Buffalo News (US-NY) - Veggie Way great column by Park School junior

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The Buffalo News

October 16, 2002 Wednesday, FINAL EDITION

 

SECTION: NEXT, Pg.N6

THE VEGGIE WAY

JULIE BURKE; NeXt Correspondent

 

" Vegetarian: another word for bad hunter. "

 

I had to laugh when I was greeted by this charming bumper sticker this summer as

I sat drinking my chocolate soymilk outside a vegetarian cafe in New Haven,

Conn.

 

I've been a vegetarian for more than a year and a vegan for six months, and I've

learned to take these things in stride. All the same, one thing that never

ceases to amaze me is how, in our advanced age of solar-powered cars,

organically grown vegetables, and animal welfare laws, people can still be so

primitive when it comes to food. Call me crazy, call me naive, but I just don't

see why fried animal muscles hold so much appeal. The encouraging thing is that

I'm not alone. Approximately 6 percent of all teenagers and 3 percent of the

American population were described in a 2000 Roper poll as being vegetarian (not

eating meat, poultry or fish). Among these, about a third described themselves

as vegan (not eating any animal products).

 

Here are my Ten reasons to go vegetarian

 

1. It will make a cow smile. Paul McCartney is known for saying that if

slaughterhouses had glass doors, everyone would be a vegetarian. I'll spare the

gruesome details, but the bottom line is that vegetarianism is an animal lover's

way of protesting the needless suffering endured by animals around the world.

 

2. It will make your heart smile.

 

There is little disagreement among nutritionists and dietitians about the

heart-healthy benefits of vegetarianism. Vegetarians have a much lower risk of

heart disease, hypertension, and high cholesterol, and since vegetarians have a

lower risk of obesity, they also tend to have lower blood pressure.

 

3. It's healthy.

 

The American Dietetic Association says that a properly planned vegetarian diet

can be the healthiest possible diet - but you can't just live on pizza and

potato chips. Vegetarian diets tend to be much lower in fat, cholesterol and

calories than the average American diet.

 

4. You'll be in good company. Famous people who have advocated vegetarianism

over the years include Leonardo da Vinci, Benjamin Franklin, Gandhi, Brad Pitt,

k.d. Lang, Moby, Thomas Edison, Alicia Silverstone, Albert Einstein, all four of

the Beatles, and of course, Lisa Simpson.

 

5. The fewer animal products you eat, the more environmentally friendly your

diet will be. Most Americans don't realize how much energy and food we use to

produce meat. Get this: considering the amount of grain farmers use to feed

cattle to make our hamburgers, if everyone in the world became vegetarian

tomorrow, the immediate surplus of food would feed 800 million people that day.

 

6. You won't be eating drugged-up food.

 

The amount of chemicals injected into the average meat-farm animal during its

lifetime is disturbing.

 

7. You'll become a great cook.

 

Since many teen vegetarians live in meat-eating families, they often must

prepare meals for themselves.

 

8. Your hair, nails and skin will look great.

 

Alicia Silverstone claimed in Cosmopolitan magazine that when she became a

vegan, her nails got stronger, and her hair became more shiny and healthy.

Many doctors believe that the vitamins, nutrients, and fiber in a vegetarian

diet can make a person's metabolism more efficient.

 

9. You'll be introduced to an amazing variety of foods from around the world.

Try Miso Soup with tofu at a Japanese sushi bar, a spicy Indian

rice-and-vegetable dish, or a Mediterranean falafel pita sandwich.

 

10. People will think you're cool.

 

OK, OK, so maybe this isn't the most noble reason for being a vegetarian.

But the truth is that now is the best time to " go veggie, " as we say. Unlike the

'70s, when the only vegetarians around seemed to be spaced-out hippies,

vegetarianism has become a respected and decidedly " cool " way to live.

 

Do your homework

 

Teen vegetarians need to be careful to get enough of certain nutrients.

Protein typically isn't a problem, since it can be found in vegetables, beans

and soy products. However, iron is an important concern (especially for girls),

so it's important to eat plenty of green leafy vegetables, and take a

multivitamin that contains iron. With vegans, it's a little more problematic.

The vegan diet can be low in calcium, zinc, selenium, and omega-3 fatty acids,

and has no sources of vitamin B-12. Fortunately, most of these nutrients can be

found in fortified soymilk and tofu, nuts, and colorful veggies (think red,

orange, yellow, and purple foods as well as green). And again, it's a good idea

to take a multivitamin.

 

If you're thinking of becoming a vegetarian, there are hundreds of excellent

books on the subject. Favorites include " Vegetables Rock! " by Stephanie Pierson,

" Being Vegetarian for Dummies, " " The Vegan Sourcebook " by Joanne Stepaniak, " The

Vegetarian Way " by Virginia Messina and Moosewood Restaurant cookbooks.

Vegetarian Web sites include the Vegetarian Resource group www.vrg.org and

Veggies Unite! www.vegweb.com.

 

Against the tide

 

" There's a certain amount of pride in holding a strong belief and sticking to

it, " says Katie Peck, a Park School junior who's been a vegetarian for a year.

Katie said she has many reasons for being a vegetarian: " The decision stemmed

from my love of animals. I later began to understand some economic and social

benefits. I had to do more research when people started challenging me about

it. "

 

It's true that some people can't wait to tell vegetarians that they're misled

and misinformed. However, instead of being laughed at or getting a piece of

pepperoni waved teasingly in your face, it's more likely that you'll get a

positive response from your friends when they hear you've given up meat.

 

So what do you eat?

 

Upon hearing that someone is a vegetarian, one of the most common responses from

carnivores is " So, what DO you eat? "

 

It often surprises people that vegetarians eat full, tasty meals and often

indulge in junk food and sweets. Ideally, the vegetarian diet consists of whole

grains and carbs, vegetables, fruits, soy foods and meat replacements, and dairy

products and eggs (unless you're a vegan, in which case you're eating a whole

lot more soy products).

 

Jordan, 17, a vegetarian from the vegetarian message board at Bolt.com, likes to

eat " black bean enchiladas, broccoli lasagna, anything with peanut butter, and

stuffed bell peppers. "

 

" I love Greek salads with a pita, and Morningstar's veggie burgers, " says Katie

Peck.

 

Advances in nutrition and science have resulted in meatless substitutes for

nearly every food imaginable. Beyond the ever-popular veggie burgers and soy

milk, there's soy chicken, artificial bacon bits, eggless mayonnaise, dairy-free

cheese, and my personal favorite: Tofurky, the tofu Thanksgiving turkey

substitute. The best part is that most of these meat and dairy analogs are just

as good as the original versions, and often better.

 

Along with the idea that vegetarians don't eat much, there are stereotypes about

what kinds of people avoid meat. " A lot of people seem to think that all

vegetarians are skinny, New Age hippies, " says Caitlin Parry, a 16-year-old

vegetarian who shared her thoughts with me on Bolt.com's vegetarian message

board. Jordan laments that " for some reason, people tend to associate

vegetarianism with being a pot-head, even though I'm completely straight-edge. "

Katie Peck says she hates it when " people assume it's just a phase - that's not

fair. "

 

There's no doubt that it's a great time to be a vegetarian. " I don't think it's

hard at all find things to eat in public places, " says Katie Peck.

 

But even though many restaurants offer wide selections of meatless dishes, there

are still times when options for vegetarians are scarce. I've had my share of

disappointing salads because there were no meatless entrees available. Family

reunions can sometimes be even worse than restaurants - try explaining to your

80-year-old grandma why you don't eat meat, as she sets a steaming plate of

prime rib in front of you!

 

However, often families are eager to help out. Caitlin Parry explains, " My

family has been very supportive of me since the first day I made my decision. My

mom has gotten out all the cookbooks and is continually experimenting with new

things. Now the guys in the family are left to their own cooking if they want

meat. "

 

The Vegan challenge!

 

Does the idea of veganism (abstaining from all animal products) sound like an

impossible effort?

 

I've honestly never met another one face-to-face. I mentioned this to my

meat-loving friend Jeremy Freeman, and he suggested that if he tried, he could

probably be a vegan. I made a bet with Jeremy that he couldn't be a vegan for

one week. As it turned out, not only did Jeremy win the challenge, he continued

to be a vegan a month later! I interviewed Jeremy about his experience as an

accidental vegan.

 

When you made the bet, did you think you'd win?

 

I really surprised myself, which I do often. But after I'd done it for a while,

I began to feel somewhat grossed out by animal products. They no longer tempt me

the way they used to.

 

What was the hardest thing about going vegan?

 

The continuous, playful but annoying ridicule from my friends. Also, when

something nonvegan is being served I felt out of place, especially being a guest

at someone's house.

 

Why are there so many more girls who are vegetarian than guys?

 

Two reasons. One, it's kind of a conventional stereotype that guys should eat a

lot of meat. It's a " guy thing " in our society. Also, girls tend to be more

concerned about their weight than guys, and vegetarianism is more healthy.

 

What are some of your favorite foods?

 

Indian food. Nay, all Middle Eastern food. I like making noodle stir fries with

tofu and broccoli. I also like to make shakes with soymilk, ice, peanut butter

and chocolate.

 

What made you continue to be a vegan after the bet ended?

 

Honestly, I don't think it's that difficult to be vegetarian, even vegan,

because there are so many alternatives to meat nowadays. It just feels cleaner

to not eat animal products.

 

Julie Burke is a junior at Park School.

 

 

 

 

 

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