By Shelby Jackson, VRG Intern

For a limited time, eight Subway Restaurants in Maryland, Washington DC, and Virginia will be test-offering three vegan meat substitutes: the Sweet Riblet, the Malibu Greek, and the Italian Black Bean subs.

A sucker for anything barbecue, the Sweet Riblet was by far my favorite with its chewy tanginess and zesty flavor. The Malibu Greek came in close second with its indescribably unique taste that was far different from any meat substitute I have ever tried. The Italian Black Bean was also delicious with a more familiar, wholesome black bean burger taste.

Unfortunately, there are no plans to offer these vegan selections nationally so it is important to show support by requesting these options at your local Subway or by contacting the company at www.subway.com.

The following locations are currently offering the vegan patties:

Washington, DC

• 555 13th St NW, Washington, DC 20005 — 202-347-4616
• 455 Massachusetts Ave, NW (1st Floor) Washington, DC 20001 — 202-638-0348
• 550 First St., NW, Washington, DC 20001 — 202-661-6639

Maryland

• 8145 Main St, Ellicott City, MD 21043 — 410-418-4330
• 5520 Research Park Dr, #107 (Univ. of MD, Baltimore County), Catonsville, MD 21228 — 410-455-5222
• 300 Sentinel Dr, #100, Annapolis Junction, MD 20701 — 301-490-6553

Virginia

• 320 King St, Alexandria, VA 22314 — 703-879-4321
• 2361 Eisenhower Ave, Alexandria, VA 22314 — 703-879-4321

Included below are the list of ingredients for each of the patties:

RIBLET: SOY PROTEIN CONCENTRATE WITH WATER FOR HYDRATION, TEXTURED WHEAT PROTEIN (WHEAT GLUTEN, WHEAT STARCH) WITH WATER FOR HYDRATION, CANOLA OIL, CONTAINS TWO PERCENT OR LESS OF NATURAL SMOKE FLAVOR, YEAST EXTRACT, SOY PROTEIN ISOLATE, MODIFIED VEGETABLE GUM, SALT, EXTRACT OF MALTED BARLEY AND CORN, SUNFLOWER OIL, NATURAL FLAVORS, CARAMEL COLOR, SOY LECITHIN.
CONTAINS SOY AND WHEAT INGREDIENTS.

MALIBU BURGER: SOY PROTEIN CONCENTRATE WITH WATER FOR HYDRATION, TEXTURED WHEAT PROTEIN (WHEAT GLUTEN, WHEAT STARCH) WITH WATER FOR HYDRATION, CANOLA OIL, CONTAINS TWO PERCENT OR LESS OF NATURAL SMOKE FLAVOR, YEAST EXTRACT, SOY PROTEIN ISOLATE, MODIFIED VEGETABLE GUM, SALT, EXTRACT OF MALTED BARLEY AND CORN, SUNFLOWER OIL, NATURAL FLAVORS, CARAMEL COLOR, SOY LECITHIN.
CONTAINS SOY AND WHEAT INGREDIENTS.

BLACK BEAN BURGER: SOY PROTEIN CONCENTRATE WITH WATER FOR HYDRATION, TEXTURED WHEAT PROTEIN (WHEAT GLUTEN, WHEAT STARCH) WITH WATER FOR HYDRATION, CANOLA OIL, CONTAINS TWO PERCENT OR LESS OF NATURAL SMOKE FLAVOR, YEAST EXTRACT, SOY PROTEIN ISOLATE, MODIFIED VEGETABLE GUM, SALT, EXTRACT OF MALTED BARLEY AND CORN, SUNFLOWER OIL, NATURAL FLAVORS, CARAMEL COLOR, SOY LECITHIN.
CONTAINS SOY AND WHEAT INGREDIENTS.

For more information about fast food restaurants and vegetarian options, visit http://www.vrg.org/fastfoodinfo.htm. To learn more about vegetarian options offered in restaurants throughout America, visit the Vegetarian Resource Group’s Restaurant Guide at http://www.vrg.org/restaurant/index.php.

A very successful vegan restaurant is for sale in southern California. This completely turnkey establishment has a fully-equipped kitchen and a beautiful outdoor patio. $120,000 firm. Only serious buyers should inquire. For more information, please contact Rick at [email protected].

By Anna Austin, VRG Intern

My freshman year I was the only vegan in the entire high school. There were some vegetarians, but many of them did not know about veganism. Even some of my friends didn’t understand or respect my choices. I had tried to make some small efforts to educate people and to even simply explain myself to others, but most of the time I felt like there wasn’t much I could do to clarify or even defend my position to the dozens of other students at my school who either knew nothing about
veganism, thought it was odd, or disagreed with it entirely. I felt that, because I was so outnumbered, there was nothing I could do to promote a change within my school environment. For a while things seemed kind of hopeless. There was no way I alone could change the way things were. For the majority of the school year I grew somewhat comfortable being the only vegan in the school. I had never met any other vegans my age and I had minimal support coming from others, especially those within my age group.

However, one day in March when I was coming out of history class a junior who I recognized, but had never talked to, came up to me in the hallway. She ecstatically told me that she had just recently decided to become a vegan and had come to me because she knew I was, too. She wanted to start a club. I thought it was a great idea, but I was shocked. She had just become a vegan and already was proposing a way of getting the school involved. I had always wanted to start a vegan-related club, but never got the feeling that I could do it all myself or that anything could possibly come out of it because I would have little support. I worried that no one else would join. I never would have done it alone. I was glad this girl had come up to me because with another person, I finally had the help and motivation I needed to do something. This way even if no one joined the club, I wouldn’t be the only one.

Following all the procedures to start a club at my school was not a simple task. We had to get a club request form from the school’s website on which we were required to write the club’s intentions, request a specific budget from the school Senate, and receive a signature from the teacher who agreed to be the club advisor. Once the form was completed, the school’s Senate had to approve it. At the time this felt very overwhelming for both of us. But, fortunately, we were able to have everything together and turned in on time.

A couple weeks later our Vegan Club got approved by Senate. We were so happy our efforts had paid off, but it was relatively late in the year so all other clubs had gotten their starts months ago when the year started and we hadn’t. At the beginning of each year there is a club fair where each club displays their intentions for the year and gives out candy, cake, and other treats to convince other students to join. We wouldn’t get that opportunity. It was too late. Because it was closer to the
end of the year, our goals were going to have to be more directed towards establishing our club, introducing our ideas to the school, finishing off the year successfully, and setting it up for the next year.

For our faculty advisor I asked a teacher who I knew well and who both my co-member and I agreed would be the most helpful for the club. She was my environmental science teacher and she was supportive of our efforts to get the whole school involved. She knew I was a vegan. She was very encouraging and even requested I bring in vegan food for the class whenever I wanted to. She helped us brainstorm and plan events for the rest of the year.

Our first goal was to get people interested in the club. At the start a lot of people mocked the idea, and the Senate almost didn’t approve it just because it was so late in the year. We had to prove to the school and to ourselves that we could be a successful club even without a lot of support. So, we went straight for people’s stomachs. The first event we coordinated was a huge feast outside the school where we gave out free vegan food that we had prepared. It was very successful. It was a warm, sunny day and nearly the entire school (students and teachers) was outside eating our food. It was a great feeling. We knew we had proved ourselves to the rest of the school. If they didn’t know before, people knew after that day that vegan food could actually taste good.

Before the event was done, we had several students come up to the food table and ask to join the club. We gained lots of new members that day. Our club finally had more than just two people. Once it was clear that people had become interested in the club, we tried to get them interested in the cause too. We gradually began focusing on other things and a lot of our later actions involved raising money for various organizations. We had bake sales, activities on Earth Day, and we even gave a presentation in front of the school. It was a lot of fun, and we got a lot of recognition for our efforts (mostly because people liked our food). No one changed their ways of eating as a result of our deeds, but people respected the action we were taking, so we still enjoyed putting in all the work.

I would suggest to anyone else who is thinking about starting a club to first look for an ally, a friend or anyone else who can help out with the planning and organizing. If that’s not possible, finding a supportive mentor could also be beneficial. If it’s too difficult to find a current supporter, it might be useful to try to recruit someone to join the cause. It is always best to plan ahead for a lengthy process and to give yourself enough time. Another thing that I can’t stress enough is enticing people with good food. It works!

Even with the regrets I have about my initial inhibitions, I am proud of what the club was able to accomplish. The best thing that came out of it was the way we set it up for success in the coming years. Because we started it so late in the year, it was able to smoothly transition into the next year right from the start. The club got really popular the following year. We did bake sales and more free food days, as well. We also coordinated with the cafeteria staff to have a couple of all-vegan lunch days. Although the co-founder graduated the second year of the club, many new people have joined. The club changed its name to the Vegan/Vegetarian club to encourage a wider range of people to join. The past couple of years, we’ve organized school-wide activities on Earth Day to get the whole school involved, aware and participating in activities to help educate everyone about different ways of living and eating cruelty-free.

By Rebecca Kaplan, VRG Intern

The VRG has a great directory and listing of vegan- and vegetarian-friendly restaurants in New York: http://www.vrg.org/restaurant/New_York.php. These restaurants are my favorites for affordable, convenient, and tasty vegan dining:

1) Best Mexican: V-Spot
156 5th Avenue Brooklyn, NY 11217
(718) 622-2275

V-Spot is a small restaurant in Park Slope with an amazing range of food – all of it vegan. The menu is Mexican, with some Caribbean and
American influences. There’s also a juice and smoothie bar, and a selection of sinfully sweet and creamy vegan desserts. Every dish is
prepared to perfection, and there are many options that are available gluten-free. V-Spot offers gourmet food that won’t break the bank; their sandwiches and entrees range from $7 to $16, and they’re generous with the portions.

2) Best Chinese: Dao Palate
329 Flatbush Avenue Brooklyn, NY 11217
(718) 638-1995 and
201 5th Avenue, Brooklyn, New York 11217
(718) 622-2088

Folklore says that the Chinese were the first to use wheat gluten as a meat substitute, possibly for Buddhist vegetarians. Generations of
cultural experience mean that everything at Dao Palate, an all-vegan Chinese restaurant in Park Slope, Brooklyn, is delicious. The menu is
Pan-Asian, predominantly Chinese with some Japanese and Thai items available. Wheat gluten and tofu are amazingly versatile substances, and Dao Palate has turned soy into an art form: they make dishes in every flavor imaginable, with meat substitutes ranging from soft to crispy and everywhere in-between. The owner of Dao Palate orders as many vegetables as possible from a local Farmer’s Market. Everything on the menu, except for the ice cream on the dessert menu and milk served with coffee is vegan – but these are clearly marked non-vegan. Soy milk and soy ice cream are also available.

3) Best Mostly-Vegan Cafe: Maimonide of Brooklyn
525 Atlantic Avenue Brooklyn, NY 11217
(718) 797-2555

A chic cafe with an indie / hipster vibe and communal tables, Maimonide of Brooklyn has exquisite and unique pairings of vegetables. The food doesn’t go heavy on the soy, so it’s a great place to take friends who are reluctant to try tofu – and the brilliantly varied menu is an
excellent reminder of what you can do with vegetables and bread. Try the Mobs, open-faced sandwiches shaped like the arches of the Brooklyn Bridge (they can also be made gluten-free). The Anti Oxidant Mob, a dessert of bananas, chocolate and mint served on graham cracker bread, will satisfy your sweet tooth. Located two blocks from the Atlantic Mall, Maimonide is stuffed with Brooklyn kitsch and cute decorations. The cafe itself is very Brooklyn; after all, who would expect a high-end vegan cafe in the middle of un-gentrified Atlantic Avenue? This cafe is worth treating yourself to.

*Note: a few items on the menu contain honey, and are noted as such on the menu. Ask your waiter and they can make substitutions.

4) Best Hidden Vegan Food: Cafe Tibet
1510 Cortelyou Road Brooklyn, NY 11226
(718) 941-2725

You can walk right by Cafe Tibet without noticing it – literally. The restaurant is hidden half out of sight behind the Cortelyou Road train
station. Located on up-and-coming Cortelyou Road in the middle of Victorian Flatbush, it has a rather unassuming facade. Not everything on the menu is vegetarian, but many great vegan options lay within its walls. If you’ve never tasted Tibetan food, this restaurant is worth
checking out. Items worth trying include their tingmo (steamed buns) with hot sauce, phing-tsel (vegetarian phing-sha) which is a glass
noodle and potato dish with Tibetan flavorings, and tsel-baklap, vegetable patties served with Tibetan salad. Vegan options are marked with a (V) on their menu.

5) Best Vegan Meal Under $10: Four Seasons
2281 Church Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11226
(718) 693-7996

The ambiance at Four Seasons is a little bit grungy, but at $6 for a huge amount of Caribbean-style food, you can’t really go wrong. Their
steam table, with a different daily assortment of seitan, tofu, textured veggie protein, noodles, rice and beans, is perfect for take-out. The seasonings tend a bit on the spicy side, so if you prefer food to be bland, stay away; but for venturesome palates, Four Seasons lets you explore Caribbean food with the certainty that everything you order will be vegan. There’s also a smoothie and juice bar with healthy options, and the workers are friendly and happy to answer any and all questions about the food.

University of Maryland Dietetic Interns visited the VRG offices as part of their training. One student had this to say about L-cysteine: http://umdieteticinternship.blogspot.com/2012/05/l-cysteine-in-your-diet-lastweek-my.html.

By Reed Mangels, PhD, RD

I’ve recently gotten some questions about the use of folic acid supplements prior to and during pregnancy. Folic acid is one form of folate, an essential vitamin. Folic acid is the form of folate that is used in supplements and fortified foods because it is the form that is most stable. It is added to enriched grain products including breads, pasta, and breakfast cereals. There are several forms of folate that are found naturally in foods; these are called “food folates.” Foods that are naturally high in folate include green leafy vegetables, dried beans, and oranges.

The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) urges women to take 400 micrograms of folic acid every day, starting at least one month before getting pregnant and continuing during pregnancy, to help prevent major birth defects of the baby’s brain and spine (1). They specifically call for use of folic acid from fortified foods and/or supplements, in addition to getting folate from foods.

The first few weeks of pregnancy are important times for the development of the fetus’ brain and spinal cord. Taking folic acid in the period from about 1 month before to 6 weeks after conception is associated with reduced risk of having a baby with a neural tube defect. Neural tube defects include spina bifida, anencephaly, and other serious birth defects. Folic acid is also associated with reduced risk of cleft lip/palate (2).

You may be wondering if you can just get the folate you need for pregnancy from foods. Somewhat surprisingly, no studies have been published that look at food folate and the prevention of neural tube defects. All of the studies that have been done looking at neural tube defects have compared women who used folic acid supplements or foods fortified with folic acid to women who did not use these products. In these studies, women who used folic acid had a 35% to over 70% lower risk of having a baby with a neural tube defect.

It’s unfortunate that food folate studies have not been done but, at this point, there may be ethical questions about doing such studies since folic acid has shown such impressive effects in terms of risk reduction.

Numerous factors affect how well humans absorb food folate. These include genetics and race/ethnicity (3). Folic acid is not affected as much by these variations in absorption. This may be another reason why folic acid supplements are recommended before and during pregnancy in addition to getting folate from foods.

Because of the significant impact of folic acid, specifically on the reduction of the risk of having a child with a serious birth defect, and the lack of evidence for similar benefits of food folate, I would not personally be comfortable with telling someone contemplating pregnancy to avoid folic acid supplements or fortified foods at the recommended levels. That said, food sources of folate also contain many other important nutrients. These foods including dried beans and green leafy vegetables should be a part of everyone’s diet.

Some websites raise concern about health risks of using folic acid. Many of these concerns do not apply for the short-term used of folic acid just before and during pregnancy. For example, one study is pointed to as suggesting a higher risk of breast cancer with use of folic acid (4). This study was conducted in postmenopausal women, not in women who took folic acid only around the time of pregnancy, so is not really relevant to this discussion.

Similarly, a report of higher risk of colon cancer (5) found no increased risk in those taking supplements for up to 3 years.

One study which found a correlation between use of folic acid in pregnancy and breast cancer (6) had some subjects taking more than 10 times as much folic acid as is recommended. The number of subjects in this study was small and the researchers themselves comment that their results could be due simply to chance. No other study has replicated the findings of this study.

Some websites raise the issue of whether or not children whose mothers take folic acid in pregnancy have a higher risk of asthma. There have been 4 studies of the relation between supplemental folic acid in pregnancy and childhood asthma. Two found statistically significant associations between childhood asthma and late (but not early) pregnancy maternal folic acid exposure. Another found a statistically significant association between childhood wheeze and early (but not late) pregnancy maternal folic acid exposure. A fourth study found little association between maternal dietary folate in pregnancy and infantile wheeze. (7) One group of researchers commented, “We would remind women that respiratory risks from late pregnancy folic acid are unproven, but that even if they are real, the absolute increase in risk to an individual child would be fairly small. Hypothetically, if the relative risk increase of asthma from standard dose late pregnancy folic acid was 10–20% (consistent with the Australian and English studies), and assuming an Australian childhood asthma prevalence of 20%, a pregnant woman taking folic acid in late pregnancy would increase her child’s risk of asthma by 2–4%. Couching the statistics in these terms may help patients make an informed decision (7).”

Bottom line (my opinion): We don’t have enough information to recommend food folate in place of folic acid to reduce risk of neural tube defects. Based on what we know now, the benefits of folic acid supplements prior to conception and during pregnancy outweigh the risks.

References
1. Centers for Disease Control. Facts About Folic Acid. http://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/folicacid/about.html
2. Wilcox AJ, Lie RT, Solvoll K, et al. Folic acid supplements and the risk of facial clefts: A national population-based control study BMJ, 2007 Mar 3;334(7591):464.
3. Caudill MA. Folate bioavailability: implications for establishing dietary recommendations and optimizing status. Am J Clin Nutr. 2010 May;91(5):1455S-1460S.
4. Stolzenberg-Solomon RZ et al. Folate intake, alcohol use, and postmenopausal breast cancer risk in the Prostate, Lung, Colorectal, and Ovarian Cancer Screening Trial. Am J Clin Nutr. 2006 Apr;83(4):895-904.
5. Fife J et al. Folic acid supplementation and colorectal cancer risk; a meta-analysis. Colorectal Dis. 2011 Feb;13(2):132-7.
6. Charles D et al. Taking folate in pregnancy and risk of maternal breast cancer. BMJ 2004;329:1375;6.
7. Sharland E, Montgomery B, Granell R. Folic acid in pregnancy – is there a link with childhood asthma or wheeze? Aust Fam Physician. 2011 Jun;40(6):421-4.

The Vegetarian Resource Group recently had an outreach booth at the annual meeting of the Sports Cardiovascular and Wellness Nutrition (SCAN) dietetic practice of the American Dietetic Association/Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. Thank you for volunteering to Amanda Gilley, Dorothy Kenney, Amanda Matte, and Jenny Saccenti, as well as Debra Wasserman and Charles Stahler. We had a chance to share vegan information with sports dietitians who see patients, as well as an opportunity for several important conversations about vegetarian needs with dietitians working for major companies that are developing vegetarian and vegan products.

To volunteer at VRG booth, contact Mary at [email protected]
To support VRG outreach, donate at http://www.vrg.org/donate

by Hillary Blunt, VRG Intern

Musical hits of today and yesterday, along with the several tables aiming to give health education about a variety of subjects, ranging from breast cancer to health insurance to vegetarian diets, filled the gymnasium of Carmel Anthony Youth Development Center last Saturday, June 9th. I had the chance to represent The Vegetarian Resource Group at the CARE Community Health and Wellness Fair in Baltimore with longtime VRG volunteer, Dorothy Kenney.

We enjoyed handing out coloring books to shy children, who, adorned in tutus and brightly colorful knee-socks, came out of their shells when given the opportunity to perform a belly dancing routine they had learned that morning. While talking to parents about vegetarianism and incorporating vegetables into children’s diets, we were pleased to hear from a good number of people that they did, in fact, eat vegetarian as much as they could.

One mother expressed to us that she has a lot of trouble getting her daughter to eat any sort of fruits or vegetables. Without much of a delay, Dorothy gave her a good potential solution: smoothies! In prelude to her solution, Dorothy asked this question: “Does your daughter like juice?” Because, perhaps, if the fruits and vegetables are blended together in a yummy looking smoothie, they might be more appealing to the woman’s daughter.

We also handed out a large number of materials to a teacher with Living Classrooms. He had been vegetarian for about ten years, and had just made the transition to eating vegan three months ago. After answering questions about vegetarianism for as long as he had been working with Living Classrooms, the teacher took pamphlets and handouts to distribute to his class and to use as tools for educating about what being vegetarian means, and why some people choose to live that lifestyle.

Living Classrooms, the group that threw this event, is a non-profit educational organization based in Baltimore and D.C., whose mission is to strengthen communities through giving children and young adults hands on education and job training. They strive for, what they call, “learning by doing,” or learning by directly experiencing a subject matter. To learn more about Living Classrooms, visit their website, at www.livingclassrooms.org

To support VRG outreach, please donate at http://www.vrg.org/donate

To volunteer at outreach booths, please contact Mary at [email protected].

by Aileen McGraw

For fifteen years, what I put in my body has been all-important. Hyperawareness of my intake and output continues as a daily priority. My choice to go vegan occurred just over two years ago in April of 2010, but my diagnosis with type 1 diabetes mellitus, commonly known as juvenile diabetes, happened in August of 1997.

While I used to administer upwards of five shots of insulin via syringe each day, in 2007 I transitioned to the insulin pump. Instead of time-dependent injections, I now deliver rapid-acting insulin continuously through a catheter to manage my blood glucose level. Need to clear up the medical jargon? Find explanations and definitions of diabetic terminology on the American Diabetes Association or Medline Plus websites.

So – what is diabetes?

Diabetes is a disorder of metabolism— the way the body uses digested food for growth and energy. Most of the food people eat is broken down into glucose…the main source of fuel for the body.
After digestion, glucose passes into the bloodstream, where it is used by cells for growth and energy. For glucose to get into cells, insulin must be present. Insulin is a hormone produced by the pancreas, a large gland behind the stomach. (National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases).

When I eat, unlike non-diabetics, my pancreas cannot give proper insulin doses. Glucose does not move to cells from my blood as my pancreas sends out too little insulin. The result? I need to self-administer different amounts of insulin depending on my personal food intake, activity level and current blood glucose level.

Considering that people with diabetes have trouble using food for growth and energy, the omnivore-vegan transition might initially intimidate. Personally, the journey towards veganism brought both challenge and triumph. My childhood consisted of avid milk drinking. A cup of cow’s milk equates roughly to one slice of bread or one small fruit in carbohydrate content. I turned to milk whenever I needed a quick, easy snack that supplied carbohydrate and also included calcium and protein. When my go-to blood sugar stabilizer, cow’s milk, fell out of the picture, I found that along with plant-based milks like soy milk, many fast-acting carbohydrates like apple juice, bread, crackers and glucose tablets still fit the vegan tab. When I became vegan, I noticed that my blood sugars were lower on average, and reduced my basal rate (the continuous drip of insulin) to compensate. Lower blood sugars presented several potentially serious risks, but with proper management, I kept my levels largely within my personal target range. My A1C (an indicator of how well my blood sugar was controlled within the past couple months) dropped more than half a point, a sign of effective control.

Energy plays a central role in both diabetic and vegan lifestyles. Challenge came in managing carbohydrate intake while choosing foods for their protein content. Meeting with a registered dietitian revealed the importance of adequate protein to maintain strength as well as hair and nail health. With a relatively active lifestyle (I was a competitive cheerleader in high school and I dance at college), my dietitian and I decided to select for protein to help me gain muscle mass. Meals like pancakes and cottage cheese, while high in both carbohydrates and protein, contain dairy and eggs. Protein-rich vegan combinations like tofu, broccoli and almonds provide lower carb content. My personal remedy? Include carb sources like oatmeal, brown rice and bagels with other typically protein-rich/low-carb foods. That’s not to say pancakes disappear in a vegan meal plan. I love using bananas or flax seed and water as egg replacers in pancake mixes. Come breakfast time, water and nut or plant-based milks ensure that my pancakes retain their fluffy texture.

Being a vegan diabetic, I know that I need to eat more before physical activity. This past winter, I skied for the first time. While I was far from Olympic caliber, learning technique took a lot out of me. As my friends refueled with dairy products and meat-based protein, I made sure to pack along my favorite soy protein powder (Whole Foods Soy Protein Powder in Natural Vanilla flavor) and consume my fair share of peanut butter and lentil soup. However, even with meal planning, I experienced late-night blood sugar drop, or post exercise hypoglycemia. My body responded to changing stress levels and stores of glycogen with a drop in blood glucose level. Everyone’s reaction to exercise varies, which is why I check my blood glucose level before, during and after physical activity and pack snacks in case of low blood sugar. I found instant oatmeal and apples to be quick and easy fast-acting foods. My best advice, simple and overused: prepare and plan ahead.

If the vegan shift brought tremendous change, then the college-vegan-diabetic transition created a trifecta of new and unexpected (yet manageable!) challenges. At Northwestern University, I balance picking up my own prescriptions with buying additional groceries and navigating the dining hall options. Lucky for me, Northwestern won Most Vegan-Friendly College from PETA2 for the second year in a row. Oven roasted herb potatoes and hummus flatbread plates? As both a vegan and a diabetic, I can’t complain! For me, NU’s on-line weekly menus provide invaluable planning information. I access menus at my favorite dining halls, being sure to fill any nutritional holes with a quick run to Walgreens, Whole Foods or my dorm room.

As freshman year wraps up and I enter my 16th year with diabetes and embark on vegan year three, I can say sincerely that I enjoy myself in health and life at large. Bottom line: use experience to your advantage and have fun! As a diabetic, I’m used to knowing my body. This made the switch easier; I adhered to the already familiar routine of monitoring how what I eat makes me feel. My advice? Dive in full force. Know your body; explore the make up of your food. Be innovative with low blood sugar snacks (might I suggest “vegan cookie dough?” Instant oatmeal, peanut/nut/sunflower seed butter, bananas, and – if you’re up for it – raisins). All changes present risk, but for me, keeping confidence up and reflecting over my convictions allow me to lead a “vegabetic” lifestyle with ferocity.

Questions about monitoring carb intake, planning meals, finding recipes or “free foods” (those low enough in calories and carbs that they are considered “free”)? Many solutions and resources can be found in VRG’s Vegan Menu for People with Diabetes (containing a carb exchange/equivalency table and daily menu pattern, also available in Spanish) and the Physician’s Committee for Responsible Medicine guide to going vegan with diabetes. You can also find general information about nutrition for people with diabetes on the American Diabetes Association “Food & Fitness” page.

As stated in Vegetarian Journal 2003 Issue 2 in “Vegan Menu for People with Diabetes:” “Every person who has diabetes has his or her own individual energy and nutrient needs, so please consult your health care professional to make sure our suggestions will work for you.”

This is not personal medical advice. This article stems from personal experience and things that I individually find helpful. Consult your healthcare professional for personal suggestions and/or medical advice.

Written by Aileen McGraw during her internship with The Vegetarian Resource Group

According to the U.S.D.A., “India is forecast to become the world’s leading beef exporter in 2012 due to an expanding dairy herd, efficiency improvements, increased slaughter and price-competitiveness in the international market particularly vis-à-vis Brazil.”

A related article said India will be the world’s largest exporter of beef. The story stated, “India also prohibits killing of milk-producing water buffalo, but male buffalo and female buffalo once they stop producing milk can both be killed. And, based on the stats from the USDA, they increasingly are, at least for export.”

Tanuj, a VRG volunteer in India, had this to say about the articles. At first even I was a bit surprised and confused when I read that article on beef exports. First I thought about the holy and sacred status that the cow is given in Indian society. On seeing various statistics, what I found is that we have to consider the real picture and facts to understand India’s growing beef exports.

First of all I would I would like to tell you that, not all the societies in India have the same mind frame regarding the status of cow. There are certain States in India like Kerala and West Bengal and some north-east Indian states where the cow slaughtering is legal and so the people there also have different thinking.

When I saw the major companies in India which export beef, I also analyzed that most of them are in south India and the north east states where the cattle killing is legal. It’s interesting to note that some parts consider beef as an integral part of their diet. Now there are some facts that according to me can be responsible for India to be the largest exporter of beef.

On analyzing the chief producers and consumers of beef in the world, I found that U.S, Brazil, China, Argentina and India are the major producers of beef and at the same time U.S, Brazil and China are also the largest consumers of beef in the world. As very few people in India like or prefer to eat beef, so the major share of Indian beef produced goes for export, which is not the case with these other countries. Further, India has the highest population of cows in the world followed by Brazil, China and U.S. Another factor pertaining to India is its neighboring countries. The large part of India’s export( including buffalo meat) goes to the Middle East and the South Asian market, which needs cheaper meat which can be provided easily by India. A majority of it is consumed in Bangaladesh. It’s a matter of concern that due to not legalizing the cattle slaughtering (as Hindu sentiments are involved in it), this leads to a lot of smuggling of cows.

Here was the original article.
http://www.fas.usda.gov/psdonline/circulars/livestock_poultry.pdf

Also see:
http://www.treehugger.com/sustainable-agriculture/india-worlds-largest-beef-exporter-2012.html

For information on the calcium content of Indian foods that don’t
contain dairy, see
http://www.vrg.org/journal/vj2009issue4/2009_issue4_calcium_indian.php

Here are some vegan Indian recipes.
http://www.vrg.org/recipes/vjindian.htm