If you are a vegetarian and you want to continue eating products that contain sugar, but do not want to cause suffering in the process, you have a number of options.

Your first option is to only consume products made with beet sugar. There are two major sources of sugar in the United States: beet sugar and cane sugar. Cane sugar is
often whitened with bone char from cows; in contrast, beet sugar is never whitened with bone char.

So, if you want to completely avoid the bone char, you can do so by eating only beet sugar. The only challenge–and it is a big one–is finding out which foods contain beet sugar and which foods contain cane sugar.

To make things more complex, you can also consume a number of types of cane sugar, as long as you are willing to find out what the source of the sugar is.

You can do this in a lot of cases by looking at the nutritional panel on food before you buy it. If it says
fructose or dextrose, the sugar is from a plant source (either beet or corn). If it says sucrose, it could be froma number of sources, which could include bone char-whitened cane sugar.

Now, if you are cooking with sugar, you can personally verify that is bone-char free by purchasing from the following companies, which have publicly-stated that they do not use bone-char: Florida Crystals Refinery, Imperial
Sugar Company, Irish Sugar Ltd., Sugar In the Raw (which is also less-refined), and American Crystal Sugar Company.

If you can’t find these brands, but want to avoid consuming bone-char sugar if possible, you can avoid these brands, which have publicly-stated that they do use bone-char: Domino, Savannah Foods, and C&H Sugar Company.

Alan

Have a look at Vegetarian Diet Info. It’s a great site for information about specific diets (eg, contains vegan, macrobiotic, nutrition, fibre, fat, cholesterol etc).

Go here: Vegetarian Diet Info

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A

And while it might be true that one vegetarian won’t make huge statistical difference in a world of meat-eaters– and while it is also true that one more vegetarian probably isn’t going to turn the tide in the movement–you can do a lot as an individual that will be good for you and good for hundreds of animals.

Take, for instance, the number one cause of death in the United States and other countries with meat-centered diets: heart disease.

If it weren?t specifically for meat, eggs, and dairy products–which are the three largest sources of cholesterol–heart attacks and other heart and circulatory problems would be far less prevalent. According to
EarthSave, the average vegetarian has about 1/4 the chance of having a heart attack as the average nonvegetarian. As for people who are pure vegans, it gets even lower: they have less than 1/10 the chance of having a heart attack as nonvegetarians.

In addition to heart health, you will get a number of other health benefits as a vegetarian. For instance, you wont be exposed to nearly as many preservatives, which are common in meat and are linked to cancer. You wont be exposed to various hormones (that are packed into animal feed), which often disrupt normal hormonal processes in the body. And you wont consume as much lactose, which most people cannot digest properly–and which some dietitians have suggested is a cause of digestive problems.

In addition to health benefits you will receive as an individual, you will also reduce your share of the suffering human beings inflict on animals.

According to veganoutreach.org, the average American consumes 2,714 land animals in their lifetime. If you quit eating meat now, you could literally prevent the suffering and death of hundreds of animals of the course of a couple decades.

In addition to this, if you stop eating eggs and drinking milk, you will also reduce your share in the suffering and death of battery hens and their offspring, as well as dairy cows and their offspring, too.

So the answer is yes: it does matter whether or not you become a vegetarian. It matters to the thousands of animals you could potentially save and it matters to you as an individual because you can greatly reduce your chances of getting cancer and heart disease.

Alan

PS: If you like Chinese food, and you want to explore a vegetarian lifestyle, then check out  ’Quick Easy Chinese Vegetarian Cooking. Easy, Healthy, And Delicious Chinese Vegetarian Cookbook Package. Complete Chinese Vegetarian Guide With 400 Pages.’

(all this talk of food is making me hungry).

Cheers

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Many vegans quit eating meat, eggs, milk, honey, and yeast for one very specific reason: they have a deep reverencef or all living things and subsequently want to prevent
all living things from suffering on their behalf.

This reverence for all living things drives some vegans to what nonvegetarians might consider extremes. Some live greatly restricted lives, but for a noble cause: to prevent suffering and death wherever possible.

In addition to preventing death and suffering through dietary selections, some vegans have vowed to prevent it in all other capacities.

For instance, some vegans do not wear wool because they believe it contributes to animal suffering.

These vegans often cite how scientists have bred sheep over the years to generate unnatural amounts of wool for human needs. This breeding has resulted in the Merino
sheep of today, which often has enough wool to equal its body weight.

As a result of this counter-evolutionary trait, the Merino sheep that exists today often has far more wool than it needs, which is evidenced by the high amount of sheep that die of heat exhaustion. In addition to overheating in hot temperatures, many sheep end up freezing to death after they are sheared.

The wool shearing process can also cause quite a bit of suffering for the sheep. Almost a quarter of all wool sheared from sheep is “skin wool,” which is so close to the sheep’s skin that it is actually must be torn off.

If you currently are a vegetarian for ethical reasons, take some time to consider whether or not wearing wool compromises your commitment to end or at least stop contributing to animal suffering.

For some vegetarians, wearing wool is just as bad as eating meat; and for others, it simply isn’t an issue because they do not believe it causes an unreasonable amount of suffering. Which are you?

Alan

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Many nonvegetarians and some vegetarians alike question
whether being a vegetarian really makes any difference
at all. Some bring up blurry ethical situations to make it
impossible to see a vegetarian lifestyle as ethical.

If you are a prospective vegetarian for ethical reasons,
but aren’t sure whether or not a vegetarian lifestyle is
truly a more ethical choice, here are some statistics
from EarthSave to help you make your choice (for
or against):

1. Over 1.3 billion human beings could be fed each year
from the grain and soybeans that go to livestock in the
United States.

This means that the entire population of the United States
could be fed (without losing any nutritional value) and there
would still be enough food left over to feed one billion
people.

In a world where millions of people die each year of
starvation, that type of food excess and inefficiency
could be considered unethical.

2. Livestock in the US produces roughly 30 times more
excrement than human beings. While humans in the US have
complex sewage systems to collect and treat human waste,
there are no such systems on feedlots. As a result, most
of this waste leeches into water.

This means that large-scale, massive production and
slaughter of animals is not only unethical, but it also
causes serious environmental degradation.

3. It takes 7.5 pounds of protein feed to create 1 pound of
consumable hog protein; and it takes 5 pounds of protein
feed to create 1 pound of consumable chicken protein. Close
to 90%PRCTG% of protein from wheat and beans is lost to feed
cycling.

This means that an enormous amount of resources are
dedicated to producing wheat and soy just for the purpose
of feeding it to animals, which will be slaughtered as “a
source of protein”–even though they only provide about
1/5 of the amount they consume.

Not only can the production of meat be considered an
injustice against animals, but it can also be considered an
injustice against human beings, as well as the environment
in general.

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Vegetarian cheese is cheese that is not curdled with
rennet, an enzyme that occurs naturally in animal stomachs.
Most vegetarian cheeses are curdled with either plants,
fungi, or bacteria.

Vegetarians who do not consume cheese with rennet
generally choose not to because it involves slaughtering
animals to extract the enzymes.

Vegetarian cheese is hard to distinguish from cheese made
with rennet. This lack of distinguisability often forces
vegetarians who are ethically-opposed to harming animals
to consume cheeses that contain rennet.

Even though more cheeses are being made with vegetable
rennet, it is usually impossible to spot the difference,
unless the package is clearly labeled “vegetarian cheese.”
Recently, some grocery stores have started doing this
to aid vegetarian shoppers, who would not otherwise be
able to distinguish the difference between the vegetable
and animal rennet cheeses.

In addition to eating cheeses made with vegetable rennet,
there are more alternatives to eating regular cheese.

Vegans, for instance, do not consume cheese at all because
it is an animal byproduct and subsequently requires animals
to be caged and suffer. Many vegans, however, do
consume cheese substitutes.

Chreese (www.chreese.com) is one of these substitutes.
Chreese is an all natural, non-soy, cheese replacement
that requires substantially less natural resources
and energy to create than cheese with rennet.

And chreese is just one substitute. There are a number
of other all natural alternatives you can find
at local organic and health food stores.

If you are a vegetarian and you don’t support animal
suffering on your behalf in any capacity, you may
also want to consider adjusting your dietary habits
if you consume cheese made with animal rennet.

To reiterate, you have three basic options: you can
look for grocery stores that label vegetarian cheese;
you can purchase vegetarian cheese online; or you can
purchase cheese alternatives online or at your local
organic or health food store.

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While many people lament the nutritional disadvantages
of a poorly planned vegetarian diet, few stress the
health advantages of adopting a vegetarian or vegan diet.
In this article, I will cover the major three nutritional
advantages of becoming a vegetarian.

The first major advantage of a vegetarian diet is
increased heart health. Vegetarians, on average, consume
more nuts (often as a supplemental form of protein). Nuts
contain “good” fats, such as omega-3 and omega-6. This
promotes good heart health by reducing “bad” cholesterol
and unclogging arteries.

In addition to nuts, vegetarians also consume more soy
milk (often to replace milk), which reduces “bad”
cholesterol and has been linked to good heart health.

The second major advantage vegetarians enjoy is increased
skin health. In addition to consuming larger quantities
of nuts (which contain healthful oils), vegetarians tend
to consume more fruit and vegetables, which are rich in
essential vitamins, including A and E, which are linked
to good skin health.

Fruits and vegetables also contain high amounts of fiber,
which helps flush toxins out of the body, further
contributing to better skin health.

The last health advantage vegetarians enjoy is an increased
natural consumption of antioxidants.

Antioxidants are foods that help prevent cancer by
destroying free radicals. Vitamin C and Vitamin E, two
strong antioxidants, are commonly found in vegetarian
meals.

Vitamin C can be found in berries, tomatoes, citrus fruit,
kale, kiwis, asparagus and peppers.

Vitamin E can be found in wheat germ, seed oils, walnuts,
almonds, and brown rice–all foods that are commonly a
part of a well-balanced vegetarian diet.

So what does this all mean for you as a prospective
vegetarian?

It means the popular mythology about vegetarian diets
is false. Not only can a vegetarian diet be nutritionally
sufficient, but it can also affect better skin
health, prevent cancer, and increase your
heart health.

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Are you worried about cooking for a vegetarian in your
family this upcoming holiday season? Well, worry no more.
This article will tell you exactly what you need to do
and know before you start cooking this holiday season.

You can start off by finding out what type of vegetarian
your guest is. For instance, if she is a strict
vegan, then there?s a chance she will not eat food
that contains honey or yeast; however, if on the other
hand, she is a “semi” or “pseudo” vegetarian, there is a
chance she will actually eat the meal as it is prepared,
including the meat. And if she?s a lacto-ovo-vegetarian,
she might eat anything with eggs and milk, but will
probably avoid meat dishes.

If you talk to the vegetarian in your family before you
prepare your holiday meal, you should consider asking the
following five questions:

1. Do you eat certain types of meat or none at all?

If the vegetarian in your family will eat certain meats
(generally fish, chicken, and turkey), then you should
consider preparing that as a side dish or asking them if
they would like to bring a small dish of it for their
own meal.

2. Will you use serving utensils that have been placed in dishes
containing meat?

Some vegetarians experience severe gastrointestinal stress when they
consume meat and grease from meat, so it is a good idea to find
out whether or not they can do so ahead of time. If they can?t,
you can simply put out one utensil for all non-meat dishes and
ask that guests do not cross-contaminate.

3. Do you eat foods that contain milk and eggs?

As I mentioned above, lacto-ovo vegetarians will eat milk
and eggs, but other sub-categories of vegetarian will not.
Some wont do it for health reasons; others wont for
ethical reasons. Whatever the case, you can get around this
problem by either creating more dishes that do not contain
milk and eggs or by using egg replacer, which you can find
at most supermarkets, and milk replacements, such as soy
milk.

4. Do you eat honey and yeast?

Some vegetarians do not eat honey and yeast for ethical
reasons. If you find out that the vegetarian in your family
does not eat honey and yeast ahead of time, you can either
prepare alternate dishes or ask if they are willing to
bring an alternate dish.

5. Would you like to bring your own main dish (to replace
the turkey, ham, etc.)?

Many vegetarians eat popular meat-replacement dishes,
such as “tofurkey” and “veggie burgers.” Your guest will
probably be more than willing to bring her own meat-
replacement dish if you ask.

To reiterate, there are a number of things you should take
into consideration when you cook for a vegetarian
this holiday season; however, the single most important
thing you can do is actually approach the vegetarian
and ask how you can accommodate her and if she would
like to cook with you or bring her own dish.

If you keep this in mind, your holiday meal will be a
success with everyone – even the vegetarian in your family!

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If you recently started reading about vegetarian
diets, you have probably read all sorts of
strange vegetarian terms and categories like “vegan,”
“ovo-lacto vegetarian,” and “semi-vegetarian.”
You probably wondered what the big deal was.
Afterall, what is so conceptually tough about not
eating meat?

And you were right!

The distinctions between these sub-categories of
vegetarian are actually small, but each is very important
to members who belong to the groups. For them, these
distinctions aren?t arbitrary lines; they are important
dietary or ethical decisions.

Let?s take a look at some of these groups:

VEGETARIAN:

Vegetarian is a blanket term used to describe a person
who does not consume meat, poultry, fish, or seafood.
This grouping includes vegans and the various sub-
categories of vegetarian; however, it generally implies
someone who has less dietary restrictions than a vegan.

SEMI-VEGETARIAN:

The term semi-vegetarian is usually used to describe
someone who is not actually a vegetarian. Semi-vegetarian
generally implies someone who only eats meat occasionally
or doesn?t eat meat, but eats poultry and fish.

OVO-LACTO-VEGETARIAN:

Ovo-lacto vegetarians are vegetarians who do not consume
meat, poultry, fish, and seafood, but do consume eggs and
milk. This is the largest group of vegetarians.

OVO-VEGETARIAN:

Ovo-vegetarian is a term used to describe someone who
would be a vegan if they did not consume eggs.

LACTO-VEGETARIAN:

Lacto-vegetarian is a term used to describe someone
who would be a vegan if they did not consume milk.

VEGAN:

Vegan is the strictest sub-category of vegetarians.
Vegans do not consume any animal products or byproducts.
Some even go as far as not consuming honey and yeast.
Others do not wear any clothing made from animal
products.

Take some time to figure out what group you will belong
to when you become a vegetarian. You will want to consider
both dietary and ethical reasons for choosing this
lifestyle.

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As a prospective vegan, you may be wondering exactly
why vegans make the dietary choices they make. And you
may also be hesitant to adopt these choices until you
yourself understand and accept them.

In this article, I will explain the two major vegetarian
positions on eating eggs to help you make your decision.

The sub-category of vegetarian I will cover,
ovo-vegetarians, accept the normal consumption of eggs
because they do not believe that doing so conflicts
with an ethical vegetarian diet. They do not see eggs
as living things and subsequently do not make the
connection between consuming eggs and causing animal
suffering or death.

In addition to this, many ovo-vegetarians see complete
veganism as limiting their options unnecessarily,
especially when eggs are an excellent source of complete
protein and a viable nutritional alternative to meat.

Many vegetarians who do consume eggs opt for “free range”
eggs over normal–or “battery”–eggs. This is usually out
of ethical concern for the treatment of egg-laying hens.

Vegans, by contrast, do not consume eggs normally and
generally oppose the institution altogether. They argue
that purchasing “battery hen” eggs supports an institution
that cages up to nine birds together, debeaks them, and
forces them to continually lay eggs until they are calcium
-depleted and on the verge of death–at which point, they
are slaughtered.

In addition, vegans also go further to disapprove of
“free range” eggs, which do not require a hen to be caged.
They argue that most free range hens are actually packed
into houses, where they have minimal access to the outside.

They also note that even producing “free range” eggs
requires having fertile eggs–half of which will hatch into
male chicks, which will then be slaughtered after birth or
fed to a certain weight only to be culled.

In addition to these two positions, there are also
vegetarians who don?t consume eggs for other reasons. Some
of these vegetarians don?t eat eggs because they are high
in cholesterol; and others do not consume them because they
believe that the animal farming institution contributes to
environmental degradation.

Take some time to determine where you stand–ethically
and nutritionally–and then make your decision from there.

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As with most dietary questions, vegans are split
on the issue of dairy products–not so much on the question
of whether or not they are acceptable, but instead for what
reasons they should not be consumed.

All vegans (or at least true vegans) abstain from consuming
dairy products. Some do so for nutritional reasons;
others abstain for ethical reasons.

Those who do it for nutritional reasons cite a range of
health problems related to the consumption of dairy
products, including high cholesterol. Many also have a
problem digesting lactose or have a blood-iron or diabetic
problem related to milk protein, casein. In addition to
this, milk and cheese often contain small portions of
undesirable hormones that are added to dairy cow feeds
to increase production.

Those who abstain from consuming dairy products for
ethical reasons also have a range of reasons for doing so.

Some cite the poor treatment of dairy cows as a main
reason for not consuming milk and cheese. They note that
dairy cows are forced to become pregnant once each
year to maintain a constantly high yield of milk.
They are also fed numerous steroids
to increase production.

Others who abstain for ethical reasons often cite the
maltreatment of dairy cow offspring. They note that calves
are not allowed to spend time with or suckle from the
mother, but instead are prematurely removed to be reared
for either veal production, beef production, or as
replacement dairy cows.

The calves selected for “veal” production are often forced
to live in crates so tiny that they cannot turn around.
They must face in one direction; they cannot groom
themeselves; and they are fed hormone-laden feed until
they are sent off to be slaughtered.

If you are a prospective vegan, you may want to take
some time now to think about what is best for you.
Ask yourself whether you wanted to become a vegan for
ethical reasons, dietary reasons, or both. And from
there, determine whether or not these arguments were
strong enough to compel you to do so. Either way, you
should emerge with a stronger viewpoint and a better
understanding of what you do and do not want.

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