Upset? Maybe Even Outraged? Don't Worry... It's Just an (Ethical) Growing Pain

Title Page

2009-12-23T22:46:00.000-08:00

Non-Vegan ‘Food’ & Child Pornography: A former victim of child sexual abuse makes a screaming plea for help
By: Ann Onymous

“Ben Hackman wants you to know that he loves you, cherishes you, and wishes you nothing but the best. But please, don’t eat animals. Have a heart.”
–Ben Hackman, Facebook status for August 1st, 2009

“What he said.”
–Ann Onymous

Table of Contents
Part 1 - Introduction (1 and 1/4 pages)
Part 2 - My story (2 and 1/2 pages) [Note: Part 2 has been removed.]
Part 3 - Animal suffering and human indifference (2 and 1/2 pages)
Part 4 - Veganism (3 pages)
Part 5 - Conclusion (1/4 of a page)
Appendix 1 – Nutrition: Vegan meals with 100% or more of key nutrients
Appendix 2 – Nutrition: Vegan foods high in key nutrients
Appendix 3 – Health benefits of veganism

Link to part 1 of 5: http://allsentientsfeelpain.blogspot.com/2009/12/part-1-introduction_1416.html

Or skip straight to the nutrition guides which will help you become vegan:
Appendix 1: http://allsentientsfeelpain.blogspot.com/2009/12/appendix-1-nutrition-vegan-meals-with.html
Appendix 2: http://allsentientsfeelpain.blogspot.com/2009/12/appendix-2-nutrition-vegan-foods-high.html

Part 1 – Introduction

2009-12-23T22:43:00.003-08:00

("Non-Vegan 'Food' & Child Pornography: A former victim of child sexual abuse makes a screaming plea for help")
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Being a vegan in a non-vegan society makes me feel like I'm surrounded by kiddie porn watchers everywhere I go. History shows that human beings, raised in a society in which something unethical is the norm (such as wife beating or discrimination towards a particular group), are blind to the fact that this thing is unethical and accept it or even engage in it rather mindlessly. Therefore, I know that on the one hand these non-vegans are innocent, because they grew up in a culture which taught them to think the imprisonment and murder of animals is ok. And so I forgive them, for they know not what they do. But on the other hand I know they are guilty, because of their compassionless complicity in horrible crimes (such as what you see in the 12 minute "Meet Your Meat" video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VIjanh KqV C4 ).

So even as I forgive them, even as I count some of them as my loved ones, even as I am awed and inspired by some of them for their otherwise compassionate hearts and ethical enlightenment, I nonetheless fear them, distrust them, and am saddened to the core by them -- just as you would be if 99% of the people you knew watched child pornography.

That's right; I said what you thought I said. Kiddie porn. Child pornography. That horrible thing. In my view, eating meat or food that comes from the bodies of farmed animals is like watching child pornography. When a person consumes child porn, they don't abuse children directly but they contribute to the economic demand which drives that abuse to occur (http://en.wikiped ia.org/wiki/Child_pornograp hy). So it is with eating animal products. When a person consumes dairy or meat or eggs, they don't abuse animals directly but they contribute to the economic demand which drives that abuse to occur. Neither 'food' from animals nor child porn would be available to purchase if there weren't people out there willing to pay for them.

A harsh analogy? Perhaps. But only because most non-vegans are oblivious of certain facts. Fact1: The lives of farmed animals are as horrible as the mainstream conception of hell. Fact 2: Farmed animals are very similar to us emotionally (see the film "The Emotional World of Farm Animals": http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-8312987796490958256 ). Fact 3: Each of these individual animals has its own personality. (People with dogs know that no two dogs are alike. People with cats know that no two cats are alike. But few people realize that the same is true for cows, etc.) So despite that the eating habits of non-vegans help to cause extreme suffering, the fact of their ignorance makes their hearts somewhat innocent. This is unlike a child porn watcher, who knows that what he/she does is wrong, but just doesn't care enough to stop.

And so even though I would say that unnecessarily choosing to eat animal products is as great a crime as watching child porn, I would not say that an ignorant non-vegan is as unethical a human being as a child porn watcher. But once a non-veg€€an knows the horrors that farmed animals suffer and continues to choose to be non-vegan, it's hard for me to see them as any better than a child porn watcher. Yes, the desire to masturbate to images of children is itself an inherently sick desire, whereas the desire to eat things you find tasty is not sick, but I'm not comparing kiddie porn watchers and informed non-vegans in terms of how sick their desires are. I'm comparing them in terms of their lack of compassion and their degree of responsibility for the existence of horrific abuse. Perhaps we can call this a sickness of the heart -- at least that portion of the heart reserved for compassion towards animals.

But how dare I compare mere animal abuse to the sexual abuse of human children!? I dare to because I was a sexually abused child for over five years. It's my experience, and so it's my prerogative to use it to make this comparison. (Yet it should be noted that this child porn analogy is only directed at people who can feasibly choose veganism. There are those for whom veganism is not an accessible choice. I'll discuss this in part 4.)

I believe that I as a sexually abused child had it far better than a typical farmed animal does. Because at least for me there was good mixed with the bad. Besides abuse and neglect, my childhood had more love and fun and cuddles and play and happiness than the average child. And despite the abuse in early life, I was able to grow up, move away from the abusive situation, get some therapy, and have a chance at healing, happiness, and life. But for farmed animals, torture, pain, and misery fill their lives minute by minute, day by day, until it all ends in painful terrifying murder. They never get a chance to heal, to be happy, or to live an existence worthy of the term 'life'.
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Link to part 3 of 5: http://allsentientsfeelpain.blogspot.com/2009/12/part-3-animal-suffering-and-human_8603.html [Note: Part 2 removed.]

Part 3 – Animal suffering and human indifference

2009-12-23T22:42:00.001-08:00

("Non-Vegan 'Food' & Child Pornography: A former victim of child sexual abuse makes a screaming plea for help")
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Link to part 1 of 5: http://allsentientsfeelpain.blogspot.com/2009/12/part-1-introduction_1416.html [Note: Part 2 removed.]

I think sometimes about what it would mean to be a good ally to the animals. I know it would entail way more than what I do now. If animals in the factory farms and laboratories suddenly gained the consciousness and capacity to have an uprising, and had one, not only would I not think it unfair of them if they tried to commit genocide on humanity, but I'd also not think it unfair if they deemed me unworthy of having my life spared, despite that I have been a vegan since I was 20. After all, I don't scream in the face of, or even calmly confront, every single non-vegan person I know. I don't spend my life blowing up factory farms or assassinating those who own them. I'm a shitty, cowardly ally who only speaks up when she has nothing to lose, who would rather avoid the awkward tension of confronting other humans than speak up for the greater good. My efforts to help are no better than my parents yelling up the stairs at my brother to stop playing so rough. And now it's me who tells myself not to scream too loud.

What these animals go through is far, far worse than what I did. The reason I described details of my abuse experience is to help you understand the implications of this point. I don't think it trivializes my suffering to have it compared to animal suffering. Quite the opposite – I think it minimizes animal suffering. It is offensive and trivializing to their pain to compare it to mine. I have never been forced to live in a cage more crowded than a rush hour subway. I have never had my genitals cut off without anesthetic. I have never been dangled upside down by my ankles to have my throat slit and the blood drained out of me. I would go through every year of what I went through again and again and again rather than spend one lifetime as one of these tortured creatures. Their bodies always in pain. Exhausted by the pain. Having no control. Being trapped. No rest. No relief. It never stops. Every moment of life an agony. No way to make the pain stop, or even ease. At least most of the 24 hours of my days were abuse free.

And every painful emotion you've ever known, they feel it too. The rage. The grief. The insane terror. The smell of death, the sounds of murder. For those animals kept in individual pens, loneliness. For those crammed in cages or sheds with others, severe social discord. Their hearts broken by this. Their minds shattered by it. And by the endless stress and boredom, the utter emptiness and pointlessness of their imprisoned lives. They're driven literally insane by it all. It's why the teeth of pigs are removed (without anesthetic) while they are babies – if not, they chew off pieces of their own and each other's flesh. It's why the beaks of chicks are seared off with a heated blade (also without anesthetic) – if not, the chickens peck each other to the point of flesh wounds or death. Anyone who doubts that animals experience emotional pain need only reflect on the fact that these are not behaviors that pigs and chickens normally display. They are behaviors they display when they have been emotionally traumatized or driven insane.

And this is all they've ever known of life. And all they ever will know. Never knowing what it's like to breathe with ease. Never knowing what it's like to feel the muscles in their body relax. Never knowing what it's like to be touched with love, to be touched in a way that doesn't cause pain. Never knowing what it's like to feel pleasure or even peace in their body – the grass, the earth; warm sun, cool water. Never getting to play. Never getting to form bonds of companionship or love with other animals. Robbed of the joys they could have experienced if they had a free life. And people who have lived with a cat or dog know that animals are capable of experiencing joy in life if given a chance. But not these animals. And the grand prize at the end of all of this is brutal, terrifying murder. A fitting end to a life in hell.

They, too, cry and scream in fear and pain. In the Meet Your Meat video (http://ww w.youtube.com/watch?v=VIjanhKqVC4 ), you can hear them crying and screaming when they're mutilated, when they're burned, when they're dangled upside down from their legs by a machine taking them to their deaths, when they are finally slaughtered. They cry and scream for their lives, for their freedom, for their babies and for their mothers who are separated less than a week after birth. And we ignore them. We go on eating their eggs and their milk and their bodies – and we ignore them and their pain. Utter indifference.

This devastates me. To see people's indifference and failure to protect animals hits too close to home for me. It is similar to, yet so much worse than, my parents' seeming indifference to my pain and their failure to protect me from abuse. And so I have a huge problem with those who choose to be non-vegan. My heart aches because of them, and although my love for others is unconditional, and my love for some non-vegans is quite overflowing, frankly I am quite bitter. I think it's despicable to choose to be non-vegan. I think it's a horribly unethical choice to make.

It's not like being vegan requires a sacrifice or a reduction in your quality of life. I've been vegan for over six years. It took a little extra time at first to learn new recipes, but within a few weeks being vegan became second nature and took no extra time or planning at all. The inconvenience was small and temporary.

The food I eat now that I'm vegan is more delicious than what I ate when I was non-vegan. I save money. I feel healthier. I'll probably live longer than I would have as a non-vegan. Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine is a coalition of medical professionals who advocate veganism on grounds of health and ethics. Their website will show you that veganism (done right) is the healthier choice (http://www.pcrm.org/ ). And Vegan Fitness is a website which shows that veganism is compatible even with a highly athletic lifestyle in which you burn lots of calories and require extra protein (http://www.veganfitness.net/ ).

It seems there are two main reasons people choose to be non-vegan. One is an unwillingness to make the effort it initially takes to research vegan nutrition and to change their grocery shopping and cooking habits. The other is an unwillingness to give up the pleasures that certain foods give to their taste buds. This also hits too close to home for me, that an innocent creature be sacrificed to abuse in order to allow for someone else's convenience or trivial pleasure. It's just wrong.

Taking pleasure in hurting someone you're not angry at (sadism) or in sexually exploiting a child is inherently sick, whereas taking pleasure in eating something tasty is not. But valuing your taste-buds more than you value preventing the torture of animals is just as selfish and unethical. As for convenience, the choice to contribute to the torture of animals so you can avoid the temporary inconvenience of figuring out how to be vegan is at least as selfish and unethical as the choice to sacrifice your children's wellbeing so you can avoid the inconvenience of dealing with their problems. It doesn't take too long to research nutrition, learn recipes, and experiment until you figure out healthy and tasty eating habits. As for those who tried being vegan but went back due to health and energy issues, they chose to give up instead of being temporarily inconvenienced by the small amount of work it would take to figure out how to make veganism work for them (more research on nutrition, taking vitamin/mineral pills, etc.).

I have often heard non-vegans say: "I care about animals, but I like meat/cheese/etc. too much to stop eating it." Or: "I care about animals, but I don't have the time to figure out how to become vegan." Are these valid excuses? Consider these parallel examples: "I care about children, but I like child porn too much to stop using it." Or: "I care about children, but I don't have the time to get therapy to heal from whatever it is that compels me to watch child porn."

My parents had excuses, too, for not protecting me from my brother and getting him the professional help he so clearly needed. They came home from work feeling tired. They had projects to work on. Chores to do. They had marital problems. They were depressed. They were stressed out. And they didn't want any more stress. They didn't want to expend energy and time they felt they didn't have on dealing with our problems. They intended to deal with them eventually, but not yet; soon, when they had the time and energy. What's your excuse?

I accuse every person who chooses to be non-vegan of being complicit in crimes which in my estimation cause more suffering than what's caused by the sexual abuse of children. And it breaks my heart that so few people get what a big deal torture is – even when the victims of that torture are not human. If you have even a decent capacity for compassion you will stop making excuses and start making the transition to veganism now.
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Link to part 4 of 5: http://allsentientsfeelpain.blogspot.com/2009/12/part-4-veganism_4246.html

Part 4 – Veganism

2009-12-23T22:40:00.001-08:00

("Non-Vegan 'Food' & Child Pornography: A former victim of child sexual abuse makes a screaming plea for help")
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Link to part 3 of 5: http://allsentientsfeelpain.blogspot.com/2009/12/part-3-ani mal-suffering-and-human_8603.html

We can't currently all be vegans in this world. First and foremost, Indigenous peoples who live as gatherers/hunters, or as herders of sheep or goats or cattle, would have to give these practices up to go vegan. This would drastically alter their cultures and societies as they currently exist; and so veganism should not be imposed on foragers or herders from the outside. As for the rest of humanity, we should all be vegan. But some people don't have the choice to go vegan under the present circumstances. Some people are extremely impoverished and living in nations devastated by capitalist-imperialism. These people tend to eat vegan almost all of the time, by default, because in most countries meat and other animal products are more expensive than vegan food, and growing crops is cheaper than owning animals. But if someone is so poor that they are struggling to get enough food day-to-day, who the hell am I to tell them what to eat? If they can somehow get their hands on eggs or meat or dairy, then bon appetite.
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For these people, veganism won't be an accessible choice until they are no longer so desperately poor. In 'Western' nations a vegan diet is comparable in price to an omnivore diet, and so veganism is not inaccessible for most poor people. Many of my vegan friends live below the poverty line and report spending less money on groceries as a vegan than they did as an omnivore. But for extremely poor people who rely on soup-kitchens, food banks, and shelters for their meals, veganism is not an accessible choice. And for people living in a ghetto where the only place in their neighborhood to buy groceries after their eleven hour work day is a convenience store, veganism would not be impossible but would be genuinely difficult (as if these people's lives weren't difficult enough already).
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Animal rights activists should therefore care about abolishing poverty. To do so, we'll need to replace capitalism with an anarchist-socialist economy (such as Parecon); it's the only way we'll ever end poverty and make veganism accessible to all. A decent life for humans and animals depends on this. On the flip side, anyone who cares about global poverty should care about animal rights. It's funny how veganism is slandered as a privileged lifestyle choice when a diet centered on meat and other animal products is a key feature of 'Western' privilege which most people in this world don't have. And these eating patterns contribute to hunger for hundreds of millions of people:

"In all, the raising of livestock takes up more than two-thirds of agricultural land, and one third of the total land area. [...L]ivestock are increasingly being fed with grains and cereals that could have been directly consumed by humans or were grown on land that could have been used to grow food rather than [livestock] feed. The developing world's undernourished millions are now in direct competition with the developed world's livestock – and they are losing." (Vegan Society. "The Environment: Land". 06 Aug 09. http://www.vegansociety.com/environment/land)

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And let's not forget that the United Nations stated that factory farming is a bigger contributor to climate change than automobiles (Food and Agricultural Organization of the United Nations. "Livestock's Long Shadow: Environmental Issues and Options". Rome, 2006).
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We have been raised in societies which teach us that because animals are not as smart as humans, that the ordeals they experience are less painful for them than our ordeals are for us. But this is logically inconsistent with our other beliefs. We know that children aren't as smart as adults, and that babies are the least smart of all. But do we believe they experience less pain from their ordeals? Of course not. Quite the opposite; we realize that traumas experienced by children or babies tend to cause more suffering than for adults, both during the experience and in the years to come. Their lack of intellectual sophistication, and underdeveloped frontal cortex, means they have fewer resources to make sense of their traumas and self-soothe their painful emotions. Why is it that we believe lower intellect means a lower capacity to suffer? Do we think that the 'mentally retarded' suffered less in the Nazi's concentration camps than people of average intelligence? Did geniuses suffer most of all?
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Pigs have been shown to be not only smarter than dogs, but about as smart as three year old humans. If lack of intelligence is reason enough to murder a creature for food, then why not eat babies and toddlers? Ok, their adult parents would be upset by this. So why not eat baby orphans?
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Another thought experiment: Imagine if aliens with far superior intellectual capacities came to Earth and decided to imprison us in factory farms, murder us for meat, and impregnate women to rob us of milk. All because they believe humans are so dumb that our suffering doesn't matter. Would they be right? Would this be fair? Would they care?
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And regardless of intelligence, keep in mind that farmed animals experience physical pain every bit as intensely as humans do. They also are wired in their brains to experience emotional pain such as fear, depression, rage, loneliness, and to experience emotional pleasure such as happiness, excitement, tranquility, love. Farmed animals live in conditions that impose emotional pain on them and deprive them of emotional pleasure.
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Amazingly, many non-vegans are self-proclaimed 'animal-lovers'. They are morally outraged by things like dog fighting, 'crush' pornography (small animals being stomped to death), the killing of certain animals like dolphins or seals, and the abuse of animal companions (like cats or dogs) by individuals. They are not, however, morally outraged by the abuse of animals for 'food'. But what these people have to realize is that we cannot as a society believe it is ok to imprison and murder certain animals for 'food' without numbing our hearts towards all animals. As long as we exploit animals for 'food', the mentality that causes other forms of animal abuse will continue.
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Feminist point out that the Madonna/whore split, or the good-woman/bitch split, is a pillar of female oppression and puts all girls/women at risk of male-violence. All girls/women have their status degraded by the male perception that some females are whores or bitches and therefore unworthy of the respect that decent girls/women deserve. It's the same thing for animals. We can't say that some animals are for eating and some animals are for treating with respect, because all animals have their status impacted by the treatment of farmed animals, laboratory animals, and 'game' (sport-hunting) animals.
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I have met people who care about animals but are cynical, who believe that there is no point in going vegan because it will not end the farming of them for 'food'. I have several rebuttals towards this mentality:

Being an ally means demonstrating solidarity. Refusing to eat the corpses of murdered creatures, or 'food' which has been stolen from their tortured bodies, is the bare minimum a human can do to show solidarity with non-human animals. You cannot be an ally to animals if you aren't at least choosing to do this much.
By being a vegan, your very existence is animal rights propaganda. This is true even if you are not outspoken. You make visible the invisibility of animal oppression. You challenge the belief that it is ok to harm animals for the purpose of acquiring food. You challenge the belief that animal suffering is unimportant. You demonstrate that life can be healthy and delicious without eating eggs, meat, or dairy. You influence people to rethink what they have been taught since birth. You inspire people to widen their reach of compassion to include animals. In other words, you become part of a movement to change the consciousness of humanity. Slowly but surely, people will join us. And every new vegan is additional propaganda for animal rights. As the percentage of vegans grow, so will the exposure of non-vegans to animal rights ideas. Once there are enough of us, people who had not yet been motivated to go vegan out of compassion will do so to avoid the social disapproval that might result if they didn't. A generation or two later, and caring about animal rights will become just another cultural norm.
The profit motive in food production and the media means that billions of dollars are mobilized in propaganda which shape people's desires for dairy, meat, and eggs, and which teach us to accept the exploitation and murder of animals for 'food'. And so as long as we live in a capitalist and quasi-democratic society, the counter-propaganda by vegans may not be enough to influence the majority of the population to become vegan. But the more vegans there are at the dawn of the revolution's victory, the easier it will be for us to convince the rest of the population to make a democratic transition to veganism. So in the meantime it is important that we increase the number of vegans as much as possible.
Each individual vegan prevents dozens of animals every year from experiencing the horrors of exploitation and murder. The standard estimate is 100 animals per year (http://www.goveg.com/factoryFarming.asp); the more conservative estimate is 50 animals per year (http://www.chooseveg.com/vegetarians-save-lives.asp).

It should go without saying, but let me make it clear that my comparison of non-vegans to child porn watchers is only directed towards those who choose to be non-vegan. The people living in circumstances that I described a few paragraphs ago – Indigenous foragers and herders, the extremely poor, etc. – don't really have a choice. There's also probably other circumstances that I forgot to mention which would make veganism an inaccessible choice (already I'm realising I didn't mention people living in war zones). I'm not going to sit here and try to list every possible circumstance that would make veganism inaccessible. Although you will likely try to deny the truth to yourself, you know in your heart whether or not your being a non-vegan is due to a lack of choice or a lack of willingness to make a change. Most people living in Canada, or in countries of comparable prosperity, could start being vegan today if they wanted. So odds are that veganism is a choice you could make. Meaning my child-porn-watching comparison probably applies to you. No offense.

Link to part 5 of 5: http://allsentientsfeelpain.blogspot.com/2009/12/part-5-conclusion_9176.html (The conclusion is very short - just one paragraph!)

Part 5 – Conclusion

2009-12-23T12:27:00.001-08:00

("Non-Vegan 'Food' & Child Pornography: A former victim of child sexual abuse makes a screaming plea for help")
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Link to part 4 of 5: http://allsentientsfeelpain.blogspot.com/2009/12/pa rt-4-veganism_4246.html
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If you also want to advocate veganism by comparing child porn and non-vegan food, I won't be offended by this, even if you were never sexually abused. In fact, I will be honoured if you make this comparison. If the pain I went through can help stop someone else's pain, then it will be worth it. Clouds rarely come with pre-packaged silver linings. We need to draw our own silver linings in life, and this article I have written is my attempt to draw mine. By using the child porn analogy you will help make my silver lining even bigger; and the more people who use it, the bigger it will be, until perhaps it will become a giant mass of beauty glowing so brightly the cloud at the center is barely even visible.
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Links to Appendixes:
Appendix 1 (7 day vegan meal plan): http://allsentientsfeelpain.blogspot.com/2009/12/appendix-1-nutrition-vegan -meals-with.html
Appendix 2 (vegan food guide): http://allsentientsfeelpain.blogspot.com/2009/12/appendix-2-nutrition-ve gan-foods-high.html
Appendix 3 (health benefits of veganism): http://allsentientsfeelpain.blogspot.com/2009/12/appendix-3-health-be nefits-of-veganism.html

Appendix 1 – Nutrition: Vegan Meals with 100% or More of Key Nutrients

2009-12-23T11:33:00.001-08:00

I have written up a sample vegan meal plan for one week. That's 7 breakfasts, 7 lunches, and 7 dinners. Each day of meals gives you 100% or more of the Recommended Daily Intake (RDI) for each of the 10 essential nutrients that new vegans tend to worry about getting enough of.
After each meal I list its nutritional content for these nutrients, and I do the same for the total nutritional content of all three meals in the day.
The nutritional content is listed in the form of the percentage of the RDI for each nutrient, which is as follows:

The 10 Essential Nutrients that New Vegans Tend to Worry about Getting Enough of and their Daily Recommended Intake (RDI)

Calcium 1,000 mg

Iron 18 mg

Omega 3 1.5 g

Protein 50 g (varies according to height, weight, and sex)

Vitamin A (retinol) 5,000 IU

Vitamin B6 2 mg

Vitamin B9 (folic acid, folacin, folate) 400 mcg

Vitamin B12 6 mcg

Vitamin D 400 IU

Zinc 15 mg

7 Days of Fully Nutritious Vegan Meals

DAY ONE

	Breakfast	Lunch	Dinner	All 3 Meals
The meal	Cereal	Pita wrap	Tacos
Drink	Water	1 cup enriched orange juice	1 cup soymilk
Supplement?	1 dose of omega 3	No	No
Calcium	115%	43%	40%	198%
Iron	105%	71%	45%	221%
Omega 3	100%	---	---	100%
Protein	32%	46%	59%	137%
Vitamin A (retinol)	15%	237%	131%	383%
Vitamin B6	103%	8%	13%	124%
Vitamin B9 (folic acid, folate, folacin)	100%	30%	16%	146%
Vitamin B12	125%	---	50%	175%
Vitamin D	48%	50%	45%	143%
Zinc	105%	39%	10%	154%

DETAILS FOR DAY ONE

Breakfast:

1 bowl of Total cereal (General Mills) with half a cup of soymilk.

Lunch: 1 pita, 75 g of diced green leaf lettuce, a quarter cup of red bell pepper, half a grated carrot, 1/8 package of tofu, a quarter of an onion, 3 tbsp tahini, 2 tbsp Italian dressing

Dinner: 3 tortillas, a quarter cup TVP (textured vegetable protein), a quarter cup of cooked or refried black beans, half a cup red bell pepper cut in strips, half an onion cut in strips, 1 tbsp of paprika (flavor + vitamin A), taco seasoning (buy it or make your own: chilé powder, garlic powder, hot pepper flakes, oregano, paprika, cumin, salt, black pepper)

DAY TWO

	Breakfast	Lunch	Dinner	All 3 Meals
The meal	Toast with tahini and molasses plus a side of fruit	Veggie burger and fries	Pasta with garlic toast
Drink	1 cup soymilk	1 cup enriched orange juice	1 cup soymilk
Supplement?	1 dose of omega 3	No	No
Calcium	30%	45%	32%	107%
Iron	59%	43%	60%	162%
Omega 3	166%	---	33%	199%
Protein	38%	47%	55%	140%
Vitamin A (retinol)	60%	---	200%	260%
Vitamin B6	16%	73%	32%	121%
Vitamin B9 (folic acid, folate, folacin)	16%	43%	65%	124%
Vitamin B12	62%	120%	117%	299%
Vitamin D	45%	50%	45%	140%
Zinc	43%	55%	43%	141%

DETAILS FOR DAY TWO

Breakfast:

2 slices of whole wheat bread (enriched) with 2 tbsp tahini and 1 tbsp blackstrap molasses; fruit = 1 medium wedge of cantaloupe

Lunch: 1 burger bun (enriched), 1 veggie burger (Licks is the tastiest brand), 2 leafs of green leaf lettuce and whatever toppings you prefer; 1 potato + skin sliced in wedges

Dinner: 3/4 of a cup of cooked pasta; sauce = half cup of tomato sauce, a quarter package of veggie ground "beef", finely chopped veggies: 1 carrot, a quarter cup red bell pepper, a quarter cup broccoli, a quarter cup mushrooms, 2 cloves garlic, quarter onion, season to taste; garlic toast = 1 clove of garlic crushed or chopped mixed into 1 tbsp of vegan margarine spread on whole wheat bread (enriched), baked a few minutes

DAY THREE

	Breakfast	Lunch	Dinner	All 3 Meals
The meal	Oatmeal and a fruit	Sandwich	Stir fry on quinoa
Drink	1 cup soymilk	1 cup enriched orange juice	1 cup soymilk
Supplement?	1 dose of omega 3	No	No
Calcium	30%	30%	49%	109%
Iron	70%	32%	118%	220%
Omega 3	100%	66%	---	166%
Protein	34%	40%	94%	168%
Vitamin A (retinol)	34%	50%	234%	318%
Vitamin B6	41%	23%	36%	100%
Vitamin B9 (folic acid, folate, folacin)	---	46%	54%	100%
Vitamin B12	50%	52%	50%	152%
Vitamin D	45%	50%	45%	140%
Zinc	23%	45%	51%	119%

DETAILS FOR DAY THREE

Breakfast:

Oatmeal = 1 bowl of oatmeal, mix in 2 tbsp blackstrap molasses, a quarter cup of chopped dried apricots and a quarter cup of cashews; fruit = 1 banana

Lunch: 2 slices of whole wheat bread (enriched), 4 slices of veggie "meat", 2 leafs of red leaf lettuce, two slices of tomato, one sliced pickle, mustard, vegan mayonnaise (Veganaise is the best brand), salt, pepper

Dinner: Quarter cup of TVP (textured vegetable protein), 1 and ½ cups spinach (will shrink), half cup mushrooms (will shrink), quarter cup of diced red bell pepper, quarter cup diced broccoli, quarter diced onion, soy sauce or tamari sauce or Braggs, 3 tbsp chunky peanut butter, 1 tbsp paprika (for flavor + vitamin A), season to taste; 3/4 cup of quinoa

DAY FOUR

	Breakfast	Lunch	Dinner	All 3 Meals
The meal	Non-dairy yogurt and toast	Perogies in special sauce	Stew with quinoa
Drink	1 cup soy milk	1 cup enriched orange juice	1 cup soy milk
Supplement?	1 dose of omega 3	No	No
Calcium	34%	42%	49%	125%
Iron	72%	78%	88%	238%
Omega 3	166%	---	---	166%
Protein	79%	73%	62%	214%
Vitamin A (retinol)	14%	93%	286%	393%
Vitamin B6	43%	20%	67%	102%
Vitamin B9 (folic acid, folate, folacin)	36%	55%	72%	163%
Vitamin B12	62%	100%	50%	212%
Vitamin D	45%	50%	45%	140%
Zinc	98%	50%	50%	198%

DETAILS FOR DAY FOUR

Breakfast:

1 cup of non-dairy yogurt mixed with a quarter cup of hempseeds and a quarter cup of sunflower seeds;

2 slices of whole wheat bread (enriched) with vegan margarine

Lunch: 6 potato and onion perogies, 1 diced veggie sausage (Tofurky is the best brand), half a cup of diced mushrooms (shrinks when cooked), 1 cup of raw spinach (shrinks when cooked);

sauce = mix equal parts salsa and vegan mayonnaise (Veganaise is the best brand)

Dinner: Half a cup of quinoa; stew = half cup of chickpeas, quarter cup sunflower seeds, 1/8 cup of diced broccoli, 1/8 cup of corn, 1 diced medium carrot, 1 diced stalk of celery, a quarter of a diced onion, 2 cloves of diced garlic, 2 tbsp diced or grated ginger, 5g rosemary, 1 tbsp paprika, 3 oz tomato juice

DAY FIVE

	Breakfast	Lunch	Dinner	All 3 Meals
The meal	Peanut butter toast and fruit salad	Veggie hot dog	Crispy tofu with a side of quinoa and vegetables
Drink	1 cup soymilk	1 cup enriched orange juice
Supplement?	1 dose of omega 3	No	No
Details
Calcium	30%	42%	84%	156%
Iron	22%	48%	172%	242%
Omega 3	166%	---	---	166%
Protein	51%	56%	99%	206%
Vitamin A (retinol)	98%	6%	215%	319%
Vitamin B6	62%	25%	30%	117%
Vitamin B9 (folic acid, folate, folacin)	26%	40%	54%	120%
Vitamin B12	62%	100%	50%	212%
Vitamin D	45%	50%	45%	140%
Zinc	40%	52%	48%	140%

DETAILS FOR DAY FIVE

Breakfast:

2 slices of whole wheat bread (enriched) and 2 and ½ tbsp chunky peanut butter;

fruit salad = one diced banana, a quarter cup of diced cantaloupe, a quarter cup of diced dried apricots, a quarter cup of diced papaya, a quarter cup of diced mango

Lunch: 1 hot dog bun (enriched), 1 veggie hot dog (I recommend using a Tofurky veggie sausage instead of a veggie hot dog because it tastes better), whatever toppings you prefer

Dinner: Half a package of firm or extra-firm tofu, fry with oil in non-stick pan with soy sauce or tamari sauce or Braggs, until crispy; one cup of quinoa; half a cup cherry tomatoes, half a cup steamed spinach, half a cup steamed broccoli, add vegan margarine to spinach and broccoli

DAY SIX

	Breakfast	Lunch	Dinner	All 3 Meals
The meal	Bagel and tofu/chickpea spread	Lentil soup with bread	Roasted tofu and vegetables
Drink	1 cup soymilk	1 cup enriched orange juice	1 cup soymilk
Supplement?	1 dose of omega 3	No	No
Calcium	42%	35%	51%	128%
Iron	37%	95%	50%	182%
Omega 3	100%	66%	---	166%
Protein	46%	98%	61%	205%
Vitamin A (retinol)	12%	119%	478%	609%
Vitamin B6	17%	70%	47%	134%
Vitamin B9 (folic acid, folate, folacin)	18%	149%	8%	175%
Vitamin B12	50%	12%	50%	112%
Vitamin D	45%	50%	45%	140%
Zinc	23%	96%	15%	134%

DETAILS FOR DAY SIX

Breakfast:

1 bagel cut in halves; spread = 1/8 of a package of firm tofu and a quarter cup of cooked chickpeas, blend until smooth, add some lemon/lime juice, salt, and vegan pesto sauce (can buy in stores or just add olive oil, fresh basil, fresh or powdered garlic, and salt)

Lunch: Soup = 1 cup of cooked lentils, 1 finely chopped potato with skin, half a cup chopped red bell pepper, quarter cup hempseeds, 6 oz tomato juice, 1 tbsp paprika (for flavour and vitamin A), your favorite seasonings;

2 slices of whole wheat bread (enriched)

Dinner: Quarter package of firm tofu cut in cubes, chopped veggies: 1 medium carrot, 1 potato with skin, 1 sweet potato with skin, half an onion, a quarter cup of broccoli + stems, 1 stalk celery; cover in marinate = vegetable oil, soy sauce or tamari sauce or Braggs, garlic powder, thyme; bake at 350 to preferred texture (30 – 60 minutes)

DAY SEVEN

	Breakfast	Lunch	Dinner	All 3 Meals
The meal	Scramble tofu and veggie "sausage"	Pita pizza	Veggie chilé with a baked potato
Drink	1 cup soy milk	1 cup enriched orange juice	1 cup soymilk
Supplement?	1 dose of omega 3	No	No
Calcium	59%	34%	35%	128%
Iron	88%	23%	59%	170%
Omega 3	100%	---	---	100%
Protein	100%	13%	62%	175%
Vitamin A (retinol)	125%	62%	122%	309%
Vitamin B6	29%	12%	65%	106%
Vitamin B9 (folic acid, folate, folacin)	25%	30%	51%	106%
Vitamin B12	150%	---	128%	278%
Vitamin D	45%	50%	45%	140%
Zinc	60%	---	51%	111%

DETAILS FOR DAY SEVEN

Breakfast:

Scramble tofu = a quarter of a package of firm tofu, a cup of spinach, a quarter cup diced mushrooms, a diced quarter of a red bell pepper, a diced quarter of an onion, 2 diced garlic cloves, turmeric, thyme, soy sauce or tamari sauce or Braggs, black pepper; 1 veggie sausage (Tofurky brand is the tastiest)

Lunch: 1 pita, 3 tbsp tomato sauce, a half cup of raw spinach (bottom layer), a quarter cup of diced mushrooms, 2 tbsp of sun dried tomatoes, 2 tbsp diced olives, 2 tbsp diced red bell pepper, optional: non-dairy melting "cheese" (Vegan Gourmet is the best brand)

Dinner: A quarter package of veggie ground "beef", 3/4 cup of beans (try combining a quarter cup each of kidney beans, black beans, chickpeas), a quarter cup of tomato sauce, a quarter of a diced onion, a quarter cup chopped red bell pepper, 1 finely chopped or crushed garlic clove, 1 tbsp of paprika (for flavor and vitamin A), season to taste (try salt, cumin, paprika, thyme, sage, oregano, cayenne); 1 baked potato with skin

Appendix 2 – Nutrition: Vegan Foods High in Key Nutrients

2009-12-23T11:06:00.001-08:00

There are 10 essential nutrients that new vegans tend to worry about getting enough of. Below I focus on each of these ten essential nutrients, one at a time, and list various vegan foods with a high content of that nutrient. I also list the percentage of the Recommended Daily Intake (RDI) which each food has for that nutrient. For omega-3, vitamin B12, and vitamin D I will also list supplements. The lists of food are divided into three categories: "Foods typically in lunch and dinner"; "Foods typically in breakfast or snacks"; and "Other". For the "Foods typically in lunch and dinner" category, I have divided this into three sections: "Main", "Side", and "Vegetables". Most of the omnivores that I know have meals that consist of a main dish (meat), a side dish (a grain or something high-carb), and vegetables. Of course, sometimes these three categories blend together. But I divided things up this way to keep it simple and familiar.

The 10 Essential Nutrients that New Vegans Ten to Worry about Getting Enough Of

Calcium
Iron
Omega 3
Protein
Vitamin A (retinol)
Vitamin B6
Vitamin B9 (folic acid, folacin, folate)
Vitamin B12
Vitamin D
Zinc

Calcium

Recommended Daily Intake (RDI): 1,000 mg*1

Food typically in lunch and dinner

Main (beans, soy products, etc.)
- Tofu (firm) 15% of RDI per quarter package
- Tofu (soft) 10% of RDI per quarter package
- White beans 18% of RDI per 100 g
Side (grains, pasta, potatoes, etc.)
- Quinoa*2 10% of RDI per cup
Vegetables
- Collard greens 15% of RDI per 100 g
- Kale 14% of RDI per 100 g
- Mustard greens 10% of RDI per 100 g
- Spinach, steamed*3 12% of RDI per half cup

Food typically in breakfast or snacks

Cereal
- Total 100% of RDI per bowl/30 g
Nuts
- Almonds 27% of RDI per 100 g
Seeds
- Flaxseeds 26% of RDI per 100 g
- Sesame seeds 98% of RDI per 100 g
Spreads
- Almond butter 11% of RDI per 2 and ½ tbsp

Other

Drinks

Nearly all brands of almond milk, rice milk, and soy milk are enriched with calcium.

Almond milk, enriched 20% of RDI per cup
Orange juice, enriched 30% of RDI per cup
Rice milk, enriched 30% of RDI per cup
Soymilk, enriched 30% of RDI per cup

Herbs and spices
- Basil, dried 200% of RDI per 100 g
- Dill, dried 185% of RDI per 100 g
- Dill seed 10% of RDI per tbsp
- Marjoram, dried 190% of RDI per 100 g
- Oregano, dried 156% of RDI per 100 g
- Parsley, fresh 22% of RDI per 100 g
- Parsley, dried 154% of RDI per 100 g
- Rosemary, dried 121% of RDI per 100 g
- Savory, dried 213% of RDI per 100 g
- Thyme, dried 189% of RDI per 100g
Other
- Magnesium Helps you absorb calcium

Notes from asterisks

*1 Excessive protein leaches calcium from your bones, and many studies have found that this increases the risk of osteoporosis, which makes dairy products a risky source of calcium.
*2 Quinoa is a grain that is cooked the same way rice is. The grains are very small and rounded in shape. When it is cooked it becomes a clearish-white color.
*3 When spinach is steamed, it becomes condensed (so more of it fits in half a cup). However, it has more nutrients if you eat it raw.

Iron

Recommended Daily Intake (RDI): 18 mg

Food typically in lunch and dinner

Main (beans, soy products, etc.)
- Black beans 20% of RDI per cup
- Chickpeas / garbanzo beans 26% of RDI per cup
- Kidney beans 29% of RDI per cup
- Lentils 37% of RDI per cup
- Perogies, potato & onion 23% of RDI per 6 perogies
- Pinto beans 20% of RDI per cup
- Potato + skin 10% of RDI per medium sized
- Sliced veggie "meat" 20% of RDI per 4 slices
- Soybeans 50% of RDI per cup
- Tofu, firm 19% of RDI per quarter package
- TVP (textured vegetable protein)*1 30% of RDI per half cup, dry
- Veggie ground "beef" 30% of RDI per half cup
- Veggie "sausage" (Tofurky brand) 40% of RDI per sausage
- White beans 43% of RDI per cup
Side (grains, pasta, potatoes, etc.)

Nearly all brands of bread and pasta sold in grocery stores are enriched with iron.

Bread, enriched 12% of RDI per 2 slices
Pasta, enriched 30% of RDI per cup
Pita, enriched 10% of RDI per pita
Quinoa*2 100% of RDI per cup

Vegetables
- Spinach, steamed*3 20% of RDI per half cup
- Sun dried tomatoes 13% of RDI per half cup

Food typically in breakfast or snacks

Cereal

Nearly all types of cereals are enriched with iron.

The average enriched cereal 30% of RDI per bowl/30 g
Shreddies 50% of RDI per bowl/30 g
Total 100% of RDI per bowl/30 g

Nuts
- Cashews 12% of RDI per quarter cup
- Peanuts 10% of RDI per quarter cup
Seeds
- Hempseed kernels*4 36% of RDI per quarter cup
- Pumpkin seed kernels*5 50% of RDI per quarter cup
- Sesame seeds 50% of RDI per quarter cup
- Squash seed kernels*5 50% of RDI per quarter cup
- Sunflower seeds 14% of RDI per quarter cup
Spreads
- Tahini (sesame butter)*6 17% of RDI per tbsp

Other

Drinks
- Soymilk 10% of RDI per cup
Herbs and spices
- Anise seed 205% of RDI per 100 g
- Basil, dried 233% of RDI per 100 g
- Black pepper 160% of RDI per 100 g
- Coriander, dried 236% of RDI per 100 g
- Cumin seed 369% of RDI per 100 g
- Dill, dried 271% of RDI per 100 g
- Marjoram, dried 460% of RDI per 100 g
- Oregano, dried 244% of RDI per 100 g
- Parsley , dried 544% of RDI per 100 g
- Rosemary, dried 163% of RDI per 100 g
- Savory, dried 210% of RDI per 100 g
- Spearmint, dried 486% of RDI per 100 g
- Terragon, dried 179% of RDI per 100 g
- Thyme, dried 687% of RDI per 100 g
- Turmeric 230% of RDI per 100 g
Other
- Blackstrap molasses 20% of RDI per tbsp
- Cocoa powder*7 200% of RDI per 100 g
- Vitamin C Helps you absorb iron

Notes from asterisks

*1 TVP (textured vegetable protein) is light brown and comes in small cubes/chunks or flakes. It is made from soybean flour and has a very "meaty" texture.
*1 TVP comes dehydrated and must be boiled. After that, it can be cooked in many different ways – fried in a stir fry or for fajitas; added to a stew or soup; baked in a casserole. It is very absorbent and will take on the flavor of whatever seasoning you add.
*1You can buy TVP at health food stores, bulk stores, and many grocery stores.
*2 Quinoa is a grain that is cooked the same way rice is. The grains are very small and rounded in shape. When it is cooked it becomes a clearish-white color.
*3 When spinach is steamed, it becomes condensed (so more of it fits in half a cup). However, it has more nutrients if you eat it raw.
*4 Hempseeds can be purchased in health food stores and certain grocery stores.
*4 Their taste is non-intrusive and add a nice subtle texture to whatever you add them to, so this leaves many possibilities for how to eat them. I like to sprinkle them onto or into whatever I'm eating: cereal, soup, stew, stir-fry. chilé, tacos, casserole, curry, pasta, pizza, cookies, cake, non-dairy ice cream, etc.
*5 Pumpkin and squash seeds are popular in Middle Eastern and East Asian cultures and can be found in stores catering to these communities.
*5 For a snack, roast pumpkin or squash seeds and sprinkle with salt. For meals, mix them into a stir-fry or a pasta sauce. Can also put them in cookies, muffins, and other baked goods in the place of walnuts.
*6 Tahini is sold in stores that cater to populations from the Middle East. It is also sold in many grocery stores.
*6 For tahini to have a high nutritional content, make sure it is pure tahini. Sometimes there are "Western" brands of tahini which are diluted and have a much lower nutritional content.
*7 Only buy fair trade cocoa and chocolate to avoid cocoa beans picked by child slaves in West Africa.

Omega 3

Recommended Daily Intake (RDI): 1.5 g*1

Food typically in lunch and dinner

Side (grains, pasta, potatoes, etc.)

Many brands of bread sold in grocery stores are enriched with omega 3.

Bread, enriched 66% of RDI per 2 slices

Food typically in breakfast or snacks

Cereal

Many types of cereals are enriched with omega 3.

Granola 13% of RDI per bowl / ¾ cup
Optimum (Nature's Path) 54% of RDI per bowl/30 g
Special K Low Carb Lifestyle Protein Plus 24% of RDI per bowl/30 g
Uncle Sam 139% of RDI per bowl/30 g
Wheat germ, toasted 20% of RDI per bowl/ ¾ cup

Other

Oils
- Chia seed oil*2 higher omega-3 content than flaxseed oil
- Flaxseed oil*2 Usually 100% of RDI per dose
- Kiwi seed oil*2 higher omega-3 content than flaxseed oil

Notes from asterisks

*1 Try to keep your ratio of omega 3 to omega 6 at a maximum of 1:3.
*2 These oils are available in health food stores. You can get them in a bottle or in capsules.
*2 Mix with vinegar to make salad dressing
*2 Take by the spoonful to save time
*2 Do not heat up. If it is heated, it will lose the omega-3.

Protein

Recommended Daily Intake (RDI): 50 g*1 (This is average, but it varies according to height, weight, and sex)

Food typically in lunch and dinner

Main (beans, soy products, etc.)
- Black beans 30% of RDI per cup
- Chickpeas 24% of RDI per cup
- Corn, yellow 10% of RDI per cup
- Kidney beans 30% of RDI per cup
- Lentils 36% of RDI per cup
- Mature lupin beans*2 72% of RDI per 100 g
- Mature soybeans*2 73% of RDI per 100 g
- Perogies, potato and onion (Compliments brand) 21% of RDI per 6 perogies
- Potato + skin 11% of RDI per medium sized
- Sliced veggie "meat" 20% of RDI per 4 slices
- Tofu, firm 36% of RDI per quarter package
- TVP (textured vegetable protein)*3 48% of RDI per half cup, dry
- Veggie ground "beef" 30% of RDI per half cup
- Veggie "sausage" (Tofurky brand) 48% of RDI per sausage
Side (grains, pasta, potatoes, etc.)
- Bread 10% of RDI per 2 slices
- Bread, whole wheat 20% of RDI per 2 slices
- Couscous*4 12% of RDI per cup
- Pasta 20% of RDI per cup
- Pita 10% of RDI per pita
- Quinoa*5 40% of RDI per cup
- Tortillas, wheat 10% of RDI per 2 tortillas

Food typically in breakfast or snacks

Cereal
Many cereals are a good source of protein
- Frosted Mini Wheats 11% of RDI per bowl/30 g
- Oatmeal 10% of RDI per bowl/45 g
- Raisin Bran 10% of RDI per bowl/30 g
- Shreddies 10% of RDI per bowl/30 g
- Special K 14% of RDI per bowl/ 30 g
- Total 26% of RDI per bowl/30 g
Nuts
- Cashews 24% of RDI per half cup
- Peanuts 35% of RDI per half cup
Seeds
- Hempseed kernels*6 31% of RDI per quarter cup
- Pumpkin seed kernels*7 37% of RDI per quarter cup
- Squash seed kernels*7 37% of RDI per quarter cup
- Sunflower seeds 16% of RDI per quarter cup
- Watermelon seed kernels*7 37% of RDI per quarter cup
Spreads
- Cashew butter 14% of RDI per 2 and ½ tbsp
- Peanut butter, chunky 19% of RDI per 2 and ½ tbsp
- Tahini*8 15% of RDI per 2 and ½ tbsp

Other

Drinks
- Soymilk 12% of RDI per cup

Notes from asterisks

*1 Excessive protein causes calcium to leach from bones.
*2 "Mature" means the beans have ripened longer, and are thus richer in protein.
*3 TVP (textured vegetable protein) is light brown and comes in small cubes/chunks or flakes. It is made from soybean flour and has a very "meaty" texture.
*3 TVP comes dehydrated and must be boiled. After that, it can be cooked in many different ways – fried in a stir fry or for fajitas; added to a stew or soup; baked in a casserole. It is very absorbent and will take on the flavor of whatever seasoning you add.
*3 You can buy TVP at health food stores, bulk stores, and many grocery stores.
*4 Couscous is a grain that is cooked the same way rice is. The grains are very small and rounded in shape, and are a yellow in color.
*5 Quinoa is a grain that is cooked the same way rice is. The grains are very small and rounded in shape. When it is cooked it becomes a clearish-white color.
*6 Hempseeds can be purchased in health food stores and certain grocery stores.
*6 Their taste is non-intrusive and add a nice subtle texture to whatever you add them to, so this leaves many possibilities for how to eat them. I like to sprinkle them onto or into whatever I'm eating: cereal, soup, stew, stir-fry. chilé, tacos, casserole, curry, pasta, pizza, cookies, cake, non-dairy ice cream, etc.
*7 Pumpkin, squash, and watermelon seeds are popular in Middle Eastern and East Asian cultures and can be found in stores catering to these communities.
*7 For a snack, roast pumpkin, squash, and watermelon seeds and sprinkle with salt. For meals, mix them into a stir-fry or a pasta sauce. Can also put them in cookies, muffins, and other baked goods in the place of walnuts.
*8 Tahini is sold in stores that cater to populations from the Middle East. It is also sold in many grocery stores.
******** For tahini to have a high nutritional content, make sure it is pure tahini. Sometimes there are "Western" brands of tahini which are diluted and have a much lower nutritional content.

Vitamin A (retinol)

Recommended Daily Intake (RDI): 5,000 IU

Food typically in lunch and dinner

Side (grains, pasta, potatoes, etc.)
- Sweet potato, baked 262% of RDI per medium sized
Vegetables
- Butternut squash 228% of RDI per half cup
- Baby carrots 41% of RDI per baby carrot
- Carrot 203% of RDI per medium sized
- Green peas 20% of RDI per half cup
- Red bell pepper 100% of RDI per cup
Vegetables, green leafy type
- Collards 133% of RDI per 100 g
- Dandelion greens 203% of RDI per 100 g
- Kale 308% of RDI per 100 g
- Mustard greens 210% of RDI per 100 g
- Spinach, steamed*1 188% of RDI per half cup
- Turnip greens 232% of RDI per 100 g
Vegetables, lettuce
- Green-leaf lettuce 148% of RDI per 100 g (24% per leaf)
- Iceberg lettuce 10% of RDI per 100 g
- Red-leaf lettuce 150% of RDI per 100 g (25% per leaf)

Food typically in breakfast or snacks

Cereal
Many types of cereal are enriched with vitamin A.
- Frosted Flakes 10% of RDI per bowl/ 30 g
- Raisin Bran 15% of RDI per bowl/30 g
- Rice Krispies 25% of RDI per bowl/30 g
- Total 10% of RDI per bowl/30 g
Fruit
- Apricots, dried 94% of RDI per cup
- Cantaloupe 50% of RDI per medium wedge
- Mango 25% of RDI per cup
- Papaya 30% of RDI per cup

Other

Drinks

Nearly all brands of almond milk, rice milk and soymilk are enriched with vitamin A.

Almond milk, enriched 10% of RDI per cup
Rice milk, enriched 10% of RDI per cup
Soymilk 10% of RDI per cup

Herbs and spices
- Paprika 74% of RDI per tbsp

Notes from asterisks

*1 When spinach is steamed, it becomes condensed (so more of it fits in half a cup). However, it has more nutrients if you eat it raw.

Vitamin B6

Recommended Daily Intake (RDI): 2 mg

Food typically in lunch and dinner

Main (beans, soy products, etc.)
- Chickpeas / garbanzo beans 30% of RDI per cup
- Corn, yellow 10% of RDI per cup
- Kidney beans 11% of RDI per cup
- Lentils 18% of RDI per cup
- Sliced veggie "meat" 12% of RDI per 4 slices
- Veggie ground "beef" 30% of RDI per half cup
- Veggie "sausage" (Tofurky brand) 25% of RDI per sausage
Side (grains, pasta, potatoes, etc.)

Nearly all brands of bread sold in grocery stores are enriched with b6.

Bread, enriched 10% of RDI per 2 slices
Potato + skin 28% of RDI per medium sized
Quinoa*1 20% of RDI per cup
Sweet potato, baked 13% of RDI per medium sized

Vegetables
- Avocado 10% of RDI per half cup
- Red bell pepper 12% of RDI per cup

Food typically in breakfast or snacks

Cereal
Many types of cereal are enriched with b6.
- The average enriched cereal 25% of RDI per bowl/30 g
- Total 100% of RDI per bowl/30 g
Fruits
- Banana*2 34% of RDI per medium sized
Seeds
- Sunflower seeds 14% of RDI per quarter cup
Spreads
- Peanut butter, chunky 12% of RDI per 2 and ½ tbsp

Other

Drinks
- Tomato juice 10% of RDI per 6 oz

Notes from asterisks

*1 Quinoa is a grain that is cooked the same way rice is. The grains are very small and rounded in shape. When it is cooked it becomes a clearish-white color.
Only buy fair trade bananas to avoid supporting amongst the most abusive and corrupt multinational corporations in the world (particularly Chiquita).

Vitamin B9 (folic acid, folacin, folate)

Recommended Daily Intake (RDI): 400 mcg

Food typically in lunch and dinner

Main (beans, soy products, etc.)
- Black beans 64% of RDI per cup
- Chickpeas / garbanzo beans 70% of RDI per cup
- Kidney beans 57% of RDI per cup
- Lentils 90% of RDI per cup
Side (grains, pasta, potatoes, etc.)

Nearly all brands of bread and pasta sold in grocery stores are enriched with b9.

Bread, enriched 16% of RDI per 2 slices
Pasta, enriched 75% of RDI per cup
Quinoa*1 20% of RDI per cup

Vegetables
- Asparagus, boiled 10% of RDI per 4 spears
- Avocado 10% of RDI per half cup
- Broccoli, cooked 15% of RDI per half cup
- Broccoli, raw 10% of RDI per 2 5-inch spears
- Green peas, boiled 15% of RDI per half cup
- Romaine lettuce 10% of RDI per half cup
- Spinach, steamed*2 30% of RDI per half cup

Food typically in breakfast or snacks

Cereal
Many types of cereal are enriched with b9.
- The average enriched cereal 25% of RDI per bowl/ 30 g
- Crispix 70% of RDI per bowl/30 g
- Raisin Bran 50% of RDI per bowl/30 g
- Special K 100% of RDI per bowl/30 g
- Total 100% of RDI per bowl/30 g
Nuts
- Peanuts 24% of RDI per half cup
Seeds
- Sunflower seeds 20% of RDI per quarter cup
Spreads
- Peanut butter, chunky 10% of RDI per 2 and ½ tbsp

Other

Drinks
- Orange juice 30% of RDI per cup
- Tomato juice 10% of RDI per 6 oz

Notes from asterisks

*1 Quinoa is a grain that is cooked the same way rice is. The grains are very small and rounded in shape. When it is cooked it becomes a clearish-white color.
*2 When spinach is steamed, it becomes condensed (so more of it fits in half a cup). However, it has more nutrients if you eat it raw.

Vitamin B12

Recommended Daily Intake (RDI): 6 mcg

Food typically in lunch and dinner

Main (beans, soy products, etc.)
- Sliced veggie "meat" 40% of RDI per 4 slices
- Veggie ground "beef" 121% of RDI per half cup
  - Veggie "sausage" (Tofurky brand) 100% of RDI per sausage
Side (grains, pasta, potatoes, etc.)

Nearly all brands of bread sold in grocery stores are enriched with b12.

Bread, enriched 12% of RDI per 2 slices

Food typically in breakfast or snacks

Cereal
Many types of cereal are enriched with b12.
- The average enriched cereal 25% of RDI per bowl/30 g
- Special K 100% of RDI per bowl/30 g
- Total 100% of RDI per bowl/30 g

Other

Drinks
Nearly all brands of rice milk and soymilk are enriched with b12.
- Rice milk, enriched 25% of RDI per cup
- Soymilk, enriched 50% of RDI per cup
Other
- Supplements*1 170% to 667,000% of RDI per dose

Notes from asterisks

*1 B12 supplements come in capsules, liquid, pills that you swallow, and flavoured chewable pills.
* Supplements are relatively cheap, working out to about 10 to 50 cents per day (depending on the brand and dosage).
*1 B12 can only be efficiently absorbed into the body in small doses. Once the dose gets higher than 5 mcg, the amount absorbed is marginal. Thus, it is more efficient to take two 10 mcg pills 6 hours apart than to take one 100 mcg pill.
*1 More B12 is absorbed through food or through enriched foods and drinks than through supplements.
*1 Supplement makers are aware of the low absorption rate of B12 and ensure that supplements have enough B12 to account for this.
*1 It is advised that vegans take one low dose supplement per day (10 mcg to 100 mcg) or one mega dose supplement per week (1,000 to 3,000 mcg). However, the use of weekly supplements has not been tested, so the daily method is recommended.

Vitamin D

Recommended Daily Intake (RDI): 400 IU

Food typically in breakfast or snacks

Cereal
Many types of cereal are enriched with vitamin D.
- The average enriched cereal 10% of RDI per bowl/30 g
- Total 25% of RDI per bowl/30 g

Other

Drinks
Nearly all brands of almond milk, rice milk and soymilk are enriched with vitamin D.
- Almond milk, enriched 25% of RDI per cup
- Rice milk, enriched 25% of RDI per cup
- Soymilk, enriched 45% of RDI per cup
- Orange juice, enriched 50% of RDI per cup
Other
- Supplements Usually 100% of RDI per dose

Zinc

Recommended Daily Intake (RDI): 15 mg

Food typically in lunch and dinner

Main
- Black beans 13% of RDI per cup
- Chickpeas / garbanzo beans 17% of RDI per cup
- Kidney beans 13% of RDI per cup
- Lentils 17% of RDI per cup
- Sliced veggie "meat" 25% of RDI per 4 slices
- Veggie ground "beef" 45% of RDI per half cup
- Veggie "sausage" (Tofurky brand) 50% of RDI per sausage
Side (grains, pasta, potatoes, etc.)

Nearly all brands of bread sold in grocery stores are enriched with zinc.

Bread, enriched 20% of RDI per 2 slices
Quinoa*1 38% of RDI per cup
Sesame flour (use for bread, etc.) 70% of RDI per 100 g
Wheat germ, toasted*2 112% of RDI per 100 g

Food typically in breakfast or snacks

Cereal
Many types of cereal are enriched with zinc.
- The average enriched cereal 10% of RDI per bowl/ 30 g
- Oatmeal Squares 25% of RDI per bowl/ 30 g
- Total 100% of RDI per bowl/ 30 g
Nuts
- Cashews 26% of RDI per half cup
- Peanuts 16% of RDI per half cup
Seeds
- Hempseed kernels*3 56% of RDI per quarter cup
- Pumpkin seed kernels*4 70% of RDI per 100 g
- Sesame seeds 52% of RDI per 100 g
- Squash seed kernels*4 70% of RDI per 100 g
- Sunflower seeds 12% of RDI per quarter cup
- Watermelon seed kernels*4 70% of RDI per 100 g
Spreads
- Cashew butter 15% of RDI per 2 and ½ tbsp
- Peanut butter, chunky 10% of RDI per 2 and ½ tbsp
- Tahini (sesame butter)* 5 13% of RDI per tbsp

Other

Drinks
Nearly all brands of soymilk are enriched with zinc.
- Soymilk, enriched 10% of RDI per cup
Other
- Cocoa powder*6 45% of RDI per 100 g

Notes from asterisks

*1 Quinoa is a grain that is cooked the same way rice is. The grains are very small and rounded in shape. When it is cooked it becomes a clearish-white color.
*2 Packed in jars and sold toasted, wheat germ is great to sprinkle on top of any food. Try it on salads, rice, cereal, casseroles, or steamed vegetables. Add it to soymilk shakes, pancakes, non-dairy yogurt. Bake it into cookies, muffins, bread, or other baked goods.
*3 Hempseeds can be purchased in health food stores and certain grocery stores.
*3 Their taste is non-intrusive and add a nice subtle texture to whatever you add them to, so this leaves many possibilities for how to eat them. I like to sprinkle them onto or into whatever I'm eating: cereal, soup, stew, stir-fry. chilé, tacos, casserole, curry, pasta, pizza, cookies, cake, non-dairy ice cream, etc.
*4 Pumpkin, squash, and watermelon seeds are popular in Middle Eastern and East Asian cultures and can be found in stores catering to these communities.
*4 For a snack, roast pumpkin, squash, and watermelon seeds and sprinkle with salt. For meals, mix them into a stir-fry or a pasta sauce. Can also put them in cookies, muffins, and other baked goods in the place of walnuts.
*5 Tahini is sold in stores that cater to populations from the Middle East. It is also sold in many grocery stores.
*5 For tahini to have a high nutritional content, make sure it is pure tahini. Sometimes there are "Western" brands of tahini which are diluted and have a much lower nutritional content.
*6 Only buy fair trade cocoa and chocolate to avoid cocoa beans picked by child slaves in West Africa.

http://www.vegetarian.org.uk/factsheets/b12factsheet.html

"One extensive UK study described the nutrient intakes of over 65,000 people including 33,883 meat-eaters, 10,110 fish-eaters, 18,840 lacto-ovo vegetarians and 2,596 vegans. This EPIC-Oxford cohort currently includes the largest number of vegetarians than any comparable study in the world. The study concluded that vegans had the highest intakes of fibre, vitamin B1, folate, vitamin C, vitamin E, magnesium and iron, and the lowest intakes of retinol, vitamin B12, vitamin D, calcium and zinc. But this does not necessarily mean they were deficient in any of these nutrients."

Davey G.K., Spencer E.A., Appleby P.N., Allen N.E., Knox K.H. and Key T.J. 2003. EPIC-Oxford: lifestyle characteristics and nutrient intakes in a cohort of 33 883 meat-eaters and 31 546 non meat-eaters in the UK. Public Health Nutrition. 6 (3): 259-69

Appendix 3 – Health Benefits of Veganism

2009-12-23T10:49:00.001-08:00

The following is from the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine (PCRM) website. PCRM is an organization of "doctors and laypersons working together for compassionate and effective medical practice, research, and health promotion."

http://www.pcrm.org/health/veginfo/vegetarian_foods.html

Vegetarian Foods: Powerful for Health

World-renowned figures as diverse as philosophers Plato and Nietzsche, political leaders Benjamin Franklin and Gandhi, and pop icons Paul McCartney and Bob Marley have all advocated a vegetarian diet. Science is also on the side of vegetarianism. Multitudes of studies have demonstrated the remarkable health benefits of a vegetarian diet.

"Vegetarian" is defined as avoiding all animal flesh, including fish and poultry. Vegetarians who avoid flesh, but do eat animal products such as cheese, milk, and eggs, are ovo-lacto-vegetarians (ovo = egg; lacto = milk, cheese, etc.). The ranks of those who abstain from all animal products are rapidly growing; these people are referred to as pure vegetarians or vegans. Scientific research shows that health benefits increase as the amount of food from animal sources in the diet decreases, so vegan diets are the healthiest overall.

Preventing Cancer

Vegetarian diets—naturally low in saturated fat, high in fiber, and replete with cancer-protective phytochemicals—help to prevent cancer. Large studies in England and Germany have shown that vegetarians are about 40 percent less likely to develop cancer compared to meat-eaters.^1-3 In the United States, studies of Seventh-Day Adventists have shown significant reductions in cancer risk among those who avoided meat.^4,5 Similarly, breast cancer rates are dramatically lower in nations, such as China, that follow plant-based diets.6 Interestingly, Japanese women who follow Western-style, meat-based diets are eight times more likely to develop breast cancer than women who follow a more traditional plant-based diet.⁷ Meat and dairy products contribute to many forms of cancer, including cancer of the colon, breast, ovaries, and prostate.

Harvard studies that included tens of thousands of women and men have shown that regular meat consumption increases colon cancer risk by roughly 300 percent.^8,9 High-fat diets also encourage the body's production of estrogens, in particular, estradiol. Increased levels of this sex hormone have been linked to breast cancer. A recent report noted that the rate of breast cancer among premenopausal women who ate the most animal (but not vegetable) fat was one-third higher than that of women who ate the least animal fat.¹⁰ A separate study from Cambridge University also linked diets high in saturated fat to breast cancer.¹¹ One study linked dairy products to an increased risk of ovarian cancer. The process of breaking down the lactose (milk sugar) into galactose evidently damages the ovaries.¹² Daily meat consumption triples the risk of prostate enlargement. Regular milk consumption doubles the risk and failure to consume vegetables regularly nearly quadruples the risk.¹³

Vegetarians avoid the animal fat linked to cancer and get abundant fiber, vitamins, and phytochemicals that help to prevent cancer. In addition, blood analysis of vegetarians reveals a higher level of "natural killer cells," specialized white blood cells that attack cancer cells.¹⁴

Beating Heart Disease

Vegetarian diets also help prevent heart disease. Animal products are the main source of saturated fat and the only source of cholesterol in the diet. Vegetarians avoid these risky products. Additionally, fiber helps reduce cholesterol levels¹⁵ and animal products contain no fiber. When individuals switch to a high-fiber, low-fat diet their serum cholesterol levels often drop dramatically.^16,17 Studies have demonstrated that a low-fat, high-fiber, vegetarian or vegan diet combined with stress reduction techniques, smoking cessation, and exercise, or combined with prudent drug intervention, could actually reverse atherosclerosis—hardening of the arteries.18,19 Heart diets that include lean meat, dairy products, and chicken are much less effective, usually only slowing the process of atherosclerosis.

Lowering Blood Pressure

In the early 1900s, nutritionists noted that people who ate no meat had lower blood pressure.²⁰ They also discovered that vegetarian diets could, within two weeks, significantly reduce a person's blood pressure.²¹ These results were evident regardless of the sodium levels in the vegetarian diets. People who follow vegetarian diets typically have lower blood pressure.^22-24 No one knows exactly why vegetarian diets work so well, but probably cutting out meat, dairy products, and added fats reduces the blood's viscosity (or "thickness") which, in turn, brings down blood pressure.²⁵ Plant products are generally lower in fat and sodium and have no cholesterol at all. Vegetables and fruits are also rich in potassium, which helps lower blood pressure.

Preventing and Reversing Diabetes

Non-insulin-dependent (adult-onset) diabetes can be better controlled and sometimes even eliminated through a low-fat, vegetarian diet along with regular exercise.²⁶ Such a diet, low in fat and high in fiber and complex carbohydrates, allows insulin to work more effectively. The diabetic person can more easily regulate glucose levels. While a vegetarian diet cannot eliminate the need for insulin in people with type 1 (insulin-dependent) diabetes, it can often reduce the amounts of insulin used. Some scientists believe that insulin-dependent diabetes may be caused by an auto-immune reaction to dairy proteins.^27,28

Gallstones, Kidney Stones, and Osteoporosis

Vegetarian diets have been shown to reduce one's chances of forming kidney stones and gallstones. Diets that are high in protein, especially animal protein, tend to cause the body to excrete more calcium, oxalate, and uric acid. These three substances are the main components of urinary tract stones. British researchers have advised that persons with a tendency to form kidney stones should follow a vegetarian diet.²⁹ The American Academy of Family Physicians notes that high animal protein intake is largely responsible for the high prevalence of kidney stones in the United States and other developed countries and recommends protein restriction for the prevention of recurrent kidney stones.³⁰

Similarly, high-cholesterol, high-fat diets—the typical meat-based diet—are implicated in the formation of gallstones. The consumption of meaty diets, compared to vegetarian diets, has been shown to nearly double the risk of gallstones in women.³¹

For many of the same reasons, vegetarians are at a lower risk for osteoporosis. Since animal products force calcium out of the body, eating meat can promote bone loss. In nations with mainly vegetable diets (and without dairy product consumption), osteoporosis is less common than in the U.S.,even when calcium intake is also less than in the U.S.³² Calcium is important, but there is no need to get calcium from dairy products. For more information on protecting your bones, contact PCRM for additional reference materials or visit www.strongbones.org.

Asthma

A 1985 Swedish study demonstrated that individuals with asthma practicing a vegan diet for a full year have a marked decrease in the need for medications and in the frequency and severity of asthma attacks. Twenty-two of the 24 subjects reported improvement by the end of the year.³³

Common Concerns

Some people still worry about whether a vegetarian diet can provide all essential nutrients. However, it is very easy to have a well-balanced diet with vegetarian foods, since these foods provide plenty of protein. Careful combining of foods is not necessary. Any normal variety of plant foods provides more than enough protein for the body's needs. Although there is somewhat less protein in a vegetarian diet than a meat-eater's diet, this is actually an advantage. Excess protein has been linked to kidney stones, osteoporosis, and possibly heart disease and some cancers. A diet focused on beans, whole grains, and vegetables contains adequate amounts of protein without the "overdose" most meat-eaters get.

Calcium is easy to find in a vegetarian diet. Many dark green leafy vegetables and beans are loaded with calcium, and some orange juices, non-dairy "milks," and cereals are calcium-fortified. Iron is plentiful in whole grains, beans, and fruits.

Vitamin B₁₂

Vitamin B₁₂ is a genuine issue for vegans, although very easy to deal with. Found mainly in animal products, small amounts may be found in plant products due to bacterial contamination.^34,35 However, these plant and fermented foods, such as spirulina, sea vegetables, tempeh, and miso, do not provide an active and reliable source,³⁶ so vitamin B₁₂ must be obtained elsewhere in the diet. Regular intake of vitamin B₁₂ is important to meet nutritional needs. Good sources include all common multiple vitamins (including vegetarian vitamins), fortified cereals, nutritional yeast, and fortified soymilk. It is especially important for pregnant women, breast-feeding mothers, and children to get enough vitamin B₁₂.

Special Concerns: Pregnancy, Infants, and Children

During pregnancy, nutritional needs increase. The American Dietetic Association has found vegan diets adequate for fulfilling nutritional needs during pregnancy, but pregnant women and nursing mothers should supplement their diets with vitamins B₁₂ and D.³⁶ Most doctors also recommend that pregnant women supplement their diet with iron and folic acid, although vegetarians normally consume more folic acid than meat-eaters.

Vegetarian women have a lower incidence of pre-eclampsia in pregnancy and significantly more pure breast milk. Analyses of vegetarians' breast milk show that the levels of environmental contaminants in their milk are much lower than in non-vegetarians.³⁷ Studies have also shown that in families with a history of food allergies, when women abstain from allergenic foods, including milk, meat, and fish, during pregnancy, they are less likely to pass allergies onto the infant.³⁸ Mothers who drink milk pass cow antibodies along to their nursing infants through their breast milk. These antibodies can cause colic.

Vegetarian children also have high nutritional needs, but these are met within a vegetarian diet. A vegetarian menu is life extending. As young children, vegetarians may grow more gradually, reach puberty somewhat later, and live substantially longer than do meat-eaters. For more information on these topics, visit www.pcrm.org/health.

Upset? Maybe Even Outraged? Don't Worry... It's Just an (Ethical) Growing Pain

Title Page

Part 1 – Introduction

Part 3 – Animal suffering and human indifference

Part 4 – Veganism

Part 5 – Conclusion

Appendix 1 – Nutrition: Vegan Meals with 100% or More of Key Nutrients

Appendix 2 – Nutrition: Vegan Foods High in Key Nutrients

Appendix 3 – Health Benefits of Veganism

Vegetarian Foods: Powerful for Health

Preventing Cancer

Beating Heart Disease

Lowering Blood Pressure

Preventing and Reversing Diabetes

Gallstones, Kidney Stones, and Osteoporosis

Asthma

Common Concerns

Vitamin B12

Special Concerns: Pregnancy, Infants, and Children

Further Reading

Vitamin B₁₂