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Fall 2014 A Seasonal Newsletter from the Oldways Vegetarian Network
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In this Issue
| > | Oldways at FNCE
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Celebrating Vegetarian Awareness Month
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New & Noteworthy
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Food Scene Changes
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Mark Your Calendar
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| In the Spotlight | >
| Research & Reports | >
| By the Numbers | >
| Nutrition Lines
By Sharon Palmer, RD
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News from our Sponsors
and Partners
| | > | Good Reads | | > | What We're Cooking Now |
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Fall Has Arrived
We're thinking about what to do with baskets of apples, squash is popping up everywhere, and many of us are reaching into the backs of our closets to find sweaters and wooly socks. Here in the office we're unpacking from FNCE in Atlanta - the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics Food & Nutrition Conference & Expo.
The show provided us with two excellent opportunities to share our commitment to promoting plant-based diets and to celebrate Vegetarian Awareness Month.
On Tuesday, October 21, Oldways sponsored an Educational Session, "Promoting Healthful Vegetarian and Vegan Diets: Research Findings and Practical Tips for RDNs," moderated by Sharon Palmer, RD. Speakers included Joan Sabate, MD, PhD from Loma Linda University, who reviewed current research, and Virginia Messina, MPH, RD, who offered guidelines for dietitians to use in counseling patients on calcium, protein, and other dietary needs.
 And at the Oldways booth we introduced The Oldways 4-Week Vegetarian & Vegan Diet Menu Plan, created in collaboration with Sharon Palmer. Centered upon our Vegetarian & Vegan Diet Pyramid, which we introduced last year at FNCE, this new book meets an important need. Sharon explains, "As a plant-based nutrition expert, I believe that menu planning is one of the biggest challenges people new to a vegetarian or vegan diet face. They need practical direction on what to eat at meals in order to be satisfied and meet their nutritional requirements. People want ideas for breakfast, lunch, and dinner." This new book provides an easy, delicious guide for getting started on a plant-based diet. Plus, the book provides great inspiration for vegetarians and vegans who may be stuck in a rut when it comes to meal planning. The menu plan and recipes are simple, globally inspired, nutritionally balanced, and best yet--delicious! (Visit the Oldways webstore to order your copy today!)
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| Celebrating Vegetarian Awareness Month |
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- Oldways joined dozens of other organizations in celebrating October as a time to focus on vegetarian and vegan diets. Click here to read our Oldways Table Blog interview with Ginny Messina and Mark Rifkin, two dietitians who are in the forefront of promoting plant-based diets.
- In the October issue of Today's Dietitian, dietitian Diana Cullum-Dugan focused on the top questions vegetarians ask dietitians and provides tips for answering with expertise.
- Colleges and students stepped up to the plate last month, too. Kudos to the Sustainability Chopped Competition at LAR residence halls at the University of Illinois, where four groups of competitors received a pantry list and mystery basket and prepared plant-based meals during dinner hour. And Duke University in Durham, North Carolina, announced plans to make more vegetarian, vegan, and raw food options available to students there.
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Wash That Cantaloupe Before Cutting it!
It's easy to think that if you follow a plant-based diet you don't need to worry about food safety. But fruits and vegetables are perishable and can also carry the risk of foodborne illness. The latest campaign from the Partnership for Food Safety Education, Fight BAC against Foodborne Illnesses, offers six smart practices. Among the helpful tips: Running water is just as effective as veggie washes and vinegar solutions in getting rid of bacteria, and if a product is labeled "ready-to-eat" or "washed" or "triple washed" there's no need to wash it again. Click here for more information.
Creating Change in the Medical Community- According to "The Future of Medicine is in the Kitchen" in The Huffington Post, 75% of physicians say their medical school training didn't prepare them to discuss nutrition with their patients. This past summer, the American College of Sports Medicine, The Alliance for a Healthier Generation, and the Bipartisan Policy Center released a white paper calling for major reforms to medical education. Click here to learn more.
- The Plantrician Project recently shared some sobering statistics at their Plant-Based Nutrition Healthcare Conference, September 17-20 in San Diego:
-- 70% of all healthcare dollars are spent on treatment of conditions that are preventable
-- 90% of the U.S. senior population consumes prescription drugs
Advocating a shift from a "disease" care system to a true "health" care system, the organization envisions the vast majority of physicians and healthcare professionals worldwide embracing the health-protecting power of plant-based nutrition and recommending that their patients adopt a predominantly whole food plant-based lifestyle.
Building a Good Egg
Neat foods has added a new product to their line of alternatives to meat. The neat egg, made from chia seeds and garbanzo beans, is soy free and gluten free. It has been designed to serve as a binder in waffles, pancakes, baked goods, and patties, not as a stand-alone egg.
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Chipotle Update
In the first issue of the OVN Quarterly, we reported that Chipotle was testing their vegan "sofritas" in several US markets. The company recently announced that they are now selling the mixture of organic, shredded tofu braised with chipotle chilies, roasted poblanos, and spices in nine more states - Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Texas, as well as in Virginia, where the item had previously been tested. The sofritas represent the chain's first new menu addition since 2005.
Time for Tuna Sushi?
Chef James Corwell has perfected a palatable alternative to seafood by creating tuna-free sushi.
He uses tomatoes cooked sous vide and then wrapped in seaweed and rice.
Click here to watch the maestro at work.
First Mortar and Bricks Beefstake
Spanish-American restaurateur and chef Jose Andres, known for his enticing small plate servings, has announced a plan to open a vegetable-focused fast-casual restaurant called Beefstake (named after a type of big juicy tomato) on the George Washington University campus in Washington, DC. If all goes well, he may develop a chain of restaurants that focus on vegetables.
Read more >
Vegan Bar in Bushwick
We're getting accustomed to hearing about vegan grocery stores, vegan restaurants, and vegan celebrities. Now there's a vegan bar - in Bushwick, Brooklyn - called Pine Box Rock Shop. Serving up only plant-based ingredients, the bar features its own home-made Irish Cream (soy milk, vanilla vodka, Frangelico, and Kahlua) and a tempting list of drinks. A Grim Pickle, anyone?
Read more >
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Ed Smith, the five-term mayor
of Marshall, with his wife, Amanda, changed his diet after
a cancer diagnosis in 2008.
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The New Year New You Health Fest, held March 27-29, 2015 in Marshall, Texas, will feature more than two dozen influential speakers, plus champion athletes, chefs, and best-selling authors, all gathered to share information on the benefits of plant-based diets. The catalyst for the event is five-term mayor Ed Smith, who turned to a vegan diet after receiving a diagnosis of cancer. Marshall is a 30-minute drive from the Shreveport, Louisiana airport and a two-hour drive from Dallas.
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A Good ReadDr. Kim Williams, president-elect of the American College of Cardiology (ACC) and chairman of cardiology at Rush University Medical Center in Chicago, was featured on August 6 in "Advice from a Vegan Cardiologist," a column for The New York Times blog, Well. Of his patients he said: "I recommend a plant-based diet because I know it's going to lower their blood pressure, improve their insulin sensitivity, and decrease their cholesterol." People WatchingTo celebrate World Vegetarian Day on October 1, the Huffington Post spotlighted a whole month's worth of vegan and vegetarian celebrities. Plant-Eating Athletes- The October issue of Runner's World features Boston runner, mom, and food advocate, Micah Risk, sporting vegan socks. (Google "vegan socks" to find them online.) Risk is co-founder of Lighter, a curated grocery delivery system that creates meal plans and supplies non-animal products to local households. Read more >
- Read more about a long list of other vegan athletes.
- And, take a look at the Vegetarian Resource Group's "Sports Nutrition Guidelines for the Vegetarian."
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Counting Vegetarians in Sweden
As reported by the Humane Research Council, the results are in from a survey of 1,000 people, conducted by Djurens R�tt (Animal Rights Sweden), to find out the number of vegetarians or vegans in Sweden: 4% said they were vegans and 6% said they were vegetarians. Age-wise, most vegetarians and vegans can be found among 15-24 year olds - 17%. The figure is 10% for 25-49 year olds, 8% for 50-64 year olds and 6% for those aged 65 years and older. In metropolitan areas, 11% are vegetarian or vegan; in other urban areas it is 9% and in the rest of the country 10%.
Promoting Plant-Based Diets - What Works?
In 2013, Humane League Labs created a survey posing 57 questions to vegans, vegetarians, semi-vegetarians, and omnivores to better understand the demographic and diet change patterns of each group. The group used the replies from 3,000 respondents, including over 1,500 vegans and vegetarians, to enable vegan advocacy organizations to create more effective materials and messaging. Here are a few of the survey highlights:
- Family concerns are a major (and frequently overlooked) barrier to going vegetarian, especially among students. Cost is also a significant concern.
- Exposure to documentaries and books are two of the biggest catalysts inspiring people to reduce or eliminate animal product consumption.
- Dairy is by far the hardest animal product for people to remove from their diet, followed by eggs and then fish.
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12%
...of global food
and drink product launches carried a vegetarian claim in 2013 (up from 6% in 2008)
Mintel
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4%
...of kids aged 8-18 identify themselves as vegetarians (includes half a million who are vegans)
2014 Harris Interactive poll for the Vegetarian Resource Group
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70%
...of households do not buy hummus
Sabra market research
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40%
...of Americans say they look for vegetarian foods
2012 survey conducted by the Vegetarian Resource Group
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Nutrition Lines by Sharon Palmer
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Sharon Palmer, the consulting dietitian for the OVN, also served on the 10-member scientific committee that helped us update our 1997 vegetarian pyramid to the current Vegetarian & Vegan Diet Pyramid that was introduced in 2013. In each issue of this newsletter she will provide an answer to a commonly-asked question about plant-based diets.
Q. Does a plant-based diet provide enough protein for women
as they age?
A. Yes! However, there is a lot of attention recently within the health care community on increasing protein intake as we age. Indeed, recent research suggests that older women (aged 60 and over) should get more protein than the current RDA of 0.8 gm/kg of body weight (or 46 grams per day for the average women, according to the Dietary Reference Intakes). Scientists are suggesting that aging women need a bit more protein to help prevent frailty and to maintain muscle mass, immune function, and wound healing. Although more research is needed, protein intake of around 1 - 1.6 g/kg of body weight per day may be needed, according to recent science. So, that means if you weigh 135 pounds, that's somewhere around 73 grams of protein per day.
For most women, a simple rule of thumb is to make sure you include a protein-rich food at each meal and snack (at least 4 servings a day). And remember, plant foods, with the exception of refined foods such as sugars and oils, have some amount of protein that can add up during the day to contribute to your total needs. Vegetables and whole grains can be great sources of protein, too. So make sure to include lots of nutrient-rich, whole foods in your diet. Plant-based proteins have a great nutrient package--rich in fiber, healthy fats, vitamins, minerals, and phytochemicals -- perfect for older women who are at risk for diseases of aging, such as heart disease and cancer.
Protein-Rich Foods
For Vegetarian diets: Milk, eggs, yogurt, cheese, cottage cheese (plus foods on vegan list)
For Vegan diets: Beans, lentils, dried peas, soy foods (edamame, tofu, soymilk), nuts, seeds, and meat alternatives (i.e. veggie burgers)
-- Sharon Palmer, RD, dietitian and author of The Plant-Powered Diet (2012) and Plant-Powered for Life (2014).
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News from our Sponsors & Partners
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PBH Supports Dietetic Interns in Supermarkets
Produce for Better Health Foundation (PBH) has worked closely with supermarket dietitians for the past several years, noting the important role they play in helping to educate consumers on the importance of eating a variety of fruits and vegetables in daily meals and snacks. PBH is offering $50,000 in total grant funding to support grocery store dietetics as a growing field of employment for nutrition professionals.
The grant funding will be used to encourage enhanced collaboration between supermarkets and university nutrition and dietetic programs with a specific emphasis on training dietetic interns to deliver grocery store tours. The funding period began August 1, 2014 and ends June 30, 2015, to coincide with the collegiate fall and spring semesters. Grants will be limited to $5,000 per internship program per semester.
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| Kids Go for Kale Smoothies
Veggiecation was a proud participant in the second annual National Kale Day on October 1. In honor of the national day of celebration, Veggiecation went to PS 153 in New York City to make their Shamrock Smoothie. This simple smoothie turned out to be a HUGE hit with the students and teachers. Students learned that kale is good for your heart, strengthens your eyes, and helps fight colds!
Click here for Veggiecation kale tips, facts, and recipes. This evidence-based children's culinary nutrition education program currently has more than 80 Veggiecator Educators across the country, including the first two in Utah.
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| Free E-Cookbook to Encourage Family Meals
Busy weeknights often lead parents to skip family meals, but public health officials agree that enjoying home-cooked meals as a family promotes health and well-being. In fact, according to a recent study, participating in even one or two family meals per week as an adolescent is associated with reduced rates of obesity as an adult.
 The Kids Cook Monday aims to help parents with this challenge. The nonprofit campaign's latest free resource is The Family Dinner Date, an easy-to-navigate e-cookbook featuring twelve recipes that parents and kids can easily prepare together. Each recipe is formatted in the campaign's signature Kid/Adult/Together instructions to help parents determine which steps in the cooking process are safe for children to complete. And to promote conversation around the dinner table, each page contains a fun fact, called "Food for Thought."
"Cooking with your kids is a great way to have fun, build their confidence, and get them excited about eating healthy food," said The Kids Cook Monday supporter Pam Koch, executive director of the Tisch Center at Teachers College, Columbia University. "These recipes are all healthy, simple, and make it so easy to know how to get your kids involved." The e-cookbook is now available as a free download on The Kids Cook Monday website.
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To celebrate September is Whole Grains Month, another Oldways program, the Whole Grains Council, invited 16 bloggers and dietitians to share recipes that feature whole grains.
Here are some of our plant-based favorites:
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Curried Spelt from Ellen Kanner
Whole grains are the canvas for this Indian-inspired dish. Feel free to "paint" it as you wish - substitute other sturdy, seasonal vegetables - zucchini or broccoli - for the green beans. The peas add a nice pop of color, but chickpeas work well, too. Allow time to soak the spelt for this dish overnight. The next day, it cooks up beautifully chewy. Go to recipe >
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Grilled Ratatouille Quinoa with Balsamic Vinaigrette from Bobi Burelson
Cooking most grains is very similar to cooking rice, and quinoa is one of the easiest to master. Rinse several times in water and cook like pasta, in boiling water for about 10 minutes, uncovered, until it's tender. Then drain and use in your recipe. Go to recipe >
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Wild Rice and Fall Fruit Salad from Amy McCoy
When you need a crowd-pleasing side (yes, Thanksgiving), this is your dish. Packed with flavor, from nutty wild rice, to sweet fall fruits, earthy kale, and the crunch of toasted hazelnuts, this recipe is easy and versatile, a healthful side for omnivores, vegetarians, and vegans alik Go to recipe >
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Special thanks to our partners who join us in promoting the health benefits of plant-based diets: Meatless Monday; Produce for Better Health Foundation; Veggiecation.
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