All In Good Taste / June 2006
V is for Vegetarian
There are as many reasons for becoming vegetarian as there are vegetarians, but many vegetarians have given up meat and fish because they don’t approve of killing animals or because they object to the ways animals are kept, treated and killed for food. With growing national awareness of the importance of healthy food, many people are also becoming vegetarian because it matches the low fat, high fiber diets often recommended by dietitians and doctors. Growing evidence of the negative effect raising animals for meat has on the environment is another factor influencing the vegetarian choice.
A vegetarian is someone who does not eat meat, fish, poultry, game, shellfish or slaughter by-products like gelatine or animal fats. A vegetarian diet has grains, nuts, beans, cereal, seeds, vegetables and fruit, vegetable oils and, for many, also dairy products and free range eggs.
Vegans are vegetarians who do not eat dairy products or eggs and also avoid fur, leather, wool, down, and cosmetics or chemical products tested on animals.
For both groups, a major issue is that many foods contain ingredients derived from the slaughter of animals. Gelatine is often found in confectionery, ice cream, and other dairy products. Animal fats may be present in a wide range of foods, including biscuits, cakes, and margarines. Suet and lard are types of animal fats. Certain food additives may be derived from animal sources. Even cheese is generally produced using a substance extracted from the stomach lining of slaughtered calves.
A vegetarian diet is typically low in saturated and total fat, high in dietary fiber and complex carbohydrates, and high in protective minerals and vitamins, present in fresh fruit and vegetables. In addition to saving the lives of animals, vegetarians are less likely to suffer from such illnesses as heart disease, cancer, diet-related diabetes, obesity and high blood pressure.
Fortunately, being vegetarian doesn’t mean eating only wheat grass and alfalfa sprouts. Most grocery stores carry an array of great-tasting vegetarian and even vegan options, including faux franks, veggie burgers, chicken-free chicken patties, flavored soy milks, nondairy ice creams, and other sensational soy-based snacks. There’s also an abundance of vegan chips, dips, cookies, candies, frozen pies, soups, and ready made dishes from mainstream food manufacturers, like Pepperidge Farm Turnovers, Murray Butter Cookies and Cracker Jacks. Since vegetarian food tends to be cheaper than a meat-based diet, vegetarians say they can afford to treat themselves to more expensive delicacies like asparagus.
Practiced vegetarians encourage beginners to start gradually, adapting familiar meals like lasagna and shepherd’s pie by using textured vegetable protein. They recommend buying vegetarian cheese and free-range eggs, staple ingredients with a vegetarian twist. Reading labels can be a learning experience, since many food products that seem vegetarian contain gelatine or animal fat. If dried beans and peas seem too difficult to prepare, canned varieties are quite acceptable. When there is only one vegetarian in the family, familiar dishes can be adapted by making casseroles with the pasta,beans or vegetables in one pan and meat cooked separately, added later to the other family members servings.
Versatile, easy to use tofu, a byproduct of soya beans, is available in plain, smoked or marinated version and can be used in an endless variety of dishes. A vegetarian brunch could feature an omelette of free–range eggs, mushrooms and tomatoes, hash browns, veggie sausages or vegetarian ‘bacon’ rashers, fruit crêpes, breakfast muffins, savoury breakfast rolls, interesting preserves and spreads with nutty wholemeal toast and a strawberry smoothie. Main dishes often feature flavorful mushrooms, lentils and cashews. Vegetarians enjoy their own versions of enchiladas, spaghetti and stroganoff.
There are so many different nuts, fruits, grains, seasonings, fruits and vegetables, vegetarian meals can offer a lifetime of taste and adventure, and save the lives of animals who share the planet.
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