vegan

Posts Tagged ‘vegan’

Soy Alert!

December 29th, 2009 |

Author: Aime Dunstan

Confused About Soy? Soy Dangers Summarized by the Weston A. Price Foundation:

High levels of phytic acid in soy reduce assimilation of calcium, magnesium, copper, iron and zinc. Phytic acid in soy is not neutralized by ordinary preparation methods such as soaking, sprouting and long, slow cooking. High phytate diets have caused growth problems in children.
Trypsin inhibitors in soy interfere with protein digestion and may cause pancreatic disorders. In test animals soy containing trypsin inhibitors caused stunted growth.
Soy phytoestrogens disrupt endocrine function and have the potential to cause infertility and to promote breast cancer in adult women.
Soy phytoestrogens are potent antithyroid agents that cause hypothyroidism and may cause thyroid cancer. In infants, consumption of soy formula has been linked to autoimmune thyroid disease.
Vitamin B₁₂ analogs in soy are not absorbed and actually increase the body’s requirement for B₁₂.
Soy foods increase the body’s requirement for vitamin D.
Fragile proteins are denatured during high temperature processing to make soy protein isolate and textured vegetable protein.
Processing of soy protein results in the formation of toxic lysinoalanine and highly carcinogenic nitrosamines.
Free glutamic acid or MSG, a potent neurotoxin, is formed during soy food processing and additional amounts are added to many soy foods.
Soy foods contain high levels of aluminum which is toxic to the nervous system and the kidneys.

Earthlings revisited

September 17th, 2009 |

Author: Aime Dunstan

The response following my review of the “Earthlings” documentary has been so enlightening. There are so many passionate people on this little planet of ours, and also so many realists to play devil’s advocate. As long as there is suffering, there will be debate. But there will also be hope.

Thanks so much to those of you who have brought to light for me the questionable regulations behind organic farming. The Sunday after I watched Earthlings, I spent three hours between three grocery stores — Costco, Publix and Whole Foods — and found that the organic meat offerings were few and far between anyway. The butcher cases are full of antibiotic-free, vegetarian-fed meats, but none certified organic that I could see. None of the meats in the Greenwise section of Publix are actually organic, nor are they free of all chemicals. The words classifying these meats are a dance around reality. A warm blanket to help us feel better about what is still likely a poor choice.

What difference would the USDA organic certification make in any case? Doesn’t a free-range chicken still have its beak burnt off to prevent it from pecking its cellmates? How much “free range” do they get? Are the birds still starved to promote molting? And doesn’t a fat and happy organic cow still have to die at some point before it’s carved up and delivered to our plates? What does that process look like?

And then there is the food chain. The natural order of life. Animals eat animals. Man created tools to improve this process. Does that make man more or less violent than the mother lioness who takes down a gazelle with her teeth to feed her cubs? Or even the geckos who tongue-lashes the moths that buzz around our porch lights?

It is in our nature to hunt. To gather. To thrive. But it is also in our nature to know better.

For me, the jury is still out.

Let them meat steak

August 9th, 2009 |

Author: Aime Dunstan

Disclaimer: I’ve just prepared a delightful vegetarian meal — Ina Garten’s Lemon Fusilli with Arugula — and I’ve consumed the accompanying two bottles of 2005 Sonoma County Merlot (with a little help from my husband). So excuse my dreamy pondering, but I’m weighing the virtues of vegetarianism. Sure, I’ve dabbled – from 1995 to 1997 or so. But my one-teen enviro-movement came to a crashing halt over dinner at a neighborhood Longhorn Steakhouse, during which my older brother’s taunts became too much to bear. To be fair, he was my sole role model and inspiration, having raised me from age 12 until my freshman year at University of Florida. Our relationship is based on sarcasm and will-bending — is there any other way? — and so, wanting to be cool for his 20-something friends, I caved. One medium-rare prime rib, please.

Obviously one of the most earth-friendly activities one could pursue would be to take it easy on your fellow fauna by, well, not eating them. But why? After all, the three little piggies are just so gloriously yummy. Plus, the powers that be are shouting PROTEIN! from the rooftops. Can’t get much more protein-rich than from a blood-red New York strip, or maybe Azul chef Clay Conley‘s “steak and egg” appetizer, which tops beef carpaccio with a crispy, truffle-scented egg yolk. Nutrient-rich, to be sure — though this gal wasn’t exactly dropping for a set of pushups following our Saturday night dinner.

Do we really even need meat? Veggies — and though one of my greatest comforts is a medium-rare fillet mignon from the Palm Beach Grill, I count several good friends among the non-meat-eating set — say we’re all overdosing on protein by the time we down the Activia (more on that later), hummus and black bean soup.

Either way, I am farily certain this gal is nowhere near boycotting the meat. And it’s not just the vino talking. Mama had a ridiculous dinner of coldwater oysters, followed by a trio of Moroccan-inspired lamb — braised, plus grilled chop and loin — at the aforementioned Mandarin Oriental eatery, and I’m not quite sure I understand the difference between chowing down on a sweet-faced, wooly mammal versus a graceful, overfished Swordfish.

Care to enlighten me? Veggies, sound off. Controversy is most welcome.