Vej Naturals

Food Groups

 

Dark green vegetables, green due to the presence of chlorophyll, are among the most nutrient dense foods on the planet!  Chlorophyll has a structure similar to the porophyrin ring in our hemoglobin, with the exception of magnesium occupying the spot that belongs to iron in hemoglobin.  Collards and kale are two of the most nutritious cooked vegetables.  1 cup of cooked kale or collards provides more than the average intake of vitamin K and more than 85% of the amount of provitamin A carotenoids needed for the average adult to produce enough vitamin A to meet his or her daily vitamin A requirement. 1 cup of cooked collards provides more than 20% of the average adult’s calcium requirement. 1 cup of cooked kale provides more than 50% of the average adult’s requirement for vitamin C.  They are low in calories and make a great base for a meal.  Instead of loading up on rice or pasta, try making dark greens the food you consume most at a given meal!  Nutrient profiles for specific foods can be accessed at http://www.nal.usda.gov/fnic/foodcomp/search/.

 

Orange vegetables are rich in beta carotene, 1 cup of cooked sweet potato or carrot contains more than enough beta carotene for a healthy individual to produce his or her daily requirement of vitamin A.  Use cooked carrots, sweet potato, or winter squash to add flavor and sweetness to bean or grain dishes. Nutrient profiles for specific foods can be accessed at http://www.nal.usda.gov/fnic/foodcomp/search/.

 

Vitamin C rich fruits and vegetables such as 2 kiwis, 1 cup of fresh strawberries, 2 oranges, 1 cup of cooked broccoli or 1 cup of cooked Brussels sprouts all provide more than the RDA of vitamin C for the average, healthy individual.  To keep your immune system strong year round, make sure you consume vitamin C rich foods daily!  Nutrient profiles for specific foods can be accessed at http://www.nal.usda.gov/fnic/foodcomp/search/.

 

Seeds and nuts supply the essential fatty acids.   Flax seeds and oil are excellent sources of omega 3 fatty acids.  Other seeds and nuts provide an abundant amount of omega 6 essential fatty acids.  Walnuts and hemp seeds provide both omega 3 and omega 6 fatty acids.  Seeds and nuts can help provide satisfaction to dieters and consumption has been shown to correlate with success on weight management plans.  1 oz of almonds or sunflower seeds provides more than 1/3 the daily requirement of vitamin E for the average, healthy individual.  Seeds and nuts are good sources of a number of important minerals, including copper, magnesium, and zinc. Just 1 Brazil nut contains more than the RDA of selenium!

Nutrient profiles for specific foods can be accessed at http://www.nal.usda.gov/fnic/foodcomp/search/.

 

Whole grains are high in fiber, high in antioxidants, and low glycemic index.  Whole grains are a natural companion of beans.  Because grains and beans are high in different essential amino acids, combining them in a meal can be delicious and beneficial, providing us the combination of amino acids required for health.  Whole grains provide significant amounts of B complex vitamins and minerals, including copper, iron, magnesium, and zinc.  Nutrient profiles for specific foods can be accessed at http://www.nal.usda.gov/fnic/foodcomp/search/.

 

Beans are high in protein and fiber and low glycemic index.  1 cup of cooked beans, such as black beans, chickpeas, pinto beans, or lentils provide more than 50% of the average person’s daily requirement of folic acid and more than 25% of the average adult’s RDA for protein.  Beans contain many minerals and the B complex vitamins, with edamame, green soybeans, having one of the highest calcium contents.  1 cup of cooked edamame contains more than 25% of the average person’s daily requirement of calcium.  However, due to the fact that edamame contain a high amount of phytic acid (as found in unfermented whole grains and beans), minerals such as calcium and zinc may have lower absorption rates in our bodies  than from food sources which do not contain phytic acid.  Nutrient profiles for specific foods can be accessed at http://www.nal.usda.gov/fnic/foodcomp/search/.

 

Seaweed, vegetables of the sea, is packed with minerals, and is especially high in iodine, necessary for proper thyroid function.  A small amount of seaweed, just 25 grams laver (nori), 3 grams of dulse, 1 gram of alaria, and ½ gram kelp provide more than the RDA of iodine for an average person. 

 When cooking a pot of beans, add Maine Sea Coast Alaria to longer cooking beans (cooking for over an hour).  Alaria, when cooked, has the consistency of linguini and is delicious in beans.  A strip of Kelp is great in quicker cooking beans; it is known to tenderize beans and may help prevent the flatulence that some experience after consuming beans.  Nutrient profiles for a variety of seaweed can be accessed at http://www.nal.usda.gov/fnic/foodcomp/search/, on the USDA National Nutrient Database, and on the website for Maine Coast Sea Vegetable, online at http://www.seaveg.com/chart.php

 

Naturally fermented foods are a source of probiotic bacteria (bacteria that should reside in our intestinal tract) and may benefit digestion and intestinal health.  Look for sauerkraut and pickles made the old fashioned way, without added vinegar.  Kim chi is an Asian version of naturally fermented vegetables.  Miso is a salty, fermented soybean paste that can be added to soups and dishes, to add flavor and health benefits (Though if on a low salt diet, be aware that miso is high in sodium).  Ohsawa brand Nama shoyu is an example of naturally fermented / aged soy sauce.

 

Soy products, the consumption of which began many years ago in Asia, were traditionally eaten in fermented form, such as tempeh, natto, miso, and soy sauce.  Fermentation helps to minimize and / or eliminate the high levels of phytic acid and tyrpsin inhibitors found in soybeans. 

 Unfermented soy products contain large amounts of phytic acid (greater than in any other whole grain or bean studied, according to a number of researchers), which can inhibit absorption of important minerals.  Trypsin inhibitors are also present in unfermented soy, and these substances can inhibit our own digestive process, preventing us from breaking the soy product down to its constituent parts, and therefore preventing the accessing of nutrients. Tofu contains less of these trypsin inhibitors, as many are left in the liquid formed during processing, though still contains some, more than fermented soy.

 Heat can deactivate trypsin inhibitors, and cooking beans, such as soy, in boiling water deactivates most of the trypsin inhibitors present   A reference to the effect of various cooking times (and temperatures) on trypsin inhibitors present in beans, can be found online at http://www.springerlink.com/content/n1t13h308kw34171/.

A heating process is usually employed in the production of soymilk, to minimize the effect of trypsin inhibitors.  However, the heat used to deactivate the trypsin inhibitors can potentially have a deleterious effect on protein and other nutrient content, as high heat can be damaging to beneficial nutrients, such as amino acids and vitamins.   So it is a delicate balance that must be reached, utilizing the necessary amount of heat for trypsin inhibitor inactivation, while minimizing excessive heating, so as to protect the protein quality and vitamins also contained in soy and other beans. 

  For a detailed article about some of the possible risks of consuming unfermented soy products, check out “Newest Research on Why You Should Avoid Soy,” by Susan Fallon and Mary Enig, PhD, at http://www.mercola.com/article/soy/avoid_soy.htm.  John Robbins addresses and rebuts some of the claims made in Eng and Fallon’s article on his website, in an article titled, “What about soy?” available online at http://www.foodrevolution.org/what_about_soy.htm.  A website that combines Robbins’ and Enig  and Fallon’s research into a very user friendly format can be found at http://www.criticalbench.com/soy_products_supplements_athletes.htm, as does an article printed originally in Townsend Letter for Doctors and Patients, “The Benefits and Risks of Soy,” available online, at http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1G1-79757250.html.  An article that addresses the lower degree of trypsin inhibitors present in edamame (immature, green soybeans), as compared to other soy products, can be found at http://blogs.webmd.com/healthy-recipe-doctor/2008/02/edamame-is-safe-to-eat.html.

As vegans, our diets are limited quite a lot by choice.  Such articles, as the above mentioned article on the risks of unfermented soy, can serve to educate us as to why daily consumption of soy milk and TVP based meat analogues might not be ideal.  If one chooses to use these products occasionally, one should do so recognizing the possible health concerns that have been associated with their consumption.  However occasional consumption is a great improvement over daily use.  It is important to source our daily nutrients from whole foods and supplements when necessary, and to utilize these less whole, unfermented soy products, only occasionally, at most, recognizing we are utilizing them as a treat and not a nutrient source, as such articles as Enig’s and Fallon’s (and the research upon which they are based) bring into question whether or not we can access the nutrients contained within.  A great resource a book detailing the various forms of soy products in current use, preparation methods, and deactivation of trypsin inhibitors, can be found online, by KeShun Liu, titled Soybeans, Technology, and Utilization, at http://books.google.com/books?id=Plmi4WfHos4C&pg=PA156&lpg=PA156&dq=time+temperature+required+deactivate+trypsin+inhibitors+soybeans&source=web&ots=KJamz_DIqC&sig=RQG3zVP-cmIEjx9-CT7EcswVaM0&hl=en#PPP1,M1.  Based on the evidence presented, it seems most prudent to limit one’s soy consumption to just a few times a week, making the effort to utilize the variety of available beans and grains and allowing soy to serve as just one of many options.

 

Meat substitutes are designed to taste like and replace meat in dishes, when one is looking for something that tastes like or has the texture of meat.  They are generally designed for taste, not health and nutrition.  From a health perspective, it is much wiser to replace meat with nutrient dense whole foods.  The proper combination of whole grains and beans, with occasional tempeh and tofu, fruits, seeds, nuts, and lots of vegetables is a wiser diet than one based on meat substitutes.  Most meat substitutes are made from either wheat gluten or texturized vegetable protein (tvp).  Both have inherent challenges from a health perspective. 

            Wheat gluten – seitan, is a common ingredient in meat substitutes.   More and more people are finding out that they have a sensitivity to gluten, which is a protein found in wheat, rye, and barley, and is the main ingredient in seitan.  For such people, meat analogues containing seitan (wheat gluten) can aggravate this condition.  Those who have Celiac disease have a reaction in their small intestine when they consume gluten that is so severe, it can hamper absorption of nutrients and lead to malnutrition, if not discovered. 

            Textured or texturized vegetable protein (TVP), also known as textured soy protein (TSP) is made from defatted soy flour, a by-product of soybean oil production.  Most often this is not organic and is likely to be made from genetically modified soybeans.  It is also possible that the trypsin inhibitors (inhibitors of digestion), found in the soybean, have not been thoroughly deactivated and can therefore hinder digestion. Two online sources for information about TVP, and the process used to create it, with references for information sources, is available at http://www.goldrust.net/tvp.htm and http://www.mercola.com/article/soy/avoid_soy.htm 

 Avoid products made from soy that are not clearly labeled non GMO and / or organic.  Most soyis currently genetically modified and there are health concerns associated with eating genetically modified foods, as there have not been long term studies on the consumption of genetically modified food by humans. 

            Canola oil – an oil produced in Canada, originally cultivated from a low erucic acid form of the rapeseed plant, is a common ingredient in many prepared foods, including meat substitutes. Canola is currently one of the most highly genetically engineered plants on the market, with 80% of the canola grown with genetically modified seed, and cross contamination of non GMO canola fields a problem. Wikipedia has an excellent explanation of the creation and production of canola oil and some of the controversy surrounding canola oil’s widespread use, at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canola.  An interesting reference to the presence of trans fats in canola oil, can be found on Dr. Mercola’s website, http://www.mercola.com/2000/jan/16/dangers_canola_oil.htm  There are many articles available online warning of the possible risks of canola oil, though many do not provide proper references and can therefore not be trusted as sources.  However there are enough valid concerns raised by researchers and scientists to give enough rationale for the avoidance of canola oil in food preparation and prepared foods.

            Therefore, one should limit consumption of meat substitutes, using them only as an occasional treat and also read the ingredients and attempt to choose meat substitutes that are prepared from organically grown, non genetically modified ingredients. 

 

 

Milk substitutes are designed to serve as replacements for cow milk in the diet. These milk replacements are most commonly made from soy or rice, but other grain, seed, and nut milks are also available, including almond milk, hemp seed milk and combinations of a variety of grains, as well as soy and rice blends. In general, these milk substitutes do not provide a substantial amount of nutrients, and many manufacturers choose to fortify these “milks” with vitamins and minerals.  One must read the labels carefully.  As with supplements, these vitamins can be animal derived, and one should check with manufacturers to ascertain that the vitamins used in fortification are completely vegan. Additionally, these milks are often highly heated in manufacturing and processing, which may damage the nutrients (vitamins and oils) they contain.  Therefore, it is best to use these milks as an occasional treat and not as a daily dietary addition.  If you do use these milks frequently, try to rotate the source, as it is not ideal to have the same food each day, and particularly in the case of soy, it is best not to consume soy on a daily basis, limiting one’s soy consumption to a few times a week.

 

Vegan junk food as with any other junk food, the name says it all.  It is designed to satisfy a craving and not to meet a nutritional need.  When choosing snacks, one should still read ingredients, choosing the most health promoting options available.  Choose products produced from organically grown (preferably veganically grown) ingredients. Junk food is often fried or cooked at relatively high heat.  This is not ideal for the oil or the nutrients present in the food.  Junk food, for one’s ideal health, should be kept to a minimum. 

 Ingredient lists should be read carefully, as often the organic ingredient is written first and people make the assumption that the rest is organic.  The labeling laws allow products to be labeled “organic” on the package when 95% of the ingredients are organically grown.   “Made with organic ingredients” on a package is guaranteeing that only 70% of the ingredients are organic. In ingredient lists, often an asterisk (*) is placed after organic ingredients, and if this is the case, under the ingredient list it will say *organically grown.

Avoid products with canola oil, an oil produced in Canada, originally cultivated from a low erucic acid form of the rapeseed plant.  Canola oil is a common ingredient in many prepared foods, including meat substitutes.  Canola is currently one of the most highly genetically engineered plants on the market, with 80% of the canola grown with genetically modified seed, and cross contamination of non GMO canola fields a current problem, Wikipedia has an excellent explanation of the production and some of the controversy surrounding canola oil’s widespread use, at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canola.  An interesting reference to the presence of trans fats in canola oil, can be found on Dr. Mercola’s website, http://www.mercola.com/2000/jan/16/dangers_canola_oil.htm  There are many articles available online warning of the possible risks of canola oil, though many do not provide proper references and can therefore not be trusted as sources.  However there are enough valid concerns raised by researchers and scientists to give good reason to avoid canola oil in food preparation and prepared foods.

            Avoid products made from soy that are not clearly labeled non GMO and / or organic.  Most soy is currently genetically modified and there are health concerns associated with eating genetically modified foods, as there have not been long term studies on the consumption of genetically modified food by humans. 

            If vegan junk food allows you to maintain your commitment to living a vegan life, remember to use it as a treat and not a staple, both for the long term sustainability of your health, and that of the planet, as conventionally grown food and genetically modified crops, often ingredients in “junk food” both vegan and nonvegan, take a toll both on our health and that of the planet.

 

Food Preparation Methods

 

 The Raw Food Diet is based upon the premise that food enzymes (enzymes present in food that may help in the breakdown of food), vitamins, minerals, and amino acids are affected by heat.   Enzymes present in raw food are destroyed at temperatures over 118 F.  An interesting interview with Edward Howell, an early pioneer in the study of enzymes, is available online at 

 http://www.living-foods.com/articles/enzymes.html

            Are enzymes necessary?   We do require enzymes to digest food, but our bodies do produce digestives enzymes.  However , if all the enzymes are present in the food we eat, our bodies would have less work to do in digesting food and our energy could be put to better use.  To understand the reasoning behind a raw foods diet, one can access online a website maintained to provide information about the raw diet, at http://www.living-foods.com/articles/rawfreshproduce.html.  However, this website does not provide references for its claims, so it should be used for informational purposes only.  Any claims made about nutrient loss or changes, should be documented with references.  Unfortunately, little money has been spent over the years to research the values of a raw versus cooked diet, and so conclusively making statements about the validity of this information is not possible, based on the current research available.

 

Cooking methods can affect the nutrients in our food.  High heat can produce negative products in the food we cook.  Maillard reactions occur between carbohydrates and proteins in food, even during food storage, but increase during heating and are highest in food that is baked, toasted, or roasted.  Early Maillard reactions result in “Amadori products” - brown  pigment, such as in bread crust and roasting  aromas (Not all browning is due to this. Some browning is due to oxidation).                                                                    

Maillard reactions can lower the digestibility of food by digestive enzymes, and may result in decreased vitamin and mineral absorption (Zinc would be better absorbed from corn grits than corn flakes), and reduced availability of some amino acids, such as lysine.  Boiling and steaming are preferable cooking methods - less Maillard Reaction Products (MRPs) are generated.  MRPs are  precursors of carcinogenic compounds.  An interesting discussion of MRPs can be accessed online at http://www.beyondveg.com/tu-j-l/raw-cooked/raw-cooked-1b.shtml.

Acrylamide is a chemical that has been found to be produced in certain food that has been heated to a temperature of 120 C (248 F). Potato chips and French fries have been found to contain relatively high levels of acrylamide compared to other foods, with lower levels also present in bread and cereals. A joint World Health Organization and Food and Agriculture Organization (WHO/FAO) Consultation, in June 2002, concluded that the levels of acrylamide in foods pose a major concern.  More information on acrylamide and how it is produced in food can be found online, courtesy of the National Cancer Institute, at http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/factsheet/acrylamideinfoods. 

The highest levels of acrylamide are found in starchy foods such as potato and cereals.  Acrylamide levels are highest in higher and prolonged heating.  Acrylamide has been found to cause cancer in animals and is toxic to the human nervous system.   Acrylamide has not been found in food cooked below 120 C (248 F) and has not been found in boiled food.  Stewing, poaching, and boiling are least likely to create acrylamide.   

 

Methods of Raising / Growing Food 

 Organically grown food is grown from organic or untreated seeds that have not been genetically modified.  Only naturally derived fertilizers and pesticides are allowed in the efforts to protect plants from “pests” and increase plant fertility.  Synthetic chemical pesticides and fertilizers are not allowed. Online, Wikipedia provides a thorough description of organic farming at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Organic_farming. 

However, the issue for those who maintain a vegan lifestyle is that most organic farms utilize manure and fertilizer that contains animal by-products, such as blood, bone meal, feathers, and fish emulsion.   Interestingly, the manure and animal by-products are not required to be from organically raised animals. Factory farm slaughter houses are a likely source for most of the animal by-products found in organic fertilizers.  However, there are “veganic” alternatives.  Healthy plants can be raised without the use of animal by-products.  More information about the common use of animal manure and by-products on organic farms in Massachusetts, and vegan gardening / farming alternatives, can be found in the March (2008) viewpoint article, “Sacred Ground,” accessed online at http://salemvegan.org/viewpoint.htm.

 

Locally grown produce is produce grown in the region where it is to be consumed, thus saving money  on transportation costs and lessening the environmental impact of transport.  However, consumers should be aware, local does not mean organic.  Local produce can be organically grown or conventionally grown.  Conventionally grown produce may utilize genetically modified seed and make use of synthetic fertilizers and pesticides.

 When shopping at farmers’ markets this summer, be sure to ask the farmers about their growing practices.  Do they use synthetic fertilizers or pesticides?  Are they growing crops, such as corn, from genetically modified seed?  Do they utilize manure or fertilizer containing animal ingredients?  Use your buying power to help educate the farmers.  The bigger the demand for veganic produce, the more farmers will make the effort to serve our community.

 

Genetically modified organisms (GMO) are organisms whose genetic structures have been altered by incorporating a gene that will express a “desirable trait” (gene splicing).   Some of the concerns expressed by scientists, in regards to the safety of genetically modified food crops include unintended effects of the genes that have been inserted, effects from genetically modified DNA which is not thoroughly broken down by the digestive tract, possible allergic reactions, and environmental impact.  An article online which addresses many of the safety concerns related to the production and consumption of genetically modified foods is available at http://www.actionbioscience.org/biotech/pusztai.html.