The VRG needs your help!

Have you spotted calcium stearate on a food label recently? Please let us know!

Send us a web link to the ingredients label or a photo. Or at least, lead us to it with the complete name of the food product including brand. No vitamins or pharmaceuticals, please…just food.

At one time, calcium stearate was often derived from cow or hog fat, but we think this is no longer true. We’re not even sure this once-popular anti-caking agent and emulsifier is really even used much at all today in food. In fact, we’ve spotted it only in Smarties candy and Subway Canada’s Honey Oat Bread (both plant-derived).

Have you seen it? Please let us know! Thanks!
-Jeanne Yacoubou, Research Director

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.

By Navaal Mahdi

The average Pakistani diet is conveniently full of vegetables and lentils, so you would think that it wouldn’t be difficult for a Pakistani to cut out meat completely and make a significant diet change. The only thing that prevents many from doing so is the fact that many traditional Pakistani dishes contain some animal products. Actually, the biggest culprit is butter, and many Pakistanis seem to think that it–as well as other dairy products–are essential to make the food tasty. This is undoubtedly far from the truth, though.

When I decided to go vegan, it was ultimately a spur of the moment decision. I researched the meaning and lifestyle for almost a whole year; however, growing up in a house where dairy products were a part of almost every meal made me nervous to become vegan. For the longest time, I was worried that I wouldn’t be able to eat the gourmet-quality dishes my mom had always made and that I had grown accustomed to. However, after checking numerous recipes, I realized that most foods my mom made were already vegan, and those that weren’t could easily be made vegan by skipping a step. In reality, sometimes it’s just a matter of adding olive oil instead of butter, and the dish is vegan. Knowing this made it easier for me to be content with the decision to go vegan, so I was able to cut out all animal products immediately.

When it comes to eating at parties and community gatherings, I make sure to eat a meal before I head out because I can’t expect to find too much that I can eat at these events. Most of the time, there are plain salads and vegetable-based dishes that I can eat, so luckily I’m not left to starve on the days I don’t eat beforehand. But the problem really isn’t the food; most of the time, it’s the questions, comments, and looks I get from people.

Though we shouldn’t have to explain ourselves, having a lifestyle so different from the majority of our peers means we definitely have to be willing to give them some answers when they notice what we aren’t eating. In the Pakistani community that I’m familiar with, it’s usually only the older people who don’t take me as seriously as the others do when it comes to my choice to be vegan. In this case though, it’s important to remember that most people who have lived the same lifestyle forever will naturally find it hard to comprehend the way you live. In the beginning, it’s essential to stay true to your beliefs and to not let anyone’s words get to you; if your beliefs in vegan principles are strong, then nothing will be able to change your decision.

As daunting as the task of becoming a vegan seems in a community that generally uses animal products in all food (which is arguably the most important aspect of its culture), it’s not as difficult as you might try to make yourself believe it is. If you’re willing to put up with some curious people–which will be no problem if you’re passionate about the cause–and if you’re willing to get creative with your meals, then don’t put it off because it’s not conventional in your community. Just remember that you’re making a positive change in the world, and eating as well as you do will make you feel great while you’re doing it, too.

Navaal Mahdi wrote this piece while doing an internship with The Vegetarian Resource Group.

by Danny Cohen and Marc Bernstein

Sure, there are plenty of people who have been vegan longer than we have, and then there are plenty of people who are older than we are and have not been vegan for as long or as much a percentage of their lives. At the time of the writing of this article, I, Danny, have been vegan now for 41% of my life. And, I, Marc, have been vegan for 27% of my life. We are just kids, but are active and committed leaders of Veg Kids. We are both totally vegan and have been for the last number of years. We met each other at Vegan Camp and have been good friends ever since.

The newest thing we have done together is start the Vegan Cheese group on Facebook. We wanted a place where we could share with each other and others about the bountiful new vegan cheese options. While our lives have not been that long yet, we both have been so excited about all of the new vegan cheeses that have recently been coming out. When we first went vegan, we had thought that we were just going to do without anything like the cheeses we had loved. We were willing to give them up, because it was the right thing to do. Now, though, we are just so excited about all of the new vegan cheese choices. Yum!

On the Vegan Cheese group, we have listed the following as the variety of companies making and selling vegan cheeses and we are sorry if there are any that we have missed (but please message us and we will be glad to add them): Avellana, Beyond Better, Blode Kuh, Chao, Cheezly, Daiya, Dr. Cow, Earth Balance, Follow Your Heart, Free and Easy, Galaxy, Go Veggie, Heidi Ho, Johanna’s, Kite Hill, Leahey, Miyoko’s Kitchen, Nacheez, Nacho Mom’s, Nary Dairy, Parma, Parma Zaan, Parmela, Punk Rawk Labs, Road’s End Organics, Sheeze, St. Martaen, Sun Artisan, Teese, Tofutti, Trader Joe’s, Treeline, Veeta, Veg Chefs, Veg Cuisine, Vio Life, Virgin Cheese, Vromage, Vtopian, Wayfare, and Wilmersburger. That’s over forty different vegan cheese companies so far. That’s amazing.

Now, we unfortunately can not claim to have tried every one of them. But, on the vegan cheese group people can talk about all of them. People can share enthusiastically what they like and respectfully what they don’t. They can also share recipes for making their own vegan cheeses.

Some of these companies are actually not even totally unique. Some of them use the same or almost the same cheeses. We don’t know for sure but it seems to us that some of them may have bought Miyoko’s book, Artisan Vegan Cheese,” and copied or modified her recipes. How wonderful that she wrote her book and put it out there for others to learn from. We have been told that she is the “Queen of Vegan Cheese.” Her cheeses are pretty amazing. We’ve found that her cheeses are kind of more sophisticated and more to the liking of adults who want wine and cheese kind of parties.

Our favorites are cheeses like those from Chao, Daiya, Follow Your Heart (their newer ones), and Vio Life. But, did you know that Chao, Follow Your Heart, and Vio Life are pretty much all the same as each other? Vio Life is a company from Greece and Chao and Follow Your Heart are getting their new cheese slices from them. They may be using some different flavors and a little different formulas, but they are basically the same and made by Vio Life. It is kind of funny to watch people comment about how they like one and not the other when they are so much the same. We really like all of these cheeses. Their texture and consistency is really good. We do like the flavor of Daiya’s cheddar and provolone better than the others, but their consistency and texture are not as good. We also love that Daiya makes a Swiss which none of the other have yet, but we want more holes!

The whole variety makes us happy in cheese heaven. Our favorite for melting for pizza and other Italian dishes is Daiya. Our favorite for sandwiches is Chao, Follow Your Heart, and Vio Life. Our favorites for crackers are St. Martaen and Daiya. Our favorite macaroni and cheese are the new ones from Daiya. Our favorite cheesecake is from No Udder Desserts vegan bakery in Los Angeles who uses Tofutti cream cheese. Our favorite for nachos is definitely Teese.

And we are not teasing. We are so excited that there are so so many vegan cheeses now. That’s why we started the Vegan Cheese group on Facebook. Anyone on Facebook can join the group and share their vegan cheese favorites, recipes, experiences, etc. We hope we are not being too cheesey, but we want you all to smile and say “cheese” and enjoy these many vegan cheeses.

Danny and Marc are 12 and 11 years old respectively and are active participants and leaders of Veg Kids based in the San Fernando Valley of Los Angeles.

Seek a mature, responsible, healthy, vegan-oriented couple or individual (preferably retired) to exchange Caretaker/Property-Custodian duties for free land rent for their RV or Camper in a pristine outdoor environment close to an interstate, 2 towns and a city plus an international airport.

We offer Caretaker(s) a place to grow an organic garden and set up their own tent, RV or Camper in beautiful, unpolluted surroundings.

For more information see: http://www.all-creatures.org/cb/cg.html
Proprietor: Gerry Coffey: [email protected] or leave message at 256-350-2823.

The deadline for this year’s VRG Essay Contest for Kids is May 1, 2015. For details on the contest and to see previous winning entries go to: http://www.vrg.org/essay/

This essay contest is a great way to encourage kids to write about their vegetarian/vegan lifestyle. Entrants should base their paper on interviewing, research, and/or personal opinion. You need not be a vegetarian to enter. All essays become the property of The Vegetarian Resource Group.

Get amazing deals on products from your favorite veg-friendly companies and support The Vegetarian Resource Group (VRG) at the same time at The VRG’s 1st Annual Online Charity Auction!

June 1st through June 15th, 2015, bid on unique gift baskets with vegan goodies from companies like Chicago Vegan Foods and Alternative Baking Company, gift cards from veg-friendly retailers like VeganEssentials.com and NaturalCandyStore.com, beautiful accommodations in vegan bed & breakfasts like Cherokee Rose Inn (Portland, OR) and Hungry Ghost Guest House (New Paltz, NY) and more!

The auction will be held via Ebay Giving Works where 100% of each item’s final bid price will be donated to The VRG. Funds from this event will be used to help offset the costs of printing and shipping our vegan and vegetarian-based educational materials which we have provided to activists, professionals and organizations around the country, for over 33 years, free of charge!

The link to the auction will be posted when the site goes live at 10am on Monday, June 1st. Until then, click here to RSVP to this event on Facebook. We will be updating this event page with sneak peaks of all of the amazing items that will be featured and you’ll be reminded when the auction goes live. Trust me, you don’t want to miss out on these incredible vegan goodies!

If you have any questions about this event or you are a veg-friendly business that would like to donate an item please contact our Outreach Coordinator, Nina, at [email protected].

We thank you in advance for your support!

The Vegetarian Resource Group

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

Champs Diner
197 Meserole St.
Brooklyn, NY 11206

Champs is a vegan twist on an all American idea. The diner serves an impressive variety of foods from delicious breakfast items such as French toast with tofu scramble to sandwiches like a Philly cheese steak made with seitan to desserts such as a warm brownie sundae.

Nourish Café
189 6th Ave.
San Francisco, CA 94118

After wanting healthier restaurant options in San Francisco’s Richmond District, three friends opened this cafe. Their menu is entirely plant-based, organic, and made with ingredients obtained fresh from local farms and purveyors. All sweeteners are natural, such as maple syrup and coconut, as are all alternatives, such as hemp seed oils. They offer smoothies, salads, toast with gluten-free bread, soups, and more.

The Vegan Duchess
2354 Yonge St.
Toronto, ON M4P 2E6 Canada

The Vegan Duchess is a raw quick-serve restaurant with many snacks, meals, and desserts to go. Try the Falafel Wrap or the Raw Pesto Pineapple Pizza. For dessert try the Cashew Berry Cheesecake or the Apple Crumble. Be sure to check out the fresh juices and smoothies too. Limited seating available.

VeStation
14435 Ventura Blvd.
Sherman Oaks, CA 91423

VeStation calls itself an urban organic kitchen. It’s devoted to providing healthy vegan Asian food, and uses natural and organic elements as often as possible. They combine traditional Asian recipes from Thailand, Japan, Malaysia, and Vietnam, and more, with exotic, vegan ingredients. You can order online for pickup or delivery.

Earth Day is April 22nd each year. This is the perfect time to promote a veggie lifestyle to friends, family, students, etc. and The Vegetarian Resource Group has many materials on www.vrg.org that you can use. Visit: http://www.vrg.org/environment/

Here you’ll see Save our Water: The Vegetarian Way (in an English and a Spanish version), which shows that the largest user of fresh water is the livestock industry. There’s even a chart showing you how much water is used to produce various foods.

You will also find many creative lesson plans and handouts to use with students of all ages. Topics include Water Conservation and Dietary Connections for grades 5-8, as well as A Comparative Study of Surface Water Quality with Dietary Connections for Middle/High School students.

Sabra Dipping Co., LLC announced that it is voluntarily recalling approximately 30,000 cases of its Classic Hummus due to possible contamination with Listeria monocytogenes. This measure is limited to five SKUs of Classic Hummus sold nationwide.

For details on this recall see: http://www.fda.gov/Safety/Recalls/ucm441863.htm

By Jeanne Yacoubou, MS

Alternative names: phosphatidylcholine, partially hydrolyzed lecithin, E322

Naturally present in: liver, egg yolks, soybeans, wheat germ

Commercial Source: vegetable (soy, sunflower, canola seeds)

Used in: instant products, beverages, margarine and spreads, baked goods, snacks, salad dressings, chocolate, confections, protein shakes, dietary supplements, pharmaceutical and personal care products

Used as: emulsifier, dispersing agent, surfactant, release agent

Definition: A group of compounds of varying chemical composition depending on the source, lecithin mixes well with a wide variety of other food ingredients thereby serving multiple functions in foods and making it one of the most widely used food ingredients. Dietary lecithin is a primary source of the essential nutrient choline, important for cell membrane integrity and nerve signaling. Lecithin is also important in many industries including paint and plastics.

Manufacturers:

ADM wrote that “ADM soy lecithin products do not contain animal products or by-products and are suitable for vegetarians and vegans…The process that produces our soy lecithins does not employ enzymes nor cow bone filters.”

American Lecithin Company told us by phone that all of their food-use lecithins are vegetable-derived; “our egg lecithins are used in pharmaceuticals.”

Cargill Foods

Danisco

Additional Information:

http://www.ilps.org/files/Download/Forms/The%20Changing%20World%20of%20Lecithins%20-INFORM%204-2014.pdf

http://www.phospholipid-institute.com/en/literature

Although the FDA approved krill-derived lecithin for food use, the company which filed the petition told us by phone that they “sell krill oil, not lecithin from krill.” (Sources: 1, 2, 3, 4).

Classification: Vegan (for food use)

Entry updated: March 2015

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

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

To Join The Vegetarian Resource Group, go to: http://www.vrg.org/member/2013sv.php

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 judgement about whether a product is suitable for you. To be sure, do further research or confirmation on your own.