Vegetarian Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Below is a list of questions and answers, taken from the Vegan-List,
that cover most of the common questions associated with vegetarianism.
In case you aren't actually a member but you are a vegan or an aspiring
vegan, please join us by sending the following message to listserv@vm.temple.edu (Internet) or listserv@templevm (Bitnet) :
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Veganism may be defined as a way of living which seeks to exclude,
as far as possible and practical, all forms of exploitation of, and
cruelty to, animals for food, clothing or any other purpose.
In dietary terms it refers to the practice of dispensing with all
animal produce - including meat, fish, poultry, eggs, animal milks,
honey, and their derivatives.
Abhorrence of the cruel practices inherent in dairy, livestock and
poultry farming is probably the single most common reason for the
adoption of veganism, but many people are drawn to it for health,
ecological, spiritual and other reasons.
"Land, energy and water resources for livestock agriculture range
anywhere from 10 to 1000 times greater than those necessary to produce
an equivalent amount of plant foods. And livestock agriculture does not
merely use these resources, it depletes them. This is a matter of
historical record. Most of the world's soil, erosion, groundwater
depletion, and deforestation -- factors now threatening the very basis
of our food system -- are the result of this particularly destructive
form of food production" (Keith Akers, p. 81, "A VEGETARIAN
SOURCEBOOK", 1989).
If the above section doesn't make any sense to you then probably
not. Please don't join this list and then denigrate those who have
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you are an ethical vegan or an experienced vegetarian and have now
decided to move to veganism on ethical grounds then please stick
around. If you're vegetarian or "vegan" for health reasons only then
there are a couple of other groups you may prefer:
Fatfree (covers very low fat vegetarian and vegan food).
To subscribe:
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If animal rights is your main concern then you may prefer:
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Please use AR-News for all AR news postings, not VEGAN-L
If you're after a general veggie chat list try:
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Please don't post general chit-chat messages to VEGAN-L or messages
unrelated to veganism, no matter how important you feel the subject is.
In order to get laying hens you have to have fertile eggs and half
the eggs will hatch into male chicks. These are killed at once or
raised as table birds (usually these days in broiler houses) and
slaughtered as soon as they reach an economic weight. So for every
free-range hen happily scratching around the garden or farm who, if she
were able to bargain, might pay rent with her daily infertile egg, a
corresponding male from her batch is enduring life in a broiler house
or has already been subjected to slaughter or thrown away to die. Every
year in Britain alone more than 35 million day-old male chicks are
killed. They are mainly used for fertiliser or dumped in landfill
sites. The hens are also culled as soon as their production drops. Also
be aware that many sites classed as free range aren't really free
range, they're just massive barns with access to the outside. Since the
food and light are inside the chickens rarely venture outside.
The battery hen, from which the vast majority of all eggs are
produced and almost all products containing eggs (especially cakes)
suffers an even worse fate. The battery hen is an anxious, frustrated,
fear-ridden bird forced to spend 10 to 12 months squeezed inside a
small wire cage with up to nine other tormented hens. There are usually
many tiers of these cages in gloomy sheds which hold a total of 50,000
to 125,000 birds. Caged for life without exercise while constantly
drained of calcium to form egg shells, battery hens develop the severe
osteoporosis of intensive confinement know as caged layer fatigue.
Calcium depleted, millions of hens become paralysed and die of hunger
and thirst inches from their food and water. Battery hens are debeaked
with a hot machine blade once and often twice during their lives,
typically at one day old and again at seven weeks old, because a young
beak will often grow back. Debeaking causes severe, chronic pain and
suffering which researchers compare to human phantom limb and stump
pain. Between the horn and bone of the beak is a thick layer of highly
sensitive tissue. The hot blade cuts through this sensitive tissue
impairing the hen's ability to eat, drink, wipe her beak, and preen
normally. Debeaking is done to offset the effects of the compulsive
pecking that can afflict birds designed by nature to roam, scratch, and
peck at the ground all day, not sit in prison; and to save feed costs
and promote conversion of less food into more eggs. Debeaked birds have
impaired grasping ability and are in pain and distress, therefore
eating less, flinging their food less, and "wasting" less energy than
intact birds.
Ener-G Egg Replacer, which is make from potato starch, tapioca
flour, leavening agents (calcium lactate (vegan), calcium carbonate,
and citric acid) and a gum derived from cottonseed. It's primarily
intended to replace the leavening/binding characteristics of eggs in
baking, but it can be used for nonbaked foods and quiches.
Alternative replacements (quantity per egg substituted for)
2 oz of soft tofu can be blended with some water and substituted for
an egg to add consistency. Or try the same quantity of: mashed beans,
mashed potatoes, or nut butters.
1/2 mashed banana, 1/4 cup applesauce or pur?ed fruit, One
Tablespoon flax seeds (found in natural food stores) with 3 Tbsp water
can be blended for 2 to 3 minutes, or boiled for 10 minutes or until
desired consistency is achieved to substitute for one egg. 1 teaspoon.
soy flour plus 1 Tbsp. water to substitute for one egg.
Dairy cows are made pregnant yearly to ensure they produce adequate
milk. In nature the calf would suckle for almost a year but nature,
like the calf, is denied by the dairy industry. Some calves may be
separated from their dams on the first day of life; others might remain
for just a few days. But as the inevitable by-products of relentless
milk production each will have to endure one of several possible fates.
The least healthy bobby calves will be sent to market to be slaughtered
for pet food; to provide veal for veal & ham pies; or for rennet to
be extracted from their stomachs for cheesemaking. Some females will be
reared on milk substitutes to become dairy herd replacements and begin,
at 18 - 24 months of age, the cycle of continual pregnancies. Some will
be sold at market at 1 - 2 weeks of age for rearing as beef in
fattening pens and slaughtered after 11 months, often without sight of
pasture. Up to 80% of the beef produced in the UK is a by-product of
the dairy industry. Over 170,000 calves die in the UK each year before
they are three months old, due largely to neglectful husbandry and
appalling treatment at markets. A few will be selected for rearing as
bulls, spending their lives in solitary confinement serving canvas
'cows' and rubber tubes. Artificial insemination is now responsible for
65 - 75% of all conceptions in the dairy herd. In the US the vast
majority of unwanted calves are reared for veal, all but around 12% of
them spending their short miserable lives in narrow crates (5' x 2') on
wooden slats and without straw. Whilst none suffer such a fate in
Britain they are now exported for the purpose. In solitary confinement,
unable to turn around or groom themselves they must drink the only diet
they are allowed - a milk substitute gruel. Deliberately kept short of
the iron and fiber which would redden their fashionably white flesh,
they will suffer from sub-clinical anaemia and gnaw at the crates and
their own hair for the roughage they crave. Fed large doses of hormones
and antibiotics to promote growth and prevent the onset of infections
caused by the stress of confinement and malnutrition, they will suffer
scours, pneumonia, diarrhea, vitamin deficiency, ringworm, ulcers or
septicaemia. After 14 weeks, barely able to walk, they are taken over
long distances to slaughter.
In 1905 the Lord Mayor's Cup at the London Dairy Show was won by a
24 year old cow. Today it is impossible to find a dairy cow of that
age. The cow is usually sent for slaughter at five to six years, less
than one quarter of their expected lifespan. Ketosis, laminitis, rumen
acidosis, bse, mastitis, milk fever, staggers, liverfluke, lungworm and
pneumonia are just some of the diseases facing the short life of the
dairy cow.
Just as the meat manufacturers would have you believe that you need
to eat meat, the egg and dairy producers are now spending vast amounts
of money promoting the healthy aspects of eggs and dairy products. Eggs
and dairy products contain large amounts of cholesterol and saturated
fats, which is considered a major cause of heart disease. In a 1985
study published by the J. Am. Med. Ass. dairy products were the major
source of saturated fat and cholesterol for 75 adult vegetarians living
in the USA, whose blood levels of cholesterol were higher than those of
vegans who ate no dairy produce. Dairy products contain lactose, a milk
sugar which the majority of the world's population is actually unable
to digest and is often found to be the cause of digestive problems.
Casein, the milk protein, has been shown to cause iron deficiency
anaemia from internal bleeding in many infants and is suspected of
causing juvenile diabetes. Milk products can also be a cause of eczema,
rash, mucous buildup, wheezing, asthma, rhinitis, bleeding, pneumonia
and anaphylaxis in children and adults.
Some soy hard cheeses contain casein which is a milk-product. Just
because something is "lactose free" doesn't mean it's dairy free. The
only true VEGAN hard cheeses in the U.S. are SOYMAGE and VEGAN RELLA.
In the U.K. there are vegan hard cheeses called SCHEESE and TOFUCHEESE.
There is also a vegan pre-grated Parmesan style cheese called PARMAZANO
in the U.K.
Bees are often killed in the production of honey, in the worst case
the whole hive may be destroyed if the keeper doesn't wish to protect
them over the winter. Not all beekeepers do this, but the general
practice is one that embodies the attitude that living things are mere
*material* and have no intrinsic value of their own other than what
commercial value we can wrench from them. Artificial insemination
involving death of the male is now also the norm for generation of new
queen bees. The favoured method of obtaining bee sperm is by pulling
off the insects head. Decapitation sends an electrical impulse to the
nervous system which causes sexual arousal. The lower half of the
headless bee is then squeezed to make it ejaculate. The resulting
liquid is collected in a hypodermic syringe.
Gelatin (used to make Jell-o and other desserts) is made from the
boiled bones, skins and tendons of animals. An alternative substance is
called Agar-Agar, which is derived from seaweed. Another is made from
the root of the Kuzu. Agar-Agar is sold in noodle-like strands, in
powdered form, or in long blocks, and is usually white-ish in color.
Some Kosher gelatins are made with agar-agar, most are not. Some things
that are vegan that are replacing gelatin are: guar gum and
carrageenin. Only some 'emulsifiers' are vegan. Gelatin is used in
photography. Although the technology exists to replace photographic
film, its price is currently prohibitive and there is insufficient
demand. Hopefully, with the growth of vegetarianism and veganism, this
situation will soon change.
Scientists over the years have bred a Merino sheep which is
exaggeratedly wrinkled. The more wrinkles, the more wool.
Unfortunately, greater profits are rarely in the sheep's best
interests. In Australia, more wrinkles mean more perspiration and
greater susceptibility to fly-strike, a ghastly condition resulting
from maggot infestation in the sweaty folds of the sheep's
over-wrinkled skin. To counteract this, farmers now perform an
'operation' without anaesthetic call 'mulesing' in which sections of
flesh around the anus are sliced away, leaving a painful bloody wound.
Without human interference, sheep would grow just enough wool to
protect them from the weather, but scientific breeding techniques have
ensured that these animals have become wool-producing monstrosities.
Their unnatural overload of wool (often half their body weight)
brings added misery during summer months when they often die from heat
exhaustion. One million sheep die in Australia alone each year from
exposure to cold after shearing.
Every year, in Australia alone, about ten million lambs die before
they are more than a few days old. This is due largely to unmanageable
numbers of sheep and inadequate stockmen. Of UK wool, 27% is "skin
wool," pulled from the skins of slaughtered sheep and lambs.
It is the practice to boil the cocoons that still contain the living
moth larvae in order to obtain the silk. This produces longer silk
threads than if the moth was allowed to emerge. The silkworm can
certainly feel pain and will recoil and writhe when injured.
The process of live-plucking is wide spread. The terrified birds are
lifted by their necks, with their legs tied, and then have all their
body feathers ripped out. The struggling geese sustain injuries and
after their ordeal are thrown back to join their fellow victims until
their turn comes round again. This torture, which has been described as
"extremely cruel" by veterinary surgeons and even geese breeders,
begins when the geese are only eight weeks old. It is then repeated at
eight week intervals for two or three more sessions. The birds are then
slaughtered. The main countries using this cruel process are China,
Poland and Hungary, where some 60 per cent of down produced is
live-plucked. The down market in the UK alone is worth around 2.6
million pounds per year. The "lucky" birds are plucked dead, i.e. they
are killed first and then plucked.
Cochineal is a bright red colouring matter made from the dried
bodies of a Mexican insect Dactylopius coccus. Billions of these
insects are raised and destroyed each year for a red colouring that is
used in desserts, some strawberry soya milks, clothing, etc.
Why kill even insects if we don't have to? The same applies to using
killed insects for broaches, crushed insect wings for iridescent eye
shadow, or dying insects in jumping beans. Why promote even at this
level a callous disregard for living things around us?
I think for good reason, based on ethical intuition, that we are
more impressed by the kind-hearted soul who nets the flies to let them
out of the house alive versus the person hunting them down for certain
chemical death with a bottle raid. Even if our great White Suburban
hunter of houseflies uses a fly-swatter for ecological reasons, the
more admirable course pertains to the person who uses a butterfly net
to simply capture the fly for relocation outside.
This doesn't mean we have to let our houses be over-run by pests or
let our gardens be destroyed either. Common sense should prevail.
Many leather goods are made from the byproducts of the
slaughterhouse, so while you may not be contributing to the destruction
of animals, you will be contributing to the profits of these
establishments. Some leather is purpose made, i.e. the animal is grown
and slaughtered purely for its skin.
The Nov/Dec 1991 issue of the Vegetarian Journal has this to say
about leather: "Environmentally turning animal hides into leather is an
energy intensive and polluting practice. The Kirk-Othmer Encyclopedia
of Chemical Technology states, "On the basis of quantity of energy
consumed per unit of product produced, the leather-manufacturing
industry would be categorized with the aluminum, paper, steel, cement,
and petroleum-manufacturing industries as a gross consumer of energy."
Production of leather basically involves soaking (beamhouse), tanning,
dyeing, drying, and finishing. Over 95% of all leather produced in the
U.S. is chrome tanned. The effluent that must be treated is primarily
related to the beamhouse and tanning operations. The most difficult to
treat is effluent from the tanning process. All wastes containing
chromium are considered hazardous by the U.S. Environmental Protection
Agency (EPA). Many other pollutants involved in the processing of
leather are associated with environmental and health risks. In terms of
disposal, one would think that leather products would be biodegradable,
but the primary function for a tanning agent is to stabilize the
collagen or protein fibers so that they are no longer biodegradable."
Wine is clarified, or cleared, after fermentation. Some of the ingredients used include:
In the UK beer (bitter) is also commonly fined using isinglass. Many
bottled bitters and most lagers are vegan. Guinness is not suitable for
vegans. Most spirits are vegan except for Campari (contains cochineal)
and some Vodkas (passed through bone charcoal).
Some bakers grease the tins with animal fat. If you're using a local
bakery ask them what they grease their tins with. In the UK Allied
bakeries (makers of Allinson wholemeal) have stated they only use
vegetable oils.
A lot of people are claiming that sugar is refined using bone
charcol. This is not true I have not found one manufacturer who still
uses bone charcol, they stopped in the late 1950's. If sugar still had
animal products in it so would most other products on the shelf - cola,
most sauces, in fact almost all products have some sugar in them, how
come almost all can be kosher and also vegetarian if they contain sugar
that is not?
In the UK all Kellogs products are unsuitable for vegans as Vitamin
D3 (of animal origin) is added. In the US some of Kellogg's cereals are
apparently vegan, Kellogg's Nutri-Grain cereal (plain "Wheat" variety
only) is a good vegan source of B12. Be careful though, the
almond-raisin variety contains animal based glycerin.
For sure. If a manufacturer can stick some part of an animal in
something, chances are they probably will. Learn to be a fastidious
label reader and avoid products not properly labelled unless you know
for sure that they are suitable for vegans. Buy products from companies
who make their stance on animal products known. Look out for ethically
vegan companies and support them when possible.
Some foods have "E" numbers listed in the ingredients, with no
mention as to the source of these E numbers. Ones to definitely avoid
include:
120 - cochineal
542 - edible bone phosphate
631 - sodium 5'-inosinate
901 - beeswax
904 - shellac
920 - L-cysteine hydrochloride
Un-numbered:
calcium mesoinositol hexaphosphate, lactose, sperm oil, spermaceti
Possibly animal derived:
101, 101a, 153, 203, 213, 227, 270, 282, 302, 322, 325, 326, 327,
333, 341a, 341b, 341c, 404, 422, 430, 431, 432, 433, 434, 435, 436,
470, 471, 472a, 472b, 472c, 472d, 472e, 473, 474, 475, 476, 477, 478,
481, 482, 483, 491, 492, 493, 494, 495, 570, 572, 627, 635
Un-numbered:
calcium hepatonate, calcium phytate, diacetin-glyceryl, glyceryl
diacetate, glyceryl triacetate, glycine, leucine, monoacetate,
monoacetin, oxystearin, triacetin and any unspecified flavourings.
Just about everything you see on the cleaning/personal hygiene shelf
of the supermarket has been force fed to animals and smeared in
rabbit's eyes. Worst of all they don't tell you that this is the case,
and they don't tell you what animal ingredients go into these products.
Buy products labelled as "Cruelty Free" or "Not tested on animals" and
"Contains no animal ingredients" when shopping. Some suitable suppliers
are listed in a later section. Oh, and when buying your plates remember
that "Bone China" really does contain bones.
No, not as long as you're taking in enough calories. Official
recommendations suggest that eating 8% of our daily energy as protein
will provide an adequate amount. National and international
recommendations for protein intake are based on animal sources of
protein such as meat, cow's milk and eggs. Plant proteins may be less
digestible because of intrinsic differences in the nature of the
protein and the presence of other factors such as fibre, which may
reduce protein digestibility by as much as 10%. Nevertheless, dietary
studies show the adequacy of plant foods, as sole sources of protein as
does the experience of healthy vegans of all ages.
The main protein foods in a vegan diet are the pulses (peas, beans
and lentils), nuts, seeds and grains, all of which are relatively
energy dense. As the average protein level in pulses is 27% of
calories; in nuts and seeds 13%; and in grains 12%, it is easy to see
that plant foods can supply the recommended amount of protein as long
as the energy requirements are met.
Frances Moore Lappe popularised the idea of protein combining in her
book "Diet for a Small Planet" in the '70s, however in her revised
edition: "Diet for a Small Planet 10th Anniversary Revised Edition" she
has since renounced it.
The 1988 position paper of the American Dietetic Association
emphasized that, because amino acids obtained from food can combine
with amino acids made in the body it is not necessary to combine
protein foods at each meal. Adequate amounts of amino acids will be
obtained if a varied vegan diet - containing unrefined grains, legumes,
seeds, nuts and vegetables - is eaten on a daily basis.
"Food combining" is another term for the Hay diet and has nothing to do with the concept of protein combining.
The data on B12 is still coming in, so it is impossible to say "It's
no problem....", however, the latest information suggests that
acquiring enough B12 is not as problematic as it was once thought. If
you are concerned about inadequate B12, there are many foods which are
fortified with B12, in addition to vitamin pills. Here is the most
recent information, from the book:
Simply Vegan: Quick Vegetarian Meals, by Debra Wasserman and Nutrition Section by Reed Mangels, Ph.D., R.D.
Published (1990/1991) by the Vegetarian Resource Group,
P.O. Box 1463, Baltimore, MD 21203, (410) 366-VEGE.
ISBN 0-931411-05-X
Summary: The requirement for vitamin B12 is very low. Non-animal
sources include Nutri-Grain cereal (1.4 ounces supplies the adult RDA)
and Red Star T-6635+ nutritional yeast (1-2 teaspoons supplies the
adult RDA). It is especially important for pregnant and lactating
women, infants, and children to have reliable sources of vitamin B12 in
their diets.
Few reliable vegan food sources for vitamin B12 are known. Tempeh,
miso, and seaweed often are labelled as having large amounts of vitamin
B12. However, these products are not reliable sources of the vitamin
because the amount of vitamin B12 present depends on the type of
processing the food undergoes.
Other sources of vitamin B12 are fortified soy milk (check the label
as this is rarely available in the US), vitamin B12 fortified meat
analogues (food made from wheat gluten or soybeans to resemble meat,
poultry or fish) [Midland Harvest products contain B12.], and vitamin
B12 supplements. There are vitamin supplements which do not contain
animal products.
To quote Vegetarian Times (August 1992, p. 60):
"Iron deficiency, unlike protein deficiency, sometimes is a real
problem, but meat is not the answer. The American Dietetic Association
said in 1988 that vegetarians don't have a higher incidence of iron
deficiency than non-vegetarians.
If you are concerned about getting enough iron, avoid eating
iron-rich foods along with substances that inhibit iron absorption:
phytates (found in high-bran and unmilled cereals), polyphenols (such
as tannins in tea) and calcium. Eat iron-rich foods along with foods
containing vitamin C, which aids absorption. Good sources of iron
include dried figs and prunes, dark-green leafy greens, legumes,
certain whole grains such as quinoa and millet, blackstrap molasses,
nuts and nutritional yeast. Acidic foods cooked in cast-iron pans are
also good sources of the mineral."
Green leafy vegetables such as kale are as good or better than milk
as calcium sources. Other good sources include: White/Wholemeal bread,
Taco Shells, Oats, Soyabeans, Tofu, Almonds, Brazil Nuts, Pistachios,
Sunflower Seeds, Sesame Seeds, Flax Seed, Carob, Carrots, Cabbage,
Garlic, Parsley Spirulina, Chives, Seaweed, Cauliflower, Okra, Cassava,
Figs, Papaya, Rhubarb, Molasses...
The National Research Council itself (which set the RDA values in
the first place), acknowledges that people have been able to maintain
calcium balance on intakes as little as 200 - 400 gm/day. They
recommended the 800 mg/day because of the excessively high protein diet
of most Americans (see NRC, RECOMMENDED DIETARY ALLOWANCES, 9TH ed.,
1980, p. 120-29)
Preformed vitamin A is not needed by the body, it can be synthesized
by ingestion of carotene (often called provitamin A). Excess
consumption of pre-formed Vitamin A can be dangerous. Good Carotene
sources include: Green leafy vegetables, yellow fruits and vegetables.
Preformed vitamin D is not needed by the body, it can be synthesized
by exposure to sunshine of dehydrocholesterol present in the skin.
Vitamin D created this way lasts in the body for many months such that
it is possible to "top-up" one's vitamin D levels over the summer for
the coming winter. Excess consumption of pre-formed Vitamin D can be
dangerous. The Vitamin D in cow's milk is artificially added. In the UK
margarine is fortified with vitamin D by law and some soya milks are
also fortified.
Of course it is. It harms no creature and provides vital sustenance
for another. Vegan mothers commonly breast feed for longer periods of
time than other mothers, as they are unwilling to use dairy based
infant supplements. Vegan infant formulas are available now.
Oral sex is vegan even though it may involve putting flesh in your
mouth, as it shouldn't really involve any cruelty or exploitation, and
said flesh is taken out again eventually and returned to its rightful
owner. If you decide to swallow any bodily liquids, well, once again,
no one else has suffered to provide them, so it's up to you...
According to the American Dietetic Association, vegetarian diets can
meet all nitrogen needs and amino acid requirements for growth. A vegan
diet, to be on the safe side, should be well planned, and probably
include fortified soy milk. If you live in a cold climate and you don't
intend to get your child out in the sun a lot after you finish
breastfeeding then a vegan source of vitamin D should be added to their
diet. Children need more of the essential fatty acids than adults so a
bit more fat in their diet is a good idea. Also keep the fiber content
down, their under-developed digestive systems can't handle it.
Generally the energy content of their meals should be higher than for
adults. You should also ensure that they get a regular supply of B12.
Miso is made from fermented soybeans, and usually is found in a
paste form. It is used as a flavoring agent, and for soup stocks.
Storing Miso: If it is a dark miso, like hatcho miso, or red miso, it
will keep for a while unrefrigerated, especially if it is 3 year miso.
However, it does not hurt to refrigerate it. If it is sweet miso like
yellow, mellow white, or sweet white, it will not keep unless
refrigerated. Also, if the miso has been pasteurized, it should be kept
refrigerated. Nutritional value, per tablespoon: calories 36 g. protein
2 g. carbs 5 g. fat 1 g. sodium 629 mg.
(from Pennington, "Food Values of Portions Commonly Used")
Tofu, or Soy Bean Curd, is essentially curdled soymilk minus the
liquid (a parallel is the way cheese is made from dairy). Its natural
flavor is quite mild, but its natural ability to absorb the flavors of
other ingredients has led it to be called a culinary chameleon. It's
found in several varieties, from soft (silken) to extra-firm style.
Soft tofu is often used to make frostings for cakes, dips for chips and
vegetables, while the firmer styles are often found in stir-fries and
soups. Frozen tofu is an excellent substitute for ground beef in many
recipes. Tofu is usually found in the refrigerator sections of stores,
near the vegetable or dairy sections.
Tempeh is a somewhat meatlike substance made from cultured soybeans.
It is used in dishes like barbeque, and has a rather strong taste
compared to tofu.
Textured Vegetable Protein (TVP) is a meat-like substance that is
used to boost the nutritional content of meals, while still remaining
relatively attractive-tasting. TVP usually contains "defatted" soya
flour, and is very low fat. It is quite often sold in mixes for meat
substitute dishes, and can often be found in bulk bins in health food
stores. It is sold in a dehydrated form and requires re-hydration
before using.
Seitan is a form of wheat gluten. It is a high protein, low fat, no
cholesterol (of course, all vegan food is cholesterol free) food that
is usually found in the refrigerated section of most organic
groceries/health food stores. It is usually near the tofu and typically
comes in small tubs (like margarine tubs). It is brown and sometimes
comes in strips 1/4 to 1/2 inches thick. Seitan is made from whole
wheat flour which is mixed with water and kneaded. This dough undergoes
a simple process of rinsing and mixing, to remove the starch and some
bran, until a gluten is obtained. After boiling in water, this
glutinous dough is called Kofu, which can be further processed in many
ways. One of which is seitan. Kofu becomes seitan by simmering in a
stock of tamari soy sauce, water and kombu sea vegetable. Seitan can be
used in sandwiches, or to make dishes such as sweet and sour seitan,
seitan stir fry, salisbury seitan, etc. It can be made at home from
scratch or with a commercially available mix. Some companies produce
vegan seitan products such as Meat of Wheat by Ivy foods.
This section needs to be read with caution, do not put your cat or
dog on a vegan diet without persuing some major research first, I am
shortly going to update this info.
Neither is a vegan by nature -- dogs are omnivores, and cats are
carnivores. While both dogs and cats belong to the class carnivora,
this doesn't mean a lot, so does the panda bear and they are near
vegan. By nature cats and dogs wouldn't eat anything like what is
commonly found in a can of pet food either. Special diets must be
provided for cats, as they *require* an amino acid called taurine --
found in the muscles of animals. Synthetic taurine has been developed,
and is used in commercial (non vegetarian) cat foods. Vegetarian cats
should be fed it as a supplement. Taurine deficiency can result in
blindness and even death. Cats also require pre-formed vitamin A and
arachidonic acid. All known vegan cat foods contain these essential
ingredients. Ask your vet about changing your pet's diet if concerned.
Not only is it possible to feed most cats and dogs a non-meat diet,
it is also desirable. Buying "normal" pet food is supporting the same
meat industry with its attendant cruelty, exploitation, waste, and
environmental damage that veganism is so opposed to. Why should ten
horses/cows/chickens/ducks or something have to suffer and die every
year just to support your pet cat/dog? This is not a matter of
"imposing your beliefs" on your pets (or companion animals, or whatever
you call them) since you are not forcing them to eat it and you are not
stopping them eating local wildlife on their wanderings round the
neighbourhood. Also animals don't have morals or beliefs. They do
whatever is necessary to survive, with no preference one way or the
other about the impact on anything else. We however can make
moral/ethical decisions - like the decision to be vegan. In the wild,
surviving may mean "kill something or else starve to death," but if
your animal is being fed anyway, this becomes unnecessary. It is also
no more unnatural for a pet cat/dog to be eating vegan food than any
other food. Firstly, the domesticated cat/dog bears little resemblance
to its wild cousins so we're already in an artificial situation.
Secondly, the whole act of feeding it from a tin (as opposed to letting
it find food for itself) is unnatural, so you might as well make the
best of it. Thirdly, the actual contents of the tins of commercial pet
food bear no resemblance to what a cat/dog would eat in the wild
anyway... Could you imagine your darling moggy killing horses and cows
and going deep sea ocean fishing for tuna?
Products:
Wow-Bow Distributors
309 Burr Rd., East Northport, NY 11731
(516) 449-8572, 1-800-326-0230 (outside of NY only)
Dogs: 20lb. bag is $20.35 + shipping
Cats: supplement, 15oz. is $15.95
Call: Nature's Recipe for location of a distributor near you.
Phone: 1-800-843-4008
Canine/Feline Anergen III, a vegetarian diet for food sensitive cats, contains special high-protein vegetables.
Wysong Corporation
Dept. CF, 1880 N. Eastman Ave., Midland, MI 48640.
Phone: (800) 748-0188
Harbingers of a New Age
717 E. Missoula Ave, Troy MT 59935-9609 Phone: (406) 295-4944
[vegecat supplement for vegan or lacto-ovo-vegetarian cats]
Nature's Recipe
341 Bonnie Circle, Corona, CA 91720
Phone: (714) (800) 843-4008 or 278-4280
[Vegan canned food and kibble for dogs]
Pet Guard,
P.O. Box 728, Orange Park, FL 32067-0728 Phone: (800) 874-3221
[vegan canned dog food]
Famous Fido's Doggie Deli Inc.
1533 W. Devon Ave., Chicago, IL 60660 Phone: (312) 761-6028
[Vegetarian cookies, croissants and bagels for dogs]
Natural Life Pet Products, Inc.
Frontenac, Kansas 66762. Phone: 1-800-367-2391
(For dogs) Available from veterinarians and pet food centers.
Evolution Healthy Pet Food
2950 Metro Dr. Ste. 102, Bloomington, MN 55425
1-800-524-9697 or 1-612-858-8329
Nutritional yeast (saccharomyces cerevisiae) is a food yeast, grown
on a molasses solution, and comes in powder or flake form. It has a
pleasant-tasting, cheesy flavor and can be used directly on vegetables,
baked potatoes, popcorn and other foods as a condiment. It is different
from brewer's yeast or torula yeast. It can often be used by those
sensitive to other yeasts.
Yeasts are not animals! Yeasts are part of the group fungi. They
were originally considered to be plants even though they do not produce
chlorophyll, now they have their own kingdom.
Ms. Carlyee Hammer at Universal Products (the parent company of Red
Star, (414-935-3910) indicates that only one variety of Red Star
nutritional yeast (product number T-6635+) is fortified with B12 at the
level of 8 ug/g.
Vegan Groups:
Australia:
The Vegan Society (NSW)
PO Box 467, Broadway, NSW 2007. Phone: (02) 436-1373
Organization For Farm Animal Liberation
PO BOX E65, East Parramatta, NSW 2150. Phone: (02) 683 5991 (AH)
The Vegan Society of Brisbane
PO Box 400, South Brisbane, QLD 4101. Phone: (07) 857-5589
Vegan Society of Australia
PO Box 85, Seaford, VIC 3198. Phone: (03) 862-1686
Canada:
Canada EarthSave Society
Suite 103 - 1093 West Broadway,
Vancouver, BC, V6H 1E2 Phone: (604) 731-5885.
Canada Earthsave describes itself as "an educational non-profit
organization that promotes awareness of the environmental and health
consequences of our food choices.
Germany:
ANIMAL PEACE e.V. Silke Ruthenberg, Im Hahmich 1, 51570 Windeck
AUTONOME TIERRECHTS-AKTION (ATA)
c/o Autonomes Zentrum, Alte Bergheimer Str. 7a, 69115 Heidelberg
Phone: (prefix) (0)6221-385702
MUT - MENSCHENRECHT UND TIERRECHT e.V. (people for human and animal rights)
Grueneburgweg 154, 60323 Frankfurt, Germany
Phone: (prefix) (0)69-559589
VEGANE OFFENSIVE RUHRGEBIET
c/o CILA, Braunschweiger Str. 22, 44145 Dortmund
United Kingdom:
The Vegan Society
7 Battle Road, St Leonards-on-Sea, East Sussex TN37 7AA
Phone: (0424) 427393
publishes "The Vegan" quarterly, free with membership
United States:
American Vegan Society
501 Old Harding Highway, Malaga, NJ 08328 Phone: (609) 694-2887
publishes "Ahimsa" magazine.
Vegetarian Resource Group
P.O. Box 1463, Baltimore, MD 21203 Phone: (410) 366-8343
publishes "Vegetarian Journal"
Hotline for Vegetarians' questions: Phone: (410) 366-VEGE
Cruelty-free products information
AEsop, Inc.
P.O. Box 315 North Cambridge, MA 02140
Store at:
285 Washington St. Somerville, MA 02143 Phone: (617) 628-8030
Amberwood
Route 2 Box 300, Milner Road, Leary, GA 31762 Phone: (404) 358-2991
Animal Rights Catalog
1857 West 4th Avenue, #205 Vancouver, B.C. V6J 1M4 Canada
Phone: (604) 737-7185
The Body Shop -- in local shopping centers some of its products may contain dairy and a couple even contain lanolin.
Heartland Products
Box 218 Dakota City, Iowa 50529
Humane Alternative Products
8 Hutchins St., Concord, NH 03301
Beauty Without Cruelty
175 W. 12th St., New York, NY, 10012
P.O. Box 19373 San Rafael, CA 94913 Phone: (415) 382-7784
Compassionate Consumer
P.O. Box 27, Jericho, NY 11753 Phone: (718) 445-4134
Heart's Desire
1307 Dwight Way, Dept C, Berkeley CA 94702
Humane Street USA
467 Saratoga Ave. #300, San Jose, CA 95129
Spare the Animals
P.O. Box 233, Tiverton, RI 02878
Vegan Street Company
P.O. Box 5525, Rockville, MD
PETA: write for a free list of companies.
Newsletter: "Style with Substance", quarterly
c/o Laura Grey, P.O. Box 160322, Cupertino CA 95016-0322
$2 per issue or $8 for 1 year subscription.
YOUR BODY, Unit 53, Milmead Industrial Estate, Mill Mead Road, London N17 9QU tel: 081-808-6948 fax: 081-801-1611 (mail-order, vegan)
MARTHA HILL Ltd., The Old Vicarage, Laxton, Corby, Northants, NN17 3AT
tel: 0780-450259 (24 hour) fax: 0780-450398
advice line: 0780-450284 (8am-5pm Mon-Fri)
(mail order, uses honey in some of the products, otherwise vegan)
Mail Order Book Outlets and Food Outlets
Foods of India
Sinha Trading Co. Inc.
120 Lexington Ave, New York, NY 10026 Phone: 212-683-4419
Garden Spot Distributers
Route 1 Box 729A, New Hollare, PS 17557. Phone: 800-829-5100
(bulk foods, speciality items)
Harvest Direct
PO Box 4514, Decateur, IL 62525. Phone: 800-8flavor
(TVP, Sauces, Herbs, Mixes)
The Mail Order Catalog
P.O. Box 180, Summertown, TN 38483. Phone: 800-695-2241
or 615-964-2241 or email catalog@use.usit.net
(Cookbooks, TVP, Instant Gluten Flour, Nutritional Yeast)
Soyfoods Center Catalog
PO Box 234, Lafayette, CA 94549. Phone: 415-283-2991
Walnut Acres
Penns Creek, PA 17862 Phone: 800-433-3998
(Organic foods, kitchenware, pantry items)
Rainbow Natural Foods
1487 Richmond Road
Ottawa, Ontario K2B 6R9, Canada Phone: 613-726-9200
Paradise Farm Organics
1000 Wild Iris Lane
Moscow, Idaho 83843
1-800-758-2418
EarthSave
Phone: 1-800-362-3648
VEGAN-VERSAND
Rabenstr. 32
88471 Laupheim, Germany
Phone: (prefix) (0)7392-80382
VEGAN-SHOP
Hoehenstr. 50
60385 Frankfurt, Germany
Phone: (prefix) (0)69-440989
Periodicals
Good Medicine,
Physicians Committee For Responsible Medicine
5100 Wisconsin Avenue NW Suite 404, Washington DC 20016
(202) 686-2210
KATZ-GO-VEGAN
c/o The Vegan Society
7 Battle Road, St Leonards-on-Sea, East Sussex TN37 7AA
Phone: (0424) 427393
Vegetarian Gourmet
PO Box 7641, Riverton, N.J. 08077-7641
Animal Rights Organizations
MUT - MENSCHENRECHT UND TIERRECHT e.V. (people for human and animal rights)
Grueneburgweg 154
60323 Frankfurt, Germany
Phone: (prefix) (0)69-559589
Humane Society of the U.S.
2100 L St., N.W., Washington DC 20037 (USA)
Posters against animal research available.
FARM (Farm Animal Reform Movement)
P.O. Box 70123, Washington, DC 20088 (USA), Phone: (301) 530-1737
publishes quarterly newsletter and informational handouts.
Farm Sanctuary
P.O. Box 150, Watkins Glen, NY 14891, Phone: 607-583-2225
(Responsible, along with the North American Vegetarian Society, for
getting veggie burgers in the local Burger King. They are currently
trying to set up another sanctuary in California).
Farm Sanctuary - West
P.O. Box 1065, Orland, CA 95963, Phone: 916-865-4617
American Anti-Vivisection Soc.
801 Old York Rd. #204, Jenkintown, PA. 19046-1685
PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals)
P.O. Box 42516, Washington, DC 20015 (USA), Phone: 301-770-PETA
publishes "Cruelty-free Shopping Guide" and information
National Anti-Vivisection Society
53 W. Jackson Blvd., Suite 1550, Chicago, IL 60604 (USA)
Phone: (312) 427-6065
Free Cruelty-free products listing
The Fund for Animals
200 W. 57th Street, New York, NY 10019, Phone: 212-246-2096
Friends of Animals
P.O. Box 1244, Norwalk, CT 06856, Phone: 203-866-5223
In Defense of Animals (IDA)
816 West Francisco Blvd. San Rafael, CA 94901 Phone: 415-453-9984
(Currently overseeing the "Free Corky" campaign in response to the movie "Free Willy".)
Psychologists for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PSYeta)
P.O. Box 1297
Washington Grove, MD 20880 Phone: 301-963-4751
(Publishes "Society and Animals" and "Human Innovations and
Alternatives")
Below is a list of questions and answers, taken from the Vegan-List,
that cover most of the common questions associated with vegetarianism.
In case you aren't actually a member but you are a vegan or an aspiring
vegan, please join us by sending the following message to listserv@vm.temple.edu (Internet) or listserv@templevm (Bitnet) :
subscribe vegan-l (your name)
Why Vegan?
Veganism may be defined as a way of living which seeks to exclude,
as far as possible and practical, all forms of exploitation of, and
cruelty to, animals for food, clothing or any other purpose.
In dietary terms it refers to the practice of dispensing with all
animal produce - including meat, fish, poultry, eggs, animal milks,
honey, and their derivatives.
Abhorrence of the cruel practices inherent in dairy, livestock and
poultry farming is probably the single most common reason for the
adoption of veganism, but many people are drawn to it for health,
ecological, spiritual and other reasons.
"Land, energy and water resources for livestock agriculture range
anywhere from 10 to 1000 times greater than those necessary to produce
an equivalent amount of plant foods. And livestock agriculture does not
merely use these resources, it depletes them. This is a matter of
historical record. Most of the world's soil, erosion, groundwater
depletion, and deforestation -- factors now threatening the very basis
of our food system -- are the result of this particularly destructive
form of food production" (Keith Akers, p. 81, "A VEGETARIAN
SOURCEBOOK", 1989).
Is This Group For Me?
If the above section doesn't make any sense to you then probably
not. Please don't join this list and then denigrate those who have
chosen the above lifestyle. It will not be appreciated. If after
reading this FAQ you decide VEGAN-L is not for you, simply unsubscribe
by sending the message "signoff VEGAN-L" to listserv@vm.temple.edu. If
you are an ethical vegan or an experienced vegetarian and have now
decided to move to veganism on ethical grounds then please stick
around. If you're vegetarian or "vegan" for health reasons only then
there are a couple of other groups you may prefer:
Fatfree (covers very low fat vegetarian and vegan food).
To subscribe:
Email fatfree-REQUEST@hustle.rahul.net
subject add
Veglife (a general vegetarian list, covers all sorts).
To subscribe:
Email listserv@vtvm1.cc.vt.edu
body sub veglife (your name)
If animal rights is your main concern then you may prefer:
AR-News (Animal rights news).
To subscribe:
Email AR-News-Request@cygnus.Com
body subscribe (your name)
AR-Talk (Animal rights discussions).
To subscribe:
Email AR-Talk-Request@cygnus.COM
body subscribe (your name)
Please use AR-News for all AR news postings, not VEGAN-L
If you're after a general veggie chat list try:
Veggie (general vegetarian chat list)
To subscribe:
Email veggie-request@maths.bath.ac.uk
body subscribe (your name)
Please don't post general chit-chat messages to VEGAN-L or messages
unrelated to veganism, no matter how important you feel the subject is.
What's Wrong With Free Range Eggs?
In order to get laying hens you have to have fertile eggs and half
the eggs will hatch into male chicks. These are killed at once or
raised as table birds (usually these days in broiler houses) and
slaughtered as soon as they reach an economic weight. So for every
free-range hen happily scratching around the garden or farm who, if she
were able to bargain, might pay rent with her daily infertile egg, a
corresponding male from her batch is enduring life in a broiler house
or has already been subjected to slaughter or thrown away to die. Every
year in Britain alone more than 35 million day-old male chicks are
killed. They are mainly used for fertiliser or dumped in landfill
sites. The hens are also culled as soon as their production drops. Also
be aware that many sites classed as free range aren't really free
range, they're just massive barns with access to the outside. Since the
food and light are inside the chickens rarely venture outside.
And Normal (battery) Eggs?
The battery hen, from which the vast majority of all eggs are
produced and almost all products containing eggs (especially cakes)
suffers an even worse fate. The battery hen is an anxious, frustrated,
fear-ridden bird forced to spend 10 to 12 months squeezed inside a
small wire cage with up to nine other tormented hens. There are usually
many tiers of these cages in gloomy sheds which hold a total of 50,000
to 125,000 birds. Caged for life without exercise while constantly
drained of calcium to form egg shells, battery hens develop the severe
osteoporosis of intensive confinement know as caged layer fatigue.
Calcium depleted, millions of hens become paralysed and die of hunger
and thirst inches from their food and water. Battery hens are debeaked
with a hot machine blade once and often twice during their lives,
typically at one day old and again at seven weeks old, because a young
beak will often grow back. Debeaking causes severe, chronic pain and
suffering which researchers compare to human phantom limb and stump
pain. Between the horn and bone of the beak is a thick layer of highly
sensitive tissue. The hot blade cuts through this sensitive tissue
impairing the hen's ability to eat, drink, wipe her beak, and preen
normally. Debeaking is done to offset the effects of the compulsive
pecking that can afflict birds designed by nature to roam, scratch, and
peck at the ground all day, not sit in prison; and to save feed costs
and promote conversion of less food into more eggs. Debeaked birds have
impaired grasping ability and are in pain and distress, therefore
eating less, flinging their food less, and "wasting" less energy than
intact birds.
What Can Be Substituted For Eggs?
Ener-G Egg Replacer, which is make from potato starch, tapioca
flour, leavening agents (calcium lactate (vegan), calcium carbonate,
and citric acid) and a gum derived from cottonseed. It's primarily
intended to replace the leavening/binding characteristics of eggs in
baking, but it can be used for nonbaked foods and quiches.
Alternative replacements (quantity per egg substituted for)
2 oz of soft tofu can be blended with some water and substituted for
an egg to add consistency. Or try the same quantity of: mashed beans,
mashed potatoes, or nut butters.
1/2 mashed banana, 1/4 cup applesauce or pur?ed fruit, One
Tablespoon flax seeds (found in natural food stores) with 3 Tbsp water
can be blended for 2 to 3 minutes, or boiled for 10 minutes or until
desired consistency is achieved to substitute for one egg. 1 teaspoon.
soy flour plus 1 Tbsp. water to substitute for one egg.
What's Wrong With Dairy Products?
Dairy cows are made pregnant yearly to ensure they produce adequate
milk. In nature the calf would suckle for almost a year but nature,
like the calf, is denied by the dairy industry. Some calves may be
separated from their dams on the first day of life; others might remain
for just a few days. But as the inevitable by-products of relentless
milk production each will have to endure one of several possible fates.
The least healthy bobby calves will be sent to market to be slaughtered
for pet food; to provide veal for veal & ham pies; or for rennet to
be extracted from their stomachs for cheesemaking. Some females will be
reared on milk substitutes to become dairy herd replacements and begin,
at 18 - 24 months of age, the cycle of continual pregnancies. Some will
be sold at market at 1 - 2 weeks of age for rearing as beef in
fattening pens and slaughtered after 11 months, often without sight of
pasture. Up to 80% of the beef produced in the UK is a by-product of
the dairy industry. Over 170,000 calves die in the UK each year before
they are three months old, due largely to neglectful husbandry and
appalling treatment at markets. A few will be selected for rearing as
bulls, spending their lives in solitary confinement serving canvas
'cows' and rubber tubes. Artificial insemination is now responsible for
65 - 75% of all conceptions in the dairy herd. In the US the vast
majority of unwanted calves are reared for veal, all but around 12% of
them spending their short miserable lives in narrow crates (5' x 2') on
wooden slats and without straw. Whilst none suffer such a fate in
Britain they are now exported for the purpose. In solitary confinement,
unable to turn around or groom themselves they must drink the only diet
they are allowed - a milk substitute gruel. Deliberately kept short of
the iron and fiber which would redden their fashionably white flesh,
they will suffer from sub-clinical anaemia and gnaw at the crates and
their own hair for the roughage they crave. Fed large doses of hormones
and antibiotics to promote growth and prevent the onset of infections
caused by the stress of confinement and malnutrition, they will suffer
scours, pneumonia, diarrhea, vitamin deficiency, ringworm, ulcers or
septicaemia. After 14 weeks, barely able to walk, they are taken over
long distances to slaughter.
In 1905 the Lord Mayor's Cup at the London Dairy Show was won by a
24 year old cow. Today it is impossible to find a dairy cow of that
age. The cow is usually sent for slaughter at five to six years, less
than one quarter of their expected lifespan. Ketosis, laminitis, rumen
acidosis, bse, mastitis, milk fever, staggers, liverfluke, lungworm and
pneumonia are just some of the diseases facing the short life of the
dairy cow.
But Don't I Need Eggs And Dairy Products?
Just as the meat manufacturers would have you believe that you need
to eat meat, the egg and dairy producers are now spending vast amounts
of money promoting the healthy aspects of eggs and dairy products. Eggs
and dairy products contain large amounts of cholesterol and saturated
fats, which is considered a major cause of heart disease. In a 1985
study published by the J. Am. Med. Ass. dairy products were the major
source of saturated fat and cholesterol for 75 adult vegetarians living
in the USA, whose blood levels of cholesterol were higher than those of
vegans who ate no dairy produce. Dairy products contain lactose, a milk
sugar which the majority of the world's population is actually unable
to digest and is often found to be the cause of digestive problems.
Casein, the milk protein, has been shown to cause iron deficiency
anaemia from internal bleeding in many infants and is suspected of
causing juvenile diabetes. Milk products can also be a cause of eczema,
rash, mucous buildup, wheezing, asthma, rhinitis, bleeding, pneumonia
and anaphylaxis in children and adults.
Are Soy Cheeses Vegan?
Some soy hard cheeses contain casein which is a milk-product. Just
because something is "lactose free" doesn't mean it's dairy free. The
only true VEGAN hard cheeses in the U.S. are SOYMAGE and VEGAN RELLA.
In the U.K. there are vegan hard cheeses called SCHEESE and TOFUCHEESE.
There is also a vegan pre-grated Parmesan style cheese called PARMAZANO
in the U.K.
What About Honey?
Bees are often killed in the production of honey, in the worst case
the whole hive may be destroyed if the keeper doesn't wish to protect
them over the winter. Not all beekeepers do this, but the general
practice is one that embodies the attitude that living things are mere
*material* and have no intrinsic value of their own other than what
commercial value we can wrench from them. Artificial insemination
involving death of the male is now also the norm for generation of new
queen bees. The favoured method of obtaining bee sperm is by pulling
off the insects head. Decapitation sends an electrical impulse to the
nervous system which causes sexual arousal. The lower half of the
headless bee is then squeezed to make it ejaculate. The resulting
liquid is collected in a hypodermic syringe.
What Is Gelatin? Is There Any Alternative To It?
Gelatin (used to make Jell-o and other desserts) is made from the
boiled bones, skins and tendons of animals. An alternative substance is
called Agar-Agar, which is derived from seaweed. Another is made from
the root of the Kuzu. Agar-Agar is sold in noodle-like strands, in
powdered form, or in long blocks, and is usually white-ish in color.
Some Kosher gelatins are made with agar-agar, most are not. Some things
that are vegan that are replacing gelatin are: guar gum and
carrageenin. Only some 'emulsifiers' are vegan. Gelatin is used in
photography. Although the technology exists to replace photographic
film, its price is currently prohibitive and there is insufficient
demand. Hopefully, with the growth of vegetarianism and veganism, this
situation will soon change.
What's Wrong With Wool?
Scientists over the years have bred a Merino sheep which is
exaggeratedly wrinkled. The more wrinkles, the more wool.
Unfortunately, greater profits are rarely in the sheep's best
interests. In Australia, more wrinkles mean more perspiration and
greater susceptibility to fly-strike, a ghastly condition resulting
from maggot infestation in the sweaty folds of the sheep's
over-wrinkled skin. To counteract this, farmers now perform an
'operation' without anaesthetic call 'mulesing' in which sections of
flesh around the anus are sliced away, leaving a painful bloody wound.
Without human interference, sheep would grow just enough wool to
protect them from the weather, but scientific breeding techniques have
ensured that these animals have become wool-producing monstrosities.
Their unnatural overload of wool (often half their body weight)
brings added misery during summer months when they often die from heat
exhaustion. One million sheep die in Australia alone each year from
exposure to cold after shearing.
Every year, in Australia alone, about ten million lambs die before
they are more than a few days old. This is due largely to unmanageable
numbers of sheep and inadequate stockmen. Of UK wool, 27% is "skin
wool," pulled from the skins of slaughtered sheep and lambs.
What's Wrong With Silk?
It is the practice to boil the cocoons that still contain the living
moth larvae in order to obtain the silk. This produces longer silk
threads than if the moth was allowed to emerge. The silkworm can
certainly feel pain and will recoil and writhe when injured.
What's Wrong With Down?
The process of live-plucking is wide spread. The terrified birds are
lifted by their necks, with their legs tied, and then have all their
body feathers ripped out. The struggling geese sustain injuries and
after their ordeal are thrown back to join their fellow victims until
their turn comes round again. This torture, which has been described as
"extremely cruel" by veterinary surgeons and even geese breeders,
begins when the geese are only eight weeks old. It is then repeated at
eight week intervals for two or three more sessions. The birds are then
slaughtered. The main countries using this cruel process are China,
Poland and Hungary, where some 60 per cent of down produced is
live-plucked. The down market in the UK alone is worth around 2.6
million pounds per year. The "lucky" birds are plucked dead, i.e. they
are killed first and then plucked.
What Is Cochineal/carmine?
Cochineal is a bright red colouring matter made from the dried
bodies of a Mexican insect Dactylopius coccus. Billions of these
insects are raised and destroyed each year for a red colouring that is
used in desserts, some strawberry soya milks, clothing, etc.
What About Those Bugs, Flies Etc?
Why kill even insects if we don't have to? The same applies to using
killed insects for broaches, crushed insect wings for iridescent eye
shadow, or dying insects in jumping beans. Why promote even at this
level a callous disregard for living things around us?
I think for good reason, based on ethical intuition, that we are
more impressed by the kind-hearted soul who nets the flies to let them
out of the house alive versus the person hunting them down for certain
chemical death with a bottle raid. Even if our great White Suburban
hunter of houseflies uses a fly-swatter for ecological reasons, the
more admirable course pertains to the person who uses a butterfly net
to simply capture the fly for relocation outside.
This doesn't mean we have to let our houses be over-run by pests or
let our gardens be destroyed either. Common sense should prevail.
Why Not Leather?
Many leather goods are made from the byproducts of the
slaughterhouse, so while you may not be contributing to the destruction
of animals, you will be contributing to the profits of these
establishments. Some leather is purpose made, i.e. the animal is grown
and slaughtered purely for its skin.
The Nov/Dec 1991 issue of the Vegetarian Journal has this to say
about leather: "Environmentally turning animal hides into leather is an
energy intensive and polluting practice. The Kirk-Othmer Encyclopedia
of Chemical Technology states, "On the basis of quantity of energy
consumed per unit of product produced, the leather-manufacturing
industry would be categorized with the aluminum, paper, steel, cement,
and petroleum-manufacturing industries as a gross consumer of energy."
Production of leather basically involves soaking (beamhouse), tanning,
dyeing, drying, and finishing. Over 95% of all leather produced in the
U.S. is chrome tanned. The effluent that must be treated is primarily
related to the beamhouse and tanning operations. The most difficult to
treat is effluent from the tanning process. All wastes containing
chromium are considered hazardous by the U.S. Environmental Protection
Agency (EPA). Many other pollutants involved in the processing of
leather are associated with environmental and health risks. In terms of
disposal, one would think that leather products would be biodegradable,
but the primary function for a tanning agent is to stabilize the
collagen or protein fibers so that they are no longer biodegradable."
What About Wines And Beers?
Wine is clarified, or cleared, after fermentation. Some of the ingredients used include:
- edible gelatines (made from bones)
- isinglass (made from the swim bladders of fish)
- casein and potassium caseinate (milk proteins)
- animal albumin (egg albumin and dried blood powder)
In the UK beer (bitter) is also commonly fined using isinglass. Many
bottled bitters and most lagers are vegan. Guinness is not suitable for
vegans. Most spirits are vegan except for Campari (contains cochineal)
and some Vodkas (passed through bone charcoal).
Bread?
Some bakers grease the tins with animal fat. If you're using a local
bakery ask them what they grease their tins with. In the UK Allied
bakeries (makers of Allinson wholemeal) have stated they only use
vegetable oils.
Sugar?
A lot of people are claiming that sugar is refined using bone
charcol. This is not true I have not found one manufacturer who still
uses bone charcol, they stopped in the late 1950's. If sugar still had
animal products in it so would most other products on the shelf - cola,
most sauces, in fact almost all products have some sugar in them, how
come almost all can be kosher and also vegetarian if they contain sugar
that is not?
Cereals?
In the UK all Kellogs products are unsuitable for vegans as Vitamin
D3 (of animal origin) is added. In the US some of Kellogg's cereals are
apparently vegan, Kellogg's Nutri-Grain cereal (plain "Wheat" variety
only) is a good vegan source of B12. Be careful though, the
almond-raisin variety contains animal based glycerin.
Sheesh! Anything Else?
For sure. If a manufacturer can stick some part of an animal in
something, chances are they probably will. Learn to be a fastidious
label reader and avoid products not properly labelled unless you know
for sure that they are suitable for vegans. Buy products from companies
who make their stance on animal products known. Look out for ethically
vegan companies and support them when possible.
Some foods have "E" numbers listed in the ingredients, with no
mention as to the source of these E numbers. Ones to definitely avoid
include:
120 - cochineal
542 - edible bone phosphate
631 - sodium 5'-inosinate
901 - beeswax
904 - shellac
920 - L-cysteine hydrochloride
Un-numbered:
calcium mesoinositol hexaphosphate, lactose, sperm oil, spermaceti
Possibly animal derived:
101, 101a, 153, 203, 213, 227, 270, 282, 302, 322, 325, 326, 327,
333, 341a, 341b, 341c, 404, 422, 430, 431, 432, 433, 434, 435, 436,
470, 471, 472a, 472b, 472c, 472d, 472e, 473, 474, 475, 476, 477, 478,
481, 482, 483, 491, 492, 493, 494, 495, 570, 572, 627, 635
Un-numbered:
calcium hepatonate, calcium phytate, diacetin-glyceryl, glyceryl
diacetate, glyceryl triacetate, glycine, leucine, monoacetate,
monoacetin, oxystearin, triacetin and any unspecified flavourings.
What About Non-food Household Items?
Just about everything you see on the cleaning/personal hygiene shelf
of the supermarket has been force fed to animals and smeared in
rabbit's eyes. Worst of all they don't tell you that this is the case,
and they don't tell you what animal ingredients go into these products.
Buy products labelled as "Cruelty Free" or "Not tested on animals" and
"Contains no animal ingredients" when shopping. Some suitable suppliers
are listed in a later section. Oh, and when buying your plates remember
that "Bone China" really does contain bones.
Should I Be Worried About Getting Enough Protein On A Vegan Diet?
No, not as long as you're taking in enough calories. Official
recommendations suggest that eating 8% of our daily energy as protein
will provide an adequate amount. National and international
recommendations for protein intake are based on animal sources of
protein such as meat, cow's milk and eggs. Plant proteins may be less
digestible because of intrinsic differences in the nature of the
protein and the presence of other factors such as fibre, which may
reduce protein digestibility by as much as 10%. Nevertheless, dietary
studies show the adequacy of plant foods, as sole sources of protein as
does the experience of healthy vegans of all ages.
The main protein foods in a vegan diet are the pulses (peas, beans
and lentils), nuts, seeds and grains, all of which are relatively
energy dense. As the average protein level in pulses is 27% of
calories; in nuts and seeds 13%; and in grains 12%, it is easy to see
that plant foods can supply the recommended amount of protein as long
as the energy requirements are met.
Do I Need To Combine Proteins On A Vegan Diet?
Frances Moore Lappe popularised the idea of protein combining in her
book "Diet for a Small Planet" in the '70s, however in her revised
edition: "Diet for a Small Planet 10th Anniversary Revised Edition" she
has since renounced it.
The 1988 position paper of the American Dietetic Association
emphasized that, because amino acids obtained from food can combine
with amino acids made in the body it is not necessary to combine
protein foods at each meal. Adequate amounts of amino acids will be
obtained if a varied vegan diet - containing unrefined grains, legumes,
seeds, nuts and vegetables - is eaten on a daily basis.
"Food combining" is another term for the Hay diet and has nothing to do with the concept of protein combining.
What About Vitamin B12 On A Vegan Diet?
The data on B12 is still coming in, so it is impossible to say "It's
no problem....", however, the latest information suggests that
acquiring enough B12 is not as problematic as it was once thought. If
you are concerned about inadequate B12, there are many foods which are
fortified with B12, in addition to vitamin pills. Here is the most
recent information, from the book:
Simply Vegan: Quick Vegetarian Meals, by Debra Wasserman and Nutrition Section by Reed Mangels, Ph.D., R.D.
Published (1990/1991) by the Vegetarian Resource Group,
P.O. Box 1463, Baltimore, MD 21203, (410) 366-VEGE.
ISBN 0-931411-05-X
Summary: The requirement for vitamin B12 is very low. Non-animal
sources include Nutri-Grain cereal (1.4 ounces supplies the adult RDA)
and Red Star T-6635+ nutritional yeast (1-2 teaspoons supplies the
adult RDA). It is especially important for pregnant and lactating
women, infants, and children to have reliable sources of vitamin B12 in
their diets.
Few reliable vegan food sources for vitamin B12 are known. Tempeh,
miso, and seaweed often are labelled as having large amounts of vitamin
B12. However, these products are not reliable sources of the vitamin
because the amount of vitamin B12 present depends on the type of
processing the food undergoes.
Other sources of vitamin B12 are fortified soy milk (check the label
as this is rarely available in the US), vitamin B12 fortified meat
analogues (food made from wheat gluten or soybeans to resemble meat,
poultry or fish) [Midland Harvest products contain B12.], and vitamin
B12 supplements. There are vitamin supplements which do not contain
animal products.
Should I Worry About Iron In A Vegan Diet?
To quote Vegetarian Times (August 1992, p. 60):
"Iron deficiency, unlike protein deficiency, sometimes is a real
problem, but meat is not the answer. The American Dietetic Association
said in 1988 that vegetarians don't have a higher incidence of iron
deficiency than non-vegetarians.
If you are concerned about getting enough iron, avoid eating
iron-rich foods along with substances that inhibit iron absorption:
phytates (found in high-bran and unmilled cereals), polyphenols (such
as tannins in tea) and calcium. Eat iron-rich foods along with foods
containing vitamin C, which aids absorption. Good sources of iron
include dried figs and prunes, dark-green leafy greens, legumes,
certain whole grains such as quinoa and millet, blackstrap molasses,
nuts and nutritional yeast. Acidic foods cooked in cast-iron pans are
also good sources of the mineral."
What About Calcium?
Green leafy vegetables such as kale are as good or better than milk
as calcium sources. Other good sources include: White/Wholemeal bread,
Taco Shells, Oats, Soyabeans, Tofu, Almonds, Brazil Nuts, Pistachios,
Sunflower Seeds, Sesame Seeds, Flax Seed, Carob, Carrots, Cabbage,
Garlic, Parsley Spirulina, Chives, Seaweed, Cauliflower, Okra, Cassava,
Figs, Papaya, Rhubarb, Molasses...
The National Research Council itself (which set the RDA values in
the first place), acknowledges that people have been able to maintain
calcium balance on intakes as little as 200 - 400 gm/day. They
recommended the 800 mg/day because of the excessively high protein diet
of most Americans (see NRC, RECOMMENDED DIETARY ALLOWANCES, 9TH ed.,
1980, p. 120-29)
What About Vitamin A?
Preformed vitamin A is not needed by the body, it can be synthesized
by ingestion of carotene (often called provitamin A). Excess
consumption of pre-formed Vitamin A can be dangerous. Good Carotene
sources include: Green leafy vegetables, yellow fruits and vegetables.
What About Vitamin D?
Preformed vitamin D is not needed by the body, it can be synthesized
by exposure to sunshine of dehydrocholesterol present in the skin.
Vitamin D created this way lasts in the body for many months such that
it is possible to "top-up" one's vitamin D levels over the summer for
the coming winter. Excess consumption of pre-formed Vitamin D can be
dangerous. The Vitamin D in cow's milk is artificially added. In the UK
margarine is fortified with vitamin D by law and some soya milks are
also fortified.
Is Breastfeeding Vegan?
Of course it is. It harms no creature and provides vital sustenance
for another. Vegan mothers commonly breast feed for longer periods of
time than other mothers, as they are unwilling to use dairy based
infant supplements. Vegan infant formulas are available now.
Is Oral Sex Vegan?
Oral sex is vegan even though it may involve putting flesh in your
mouth, as it shouldn't really involve any cruelty or exploitation, and
said flesh is taken out again eventually and returned to its rightful
owner. If you decide to swallow any bodily liquids, well, once again,
no one else has suffered to provide them, so it's up to you...
What About Infants And Children?
According to the American Dietetic Association, vegetarian diets can
meet all nitrogen needs and amino acid requirements for growth. A vegan
diet, to be on the safe side, should be well planned, and probably
include fortified soy milk. If you live in a cold climate and you don't
intend to get your child out in the sun a lot after you finish
breastfeeding then a vegan source of vitamin D should be added to their
diet. Children need more of the essential fatty acids than adults so a
bit more fat in their diet is a good idea. Also keep the fiber content
down, their under-developed digestive systems can't handle it.
Generally the energy content of their meals should be higher than for
adults. You should also ensure that they get a regular supply of B12.
What Is Miso?
Miso is made from fermented soybeans, and usually is found in a
paste form. It is used as a flavoring agent, and for soup stocks.
Storing Miso: If it is a dark miso, like hatcho miso, or red miso, it
will keep for a while unrefrigerated, especially if it is 3 year miso.
However, it does not hurt to refrigerate it. If it is sweet miso like
yellow, mellow white, or sweet white, it will not keep unless
refrigerated. Also, if the miso has been pasteurized, it should be kept
refrigerated. Nutritional value, per tablespoon: calories 36 g. protein
2 g. carbs 5 g. fat 1 g. sodium 629 mg.
(from Pennington, "Food Values of Portions Commonly Used")
What Is Tofu?
Tofu, or Soy Bean Curd, is essentially curdled soymilk minus the
liquid (a parallel is the way cheese is made from dairy). Its natural
flavor is quite mild, but its natural ability to absorb the flavors of
other ingredients has led it to be called a culinary chameleon. It's
found in several varieties, from soft (silken) to extra-firm style.
Soft tofu is often used to make frostings for cakes, dips for chips and
vegetables, while the firmer styles are often found in stir-fries and
soups. Frozen tofu is an excellent substitute for ground beef in many
recipes. Tofu is usually found in the refrigerator sections of stores,
near the vegetable or dairy sections.
What Is Tempeh?
Tempeh is a somewhat meatlike substance made from cultured soybeans.
It is used in dishes like barbeque, and has a rather strong taste
compared to tofu.
What Is Tvp?
Textured Vegetable Protein (TVP) is a meat-like substance that is
used to boost the nutritional content of meals, while still remaining
relatively attractive-tasting. TVP usually contains "defatted" soya
flour, and is very low fat. It is quite often sold in mixes for meat
substitute dishes, and can often be found in bulk bins in health food
stores. It is sold in a dehydrated form and requires re-hydration
before using.
What Is Seitan?
Seitan is a form of wheat gluten. It is a high protein, low fat, no
cholesterol (of course, all vegan food is cholesterol free) food that
is usually found in the refrigerated section of most organic
groceries/health food stores. It is usually near the tofu and typically
comes in small tubs (like margarine tubs). It is brown and sometimes
comes in strips 1/4 to 1/2 inches thick. Seitan is made from whole
wheat flour which is mixed with water and kneaded. This dough undergoes
a simple process of rinsing and mixing, to remove the starch and some
bran, until a gluten is obtained. After boiling in water, this
glutinous dough is called Kofu, which can be further processed in many
ways. One of which is seitan. Kofu becomes seitan by simmering in a
stock of tamari soy sauce, water and kombu sea vegetable. Seitan can be
used in sandwiches, or to make dishes such as sweet and sour seitan,
seitan stir fry, salisbury seitan, etc. It can be made at home from
scratch or with a commercially available mix. Some companies produce
vegan seitan products such as Meat of Wheat by Ivy foods.
Can You Feed A Cat (or Dog) A Vegan Diet?
This section needs to be read with caution, do not put your cat or
dog on a vegan diet without persuing some major research first, I am
shortly going to update this info.
Neither is a vegan by nature -- dogs are omnivores, and cats are
carnivores. While both dogs and cats belong to the class carnivora,
this doesn't mean a lot, so does the panda bear and they are near
vegan. By nature cats and dogs wouldn't eat anything like what is
commonly found in a can of pet food either. Special diets must be
provided for cats, as they *require* an amino acid called taurine --
found in the muscles of animals. Synthetic taurine has been developed,
and is used in commercial (non vegetarian) cat foods. Vegetarian cats
should be fed it as a supplement. Taurine deficiency can result in
blindness and even death. Cats also require pre-formed vitamin A and
arachidonic acid. All known vegan cat foods contain these essential
ingredients. Ask your vet about changing your pet's diet if concerned.
Not only is it possible to feed most cats and dogs a non-meat diet,
it is also desirable. Buying "normal" pet food is supporting the same
meat industry with its attendant cruelty, exploitation, waste, and
environmental damage that veganism is so opposed to. Why should ten
horses/cows/chickens/ducks or something have to suffer and die every
year just to support your pet cat/dog? This is not a matter of
"imposing your beliefs" on your pets (or companion animals, or whatever
you call them) since you are not forcing them to eat it and you are not
stopping them eating local wildlife on their wanderings round the
neighbourhood. Also animals don't have morals or beliefs. They do
whatever is necessary to survive, with no preference one way or the
other about the impact on anything else. We however can make
moral/ethical decisions - like the decision to be vegan. In the wild,
surviving may mean "kill something or else starve to death," but if
your animal is being fed anyway, this becomes unnecessary. It is also
no more unnatural for a pet cat/dog to be eating vegan food than any
other food. Firstly, the domesticated cat/dog bears little resemblance
to its wild cousins so we're already in an artificial situation.
Secondly, the whole act of feeding it from a tin (as opposed to letting
it find food for itself) is unnatural, so you might as well make the
best of it. Thirdly, the actual contents of the tins of commercial pet
food bear no resemblance to what a cat/dog would eat in the wild
anyway... Could you imagine your darling moggy killing horses and cows
and going deep sea ocean fishing for tuna?
Products:
Wow-Bow Distributors
309 Burr Rd., East Northport, NY 11731
(516) 449-8572, 1-800-326-0230 (outside of NY only)
Dogs: 20lb. bag is $20.35 + shipping
Cats: supplement, 15oz. is $15.95
Call: Nature's Recipe for location of a distributor near you.
Phone: 1-800-843-4008
Canine/Feline Anergen III, a vegetarian diet for food sensitive cats, contains special high-protein vegetables.
Wysong Corporation
Dept. CF, 1880 N. Eastman Ave., Midland, MI 48640.
Phone: (800) 748-0188
Harbingers of a New Age
717 E. Missoula Ave, Troy MT 59935-9609 Phone: (406) 295-4944
[vegecat supplement for vegan or lacto-ovo-vegetarian cats]
Nature's Recipe
341 Bonnie Circle, Corona, CA 91720
Phone: (714) (800) 843-4008 or 278-4280
[Vegan canned food and kibble for dogs]
Pet Guard,
P.O. Box 728, Orange Park, FL 32067-0728 Phone: (800) 874-3221
[vegan canned dog food]
Famous Fido's Doggie Deli Inc.
1533 W. Devon Ave., Chicago, IL 60660 Phone: (312) 761-6028
[Vegetarian cookies, croissants and bagels for dogs]
Natural Life Pet Products, Inc.
Frontenac, Kansas 66762. Phone: 1-800-367-2391
(For dogs) Available from veterinarians and pet food centers.
Evolution Healthy Pet Food
2950 Metro Dr. Ste. 102, Bloomington, MN 55425
1-800-524-9697 or 1-612-858-8329
What Is Nutritional Yeast? / Which Ones Provide B12?
Nutritional yeast (saccharomyces cerevisiae) is a food yeast, grown
on a molasses solution, and comes in powder or flake form. It has a
pleasant-tasting, cheesy flavor and can be used directly on vegetables,
baked potatoes, popcorn and other foods as a condiment. It is different
from brewer's yeast or torula yeast. It can often be used by those
sensitive to other yeasts.
Yeasts are not animals! Yeasts are part of the group fungi. They
were originally considered to be plants even though they do not produce
chlorophyll, now they have their own kingdom.
Ms. Carlyee Hammer at Universal Products (the parent company of Red
Star, (414-935-3910) indicates that only one variety of Red Star
nutritional yeast (product number T-6635+) is fortified with B12 at the
level of 8 ug/g.
What Are Some Groups That I Can Join Or Get Information From?
Vegan Groups:
Australia:
The Vegan Society (NSW)
PO Box 467, Broadway, NSW 2007. Phone: (02) 436-1373
Organization For Farm Animal Liberation
PO BOX E65, East Parramatta, NSW 2150. Phone: (02) 683 5991 (AH)
The Vegan Society of Brisbane
PO Box 400, South Brisbane, QLD 4101. Phone: (07) 857-5589
Vegan Society of Australia
PO Box 85, Seaford, VIC 3198. Phone: (03) 862-1686
Canada:
Canada EarthSave Society
Suite 103 - 1093 West Broadway,
Vancouver, BC, V6H 1E2 Phone: (604) 731-5885.
Canada Earthsave describes itself as "an educational non-profit
organization that promotes awareness of the environmental and health
consequences of our food choices.
Germany:
ANIMAL PEACE e.V. Silke Ruthenberg, Im Hahmich 1, 51570 Windeck
AUTONOME TIERRECHTS-AKTION (ATA)
c/o Autonomes Zentrum, Alte Bergheimer Str. 7a, 69115 Heidelberg
Phone: (prefix) (0)6221-385702
MUT - MENSCHENRECHT UND TIERRECHT e.V. (people for human and animal rights)
Grueneburgweg 154, 60323 Frankfurt, Germany
Phone: (prefix) (0)69-559589
VEGANE OFFENSIVE RUHRGEBIET
c/o CILA, Braunschweiger Str. 22, 44145 Dortmund
United Kingdom:
The Vegan Society
7 Battle Road, St Leonards-on-Sea, East Sussex TN37 7AA
Phone: (0424) 427393
publishes "The Vegan" quarterly, free with membership
United States:
American Vegan Society
501 Old Harding Highway, Malaga, NJ 08328 Phone: (609) 694-2887
publishes "Ahimsa" magazine.
Vegetarian Resource Group
P.O. Box 1463, Baltimore, MD 21203 Phone: (410) 366-8343
publishes "Vegetarian Journal"
Hotline for Vegetarians' questions: Phone: (410) 366-VEGE
Cruelty-free products information
AEsop, Inc.
P.O. Box 315 North Cambridge, MA 02140
Store at:
285 Washington St. Somerville, MA 02143 Phone: (617) 628-8030
Amberwood
Route 2 Box 300, Milner Road, Leary, GA 31762 Phone: (404) 358-2991
Animal Rights Catalog
1857 West 4th Avenue, #205 Vancouver, B.C. V6J 1M4 Canada
Phone: (604) 737-7185
The Body Shop -- in local shopping centers some of its products may contain dairy and a couple even contain lanolin.
Heartland Products
Box 218 Dakota City, Iowa 50529
Humane Alternative Products
8 Hutchins St., Concord, NH 03301
Beauty Without Cruelty
175 W. 12th St., New York, NY, 10012
P.O. Box 19373 San Rafael, CA 94913 Phone: (415) 382-7784
Compassionate Consumer
P.O. Box 27, Jericho, NY 11753 Phone: (718) 445-4134
Heart's Desire
1307 Dwight Way, Dept C, Berkeley CA 94702
Humane Street USA
467 Saratoga Ave. #300, San Jose, CA 95129
Spare the Animals
P.O. Box 233, Tiverton, RI 02878
Vegan Street Company
P.O. Box 5525, Rockville, MD
PETA: write for a free list of companies.
Newsletter: "Style with Substance", quarterly
c/o Laura Grey, P.O. Box 160322, Cupertino CA 95016-0322
$2 per issue or $8 for 1 year subscription.
YOUR BODY, Unit 53, Milmead Industrial Estate, Mill Mead Road, London N17 9QU tel: 081-808-6948 fax: 081-801-1611 (mail-order, vegan)
MARTHA HILL Ltd., The Old Vicarage, Laxton, Corby, Northants, NN17 3AT
tel: 0780-450259 (24 hour) fax: 0780-450398
advice line: 0780-450284 (8am-5pm Mon-Fri)
(mail order, uses honey in some of the products, otherwise vegan)
Mail Order Book Outlets and Food Outlets
Foods of India
Sinha Trading Co. Inc.
120 Lexington Ave, New York, NY 10026 Phone: 212-683-4419
Garden Spot Distributers
Route 1 Box 729A, New Hollare, PS 17557. Phone: 800-829-5100
(bulk foods, speciality items)
Harvest Direct
PO Box 4514, Decateur, IL 62525. Phone: 800-8flavor
(TVP, Sauces, Herbs, Mixes)
The Mail Order Catalog
P.O. Box 180, Summertown, TN 38483. Phone: 800-695-2241
or 615-964-2241 or email catalog@use.usit.net
(Cookbooks, TVP, Instant Gluten Flour, Nutritional Yeast)
Soyfoods Center Catalog
PO Box 234, Lafayette, CA 94549. Phone: 415-283-2991
Walnut Acres
Penns Creek, PA 17862 Phone: 800-433-3998
(Organic foods, kitchenware, pantry items)
Rainbow Natural Foods
1487 Richmond Road
Ottawa, Ontario K2B 6R9, Canada Phone: 613-726-9200
Paradise Farm Organics
1000 Wild Iris Lane
Moscow, Idaho 83843
1-800-758-2418
EarthSave
Phone: 1-800-362-3648
VEGAN-VERSAND
Rabenstr. 32
88471 Laupheim, Germany
Phone: (prefix) (0)7392-80382
VEGAN-SHOP
Hoehenstr. 50
60385 Frankfurt, Germany
Phone: (prefix) (0)69-440989
Periodicals
Good Medicine,
Physicians Committee For Responsible Medicine
5100 Wisconsin Avenue NW Suite 404, Washington DC 20016
(202) 686-2210
KATZ-GO-VEGAN
c/o The Vegan Society
7 Battle Road, St Leonards-on-Sea, East Sussex TN37 7AA
Phone: (0424) 427393
Vegetarian Gourmet
PO Box 7641, Riverton, N.J. 08077-7641
Animal Rights Organizations
MUT - MENSCHENRECHT UND TIERRECHT e.V. (people for human and animal rights)
Grueneburgweg 154
60323 Frankfurt, Germany
Phone: (prefix) (0)69-559589
Humane Society of the U.S.
2100 L St., N.W., Washington DC 20037 (USA)
Posters against animal research available.
FARM (Farm Animal Reform Movement)
P.O. Box 70123, Washington, DC 20088 (USA), Phone: (301) 530-1737
publishes quarterly newsletter and informational handouts.
Farm Sanctuary
P.O. Box 150, Watkins Glen, NY 14891, Phone: 607-583-2225
(Responsible, along with the North American Vegetarian Society, for
getting veggie burgers in the local Burger King. They are currently
trying to set up another sanctuary in California).
Farm Sanctuary - West
P.O. Box 1065, Orland, CA 95963, Phone: 916-865-4617
American Anti-Vivisection Soc.
801 Old York Rd. #204, Jenkintown, PA. 19046-1685
PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals)
P.O. Box 42516, Washington, DC 20015 (USA), Phone: 301-770-PETA
publishes "Cruelty-free Shopping Guide" and information
National Anti-Vivisection Society
53 W. Jackson Blvd., Suite 1550, Chicago, IL 60604 (USA)
Phone: (312) 427-6065
Free Cruelty-free products listing
The Fund for Animals
200 W. 57th Street, New York, NY 10019, Phone: 212-246-2096
Friends of Animals
P.O. Box 1244, Norwalk, CT 06856, Phone: 203-866-5223
In Defense of Animals (IDA)
816 West Francisco Blvd. San Rafael, CA 94901 Phone: 415-453-9984
(Currently overseeing the "Free Corky" campaign in response to the movie "Free Willy".)
Psychologists for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PSYeta)
P.O. Box 1297
Washington Grove, MD 20880 Phone: 301-963-4751
(Publishes "Society and Animals" and "Human Innovations and
Alternatives")
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