The VRG will have booths at the following events across the country:

• VeggieFest 2010 – Naperville, IL – Aug. 7 & 8
• D.C. VegFest – Washington, DC – Sep. 11
• Charlottesville Vegetarian Festival – Charlottesville, VA – Sep. 25
• NY’s Capital Region Vegetarian Expo – Albany, NY – Oct. 2
• Chicago Vegan Mania – Chicago, IL – Oct. 9

Please stop by and say hello!

The latest two titles added to the VRG Bookstore are oldies but goodies.

	Becoming Vegan by Brenda Davis, RD and Vesanto Melina, MS, RD
	The Ultimate Uncheese Cookbook by Jo Stepaniak

Both books would be a great addition to any vegan’s bookshelf!

Myq Kaplan, a vegan comedian from Boston, is a finalist on the NBC Monday night TV show Last Comic Standing.

Check out Myq’s stand up here: http://www.jokes.com/stand-up-search/videos/tag/Myq+Kaplan.

His CD, Vegan Mind Meld, can be purchased here: http://myqkaplan.com/?p=69.

We’re looking for volunteers to help work the VRG booth at Hampdenfest on 11 Sept 2010 in one hour shifts from 11am-7pm on the Avenue, W. 36th St, Baltimore, MD. If interested, please email [email protected]. Thanks!

Highlights from this issue include:

Camels and Caravans
Zel Allen brings the cuisine of Afghanistan to the vegan table.

The Vegan Teen Athlete
VRG dietetic intern Julia Driggers discusses eating right, fueling up for competition, and dealing with coaches and teammates.

2009 VRG Scholarship Runner-Up Entry

Matzo Desserts and Vegan Easter Eggs
Chef Nancy Berkoff makes scrumptious spring holiday treats!

Seasonal Meals
Peggy Rynk uses fresh produce to create salads, entreés, and more.

"My VRG Internship"
High school intern Erin Smith and college intern Kristen Lambert relate their experiences working with The VRG.

VJ‘s Essay Contest Winners

Alternatives to Meat for a Typical Camp Menu

Vegetarian Action
Cakewalk Baking Company, by Kristen Lambert

Click here to view the rest of this issue.

To join VRG and receive The Vegetarian Journal in print either:

* join online with $25
* call (410) 366-8343 and order by phone with your Mastercard® or Visa®
* or complete this form and mail or fax it to:

The Vegetarian Resource Group
P.O. Box 1463
Baltimore, MD 21203
Fax: (410) 366-8804

Thanks to VRG volunteer Celina Chung for her help in converting articles into HTML!

By Veronica Lizaola

With my two month internship drawing to a close, I am astonished at the skills and knowledge that I have gained. Inside, I feel completely different than my vegetarian self who stepped out of a plane from San Antonio, Texas. Interning at The Vegetarian Resource Group and interacting with vegans, reading about vegetarianism, promoting vegetarianism, researching vegetarianism, and even eating new vegetarian food while discussing the vegetarian movement, has made me even more passionate about the vegetarian diet and lifestyle. There wasn’t one day during my internship that I didn’t learn something new. Every week there was a project that needed to be worked on, someone that needed to be interviewed, products that needed to be reviewed, articles I had to read, items that needed to be shipped, recipes I would write, and events and conferences that awaited me.

Within the first week that I arrived, I had to prepare for Book Expo America in New York, a city I immediately fell in love with. All around me were restaurants that (unlike the restaurants in Texas) had such a variety of vegan options to choose from. At the actual Book Expo, I was so enlightened by the VRG’s work ethic and really got to learn about the publishing and business side that goes into producing the Vegetarian Journal and publishing vegan books. I got to improve on my social skills as I handed out issues of the journal, approached interested onlookers, exchanged business cards, and talked to many individuals about the vegetarian diet. It was interesting seeing all the various responses from people that were there. I found that regardless of their response, my passion for advocating this diet truly multiplied. Amongst those individuals were people that had been vegetarians for most of their lives, people that were having a hard time transitioning, and people whose ignorance and lack of interest in their health really astonished me.

This experience taught me how crucial it is to educate the public. On the table we had all kinds of pamphlets and free handouts on different issues within vegetarianism but what I found to be most effective was the personal interaction with individuals. Speaking to them, answering questions, asking questions, seeing how they were processing the information I was giving them; that truly made all the difference. Fortunately, later in my internship I was able to have the same type of interaction with an entirely different audience – Baltimore’s Latino population at the Latino Fest 2010.

At the Latino Fest, I was able to use my bilingual skills to communicate with Latinos from all over the world. I was also able to launch one of my projects I spent my internship working on – a Latino coloring book in Spanish that divided a variety of fruits and vegetables commonly found in the Latin community by color. I feel that this interactive coloring book will help educate young children about all of the different fruits and vegetables that are available in hopes of establishing healthy food consumption. I was fortunate to have so much support and input from the VRG staff when creating the coloring book that transformed dramatically with each draft I produced. It was very overwhelming in the beginning to even come up with a title or a small plot for it, but eventually I was inspired to implement the use of color and rainbows with different fruits and vegetables after meeting with a group of dietetic interns visiting the VRG office. Before I knew it, the booklet came into place and it was so much fun drawing the characters. I had the license to do pretty much anything I wanted and I really appreciated that!

Other projects that I have worked on during my internship include an article on an inspirational woman who volunteers with an organization promoting plant-based nutrition to the Latino population in Missouri, an article with Mexican recipes that come straight from my mother’s kitchen, and an article for vegetarian teenagers who attend agriculture schools. I also reviewed various vegetarian products for our ‘Veggie Bits’ section in Vegetarian Journal to give readers insight on what is new on the market and accessible. I also wrote a few items for the VRG blog! To put my Spanish skills to the test, I translated a 7-page English article into Spanish!

Towards the end of my internship, I was fortunate enough to participate and engage in an Animal Rights Conference in Washington, D.C. I am so thankful for this wonderful opportunity and the endless interaction I had while there with other individuals that share such a similar passion. As soon as I heard that Peter Young, an animal rights activist that I truly admire, would be there, I jumped with excitement and started counting down the days until the conference would begin. I, along with two other VRG interns, was amongst hundreds of like-minded animal rights activists! Although this might seem odd for most people, this experience was like a vegetarian utopia for me! I was able to go to different sessions that explored different animal rights issues, none more important than the other. Amongst these talks was a session on direct action, a session on how to be a better public speaker, and my favorite, a session where we discussed under what circumstances would we or would we not kill an animal (pests, animals that attack, etc). These presentations really opened my mind to different issues and have made me more aware of issues that I had not really focused on beforehand, such as experimentation on beagles. There were all types of individuals there and the most interesting would have to be the vegan body builders. I have gained so much appreciation for these athletes, especially having bonded with one of them (another VRG intern) during the entire conference. I was able to see all of the dedication and consistency that goes into a vegan body building diet.

My experience in Baltimore was truly amazing thanks to the support of the VRG staff. I had really fun weekends exploring different types of vegan foods with Jeannie and Ben, who first introduced me to Indian food which is now my favorite food. After being encouraged to go back to New York City by myself, I was able to go to the art museums and indulge in as much vegetarian food as I could before returning back to Texas. I really want to thank the donors who gave me endless resources in order for my internship to happen and for Charles and Debra, who were always encouraging and had really interesting stories to share! I explored as much of Baltimore City as possible and it is safe to say that I am in love with the East coast and plan on coming back as soon as possible!

Thanks to VRG volunteer Ellen Tattenbaum for making this veggie counting game. Artwork © Jessica Dadds; originally made as memory cards.

Click here to download this game in a Word document

1) How many fruits do you see?

2) How many vegetables do you see?

3) How many bananas do you see?

4) How many of these fruits and vegetables begin with the letter m?

5) How many nuts do you see?

6) How many tomatoes are there?

7) How many of these fruits are red?

8) How many of these vegetables are green?

9) How many apples can you find?

10) How many pieces of tofu can you find?

VEGAN DINNER
Sunday, November 7, 2010, 6 PM
MY THAI CAFE
CHINATOWN, BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS

The Vegetarian Resource Group will hold a vegan dinner during the American Dietetic Association Food and Nutrition Conference and Expo. Dietitians, VRG members, and the public are invited. Come and meet the dietitians from the ADA Vegetarian Nutrition Dietetic Practice Group. Please reserve early. Hope to see you there.

MENU
Thai Coconut Soup with Tofu
Thai Mango Salad
Yellow Curry with brown rice
Wide Rice Noodles with Chinese Broccoli and Gluten
Fresh Fruit Cocktail
Jasmine tea

This vegan restaurant also sells unique vegan Bubble Tea and vegan cakes. You may want to order takeout after the meal to sample these treats.

COST: $25 before October 1, 2010. $28 after October 1.
Children 12 and under are $12. Includes tax and tip. PAYMENT MUST BE
MADE IN ADVANCE. Menu subject to change. Please reserve
early. Refunds will be made only if we have a replacement for your seat.

Call (410) 366-8343 between 9 AM and 5 PM Eastern Time Monday to Friday; fax (410) 366-8804; click on the donation button at www.vrg.org and write “ADA Dinner” in the notes section; or send a check to VRG, P.O. Box 1463, Baltimore, MD 21203.

NAMES:
NUMBER ATTENDING: x $25/person before 10/1/10= $ Enclosed
NAMES ATTENDING:
ADDRESS:
STATE/ZIP
E-MAIL:
PHONE:
DONATION:
TOTAL ENCLOSED:

The Vegetarian Resource Group
PO Box 1463
Baltimore, MD 21203

Carole Davis
Co-Executive Secretary of the Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee
Center for Nutrition Policy and Promotion
U.S. Department of Agriculture
3101 Park Center Drive, Room 1034
Alexandria, VA 22302

July 13, 2010

Comments submitted electronically at www.dietaryguidelines.gov

Dear Ms. Davis:

The Vegetarian Resource Group is a nonprofit educational organization that works with individuals, consumer groups, food companies, professional associations, government agencies, academic institutions, and other relevant constituencies to disseminate accurate information and sound advice to the public concerning vegetarian diets.

We were extremely impressed with the thoroughness of the recent Report of the Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee on the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2010. The report makes a clear and compelling case for a rapid shift in the American diet to one that is more plant-based. The evidence-based approach used throughout the report allows readers to understand the basis for the recommendations that are made. This is an impressive report and we commend and thank the committee members for their diligence.

In an earlier letter we stated, “As advocates for people who choose to follow a vegetarian diet, we believe that the Dietary Guidelines should include information about vegetarian diets. This has been done somewhat in the past with suggestions for alternatives to meat products but information is limited. “We were quite pleased to see that this report contains a much more extensive discussion of vegetarian diets than previous reports.

We hope the following suggestions will be considered when finalizing the report.

1. Decrease or eliminate emphasis on combining plant proteins.

The need to combine plant proteins is repeatedly stressed throughout the report. For example, the Executive Summary states, “Plant proteins can be combined to form complete proteins if combinations of legumes and grains are consumed. Plant-based diets are able to meet protein requirements for essential amino acids through planning and offer other potential benefits, such as sources of fiber and nutrients important in a health-promoting diet.” Part D, Section 4, Protein states, “Individuals who restrict their diet to plant foods may be at risk of not getting adequate amounts of certain indispensable amino acids because the concentration of lysine, sulfur amino acids, and threonine are sometimes lower in plant than in animal food proteins. … Vegetarian diets that include complementary mixtures of plant proteins can provide the same quality of protein as that from animal protein. Education is needed for those designing diets containing complementary proteins for consumers switching to a more plant-based diet.”

While protein combining may be necessary in situations of extremely limited food choices, there is no evidence of protein or amino acid deficiencies in those eating plant-based, vegetarian, or vegan diets in countries where a variety of foods are readily available. A classic review of plant proteins supports the lack of evidence for combining proteins, even on a daily basis and says, “Although protein and amino acid requirements are conventionally expressed as daily rates (of intake) there is no implication that these amounts must be consumed each and every day. Therefore, it is not essential, at least in adults, that daily intakes of protein, or presumably of each indispensable amino acid, must equal or exceed the physiological requirement; it is apparently sufficient for the average intake over a number of days to achieve this level.” Our concern is that over-emphasis of this concept or of the need to carefully plan a plant-based diet will lead people to avoid potentially health-promoting plant-based, lacto-ovo vegetarian, and vegan diets. Even without stressing the concept of protein combination, the food patterns that accompany this report ensure that a variety of protein sources will be eaten. For example, the vegan food pattern includes grains, beans and peas, soy products, nuts and seeds, and (non-dairy) milk.

Additionally, there is no evidence of deficiencies of lysine, sulfur amino acids, and threonine in those who restrict their diet to plant foods.

2. Clarify information on plant-calcium sources and on the risk of fractures associated with vegan diets.

The report describes vegetable sources of calcium as being of limited bioavailability. For example, Part D, Section 2, Nutrient Adequacy states, “In addition, many vegetables contain calcium, another nutrient of concern; although the bioavailability of calcium in these foods is limited.” and “Some plant foods contribute calcium that is well absorbed, but the large quantity of these plant foods that would be needed to provide the equivalent amount of calcium found in 8 ounces of fluid milk may be unachievable for many.”

A number of dark green leafy vegetables contain significant amounts of bioavailable calcium. The research on this topic has been summarized in a review article by Weaver and Plawecki. Along with calcium that is better absorbed than calcium from dairy products, vegetables such as kale, turnip greens, broccoli, and Brussels sprouts also supply vitamin C, iron, potassium, vitamin A, and other key nutrients. As the report states, “calcium naturally occurring in foods is the recommended source.” Consideration should be given to increasing recommendations for these vegetables, especially as a source of calcium. Weaver and Plawecki’s review indicates that approximately 1 cup of turnip greens or 1.5 cups of Chinese cabbage or mustard greens would provide calcium equivalent to that found in 8 ounces of fluid milk. This certainly sounds possible for many to achieve, as a replacement for 1 or 2 cups of milk or milk equivalents.

The report states, “Vegan diets may increase risk of osteoporotic fractures.” Evidence is limited to support this statement. The EPIC study in the U.K. did find a higher rate of fractures in vegans but the difference in rates disappeared when the analysis was restricted to subjects who consumed at least 525 mg/day of calcium. This suggests it is total calcium intake rather than a vegan diet that affects fracture risk.

3. Provide specific information about foods to avoid/eat less.

We find recommendations such as the following to clearly indicate which foods should be emphasized: “2. Shift food intake patterns to a more plant-based diet that emphasizes vegetables, cooked dry beans and peas, fruits, whole grains, nuts, and seeds.” In contrast, the following type of statement does not provide specific guidance as to which foods should be avoided or limited: “Significantly reduce intake of foods containing added sugars and solid fats because these dietary components contribute excess calories and few, if any, nutrients”. Major sources of solid fats have been identified as cakes, cookies, pies, doughnuts, granola bars, regular cheese, sausage, franks, bacon, ribs, pizza, fried white potatoes, and dairy-based desserts, such as ice cream. A clear statement that these foods should be modified (for example cheeseless and meatless pizza, baked fries, sorbet) or limited would add clarity to the recommendations. We are surprised that a marked reduction in processed meat intake is not strongly and specifically recommended based on the reported findings of a 42% higher risk of CHD and 19% higher risk of type 2 diabetes associated with processed meat as well as the possible relation between processed meat and colorectal and prostate cancers (as discussed in Part D, Section 4, Protein).

4. Reconsider the use of 3 cups milk-equivalents per day.

Although Appendix E-3.6 compares meal plans containing 3 cups of milk-equivalents to those containing 0 cups of milk-equivalents, we do not, see a comparison of meal plans with 1 or 2 cups of milk-equivalents and with appropriate increases in servings of alternative sources of key nutrients (e.g. calcium, vitamin D, potassium) such as dark green leafy vegetables, fortified foods, dried beans, and soy products. Many Americans do not use 3 cups of milk-equivalents daily; it seems more realistic to promote alternative sources of key nutrients. Additionally, no consideration has been given to the environmental impact of the substantial increase in dairy product production that would be needed to meet these recommendations.

5. Recommend expanded vegetarian and vegan choices in the School Meals Program.

The report clearly identifies a need to “Improve foods sold and served in schools, including school breakfast, lunch, and after-school meals and competitive foods so that they meet the recommendations of the IOM report on school meals (IOM, 2009) and the key findings of the 2010 DGAC. This includes all age groups of children, from preschool through high school.” The sections of this report supporting the health benefits and nutrient adequacy of vegetarian diets clearly indicate the need for increased provision of vegetarian and vegan options in school meals. We suggest that a recommendation be included in this report supporting expanded vegetarian and vegan choices in school meals.

We applaud the Committee’s decision to include specific recommendations for future research and are hopeful that funding will be available for studies on plant compared to marine n-3 fatty acids; the development of better methods of conducting cohort studies of populations consuming plant-based diets compared to animal based diets, including defined classifications of vegetarian and “near vegetarian” eating patterns and more specific impacts of dried beans and peas on health; key nutrients in plant-based diets including calcium, iron, vitamin B12, and protein quality, especially in children and the elderly; and development of better assessment tools to classify vegetarian patterns in epidemiologic studies. Research in these areas would be of significant benefit to those consuming plant-based, vegetarian, and vegan diets. We especially support the allocation of funds for studies of food intakes of vegetarians and vegans so that separate patterns can be developed based on actual proportionate consumption of plant foods in all groups.

We appreciate the committee’s work on Dietary Guidelines 2010 and its solicitation of these public comments.

Sincerely,

Reed Mangels, PhD, RD, LD, FADA
Nutrition Advisor, The Vegetarian Resource Group

Charles Stahler
Co-Director, The Vegetarian Resource Group

Debra Wasserman
Co-Director, The Vegetarian Resource Group

1. Young VR, Pellett PL. Plant proteins in relation to human protein and amino acid nutrition. Am J Clin Nutr. 1994;59:1203S-12S.

2. Weaver CM, Plawecki KL. Dietary calcium: adequacy of a vegetarian diet. Am J Clin Nutr. 1994;59(suppl):1238S-1241S.

3. Appleby P, Roddam A, Allen N, Key T. Comparative fracture risk in vegetarians and nonvegetarians in EPIC-Oxford. Eur J Clin Nutr. 2007;61:1400-1406.

4. Micha R, Wallace SK, Mozaffarian D. Red and processed meat consumption and risk of incident coronary heart disease, stroke, and diabetes mellitus: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Circulation. 2010;121:2271-83.

by Jeanne Yacoubou, MS
VRG Research Director

We recently reported that Red Robin now offers the vegan Boca™ Original Burger at most of its US locations along with the vegetarian Gardenburger™ which has been on its menu for some time.

We followed up with Red Robin about the Boca's™ preparation and bun options. A senior quality assurance manager at Red Robin told us that the vegan patties are "microwaved in their original plastic wrapper." Then they are "crisped on the flattop grill which may be used for other proteins." Guests have the option of requesting that the Boca™ patty be microwaved only.

It appears that the whole grain bun and the sesame bun are entirely composed of plant-based ingredients including the mono- and diglycerides and sodium steroyl-3 lactylate. The whole grain and sesame buns are Kosher-certified.

These two ingredients in the ciabatta bun, herbed focaccia bun, jalapeño cornmeal bun, onion bun and slider bun are also from vegetable sources. However, these buns contain L-cysteine “derived from poultry” and are not certified Kosher.

Red Robin also offers a number of salads, all of which may be customized upon ordering like most menu items. However, it appears that only the Natural Toasted Sesame Dressing is all plant-based. The Italian and the Caesar Dressings contain anchovies. The Balsamic Vinaigrette contains egg yolks. All of the others contain dairy or honey.

All of the soups at Red Robin contain animal ingredients. The French onion is made with a beef base.

A "Veggie Rice Bowl" is on Red Robin's menu. It may be customized to be entirely vegan by choosing from the black beans, chipotle beans, white rice, salsa and/or steamed vegetables. All of these components are prepared apart from animal products.

Wontons are a new item at Red Robin. They cannot be microwaved and may be fried along with animal products. It is uncertain whether the L-cysteine in the wontons is derived from an animal source. Except for this ingredient, they appear all plant-based.

Red Robin's Steak Fries is a signature item free of all animal ingredients according to the senior Q&A manager with whom we spoke. The Fries are cooked in a designated fryer apart from all meat products "a majority of the time" according to our contact. Guests may request that their Steak Fries be cooked in the designated fryer.