We’re very excited to have received hundreds of entries for The Vegetarian Resource Group two $5,000 college scholarships. Winners will be notified in May.

It’s inspiring to see how creative young activists around the country are and how much work they are doing. Here were two interesting videos:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PrApDJAAAzw
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o92eo0-Mims

If you will be a high school senior in the fall, or want to let others know about the scholarship, to apply for next year’s contest, please go to
http://www.vrg.org/student/scholar.htm

If you want to support additional scholarships, you can donate at:
https://www.givedirect.org/give/givefrm.asp?CID=1565
Please indicate this is for a vegetarian scholarship or if you prefer, indicate you would like to support a vegetarian needs based internship.

Por Verónica Lizaola
Traducción al español por Laura Rico

Con una rica cultura y vivacidad, los platillos mexicanos ofrecen una variedad de especias y sabores. La cocina mexicana, con sus sabores intensos y su colorida presentación, ha sido adaptada de influencias españolas y precolombinas, como la de los Mayas y los Aztecas. Aunque la dieta típica mexicana consiste en una variedad de productos cárnicos, hay muchas formas de que un vegano pueda disfrutar unos chilaquiles, fideos, enchiladas y arroz con leche, y bebidas refrescantes como agua de tamarindo.

Habiendo crecido en una familia mexicana, se de primera mano que es un reto encontrar comidas auténticas que no contengan nada de carne, manteca o gelatina. Sin embargo, me dediqué a crear alternativas vegetarianas refrescantes. Varios de estos platillos son muy fáciles de preparar y requieren de poco tiempo.

*Nota: El contenido de grasa en algunas recetas puede variar dependiendo del tipo de aceitle usado, de la temperatura de cocción y el tiempo, y de otros factores.

Pico de Gallo
(3 porciones)

El pico de gallo es un condimento mexicano lleno de sabor y textura que generalmente se usa para poner sobre tacos y nachos. Yo uso esta receta como dip. Encontrarás que la dulzura de los mangos y la jícama complementa el sabor de los pimientos morrones, el cilantro y las cebollas.

2 mangos
1/2 jícama
1 pimiento morrón verde
2 jitomates
1 manojo de cilantro
1/2 cebolla morada
el jugo de 2 limones

Lava toda tu verdura. Pela los mangos y la jícama. Corta los mangos, la jícama, el pimiento morrón, los jitomates, el cilantro, y la cebolla en pedazos finos. Asegúrate que todos los pedazos sean del tamaño de la uña de tu mano o más pequeños. Mezcla todos los pedazos y rocía un poco de limón en el pico de gallo.

Tortillas para totopos
1 taza de agua
1-3/4 tazas de masa de harina (Harina de maíz tradicional Mexicana disponible en el pasillo de comida internacional de algunos supermercados y de tiendas de abarrotes Latinas)

En un tazón, mezcla el agua y la masa harina hasta que la masa esté suave. No quieres que esté demasiada pegajosa ni muy seca. Si está muy pegajosa, agrega más harina. Si está muy seca, agrega más agua.

Calienta un sartén a fuego medio. Toma un pedazo de masa del tamaño de una bola de golf y aplástala con tus manos hasta que esté del tamaño de un hot-cake. Colócalo en el sartén por aproximadamente 35 segundos y voltéalo para freír el otro lado por otros 35 segundos. Repite el proceso hasta que ya no haya más masa. Deja enfriar las tortillas.

Totopos (usando las tortillas hechas arriba)
1/2 taza de aceite vegetal
Sal (opcional)

Calienta el aceite en un sartén hondo para freír. Corta las tortillas frías en tiras suficientemente gruesas para recoger el pico de gallo. Agrega un puñado de tiras de tortillas al sartén y fríelos hasta que estén dorados y crujientes. Muévelos para que no se peguen unas a otras. Voltéa las tiras para que se doren de los dos lados. Con cuidado remuévelas del aceite. Repite hasta que todas las tiras de tortilla hayan sido fritas. Agrega sal a las tiras, deja enfriar y ¡disfrútalas con el pico de gallo!

Chilaquiles
(6 porciones)

Mucha gente disfruta los chilaquiles en el desayuno, ya sea con una guarnición de frijoles refritos o solos. Son una gran forma de usar el sobrante de tortillas.

12 tortillas de maíz, ya sean compradas en la tienda o hechas en casa (ve lo contrario)
1/4 taza de aceite de maíz
1 jitomate grande
1 chile poblano seco
1/2 cebolla
1 cucharadita de sal
Queso vegano rallado chedar, feta, o Monterey Jack
Aguacate picado para decorar (opcional)
Cilantro picado para decorar (opcional)

Corta las tortillas de maíz en tiras, triángulos y otras formas de tu elección.

Cubre generosamente un sartén grande con aceite y caliéntalo. Una vez que el aceite esté caliente, agrega las tiras de tortilla y permite que se frían hasta que tomen un color dorado. Transfiere las tiras a otro sartén.

Pon el jitomate y el chile poblano en un sartén y ásalos a fuego medio por aproximadamente 5 minutos. Después, coloca el chile poblano y la cebolla en la licuadora y licua hasta que alcance una consistencia de puré. Agrega la salsa hecha puré y un poco de sal a los chilaquiles y mezcla hasta que las tiras de tortillas estén bien cubiertas con la salsa.

Espolvorea tu queso vegano favorito. Para agregarle más sabor, agrega aguacate y cilantro.

Calabacitas con Sopa de Arroz
(6 porciones)

¡Disfruta este popular refrigerio con una tortilla caliente! Si tienes algún sobrante de calabacitas, puedes usar éstas junto con tus productos favoritos para fajitas veganos para hacer tacos de calabaza.

Sopa de Arroz
3 Cucharadas de aceite de oliva
2 tazas de arroz blanco de grano largo
2 jitomates
1/2 cebolla
1 cucharadita de sal
2 tazas de agua
1 diente de ajo pequeño
1 cubo de caldo vegetal

En un sartén, calienta el aceite y agrega el arroz.

En una licuadora, licua los jitomates, la cebolla, la sal, el agua y el ajo.

Una vez que el arroz esté dorado, agrega el puré de vegetales y el cubo de caldo vegetal al arroz. Cocina a fuego medio, moviendo ocasionalmente por aproximadamente 15 minutos o hasta que el arroz esté cocido.

Calabacitas
Un poco de aceite de oliva
2 jitomates
1 cebolla
1 chile jalapeño
4 calabazas grandes de cualquier variedad, cortadas en rodajas y luego en mitades para formar semicírculos.
2 cucharaditas de sal

En un sartén grande, agrega el aceite y calienta.

Pica los jitomates, la cebolla y el jalapeño en pedazos pequeños. Agrega los vegetales picados y la calabaza al sartén. Espolvorea un poco de sal. Cuece a fuego medio, moviendo por 10 minutos. Sirve inmediatamente con la sopa de arroz.

Fideo
(4 Porciones)

El fideo es un tipo de spaguetti que se sirve caliente como sopa y es genial cuando quieres una comida ligera. Puedes encontrar este tipo de spaguetti en la mayoría de los grandes supermercados. Si no puedes encontrar fideo, puedes sustituirlo por spaguetti delgado.

2 Cucharadas de aceite vegetal
Un paquete de 8 onzas de pasta de fideo
1 jitomate mediano
1/4 cebolla
1 taza de agua
1 cubo de caldo de vegetales
el jugo de un limón

Pon el aceite y el fideo en un sartén. Cocina a fuego medio, moviendo continuamente por aproximadamente 7 minutos o hasta que el fideo esté dorado. Estará aún crudo, pero se cocerá como parte del siguiente paso.

Agrega el jitomate, la cebolla y el agua en una licuadora y licua por aproximadamente 3 minutos hasta que tome textura de puré. Agrega el puré y el cubo de caldo de vegetales a fideo. Cocina a fuego medio, moviendo, por aproximadamente 15 minutos, hasta que el cubo del caldo de vegetales se haya disuelto y el fideo esté cocido.

Exprime el jugo de un limón encima y sirve inmediatamente.

Enchiladas
(Hace 6 porciones de 2 enchiladas)

¡Las enchiladas son populares porque son muy versátiles! Usan productos con sustituto de carne, papas y queso vegano como relleno y se decoran con jitomate, lechuga y aguacate. La sopa de arroz es un excelente acompañante para estas enchiladas.

4 chiles poblanos secos
4 papas medianas
1 diente de ajo mediano
1 Cucharada de comino
1/3 taza de aceite de canola
12 tortillas de maíz, compradas o hechas en casa (ve la receta en la página 18) Un paquete de Morningstar Farms Crumbles o tu sustituto de carne favorito
1/2 taza de queso vegano rallado
1 jitomate
1 taza de lechuga romana rallada
1 aguacate, picado

Calienta un sartén en la estufa por 5 minutos, agrega los chiles y ásalos a fuego medio por 4-7 minutos. Pélalos y reserva.

Cuece las papas al vapor y pélalas cuando estén listas. Coloca las papas en un refractario mediano, apachúrralas y reserva.

Coloca los chiles, el ajo y el comino en la licuadora y licua aproximadamente 3 minutos. Vierte el puré en un tazón ancho.

Calienta un sartén y agrega aceite. Sumerge una tortilla en la mezcla del chile y cúbrela por completo. Coloca la tortilla en el sartén. Fríe aproximadamente por 3 minutos, voltéala y fríe por otros 3 minutos. Repite hasta que todas las tortillas hayan sido sumergidas y fritas individualmente.

En otro sartén, prepara el sustituto de carne de acuerdo a las instrucciones de paquete.

Una vez que las tortillas y el sustituto de carne estén listas, agrega el sustituto de carne, el queso, y unas cucharadas de papa en cada tortilla. Enrolla cada tortilla poniendo la unión hacia abajo.

Corta el jitomate en pedacitos. Espolvorea el tomate, la lechuga y el aguacate encima de las enchiladas y sirve.

Arroz con Leche
(12 Pociones)

Este postre de arroz dulce, que es similar a un pudín, está hecho de vainilla, pasas y canela.

Puede servirse frío o caliente.

2 tazas de arroz blanco
Agua necesaria para cubrir el arroz mientras se cuece
6 tazas de leche de soya
1 barita de canela
1 cucharadita de vainilla
1/2 taza de azúcar vegana, o al gusto
1/2 taza de pasas
Canela molida (opcional)

Pon a hervir el arroz en agua por aproximadamente 15 minutos. Cuela el arroz, enjuaga y reserva.

En un sartén, calienta la leche de soya y la barita de canela a fuego lento. Permite que se haga una infusión por aproximadamente 7 minutos. Puedes remover la barita de canela o dejarla en la leche de soya para agregarle sabor. Agrega el arroz y cuece a fuego lento por 20 minutos. Después, agrega la vainilla, el azúcar y las pasas y cuece a fuego lento por 5 minutos más aproximadamente. Remueve del calor y, si quieres, espolvorea un poco de canela molida.

Agua de Tamarindo
(6 porciones)

Esta dulce y refrescante bebida es un básico en México y es una de las más famosas aguas frescas. Puedes obtener ésta en cualquier restaurante mexicano auténtico, o ahora, ¡puedes hacerla tú misma!

Los tamarindos pueden encontrarse en los grandes supermercados, usualmente cerca de los ajos. Esta bebida es como el té helado, con excepción de que es mucho mejor, ya que ¡te puedes comer los tamarindos que quedan en el fondo de tu vaso!

12 tamarindos
1/3 taza de agua (para cubrir los tamarindos)
6 tazas de agua fría
1 taza de azúcar vegana

Cuece los tamarindos en agua por aproximadamente 10 minutos. Deja que se enfríen. Después, machácalos en un recipiente con 6 tazas de agua fría. Agrega el azúcar, mezcla muy bien, enfría y ¡disfrútalo!

Verónica Lizaola es una estudiante en la Universidad de Houston con especialización en historia del arte

by Jeanne Yacoubou
VRG Research Director

Tryptophan is an essential amino acid, meaning that humans must consume it in their diet. As an amino acid, it is a component of protein. Tryptophan is also a precursor for the neurotransmitter, serotonin, and the hormone, melatonin. This amino acid is readily obtained by common high-protein food sources such as soybeans, certain seeds, eggs, milk, and meat.

Tryptophan is believed by some to help as a sleep aid and is often sold as a dietary supplement for this purpose. There is also a form of tryptophan sold as Tryptan™, a prescription drug intended to aid the uptake of certain psychiatric drugs.

In 1989, tryptophan was banned for sale in most countries due to several reported incidents of death and serious health effects. Known as Eosinophilia-Myalgia Syndrome, EMS was linked to a contaminated batch of tryptophan. Currently, pharmaceutical grade tryptophan is believed to be safe.

Although most sources report that tryptophan is industrially produced by bacterial fermentation, a major food ingredient supplier in the United States told The VRG in March 2011 that its source of tryptophan is duck feathers or human hair.

Ajinomoto AminoScience is one company that produces a pharmaceutical grade tryptophan, known by the trade name TryptoPure™, through microbial fermentation using only non-animal materials. Several dietary supplement companies contacted by The VRG reported in March 2011 that their tryptophan is produced through microbial fermentation and many carry this brand.

To purchase our Vegetarian Journal’s Guide to Food Ingredients, go to:
http://www.vrg.org/catalog/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=1&products_id=8

To support VRG’s research, please donate at:
https://www.givedirect.org/give/givefrm.asp?CID=1565
or
http://www.vrg.org/catalog/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=4

The contents of this 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.

VEGAN INDIAN DINNER
Sunday, September 25, 2011, 6:30 pm
San Diego, CA
Royal India, 329 Market Street

Sponsored by The Vegetarian Resource Group during the American Dietetic Association Food and Nutrition Conference and Expo
Meet Reed Mangels, PhD, RD, Catherine Conway, MS, RD, and other vegetarian dietitians.

BUFFET MENU:
Salad
Samosas
Veggie Pakora
Aloo Gobi
Bengan Bhartha
Green Beans Masala
Veggie Mango Pineapple
Channa Masala
Peas Pulao Rice
Rice
Salad

RESERVATIONS AND PAYMENT MUST BE MADE IN ADVANCE. Refunds will only be made if we can replace your seat.

Name:
Address:
City:
State:
Telephone:
E-mail:
Attendees:
___ Number of adults X $25 before August 20, 2011= $_____
___ Number of adults X $35 after August 20, 2011= $_____
___ Children X $20 before August 20, 2011= $_____
___ Donation for outreach to dietitians $_____

Please send payment to The Vegetarian Resource Group, P.O. Box 1463, Baltimore, MD 21203; Call (410) 366-8343 9-5 AM Eastern Time, Monday to Friday, or pay at online here. Please write San Diego dinner in the notes field and the name of attendees.
(The early registration price is limited to the first fifty registrants.)

Need vegan recipes for Passover?

Right now we’re offering a special: get both Vegan Passover Recipes and No Cholesterol Passover Recipes for just $12 and free shipping!

Click here to order, or call us at 410-366-8343, Mon-Fri 9-5.

No Cholesterol Passover Recipes is a must for every home that wants to celebrate a healthy and ethical Passover. Enjoy eggless blintzes, dairyless carrot cream soup, festive macaroons, apple latkes, sweet and sour cabbage, knishes, vegetarian chopped “liver,” no oil lemon dressing, eggless matzo meal pancakes, and much more.

Dishes included in No Cholesterol Passover Recipes have also been featured in The Washington Post, Jewish World, and many other publications.

In Vegan Passover Recipes, Chef Nancy Berkoff, EdD, RD provides the basics: Vegetable stock without chicken fat or added sodium, Savory Spaghetti Sauce, Zucchini/Potato Kugel, and Sweet and Sour Stuffed Cabbage (a new spin on an oldie, but goody).

Looking for spicier dishes? Try Minted Carrots with Chilies, Moroccan Roasted Eggplant and Pepper Salad, Spinach and Okra Stew, and Coconut Curry over Greens, and much more.

To subscribe to the Vegetarian Journal and receive the complete print version, click here.

Features

From Veal to Vegan, Creole Style
Laissez les bon temps rouler with Meryl Austin Cryer's Louisiana recipes.

How Many Youth in the U.S. Are Vegetarian?
The latest VRG-Harris Poll finds out more about 8- to 18-year-olds.

Secrets of the Seasonal Vegan
Debra Daniels-Zeller creates adaptable dishes to use year-round.

L-Cysteine in McDonald's Pies
Jeanne Yacoubou, MS, learns that this ingredient is animal-derived.

Making The Cover
Linda Long brings vegan food and photography to an NYC high school.

More Research Findings
Get updates on vegan chondroitin, American Airlines' vegetarian
options, and Blind Faith Café's cheeses from Jeanne Yacoubou, MS.

Cooking with Coconut Flour and Sugar
Chef Nancy Berkoff gives a crash course on these baking ingredients.

Departments

Nutrition Hotline

Note from the Coordinators

Letters to the Editors

Scientific Update

Vegan Cooking Tips
Very Berry Cuisine, by Chef Nancy Berkoff

Notes from the VRG Scientific Department

Veggie Bits

Book Reviews

Catalog

Vegetarian Action
Buykind.com Promotes Vegan Food and Products, by Erin Smith

Back Cover
Updated Guide to Food Ingredients Now Available
and Want to Volunteer or Intern with VRG?

Thanks to Celina Chung for her help in converting these articles to HTML!

By Wendy Altschuler

I grew up in a meat-eating family in Montana. My father was a hunter, my friend’s fathers were hunters, and nearly every boy (and some girls) I knew went through some form of Hunter Safety course so that they could enter into the sport of hunting. It was not uncommon to see a killed deer strapped to the roof of a truck driving down Main Street or dead animal legs sticking up in the air and over the side of a vehicle. Meat eating was, in many ways, a source of pride for my family. It symbolized my father’s ability to provide for his family by putting meat on the table. Meat was considered a staple and a necessary component to a healthy diet. If there was no meat on your plate it meant that times were a bit difficult financially. I was never a fan of meat, especially wild game, but in my house meat was what was for dinner. I didn’t have a choice, I was to eat it or go hungry.

When I moved out of my folk’s house at 17 I was drawn towards a more vegetarian friendly lifestyle. I believed that there were many other options other than meat for a healthy diet. If we could get our protein and nutrition from a plant based diet why would we kill an animal? Why would we be willing to destroy the environment if we didn’t have to? I remember feeling very empowered that I could eat what I want, support kindness towards animals, and be an advocate for the environment. I didn’t have to subscribe to a meat-eating culture like those around me. I felt strong, independent and full of conviction.

These feelings carried over into my marriage with my meat-eating husband. We lived a life of separate meals-he would cook his and I would cook mine. Most of the time, we didn’t even eat at the table together. We made multiple shopping trips so that I wouldn’t have to buy meat and support the meat industry with my dollars. Even though I was very much against eating and purchasing meat, I certainly didn’t want to judge my husbands decisions or make him adopt my beliefs. We were both adults, making our own choices for our own lives.
Maybe if he had grown up seeing animal heads attached to his dinner, he would think differently about putting another beings flesh in his body. I’ve always thought that if people all of a sudden had to kill their own food or volunteer at a slaughterhouse, there would be more vegetarians! My husband grew up outside of Chicago where meat is displayed in grocery stores in nice little packages. It’s easy to disassociate from what you’re eating when you only see meat wrapped up this way, already dead, instead of in the back of a pick up truck like I did.

Cooking separate meals was a system that worked for us well into my first pregnancy. I maintained a healthy vegetarian diet even though others thought I wouldn’t be able to get enough protein-a common misconception. I ate plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables, nuts, peanut butter, and tofu, which kept me fit and strong and it felt good knowing that my baby was only getting the best nutrition. My husband, on the other hand developed high cholesterol due to his diet. This prompted him to try a more plant-based diet to see if his health would improve. And what do you know, it did! From that point on, my husband decided that a vegetarian diet would be best for him as well.

We were now a vegetarian family! I’m so glad that I never pressured my husband into becoming a vegetarian or deliberately made him feel bad for eating meat. After eight years together, he made the choice on his own accord. When our son was born, it was easy to continue our vegetarian lifestyle. I nursed my baby and fed him only natural, organic vegetarian food. He was in the 90th percentile for weight and height for most of his first year!

Now, I have three boys ages 4, 2, and 7 months and I’m proud to say that they’ve been vegetarians their whole lives! This lifestyle isn’t without its challenges however. Eating at a friend or family member’s house can sometimes be an issue because an alternate main course might have to be provided in order to accommodate us. We have to think ahead (as we should anyway) and make sure we bring healthy vegetarian snacks for our children.

Also, the teacher at my oldest son’s preschool has to be diligent about what is fed to my son at snack time. Under the form I had to submit listing any allergies I wrote “VEGETARIAN.” I have to make sure that nobody feeds my son meat at Thanksgiving and holiday parties at his school. I am my son’s best campaigner; however, I can’t always be there to monitor what food he eats. I have to just trust that others will follow my requests when he is in their care.

I’m concerned about what kind of problems might arise when my son’s are older and when they start making more decisions for themselves. I’ve always felt that being a vegetarian is a personal choice. I wouldn’t want my boys to feel left out or be made fun of for their eating habits at school. I resented my parents for forcing me to eat meat and I wouldn’t want to do the same thing to my children by forcing them NOT to eat meat. So, in the end I will let them choose for themselves and hopefully they will follow by my example. I will, however, still exercise my beliefs and principles by not buying meat and cooking it at home whether my kids want it or not.

As parents raising vegetarian kids, we sometimes have to be crafty and have good resources in our arsenal. Thankfully, there are many books and websites for health-conscious families. A great book is “Raising Vegetarian Children: A Guide to Good Health and Family Harmony” by Joanne Stepaniak. Stepaniak says, “Vegetarianism is not only a safe option but health-supporting choice that can give kids a strong advantage for living a long, happy and disease-free life.” I also really like the cookbook “The Natural Lunchbox: Vegetarian Meals for School, Work, and Home” by Judy Brown. This cookbook has many healthy, natural, vegan and vegetarian recipes that are quick and easy. Another fantastic resource is “The Accidental Vegan” by Devra Gartenstein. This cookbook pulls from diverse global cultures for its vegetarian and vegan recipes. Anasazi Bean Dip, Veggie Walnut Pâté, and Mu Shu Veggie role recipes are included in this cookbook.

Parents can also visit some really encouraging and helpful websites such as The Vegetarian Resource Group: http://www.vrg.org/family/kidsindex.htm, which has information, recipes, and nutrition guides for kids and teens. I found the nutritional charts to be the most helpful because instead of the traditional meat model food pyramid, these guides cater to a vegetarian and/or vegan lifestyle for babies through the teenager years. From this website, you can also join VRG’s online list for parents raising their children vegetarian/vegan at: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/vrgparents/

Choose Veg.com (http://www.chooseveg.com/vegan-health.asp) is fantastic for all of its insightful information about becoming a vegetarian for animal, health and environmental reasons. Their website is very easy to navigate and the information is accessible and easy to digest.

I believe vegetarianism has sort of gained a mass following in the last decade or so. According to a survey conducted by the Vegetarian Resource Group, there are approximately 6 million Americans following a vegetarian or vegan diet. Things are much different now than when I was a child. I didn’t know anyone who was a vegetarian when I was growing up and there were no vegetarian restaurants. With the current popularity of vegetarianism, eating out is as easy as ever due to all of the non-meat options on the menu. Today, even in Montana and other rural areas, there are vegetarian and vegan options. I can order my latte with soymilk, eat a vegetarian burger at the local burger joint, and buy fresh vegetables and fruit at the Farmer’s Market.

Consumers are making smarter choices about their health and what they put in their bodies. With the rise of cancer related deaths in America, people are looking toward healthier eating options. According to the American Cancer Society, “Studies that look at people and their habits have linked vegetarian diets with a decreased risk of heart disease, diabetes, high blood pressure, obesity, and colon cancer.” The American Cancer Society also states, “Vegetarianism is very popular in the US and abroad because it is thought to be a healthier approach to diet and nutrition. The American Cancer Society’s most recent nutrition guidelines recommend eating a balanced diet with an emphasis on plant sources.”

My mother was recently diagnosed with stage two breast cancer. She had a mastectomy and is currently going through chemotherapy. Having cancer has forced my mother to look closer at what she puts in her body. Less fat, more fiber, whole grains, beans, nuts, flax seeds and antioxidant rich plant based foods might be the key to lowering your risk for many types of cancer.

Another reason I’ve decided to raise my children with a meat-free diet is the global outbreak of food-borne illnesses. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, a whopping 76 million new cases of food-related illness in the United States are reported each year and of these cases there are 5,000 deaths! Of these 5,000 food born illness deaths, nearly a third are related to meat and poultry. This is a great risk and something we should all think about when feeding our families.

I think it’s also important to consider the impact we are making on the environment with our choices as consumers. Dr. David Brubaker at Johns Hopkins University’s Center for a Livable Future says, “The way that we breed animals for food is a threat to the planet. It pollutes our environment while consuming huge amounts of water, grain, petroleum, pesticides and drugs. The results are disastrous.” Choosing to be a vegetarian directly benefits the environment and its resources. Producing a large amount of food to feed animals before slaughter is incredibly inefficient and it destroys our valuable and limited resources. Cow manure, deforestation, synthetic fertilizer, and burning fossil fuels all contribute to global warming.

As a mother, I am trying to raise my family in a healthy and thoughtful way, which sometimes takes a bit of courage and fervor. Keeping our bodies in good physical shape now and well into old age is one of the best gifts we can give our children. Adopting the vegetarian lifestyle makes sense for us and it shows that we care about the protection of animals, our health and a sustainable environment. I hope my boys will appreciate these values as they grow into men and build their own families.

VRG partners with Tofurky to provide information on vegetarianism to those who take the Tofurky Tuesdays pledge.

More information on Tofurky Tuesdays, from their website:

Turtle Island Foods “Tofurkymobile” has blazed its way on an around-the-world cyber tour that began in July 2008. To date, the Tofurkymobile has traveled over 253044 miles and made 31.94 complete circumnavigations of the planet, all fueled by 15336 consumer pledges to eat meatless every Tuesday.

According to Jaime Athos, PhD, Turtle Island’s Manager of Environmental Affairs, the amount of greenhouse gas emissions reduced by going meatless just one day a week is equal to the amount released when you drive the average car 16.5 miles.

Athos estimates that the “Tofurky Tuesdays” campaign has helped reduce approximately 97,885 pounds of CO2 gas emissions, while also showcasing Americans’ increasing awareness of animal rights and the growing number of appealing meat-free options now available to mainstream shoppers.

Our 2008 Tofurky Tuesday campaign saw a huge swell in participants as we approached the holiday season. We’d like to see the same thing happen again this year. Please show your support by signing up for Tofurky Tuesday . When you sign up you receive: information on vegetarian eating as well as free publications featuring veg eating (from VegNews, Vegetarian Times and the Vegetarian Resource Group).

Come visit VRG’s booth at these upcoming events!

• Loyola University Health Fair – Baltimore, MD – 4/7
• UMBC Veggie Fest – Catonsville MD – 4/30
• Towson Holistic Wellness Fair – Towson, MD – 5/7
• New York City Veggie Pride Parade – NYC – 5/15
• Ecofair 2011 – Reisterstown, MD – 6/5
• Natural Products Expo East – Baltimore, MD – 9/22-9/24
• American Dietetic Association Food & Nutrition Conference & Expo – San Diego, CA – 9/24-9/27

by Jeanne Yacoubou, MS
VRG Research Director

A reader wrote to The VRG in March 2011 stating that he had heard that disodium guanylate was sourced from fish. He asked us to look into it.

Disodium guanylate, known by many names including disodium 5’-guanylate, is derived from a nucleotide, guanosine monophosphate (GMP). It is similar to disodium inosinate, also known as disodium 5’-inosinate, which comes from another nucleotide, inosine monophosphate (IMP). The two together are frequently referred to as 5’-nucleotides (read as “five prime nucleotides.”) Nucleotides are naturally occurring substances found mostly in meats although shiitake mushrooms are also high in nucleotides. Nucleotides are components of information-carrying molecules (such as DNA) as well as important molecules involved in many diverse aspects of human metabolism.

In the flavor industry, disodium inosinate and disodium guanylate are commonly known as disodium ribotides (“I + G.”) It is typically sold in a 50:50 mixture of the two ribotides. It is the I + G in combination with glutamates (naturally occurring from glutamic acid, an amino acid found in proteins) which imparts the umami (i.e., savory or meaty) flavor to foods. Only very small amounts are needed to yield a very savory taste sensation.

A small amount of I + G may be added to a food to replace some monosodium glutamate (MSG). (MSG is itself used to reduce the salt, or sodium chloride, content of a food while providing a meaty flavor due to its glutamate content.) The effect of this addition is to impart a magnification of the savory taste sensation by enhancing a food’s natural flavors. The overall result is even less sodium chloride in the final product. One manufacturer’s quality assurance manager told us that “actually [food companies] can use one of them, either disodium inosinate or disodium guanylate [to get the flavor enhancement], but they usually use both of them.” In fact, disodium guanylate is responsible for stronger flavor enhancement than is disodium inosinate.

The VRG spoke to three leading manufacturers of disodium guanylate and disodium inosinate about these common flavor enhancers. All of them reported that they produce I + G by microbial fermentation. Their growth media are all-vegetable, usually consisting mainly of tapioca starch.

The Ajinomoto product of disodium inosinate and disodium guanylate is called “Ajitide I + G.” The process was described as one in which the “nucleoside precursors” of disodium inosinate and disodium guanylate are first produced by microbial fermentation. After further processing, the end products are the nucleotides, GMP and IMP. These nucleotides are then separated from the fermentation medium, purified and crystallized. The nucleotides are approved by the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for food use. “The product does not contain animal products…” according to company documents.

One of our sources in the regulatory affairs department of her company that produces I + G from yeast stated that since they are flavor products of a natural process, “they can be labeled [on a food package] as ‘natural flavors.’ There’s no need to list them as ‘disodium inosinate’ or disodium guanylate.’”

A manufacturer of hydrolyzed vegetable protein (HVP) told us that when his company adds disodium inosinate (as a flavor enhancer) to a TVP product that he sells to another company, it is clearly stated on his label. He did not know, however, if his buyer, by federal regulation, must state on the label of the final food product that disodium inosinate is present. Interested readers may wish to inquire with food companies if they have questions about the “natural flavors” or the “flavor enhancers” used in food products but which may or may not appear as an ingredient on the label.

I + G is usually used in conjunction with monosodium glutamate (MSG), yeast extracts, and/or HVP. In the yeast extracts and HVP, their glutamates combine with salt present in the food to form MSG. The glutamates also combine with I + G to produce a greater savory taste. In many cases, a synergistic flavor profile results which means the resulting savoriness is more than the sum of each component’s contribution to the taste if used separately. I + G, MSG, HVP and yeast extracts are often used in soups, sauces, and seasonings as well as in fast food and packaged rice or noodle premixes. I + G may also be used alone to enhance flavor as long as the food item is high in natural glutamates (tomatoes, Parmesan cheese, etc.)

The use of all these ingredients, by themselves or in some combination, usually permits the reduction of the total sodium chloride (salt) content of the packaged premix or prepared food while enhancing the food’s salty and savory flavors.

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The contents of this 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.