Building blocks of a vegan/vegetarian diet include whole grains, fruits, vegetables, tofu and tempeh.

Currently, about 5.7 million U.S. adults are “vegetarians” — those who eat a meatless diet — with a third of those classified as “vegans” — or people who do not eat any foods derived from animals — according to a 2003 poll by The Vegetarian Resource Group.

People who eat a low-fat vegan diet may lower their blood sugar more and lose more weight than people on a standard American Diabetes Association diet, according to a study by researchers at George Washington University, the University of Toronto and the University of North Carolina published in July.

This may come as good news to the estimated 18 million Americans with type-2 diabetes, but those without the disease may also reap possible health benefits from a vegan or vegetarian diet.

“Vegans tend to be very lean,” said Mary Ellen Camire, a professor of food science and human nutrition at the University of Maine. “But it’s not simply a meatless diet that does it, it’s adding more fruits, vegetables and whole grains.”

Nutrients once thought to be unattainable in meatless diets — such as vitamin B-12 and iron — can now be ingested through supplements, Camire said, but said she still recommends consulting a registered dietitian before making the dietary switch.

Some researchers have claimed that high levels of soy consumption can lead to increased estrogen production in men, but Camire said there is not enough information available to establish the suggestion as fact.

“A vegan diet can be just as healthy (as a diet including meat and dairy), but it’s going to require a lot of knowledge and time because vegan foods are not going to be as available in restaurants and supermarkets,” Camire said.

Building blocks of a vegan/vegetarian diet include whole grains, fruits, vegetables, tofu and tempeh — a fermented whole soybean and grain mixture.

Substitute meat products such as garden burgers, “tuno”, “tofurky”, egg replacer and even veggie shredded cheese are available as diet alternatives.

“We’re finding right now that there is popularity in vegan and that there seems to be a crossover effect with our products,” said Hilary Taube, director of marketing for Galaxy Nutritional Foods, a producer of vegan cheeses. “Vegetarians and even those with a traditional diet are picking up our products.”

Due to more vegan-friendly products on the market, eating a vegan diet is easier now than it was five or 10 years ago, Camire said.

“I think the growth of veganism is a small part of people starting to be aware of the history of their foods, the backstory of their food. Even with organic and free range foods — it’s about people beginning to question where their food comes from,” said Matt Ball, executive director of Vegan Outreach, a Pittsburgh-based vegan advocacy group founded in 1993.

The Story
By Paul Kita

Photo from fruitsnvegetables.com

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