VEGAN 101
THE TRUTH ABOUT
VEGGIE “MEATS” by Dr. Janice Stanger
V
eggies “meats” are plant-based versions of chicken, fish, burgers, and other animal foods. These foods are soaring in popularity, as more and more people are cutting way back on how much meat they eat, but are looking for convenient substitutes for their usual menu items.
veggie meats are made from. There is a wide swing in your choices. While some veggie meats are manufactured from highly processed ingredients, others are prepared from mostly whole foods.
The healthfulness of veggie meats depends on two things. The first is your point of view. Are you comparing these foods to whole plant foods, such as beans and whole grains, or are you comparing them to actual meat? The second is what the
Animal meats harm you in many ways. Hundreds of pages could be crammed with facts on the toxic effects of animal foods. Yet this would only skim the surface of the solid scientific evidence that meat is unhealthy.
VegWorld Magazine
It All Depends on Your Point of Reference...
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EATING TO PREVENT ALZHEIMER’S DISEASE / Dr. Neal Barnard, M.D.
than three times the risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease when compared to those who generally avoided these fats. Trans fats are another fatty substance that have been shown to increase the risk of Alzheimer’s disease more than fivefold. These fats appear to increase the production of the beta-amyloid protein that collects in plaques at the onset of Alzheimer’s. Excess metals in the body, such as iron, copper, and aluminum, build up in the brain and may lend to Alzheimer’s disease. Excess iron promotes the production of damaging free radicals, while too much copper can impair cognition and stick to the plaques of Alzheimer’s disease. Buildup of aluminum has also been found in the brains of Alzheimer’s patients, and because of this it is recommended to avoid uncoated aluminum cookware and to read labels when purchasing baking powder, antacids, and processed foods.
What Can Help My Brain? Good news! There are many ways to help strengthen your brain and prevent Alzheimer’s disease from striking you. Vitamin E is bountiful in nuts and seeds, and has been shown to help prevent Alzheimer’s disease. Almonds, hazelnuts, pine nuts, pecans, pistachios, sunflower seeds, sesame seeds, and flaxseed are all high in vitamin E, and you don’t need to eat mass quantities of these little gems to get the benefits. Have a small handful each
“Saturated fats and trans fats (like those found in meat) and excess metals (like aluminum from cookware) are the biggest threats to brain health.” VegWorld Magazine
The beautiful coloring of grapes and blueberries isn’t just for show. It means these fruits are packed with antioxidants that help improve learning and recall.
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EATING TO PREVENT ALZHEIMER’S DISEASE / Dr. Neal Barnard, M.D.
day to get your dose of brain boosting vitamin E. The beautiful coloring of grapes and blueberries isn’t just for show, it means that these small fruits are packed with powerful antioxidants that help improve learning and recall. Sweet potatoes get their lovely hue from another powerful antioxidant called beta-carotene. Antioxidants are important in
Exercise isn’t just for your heart. It helps reduce brain atrophy and improves memory and other cognitive functions.
“Green leafies, beans and legumes give you the folate and B6 you need to protect your brain.” fighting free radicals, which was mentioned earlier as a brain damaging buildup. Eating green leafy vegetables, beans, and legumes daily will ensure that you are getting adequate folate and B6, two very important brain protecting vitamins. Another B vitamin, B12, is difficult for people to absorb through foods, which is why it is recommended to take a B12 supplement to ensure you are getting the trio of brain protecting power: folate, B6, and B12.
Exercise for the Body and Brain Physical exercise has long been recognized as a means to improve longevity and heart health, but it is also beneficial for brain health. Studies have shown that aerobic exercise can help reduce brain atrophy, and improves memory and other cognitive functions.
About the Author
Neal D. Barnard, MD, is a leader in preventive medicine, nutrition, and research. As an adjunct associate professor of medicine at the George Washington University and a researcher funded by the National Institutes of Health, he has led key research studies to improve the health of people with diabetes, obesity, lipid disorders, and other serious health problems, and to improve nutrition in schools and in the workplace. He is the editor-in-chief of the Nutrition Guide for Clinicians and the author of more than 15 books on nutrition and health for lay readers, including Dr. Neal Barnard’s Program for Reversing Diabetes, Foods That Fight Pain, The Food Seduction, and the newly released 21Day Weight Loss Kickstart: Boost Metabolism, Lower Cholesterol, and Dramatically Improve Your Health. His research has been cited by the American Diabetes Association and the American Dietetic Association in official policy statements on healthful diets. He founded the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine (PCRM) in 1985. PCRM is a nationwide group of physicians and lay supporters that promotes preventive medicine and addresses controversies in modern medicine. He later initiated the Cancer Project, providing nutrition information for cancer prevention and survival, and the Washington Center for Clinical Research, a center for nutrition-related studies. Tap here to visit the PCRM website. It includes a wide range of evidence-based nutritional information supporting a plantbased diet, along with the online Kickstart program, which has already had 150,000 participants.
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THE 91-YEAR-OLD “FATHER OF JUICING” / Jay Kordich
J
ay Kordich was well-known in the 1980s when he appeared on infomercials as the “Juiceman.” His iconic look and incredible energy was the subject of late-night parodies, most famously by actor/ comedian Jim Carrey. Now at the age of 91, Jay is in incredible physical and mental health and stands as a model of true longevity. Jay started aggressively juicing and eating a completely plant-based diet in 1948 when he was diagnosed with bladder cancer. Under the care of Dr. Max Gerson, Jay overcame his fatal disease and changed his life. VegWorld’s Editorin-Chief, Steve Prussack, sat down with Jay and asked him to share the secrets of his longevity with VegWorld’s readers. Here’s what he had to say. VegWorld: Jay, what are your keys to longevity? Jay: Well, you know I used to think, back when I was in my 40s (back in the 1960s) that juicing was the only answer. I was juicing three liters a day of vegetable juices back then. Because I was demonstrating juicing in New York City almost every day back then, I was making juices for people and then drinking the rest. So all day long I was being satiated by these powerful healing juices. It wasn’t until I was in my 80s that I started to realize that it was not just the juices that kept me healthy. For sure, juicing had the greatest effect on my lifestyle. But it was a culmination of several things that kept me vitally awake and alive. Happiness, keeping active, being appreciative of my life, being open to learning something new every day, and loving my wife and children were all central to my wellbeing and longevity. Exercise is vital too, but since I have had some knee surgeries it’s been difficult to play racquet-
VegWorld Magazine
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THE 91-YEAR-OLD “FATHER OF JUICING” / Jay Kordich
ball. That was my favorite game in my 50s through my 70s. Now I walk daily with my wife for about an hour.
It may hurt to change, but remember longevity is more than just juicing or eating well. That’s the wisdom I have gained, as I grow into my 90s.
And, of course, I can’t overemphasize the need to minimize the tension and stress in your life. Back in the 1990s, when Linda and I were fighting to get back our Trademark, “Juiceman,” there was so much tension and anger, we couldn’t even be civil to each other. Our entire world became stressful, ugly and made both of us sick on all levels. Once it was all over, Linda and I decided to get rid of all the things that were suffocating us. Cars, homes, gadgets, toxic relationships, furniture, agents, managers, lawyers... You name it, we deleted it from our lives.
VegWorld: What role has your food choices played in your incredible state of health?
Jay attributes his strength and vitality at the age of 91 to a number of factors, including juicing, a veggie diet, exercise and living well and stress free.
Jay: I wouldn’t be where I am today if I hadn’t dedicated myself to eating a plant-based diet and learning the art of juicing back in 1948, when I became deathly ill with bladder cancer. I found out that there was a doctor in New York City, Dr. Max Gerson, who had been treating people with my condition and that, if I didn’t want any surgery, I should go visit him. That changed my life forever, because before that time, I had been consuming enormous amounts of red meat at the USC football team’s cafeteria. They believed that red meat would build a strong body. Dr. Gerson’s work gave me an opportunity to change my life. So I took it and ran with it. I didn’t eat solid foods for 2 years. I just juiced and drank a special vegetable broth at night. I was 100% dedicated. After those two years, I started eating a very high fruit diet with nuts and seeds and lots of green vegetables. In 1998, I started eating more coconut oil, coconuts, Brazil nuts and superior dark leafy greens. VegWorld: How important is it to consume fresh raw juice as part of a vegan diet? How often should we be doing it? Jay: A large percentage of vegans are not juicing and perhaps they believe that just by eating vegan foods they will experience ultimate health. That could very well be true if they were exclusively eating fruits and vegetables. But most vegans eat a hearty diet rich with veggie meats, cakes and lots of cooked foods. Many are likely transitioning from a heavier meat-based diet and need heavier foods to make a successful change. I would try to per-
VegWorld Magazine
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BRAZILIAN BLACK BEAN SOUP WITH BAKED PLANTAIN
BRAZILIAN BLACK BEAN SOUP WITH BAKED PLANTAIN Recipe from The 30 Minute Vegan Soup’s On!
by Mark Reinfeld
VegWorld Magazine
SERVES 6 TO 8
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BRAZILIAN BLACK BEAN SOUP WITH BAKED PLANTAIN
Black Bean Soup Organic Ingredients: • 2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 1 cup fresh or frozen corn
• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• ½ teaspoon orange zest
• 1 ¼ cups diced yellow onion
• ¼ cup of freshly squeezed orange juice
• 4 large garlic cloves, pressed or minced
• 2 teaspoons sea salt
• 1 teaspoon seeded and diced jalapeno pepper
• ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
• 4 cups vegetable stock or water
• 1/8 teaspoon chipotle powder (optional)
• 2 (15-ounce) cans black beans, rinsed and drained well or 3 cups cooked
• 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves (optional)
• ¾ cup diced carrot
• ¼ teaspoon liquid smoke (optional) • 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh cilantro
• ½ cup seeded and diced red bell pepper
Baked Plantains Organic Ingredients: • 1 large ripe plantain • 1 tablespoon pure maple syrup or sweetener of choice • 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed orange juice • 2 teaspoons oil ( try coconut) • Pinch of sea salt • Pinch of chili powder • Pinch of ground cinnamon
Procedure: 1. Preheat the oven to 375. Prepare the plantains: Place the plantain ingredients in a small bowl and mix well. Transfer to a well- oiled baking sheet and bake until golden brown, about 10 minutes, flipping once after 6 minutes. Carefully transfer to a serving plate so the plantains do not stick to the pan as they cool down 2. Meanwhile, place a 3-quart pot over high heat. Place the cumin and chili powder in the pot and cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Add the onion, garlic and jalapeno and stir well. 3. Lower the heat to medium-high, add the vegetable stock, black beans, and carrot, and cook for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the red bell pepper and corn and cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add all the remaining ingredients, except the cilantro and cook for 5 minutes. Add the cilantro and mix well 4. Top each serving with a few places of plantain and enjoy
VegWorld Magazine
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