher risk for stroke although neither estimate was statistically significant, possibly due to the small number of cases in vegans.
This study’s results are similar to those of other studies which have reported a reduced risk of heart disease or of dying from heart disease in vegetarians including vegans. Up until now, studies of strokes in vegetarians have only looked at the risk of dying from stroke and found no significant difference of dying from stroke by diet group.
The study’s authors note that vegetarians and vegans in this study have lower blood levels of vitamin B12, vitamin D, and omega-3 fatty acids than do meat eaters and wonder if these differences could have contributed to the higher risk of stroke seen in vegetarians in this study.
We also note that there were only small differences in saturated fat and fiber intake between the vegetarian and meat eating groups. Additional research should be done using groups with larger differences in intakes of saturated fat and fiber.
If other large studies have similar results to this study, it will be important to identify dietary changes that vegetarians can make to reduce their risk of stroke without affecting their already reduced risk of heart disease. While we don’t know if lower blood levels of vitamin B12, vitamin D, and omega-3 fatty acids were related to the higher risk of stroke, we do know that having adequate amounts of these nutrients is important for overall health.
Tong TYN, Appleby PN, Bradbury KE, et al. Risks of ischaemic heart disease and stroke in meat eaters, fish eaters, and vegetarians over 18 years of follow-up: results from the prospective EPIC-Oxford study. BMJ 2019;366:l4897.
The Vegetarian Resource Group (VRG) is a non-profit organization dedicated to educating the public on veganism and the interrelated issues of health, nutrition, ecology, ethics, and world hunger. We have been helping health professionals, food services, businesses, educators, students, vegans, and vegetarians since 1982. In addition to publishing the Vegan Journal, VRG produces and sells a number of books.
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