ISSUE 33 | MARCH/APRIL 2016
VEGWORLD HOT SHEET
PORTLAND, OREGON
IS TOP CITY FOR VEGAN SEARCHES
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or the most part, bigger cities tend to be friendlier places for plant-based eaters — but just because a city is large in stature doesn’t mean it dominates the vegan scene. In 2015, the United States city that searched “vegan” the most is on the smaller side.
According to Google, Portland, Oregon tops its list for 2015, and the progressive metropolis is followed by Seattle, Wash., and Los Angeles, Calif. Check out the full list below:
Top cities searching for “vegan”:
Top states searching for “vegan”:
• Portland, OR
• California
• Seattle, WA
• Washington
• Los Angeles, CA
• Hawaii
• San Francisco, CA
• Maine
• San Diego, CA
• Nevada
• Honolulu, HI
• District of Columbia
• Austin, TX
• New York
• Boston, MA
• New Hampshire
• Fresno, CA
• Massachusetts
• Denver, CO
• Colorado
Looking at this info, it’s clear that California and Oregon are where it’s at for vegans. Who’s up for a holiday?
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VEGWORLD HOT SHEET
RESEARCH SUGGESTS 36%
OF AMERICANS OPEN TO PLANT-BASED EATING
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eganism is on the rise. While most people have seen anecdotal evidence of this phenomenon—more products in the supermarket, more coverage in the media—the research supports it. Not only are more people open to eating less meat and more plants, but it looks like perceptions about the vegan lifestyle are changing … for the better. Last year, the Nutrition Business Journal released its 2015 Special Diets Report. It outlined many of the different dietary segments in the U.S. and yielded some interesting statistics about veganism and its increasing relevance in the marketplace. Eric Pierce, Director of Strategy & Insights, NEXT Trend, helped create the report, and he believes there’s been a definite shift in the perception of a vegan lifestyle.
Clearly, people are starting to hear about the health factors involved. While Pierce and his team don’t have comparative data from 10 years ago, he thinks these numbers demonstrate a shift. He attributes this change partly to the widespread availability of information. Netflix streaming of documentaries, people like Michael Pollan talking about eating more plants, Beyonce and her 22 days of veganism—these are powerful cultural factors. Additionally, the number of vegans or vegan friendly people in the population may be far greater than is generally assumed.
“I think, what I see from doing some brief consumer surveys, is generally a changing in the perception or the stereotype of vegans,” Pierce told Latest Vegan News. For example, when Pierce and his team asked general U.S. market consumers what they associate with a vegan diet, 35 percent said healthy/health food. Following that, 23 percent said animal welfare, 13 percent said cleaner ingredients, 12 percent said weight loss, 11 percent said environmental responsibility and 8 percent said social responsibility. This flies in the face of the traditional stereotype that saw vegans solely as aggressive animal activists. VegWorld Magazine
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VEGWORLD HOT SHEET “If you ask consumers to self-define their dietary preferences, I’ve actually found among the general population of U.S. consumers about six percent will say they’re vegan and about seven percent will say they’re vegetarian,” Pierce explains. “What’s really exciting is that there’s this bucket of flexitarians or lessitarians or pescetarians or just consumers who wouldn’t identify with any of those terms who would say ‘I’m choosing to eat less meat,’ and what I’ve found in again, a brief survey, is that about 26 percent of the U.S. population has said they’ve consciously chosen to eat less meat in the last 12 months.” These answers came in response to the question, “Which of the following diets, if any, do you adhere to?” Add those numbers up, and you get between 36 and 39 percent of the population that’s interested in reducing (if not eliminating) its meat and dairy consumption. Similar numbers apply to dairy, with around 36% of consumers in 2014 saying they prefer milk alternatives to regular milk (and non-dairy milk sales have skyrocketed). That means that more than one-third of the population is interested in plant-based eating—numbers that large represent a significant segment for retail-
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ers. “36 percent of consumers are looking for dietary changes that help them consume less meat—or none of it, depending on the point of view,” he explains. “What I see there is major opportunity, and in some ways an underdeveloped market, possibly.” Hear that, companies? People want their plants.
Some other key highlights from the report include: • If a company does opt to make vegan/vegetarian consumers its niche, it should target the products and marketing efforts toward millennials. Unlike baby boomers, who have all but given up on eschewing meat, 9 percent of the 30-something crowd is vegetarian. • A consensus is forming among industry observers and insiders that for vegan products to be adopted by more consumers, “plant based” is far preferable to “vegan” as a label term. • The vegan product category is expected to grow at an average rate of 13.4 percent thorough 2020. A major driver of that growth will be products developed not just for vegans specifically but for other specialty diets that overlap with vegan—extending even into the meat-heavy paleo realm.
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VEGWORLD HOT SHEET
VEGAN HALF
AND HALF ALTERNATIVE HITS STORES
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here’s no shortage of dairy-free coffee creamers on the market, but most are heavy on the sugar and some rely on artificial flavors. For consumers looking for a cleaner addition to their morning joe, Califia Farms’ new vegan half and half has arrived.
Dubbed Better Half, the new creamer is made with coconut and almond cream — no dairy, soy, GMOs, gluten, trans-fat, carrageenan or excess sugar. The vegan half and half comes in original and unsweetened (20 and 15 calories per serving, respectively), and is initially available only through Whole Foods. After the test period ends in summer 2016, it’ll be available at other retailers nationwide. “Our mission is to treat your coffee kindly, and with Better Half, folks can enjoy this delicious coconut and almond creamer, minus the excess sugars, artificial chemicals, and ‘bad-for-you’ hydrogenated oils found in traditional Half & Half products,” says Califia’s Kaitlin Barton. “Plus, in tune with the evolving health-conscious American palette that prefers less sugar, we wanted to provide an innovative option with an unsweetened version containing 0 grams of sugar. All in all, Better Half represents the ultimate upgrade in a category that has steadily ignored the needs of today’s consumers.” The company also reformulated its line of Almondmilk Creamers, which also includes unsweetened options. So when will you be able to find Better Half in coffee shops? “Our foodservice sales team is currently introducing this product to coffee shops, restaurants, and universities, as well as our Barista Blend and other vegan Creamer products – we’re revolutionizing the coffee experience one drink at a time.”
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THAT MOMENT WHEN
The upshot of the story is I feared what was coming when he said he would not change his diet and I knew what was coming when he could not listen to a description of arterial wall failure. That was actually when I said goodbye to him. Vincent was a very intelligent man, quite possibly the brightest person I have ever known. But we all use our intelligence to bring together our assumptions and our deepest beliefs. He was also a free adult. And as a free adult, I had to respect his determination to live his life on his own dietary terms. The reality is that I could not pour water into a cup that was already filled. And so, the best that I could do, at that moment when I learned that he died was to recall that he chose death on his own terms. This is the closest I can come to freeing myself of a sense of responsibility for what has happened.
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Vincent was the most important person in my life, and I just wanted to say that it was not old age that killed him; it was a disease that many people in our society contract and that the diet you and I follow fights. In cases like his we can see why we have made this choice. He was the best person I have ever known, certainly better than I. He won’t be replaced for me or for anyone else who knew him. His loss is a direct and total loss in this world – a loss that is made all the worse and totally unnecessary in that he had many, many years of vibrant productive living to do (a well published writer, he was writing another book, and he was always building things in his home). All that creativity and goodness -- that remarkable gift to the world that he was -- is gone from all of us, not because of the passage of a full-time of living, but because of a diet that is the great hubris of our time.
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VEGAN 101
WHAT TO DO WHEN SIDE DISHES GET PROMOTED by Andrea Denton
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hen you switch to a plant-based diet, there are plenty of challenges; seriously, it’s like learning to cook all over again. How do you prepare kale? What is nutritional yeast? How do you make cheese out of cashews? Those are really compelling questions, but today we’re talking meal planning. When it comes to transitioning, you have to rethink your plate and what you consider a meal. The beauty of this is that what you previously considered a side dish gets a huge promotion. I think the promotion, like most, is long overdue—veggies, beans and carbs do stellar work and they’ve long been taken for granted!
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But how do you deal with this new organizational structure? There are a lot of ways to look at your meals when it comes to replacing what was once the centerpiece. Before you resort to having salads for every meal because you don’t know else to make, try these strategies. 1. Meat Replacements—Every day there are more and more vegan products on the market and they have come a long way. Products like Gardein, Beyond Meat and Boca are making some pretty tasty products. No, they’re not exactly like meat, but for someone wanting to
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VEGAN 101
make a smoother transition, they can be a great help. Use them how you would have used meat. 2. Replace the protein—Most people are very nervous when they start a plant-based diet, concerned that they’re going to quickly become protein-deficient. It’s not likely at all to happen, but if it makes you feel better, center your meal around a food high in protein, such as beans, lentils, quinoa or tofu. Mushrooms are also a great centerpiece. By adding veggies to any of these ingredients, you will have a great meal. 3. Re-make traditional meals—think about your favorite meals that you grew up with and there is bound to be a way to veganize it. Spaghetti Bolognese can be made with red lentils or minced mushrooms. Sloppy joes are terrific made out of green lentils (my daughter likes them more than she ever liked sloppy joes made with meat). Buffalo wings? Try buffalo cauliflower. Macaroni and cheese, Garlic Alfredo
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or General Tso’s chicken….there are so many vegan recipes out there that will surprise you with their deliciousness. Pinterest is your new best friend. 4. Embrace the sides—Who made the rule that said a potato or zucchini is a side dish? Break the rules! Buck the norm! Promote your side dish to main course and enjoy. Top a potato with black beans, corn, onion and avocado and eat up. Shred zucchini and make it into a crab cake flavored with Old Bay Seasoning. There are no reasons these can’t be meals. 5. Embrace One-Pot Meals—What’s better than not having to worry about cross-contamination between meat and veggies? Having fewer dishes! It’s perfectly normal to have one pot dishes several times a week. Sometimes, I don’t even have a plan. I just make up rice or pasta and just start throwing stuff in that looks good. It’s fun! Try it!
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VEGAN 101
6. Go international—So many other cultures eat a largely plant-based diet that it’s easy to try these recipes without even having to change anything. I like to come up with themes each day to help with my meal planning. Mexican Monday or Thai Thursday… strategies like this can help in making a meal plan really fall into place. Start exploring Thai, Indian or African cusine today!
It will take some extra learning and some exploring on the Internet, but you’ve got this! Embrace the new hierarchy and take your taste buds with you on this new adventure.
While it can be hard to go your whole life thinking about a meal being a certain way, with some creativity and imagination, you can be eating better than you were ever were when you had to plan whether you would be having chicken, beef or pork. Instead of thinking about what you can’t make, think of all the ways you can prepare food.
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FAMILY
OBESITY UNDERSTOOD by Karen Ranzi, M.A.
A
ccording to the Harvard School of Public Health, Childhood obesity has been called ‘one of the most serious public health challenges of the 21st century,’ and with good reason. Obesity can harm nearly every system in a child’s body – heart and lungs, muscles and bones, kidneys and digestive tract, as well as the hormones that control blood sugar and puberty – and can also take a heavy social and emotional toll. What’s worse, youth who are overweight or obese have VegWorld Magazine
substantially higher odds of remaining overweight or obese into adulthood, increasing their risk of disease and disability later in life.” As Western fast foods, including factory-farmed animal foods and processed foods, are replacing traditional foods in developing countries, obesity rates continue to soar worldwide. Inhabitants of many nations are experiencing unprecedented rates of debilitating chronic diseases that are inex-
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FAMILY
tricably linked to obesity, thanks to current commercial Western eating policies and choices. According to FRAC, Food Research and Action Center, “Obesity rates have more than doubled in adults and children since the 1970’s (National Center for Health Statistics, 2009).” Whereas many weight loss diets don’t work in the long run, improved nutrition through a raw vegan lifestyle offers lifelong health benefits, including healthy weight. Life in our foods communicates with life in us, but, unfortunately, this vital aspect is lost once foods are heated and processed. White, highly refined foods can often be addictive – those who eat them may endlessly eat more, hoping to find that satisfying spark of life that is no longer there. It was destroyed in these foods, ironically, to give them a longer shelf life. Children will not be obese when their parents uphold a strong conviction about the benefits of fresh raw vegan foods. These parents will teach the health-promoting aspects of fresh fruits, leafy greens, sprouts, and vegetables to their children. When foods are whole, ripe, fresh and organic, they contain vitamins, minerals and phytonutrients that satisfy us. We’ll benefit from the essential fiber that keeps us feeling full, but this will never be an incapacitating full feeling such as that following a standard holiday dinner. Remember that unpleasant full feeling after big cooked holiday meals? But now, after fresh raw vegan meals, there’s no longer
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the sensation of having an overstuffed stomach. Now, feeling full simply means satisfied - energetic. Animal foods are devoid of fiber, but the essential fiber, contained in all fresh vegan foods, has powerful cleansing benefits. When food is refined, processed, denatured in packages, its nutritive characteristics are greatly diminished. The eater will not feel satisfied, and the feeling of craving something else will linger. In an attempt to obtain essential nutrients, the craving for more will persist, but refined foods will always lack what the body needs – overeating of nutritionally empty foods ensues and becomes habitual. Such “empty” eating habits result in vitamin / mineral deficiencies and obesity. In addition to being unaesthetic, obesity lays the groundwork for myriad diseases. Whenever there is excess body fat, there is an accumulation of toxins in the fat cells that must be diluted in water. The fat cells thus become bloated, heavy, and all bodily functions become more difficult, resulting in diseases based solely on eating disorders; in reality, the disorder is nothing more than eating empty foods that have been destroyed by heat, chemicals, and many processing techniques before arriving on the plate. Paradoxically, the obesity victim is really starving for nutrients found only in fresh vegan foods. Commercial interests selling acrylamide, a carcinogenic plastic resulting from high temperatures
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