VEGWORLD HOT SHEET
V8 MIGHT NOT REALLY BE VEGAN, BUT MAY CONTAIN ANIMAL PRODUCTS:
WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT ‘NATURAL FLAVORING’
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t this point it’s just a rumor, but one food blogger has pointed out that Campbell’s vegetable juice, V8, may not be comprised solely of vegetable matter as many might assume. There’s a risk that it contains animal products. Food Babe is the blog of Vani Hari, and in one of her most recent posts she declares that “there might be dead animal parts in your V8!” On Campbell’s Food Service website, V8 Vegetable Juice is described as being a “uniquely satisfying blend of eight vegetable juices” that is “vitamin-rich and helps your patrons get 2 servings of vegetables in every nutritious 8-ounce serving for a balanced lifestyle.” Though it’s listed as gluten free, there are no other descriptions on the site or label that hint towards V8 containing animal products. Food Babe points out that V8’s label lists “100% Vegetable Juice” in big letters across the front of the bottle, but when you read the ingredients, you’ll find that along with water and tomato concentrate, as well as carrot, celery, beet, parsley, lettuce, watercress, and
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VEGWORLD HOT SHEET spinach juice — V8 is made with “Flavoring,” which may include animal products. And it turns out that Campbell’s has admitted to that — after being asked about it on Twitter. “Yes, they may include meat/seafood/poultry/dairy when the function in the food is flavoring rather than nutrition,” Campbell tweeted, according to a screenshot on Food Babe’s site. In response to one Twitter user, Campbell’s tweeted: “[V8]’s not [vegan]. We don’t offer any vegan products. Sorry to disappoint. –RW.” Strangely enough, however, when Medical Daily checked the Twitter accounts of both Campbell’s Cares and the Twitter users who were questioning V8, there was no trace of the conversation — possibly to avoid controversy.
So What’s The Big Deal? Whether or not V8 is truly vegan or not, it’s important to be aware of the label “Natural Flavorings” on your food products. Since companies are not required to list the source of these flavorings, they can refer to anything that’s made in nature — from plants to any variety of meat. According to the U.S. Code of Federal Regulations, natural flavor or flavoring is “the essential oil, oleoresin, essence or extractive, protein hydrolysate, distillate, or any product of roasting, heating or enzymolysis, which contains the flavoring constituents derived from a spice, fruit or fruit juice, vegetable or vegetable juice, edible yeast, herb, bark bud, root, leaf or similar plant material, meat, seafood, poultry, eggs, dairy products, or fermentation products thereof, whose significant function in food is flavoring rather than nutritional.” As opposed to artificial flavoring, natural just means that, before it went through chemical processes, the origin of the flavoring was found in nature as opposed to being synthetic. It’s very possible that companies might list “natural flavorings” as a way to hide animal products from consumers. “I’ve seen ‘natural flavorings’ listed on everything from Monster Energy to Quaker Oat Bran Cereal to Earth Balance butter spread and everything in between,” one vegan food blogger writes on Happy Cow Veggie Blog. “I say this because you could honestly make yourself nuts over what’s lurking around in your packaged food and drink. Rather than getting overly obsessed about it, avoid purchasing a lot of pre-packaged, processed foods and for the ones you really love, call the company.” Before jumping to conclusions on V8, however, if you’re a vegan, you might want to come up with your own recipes for vegetable juice if you haven’t already. Food Babe provides one on her post for those of you who are feeling experimental.
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7 SECRETS TO GET KIDS TO (REALLY) LOVE THEIR VEGGIES
7 SECRETS TO GET KIDS TO (REALLY)
LOVE THEIR VEGGIES Kids aren’t born eating McDonald’s or other junk foods. They learn to like them. So, why then can’t they learn to love the good stuff? Turns out they can. Here’s how. VegWorld Magazine
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hen researchers offered kids broccoli or a chocolate bar, which do you think they picked? Well, not surprisingly, four out of five picked the chocolate (though how proud are the parents of the one in five kids that chose the broccoli?!). Studies show, however, that the same creative methods the big bad junk food companies use to woo our kids to the dark side can work for fruits and veggies too. Imagine that! So, what are these gem ideas?
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7 SECRETS TO GET KIDS TO (REALLY) LOVE THEIR VEGGIES
To compete with junk, make healthy foods just as attractive. Studies show that kids responded to veggies just the same as chocolate when celebrities like Elmo sold them on the package.
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Put a Face on it
What do you think would happen if we put an Elmo sticker on broccoli and offered kids that next to a plain old boring looking chocolate bar? The same recent study mentioned above showed that when an Elmo sticker was placed on the broccoli, the choices were actually split evenly! Fifty percent of children chose the broccoli over the chocolate (and, no, the world didn’t end). This same idea works in schools, too. Add a picture of SpongeBob saying, “Got beans?” and 37% more boys and 17% more girls chose green beans. One little sign and kids were eating significantly more vegetables. That’s all it took.
How you present your veggies matters too. Just throw them on a plate and kids say no. Cut them into stars, and now we’re talking... VegWorld Magazine
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Make it Attractive to Little People
Is there a way to make veggies look more desirable to kids without the help of a popular sea sponge? Is there a way to cut up vegetables to maximize consumption? The results of the study were strikingly clear. Turns
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VEGGIE TRAVEL
By the Mississippi River, the sleek steel Gateway Arch soars 630 feet into the sky as a salute to America’s westward expansion.
hike/bike trails, lakes, picnic-perfect trees, gardens and free-admission museums. They include the Missouri History Museum, offering smartly designed multimedia exhibits that span the city’s fascinating cultural heritage from steamboats to World’s Fair memories to music. The Saint Louis Art Museum’s collection is rich and intriguing enough to win over short-attention-span folks. When I visited, several dozen grade-schoolers eagerly explored artworks, sketching in their notebooks. Most popular, naturally, were the many paintings and sculptures depicting animals, such as Edwin Landseer’s “Attachment,” which is based on the story of Charles Gough, who died in a fall on Helvellyn, a mountain in England. His dog stood watch for three months; eventually her barking attracted a passing sheep-herder. After art-spotting, take the family (including dogs) paddleboating on
VegWorld Magazine
Forest Park’s duck-approved waterways. By the Mississippi River, the sleek steel Gateway Arch soars 630 feet into the sky as a salute to America’s westward expansion. You can learn details as you walk downtown from a new digital audio tour “St. Louis Lost and Found,” sold at visitor centers and iTunes. For example, it recounts an Old Courthouse employee whose turtles played in the fountain, and guides you to the turtle-embellished gate that honors them. Nearby, Citygarden is a superb outdoor oasis open free, morning to night. Look for its 24 striking sculptures -- my favorites are the bunnies, bird with shoes and headless man in the pink suit -- and native plants, spray plaza (fun for kids of all ages) and video wall. Tip: download Citygarden’s free app or mp3 audio-tour before visiting.
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VEGGIE TRAVEL Cyclists will love the paved Riverfront Trail running north of the Arch past wall murals, Lewis and Clark historical markers and riverside foliage to the Old Chain of Rocks Bridge. Now among the world’s longest pedestrian crossings, this mile-long span was Route 66’s original automobile crossing over the Mississippi River. Route 66 memorabilia brightens the passage, which leads to a beach in East St. Louis, Illinois. A favorite place among locals with children and dogs -- and everyone else -- is Tower Grove Park, a National Historic Landmark filled with fanciful pavilions, birds and plants. On Saturdays, it hosts a great farmers market. And speaking of food, plant-based diners have dozens of choices.
Here are some vegan and super vegan-friendly choices: PuraVegan: Yummy cardamom-y carrot-cake smoothie, acai bowl, pad thai and plant-powered desserts. Gluten-free and raw, too -- and by-donation yoga in their adjoining space. Near Forest Park. Seedz: 100% organic, vegan, mostly raw and delicious. Wish I’d ordered a second helping of the beet-topped rawvioli. The “Incredible” smoothie is well-named. Lulu’s Local Eatery: New vegan cafe offshoot of a popular food truck. The sweet potato/black bean chipotle bowl hit the spot. I hear the pretzelbunned housemade vegburger rocks. Near Tower Grove Park.
A favorite place among locals with children and dogs -- and everyone else -- is Tower Grove Park, a National Historic Landmark filled with fanciful pavilions, birds and plants.
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