Do you remember the first pair of sneakers you bought that molded to your feet and hardly felt like shoes at all? You wore them long past the time you should have thrown them away. Or maybe instead you have a favorite book, one that you return to over and over, simply because it speaks to you like no other book does.
When you find something you love, it's hard not to keep coming back to it. I hope you finally found the will to toss the sneakers, but chances are you'll never pitch the book. That's the way I feel about foods I've grown to love. Now, don't get me wrong. I'd much rather eat whole foods that I've prepared myself, but I'm also realistic. Some days I just don't have time to prepare an entire meal from scratch. Or maybe I can, but I don't want to also bake a loaf of bread from scratch every time I put together dinner. There's something to be said for the age of convenience.
That doesn't mean, though, that all convenience foods are equal (you know exactly what I mean). When I buy those types of foods today, I'm looking for products that are healthy, preferably organic, and vegan (of course!). Here is a list of some of my favorite brands:
Alvarado Street Bakery breads: Not all of their breads are vegan (some contain honey), but many are. My local grocery store right now only carries their breads, but I hope they begin carrying some of their other products soon (like bagels and tortillas). What I really like about their products is that many of their breads are made from sprouted seeds (like sprouted rye or sprouted wheat). When you eat sprouted seeds rather than flour, your body digests it more easily. They also don't use GMO (genetically modified) foods, and that is a huge plus for me. Most of their products contain no dairy or eggs, so most of their goods are vegan. YAY! If you're curious, you can check out Alvarado St. yourself!
Amy's Kitchen products: Those of you who have been reading my blog for a while will find this entry as no surprise. Not all of Amy's products are vegan, but a good many are. More than that, though, Amy's prides itself for using natural and organic ingredients, and none of their ingredients are genetically modified. Amy's makes frozen foods, canned foods (like soups), and other products. Those products of Amy's that are not vegan are vegetarian. Some of my favorite Amy's products include the Bean and Rice Non-dairy Burrito (I will never grow tired of these!), the Black Bean Vegetable Enchilada entree, and the No Chicken Noodle Soup. And what would I do without their Roasted Vegetable Pizza? They label their vegan products so you can find what you need without wondering. Want to see their website yourself? Amy's Kitchen.
Kashi: Not all of their products are vegan, but like Amy's, they label the ones that are. I have to admit it: I love several of their frozen vegan entrees. On nights where I feel like I just can't do another thing, it's nice to be able to pop one of their entrees in the microwave. My faves include Black Bean Mango (so unusual but really good!), Mayan Harvest Bake (again, strange, but in a good way), and the Tuscan Veggie Bake (more traditional if your taste buds just want good old-fashioned comfort food). You can check them out here: Kashi.
Galaxy Nutritional Foods Rice Vegan American Flavor "Cheese" Slices: Most vegans I know worship at the alter of Daiya. Daiya's not bad, but it doesn't taste like cheese to me. I don't know how to describe it, but my taste buds are not fooled for one second. I still use their cheddar and mozzarella shreds, but I just can't embrace them as the vegan cheese. I've tried lots of vegan cheeses, and few have satisfied that occasional craving I get. That is, except one. When I use Galaxy's rice vegan American slices in a sandwich, I can believe I'm eating a good ol' slice of American cheese. I can't just have a grilled cheese sandwich, but if I have a veggie sandwich with a slice of rice vegan (or make a plate of nachos with refried beans, salsa, and rice vegan), I am happy! I have to go out of town to buy this cheese, so I'm glad I don't eat it a lot, but I'm looking forward to the day when my local health food store carries Galaxy products.
Boca: I'd almost bet there isn't a vegetarian out there who hasn't heard of Boca (well, American veggies, at any rate). I don't like all Boca products, but they do have a few I like. If you buy Boca, you'll notice that they package their non-GMO soy products differently, and those are the ones I buy. They are in brown packages, whereas their regular products are in red. Sometimes, dang it, I want a burger and fries, and I don't care how unhealthy they are, but my burger still has to be vegan. Some Boca products I love (all the non-GMO soy versions): Vegan Meatless Burger, Original Chik'n Patties, Original Chik'n Nuggets, Spicy Chik'n Patties, and Ground Crumbles. I don't know what I'd do if they didn't have non-GMO versions! I used to love Morningstar Veggie Patties, but they use egg products (and probably GMO products as well), so I hope someday Morningstar jumps on the vegan, non-GMO soy bandwagon...but I'm not holding my breath. Thank goodness Boca did!
505 Southwestern: I'm a sucker for a good salsa. Heck, I'm a salsa junkie. There. I admitted it, and I feel better now. 505 products aren't targeted toward vegan audiences, so I guess they're what PETA would call "accidentally vegan." My favorite products are both of their medium salsas, regular and chunky. I use them in and on so many foods. Their products are all natural, and any products that has just a few ingredients is better than a food that has dozens! For instance, that medium salsa I told you about? Seven ingredients, and one of them is water! So it's not an entire meal...but it can make any blah meal awesome! Check out 505 yourself and see what you think.
As I complete this list, I realize I've left off some products that aren't registering with me right off the bat. I think this list will give you a good idea, though, so next time you're too tired to whip up an entire meal from scratch, consider one of these products!
Showing posts with label health. Show all posts
Showing posts with label health. Show all posts
Saturday, January 21, 2012
Friday, October 29, 2010
But Aren't You Worried About Osteoporosis???
(And protein deficiency and B12 deficiency...Frankly, I'd worry more about diabetes and heart disease, but I don't now.) So am I worried about osteoporosis?
In a word, no. Dairy and meat products can actually cause osteoporosis. As the body discards excess animal protein, it leaches calcium from a person's bones in order to balance the body's pH levels. There's your cause for osteoporosis. But there's even more to it than that.
Americans have long been told that the best way to prevent bone loss and osteoporosis later in life is by consuming large amounts of calcium, whether in the form of supplements or via dairy products. In fact, the Recommended Daily Intake of calcium in the United States is 1000 or more milligrams for adults, depending on age and gender. To get this much calcium from one's diet, a person would have to drink at least three to four cups of milk a day or eat at least five ounces of cheese. Still, vegans don't necessarily need to stress out about osteoporosis.
Osteoporosis is caused by a loss of bone density that usually occurs later in life. Bone loss is often caused by ingesting animal protein (both meat and dairy products). So many Americans think that they should get their calcium in other ways, but further studies have shown that calcium supplements aren't helpful at all and may, in fact, be harmful, potentially causing heart problems. Elderly people who have suffered bone fractures are also not helped by supplements.
So how can vegans get calcium? There are plenty of plant foods that provide calcium (such as broccoli, soybeans, peas, and spinach). However, vegans need to know that calcium by itself isn't necessarily helpful. Calcium is best absorbed with magnesium. Fortunately, the same vegetables that have calcium also have plenty of magnesium. But calcium is only part of the bone health equation.
Exercise is also an important part of maintaining healthy bones. Weight training is one of the best ways people can increase bone density. While exercise in general is good, weight-bearing exercise is vital in building bone mass and increasing bone density.
So while vegans aren't necessarily immune to osteoporosis, they needn't worry as long as they eat a healthy diet consisting of plenty of vegetables (too much bread or pasta won't help!) and exercise in ways that increase bone density.
I did worry about osteoporosis when I first became a vegetarian until I started researching. Look up the rates for countries with the highest rates of osteoporosis and then look at their main diet. What do they eat and drink a lot of? Then look at countries with the lowest rates and examine their diets as well. Makes you wonder why we're continually told that "milk does a body good." I bet it would do the calf's body good, but not mine!
In a word, no. Dairy and meat products can actually cause osteoporosis. As the body discards excess animal protein, it leaches calcium from a person's bones in order to balance the body's pH levels. There's your cause for osteoporosis. But there's even more to it than that.
Americans have long been told that the best way to prevent bone loss and osteoporosis later in life is by consuming large amounts of calcium, whether in the form of supplements or via dairy products. In fact, the Recommended Daily Intake of calcium in the United States is 1000 or more milligrams for adults, depending on age and gender. To get this much calcium from one's diet, a person would have to drink at least three to four cups of milk a day or eat at least five ounces of cheese. Still, vegans don't necessarily need to stress out about osteoporosis.
Osteoporosis is caused by a loss of bone density that usually occurs later in life. Bone loss is often caused by ingesting animal protein (both meat and dairy products). So many Americans think that they should get their calcium in other ways, but further studies have shown that calcium supplements aren't helpful at all and may, in fact, be harmful, potentially causing heart problems. Elderly people who have suffered bone fractures are also not helped by supplements.
So how can vegans get calcium? There are plenty of plant foods that provide calcium (such as broccoli, soybeans, peas, and spinach). However, vegans need to know that calcium by itself isn't necessarily helpful. Calcium is best absorbed with magnesium. Fortunately, the same vegetables that have calcium also have plenty of magnesium. But calcium is only part of the bone health equation.
Exercise is also an important part of maintaining healthy bones. Weight training is one of the best ways people can increase bone density. While exercise in general is good, weight-bearing exercise is vital in building bone mass and increasing bone density.
So while vegans aren't necessarily immune to osteoporosis, they needn't worry as long as they eat a healthy diet consisting of plenty of vegetables (too much bread or pasta won't help!) and exercise in ways that increase bone density.
I did worry about osteoporosis when I first became a vegetarian until I started researching. Look up the rates for countries with the highest rates of osteoporosis and then look at their main diet. What do they eat and drink a lot of? Then look at countries with the lowest rates and examine their diets as well. Makes you wonder why we're continually told that "milk does a body good." I bet it would do the calf's body good, but not mine!
Monday, October 25, 2010
Organic Foods
Okay, so organic doesn't necessarily mean vegan, but a good many people become vegan because they're worried about their health. And that's where organic foods come in. Enough people have asked me now about organic that I felt I should say a little something.
I've written an article about the subject that you can view here: What is Organic and Why Does it Matter?
Or I'll give you the quick version here:
Now, if you're on a budget like most of us are, you're thinking, "Well, that's all well and good, but I just can't afford it!" Fortunately, organic food experts have identified what they call the "dirty dozen." So if you can only afford to buy some organic instead of all, there are certain foods to focus on. According to Organic.org, the dirty dozen include peaches, nectarines, apples, strawberries, pears, cherries, imported grapes, sweet bell peppers, spinach, celery, lettuce, and potatoes. They also give a list of the 12 least contaminated foods (which will give you an idea of foods that are relatively okay to eat even if not organic). This list actually changes from year to year, but many of these dirty dozen never leave the list.
Yes, there are also organic meats and milks, but my blog is not about them, so if you're interested, you'll have to do a little more research on your own. The same principle applies, though. Organic means fewer chemicals you'll be exposing your body to.
I've written an article about the subject that you can view here: What is Organic and Why Does it Matter?
Or I'll give you the quick version here:
- Organic foods are grown without chemical fertilizers, pesticides, or sewage sludge.
- The soil the vegetables are grown in is healthy and organic and the water is clean.
- Organic farms typically care about the environment and do what they can to protect it.
Now, if you're on a budget like most of us are, you're thinking, "Well, that's all well and good, but I just can't afford it!" Fortunately, organic food experts have identified what they call the "dirty dozen." So if you can only afford to buy some organic instead of all, there are certain foods to focus on. According to Organic.org, the dirty dozen include peaches, nectarines, apples, strawberries, pears, cherries, imported grapes, sweet bell peppers, spinach, celery, lettuce, and potatoes. They also give a list of the 12 least contaminated foods (which will give you an idea of foods that are relatively okay to eat even if not organic). This list actually changes from year to year, but many of these dirty dozen never leave the list.
Yes, there are also organic meats and milks, but my blog is not about them, so if you're interested, you'll have to do a little more research on your own. The same principle applies, though. Organic means fewer chemicals you'll be exposing your body to.
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