Prevent Bone Loss: Eat Fruits!

By Eccentric Vegan on June 27th, 2009

A new study points to potassium in fruits as a bone-saver, not calcium in dairy or supplements:
"a group of 176 post-menopausal women was randomized to one of four diets based on a different protein source: animal, dairy, soy, or vegetarian. All diets were equal in calories as well as in total amounts of protein, calcium, and salt. Dietitians bought the food, weighed and measured it, and prepared it. Study participants picked up their meals every day for eight weeks."

"We used actual food that real people could buy in the store to see what kind of impact we could have", Sellmeyer [the first director of the new metabolic bone center at Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center] says.

"Although she is still analyzing the data, her initial findings show that diets based on meat and other animal and dairy-based proteins cause more calcium loss because they increase the amount of acid in the body. On the other hand, low-acid vegetable and soy-based diets reduce the excretion of calcium."

Vegan Cashew Cheese

By David R Brooks

Ingredients:
2/3 cup cashews (raw is best, roasted is still great, and try flavored cashews too)
1/2 cup water (or slightly more)
1/4 cup red capsicum (raw or roasted)
1/4 small red onion (if you're cooking for a date, or more otherwise!)
1/4 cup yeast flakes
2 garlic cloves (see "red onion")
3 tbsp lemon juice
2 tbsp lite soy sauce
1 tbsp sesame oil
1 tsp sea salt (optional) if the cashews are unsalted

Put everything in a food processor and blend it until it's creamy. If it's too thick, add more water. If it's too watery, add more cashews. It should have a cream of wheat-like consistency, or just a bit thicker. For a pizza, spread it thinly over pizza sauce (it's very rich, so a little bit goes a long way), top it off with your favorite vegetables, and pop it in the oven. If the cashew cheese becomes golden-brown more than a few minutes before the pizza crust is done, cover the top of the pizza with foil. This recipe is plenty for a medium-sized pizza. I like making larger batches and keeping leftovers in the fridge.

Farmed fish may pose risk for mad cow disease

June 16th, 2009

University of Louisville neurologist Robert P. Friedland, M.D., questions the safety of eating farmed fish in the June issue of the Journal of Alzheimer's Disease, adding a new worry to concerns about the nation's food supply.

Friedland and his co-authors suggest farmed fish could transmit Creutzfeldt Jakob disease--commonly known as mad cow disease--if they are fed byproducts rendered from cows. The scientists urge government regulators to ban feeding cow meat or bone meal to fish until the safety of this common practice can be confirmed.

"We have not proven that it's possible for fish to transmit the disease to humans. Still, we believe that out of reasonable caution for public health, the practice of feeding rendered cows to fish should be prohibited," Friedland said. "Fish do very well in the seas without eating cows," he added.

Creutzfeldt Jakob disease is an untreatable, universally-fatal disease that can be contracted by eating parts of an animal infected with bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE or mad cow disease). An outbreak in England attributed to infected beef prompted most countries to outlaw feeding rendered cow material to other cattle because the disease is so easily spread within the same species.

The risk of transmission of BSE to humans who eat farmed fish would appear to be low because of perceived barriers between species. But, according to the authors, it is possible for a disease to be spread by eating a carrier that is not infected itself. It's also possible that eating diseased cow parts could cause fish to experience a pathological change that allows the infection to be passed between the two species.

"The fact that no cases of Creutzfeldt Jakob disease have been linked to eating farmed fish does not assure that feeding rendered cow parts to fish is safe. The incubation period of these diseases may last for decades, which makes the association between feeding practices and infection difficult. Enhanced safeguards need to be put in place to protect the public," Friedland said.

There have been 163 deaths from Creutzfeldt Jakob disease in the United Kingdom attributed to eating infected beef. Bovine spongiform encephalopathy has been identified in nine Canadian and three U.S. cattle.

Source: IOS Press (news : web)

Vegan Macaroni and Cheese

By eHow Food & Drink Editor

Things You'll Need:
Large pot
400g dry macaroni
250g tofu
1 cup plain soy milk (or other vegan milk)
½ cup tahini
6 tbsps. nutritional yeast
1 tbsp. turmeric
Blender
Large bowl
Onion and garlic powder to taste, optional
Salt to taste
Oil
Baking dish
2 tbsps. margarine
Paprika

Directions:
Bring a large pot of water to boil and add the macaroni. Cover, remove from heat and let sit for 5 minutes. This method saves energy, but you can make the macaroni however you like.

Place tofu, soy milk, tahini, nutritional yeast and turmeric in the blender and blend until creamy. Pour the tofu mixture into a large bowl.

Add optional seasonings, such as garlic or onion powder, or any herbs and spices you like in your macaroni and cheese. Add salt to taste and adjust seasonings as necessary.

Drain the macaroni and add the noodles to the sauce. Stir gently until the macaroni and sauce are fully incorporated.

Lightly oil a baking dish and pour the macaroni into the dish. Dot the top with 2 tbsps. margarine. Dust with paprika and garlic powder if desired.

Bake in a 180-degree oven for approximately 20 minutes, or until a golden-brown crust forms on the top of your vegan macaroni and cheese.

Tofu Cream Cheese

recipe from VegCooking

Spread this on your bagel or roti for a quick snack. Tofu cream cheese is friendlier to cows than traditional cheese. With half the fat, it 's also friendlier to your waistline!

350 g extra firm silken tofu
3 1/2 Tbsp. cashew butter or 5 Tbsp. raw cashews, finely ground
4 1/2 tsp. lemon juice
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. liquid sweetener (optional)

• Place the tofu in a clean tea towel, gather the end up and twist and squeeze for a couple of minutes to extract most of the water.
• Crumble into a food processor with the remaining ingredients and process for several minutes until the mixture is very smooth. You may have to stop the machine and loosen the mixture with a spatula once or twice.
• Use right away or scrape into a covered container and refrigerate. It firms up with refrigeration.

Makes 2 cups

Broccoli slashes cancer risk, WA research reveals

10th June 2009

WA researchers have made a major breakthrough into preventing a common cancer, finding that leafy green vegetables such as spinach and broccoli can slash the risk of bowel cancer in many people.

Scientists from the University of WA and the WA Institute of Medical Research found that a common version of the gene MTHFR - already linked to an increased risk of migraines and stroke - was carried by about half the population and increased their risk of cancer.

But lead researcher Professor Barry Iacopetta, from UWA's school of surgery, said the gene variation increased the risk of cancer only in the right side of the large bowel, suggesting that tumours that developed in different parts of the bowel had different risk factors.

This led them to look at different factors, including folate, which might reduce those risks, and their findings have been reported in the International Journal of Cancer.

Fellow researcher Lyn Fritschi from WAIMR said the study found that the risk of cancer in the right side of the bowel jumped to 70 per cent if a person did not eat enough folate - a vitamin found in a range of foods, particularly green leafy vegetables such as spinach, broccoli and brussel sprouts.

"But in a fascinating discovery we've also found that by boosting their folate intake, people with the high-risk version of the MTHFR gene might be able to lower that 70 per cent risk down to an average risk," Professor Fritschi said."

"Folate is found in many everyday foods, including spinach, brussel sprouts, lentils and peanuts, and eating the right daily amount is as simple as eating an orange, a cup of cooked broccoli and a cup of baked beans. "

"And because alcohol tends to block the absorption of folate, it is also recommended that people drink it in moderation if they want to boost their levels of the vitamin."

The researchers said it was not necessary for people to find out if they had the gene version that increased the risk of bowel cancer but instead everyone should boost their folate intake, preferably through their diet rather than by supplements.

read more

Junk food, red meat, lollies linked to mental illness in teens

A WA study has found a link between Western-style diets and increased mental health problems in teenagers.

The study, completed at the Telethon Institute for Child Health Research, was led by Dr Wendy Oddy who said the results were based on the detailed analysis of diet records and behaviour checklists collected from more than 1600 West Australian 14-year-olds in the Raine Cohort Study.

The Raine Study started 20 years ago when 2,900 pregnant women were recruited into a research study at King Edward Memorial Hospital to examine ultrasound imaging.

The mothers to be were assessed at 18 weeks of pregnancy, then again at 24, 28, 34 and 38 weeks of pregnancy. During this time information was collected on the mother and the father, relating to diet, exercise, work and health.

Further information was collected during the child's teenage years.

"Our analysis found that higher levels of behaviour and emotional problems were associated with a more Western-style way of eating, namely a diet high in takeaway foods, red meat, confectionary, soft drinks, white bread and unrefined cereals," Dr Oddy said.

"We also showed that these problems were less among teens with a healthier style of eating, specifically those who ate more fruit and vegetables.

“This suggests that if we want to reduce the high rates of mental health problems among young people, then improving their overall diet could be a good place to start."

Dr Oddy said the study found there has been an increase in depression, anxiety and aggressive disorders among children.

She said previous studies had shown one in five children were expected to develop some form of mental health problem by the time they reached adulthood, and that 50 per cent of all adult mental health problems developed during adolescence.

"We know that since 1985, children and teenagers have been increasing their energy intake by consuming more soft drinks and processed foods," Dr Oddy said.

"The number of overweight adolescents has doubled and obesity has tripled in that age group."

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Vegan Ricotta Ravioli with Basil Pine Nut Pesto

SupremeMasterTV.com

Ingredients:
Pine Nut Basil Pesto
2 cups basil
⅓ cup pine nuts
3 cloves garlic
¾ teaspoon salt
Fresh ground black pepper
½ cup olive oil

Ravioli Pasta Dough
1⅔ cups flour
½ cup chickpea flour
½ teaspoon salt
⅔ cup water

Tofu Cashew Ricotta
1 pound firm tofu
½ cup cashews
Fresh parsley, chopped
Fresh basil, chopped
1 tablespoon lemon juice
⅓ teaspoon nutmeg
1 teaspoon salt
Fresh ground black pepper
2 tablespoon olive oil
Agave (to taste)

Home a film by Yann Arthus Bertrand

by sidonie June 5, 2009

Walking in the footsteps of Al Gore, Yann Arthus-Bertrand sign a film Home with artistic and activist who has a global distribution to warn about the threat climate.

Unable to ignore Home, the new documentary by Yann Arthus-Bertrand. On the occasion of World Environment Day and to reach as many people as possible, his fate Friday SOS together in a film, on France 2 television on big screens (the Champ de Mars Paris, London and New York), on the Internet (YouToube) and DVD. A general mobilization to save the planet, supported by Nicolas Sarkozy: "This is a beautiful film with great images, a French production which we can be proud because it will be distributed free of charge."

Produced by Luc Besson (producer of the trilogy Taxi) and EuropaCorp, Home was funded by François-Henri Pinault, the owner of the global luxury group PPR, which has disbursed 12 million euros. It required more than two and a half years of filming with a helicopter in over 50 countries and resulted in 500 hours of rush, which decreased to 2 hours to film and 90 minutes for television.

"The beauty is food for thought"

Distributed in 126 countries (Glenn Close provides the comments in English and Spanish with Salma Hayek), the advocacy retrace the history of the planet and humanity by playing on the contrast between the beauty of the footage of the sky high definition and severity of threats to the Earth. On the one hand, a mother bear that comes out of crunchy water, followed by his two grandchildren on the other, melting the ice that promises to lead to disruptions in supply chain.

Even the images of polluted sites is a magnificent breathtaking. "The beauty creates emotion and thinking," says Yann Arthus-Bertrand. The message carried by this film is extremely important because it highlights the question of survival. Without realizing it, molecule after molecule, we have upset the balance of the earth climate. "And to emphasize the urgency of the situation:" There are more than ten years for humanity to reverse the trend .

Sponsors famous, including Al Gore, Nobel Peace Prize and author of "An Inconvenient Truth, have provided scientific caution to the film. But Yann Arthus-Bertrand has encountered hostility from some countries, disturbed by his probing camera. Syria and Dubai did not wish to open their borders. India has retained half of its film and China has lifted its censorship in extremis. Argentina has adopted a weeks under a false pretext. Evidence that the photographer is often green finger where it hurts.

The movie "Home", showing the planet in distress, tumbling in a free distribution in 126 countries in film, television and internet. The French Yann Arthus-Bertrand, photographer hit the Earth from the sky, hopes to convene consciences at the bedside of the planet.

Drought, urbanization, water shortages, pollution, competition for oil and fossil fuels, climate change, each subject was filmed from the sky, the shooting mode preferred by the author. The commentary is scientifically impeccable. It was submitted to Al Gore, former vice president and Nobel Peace Prize in 2007 and Lester Brown, pope of ecology in the United States.

"In 20 years the world will be completely different: how will there be a world without oil, with a completely different climate? We must get out of denial." "To contemplate what else should we help them to respond" assène photographer-filmmaker, who hopes "aware of a massive, hard and brutal."

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To watch the movie click here

One World

Environmentally friendly Vegetarian Dining Which Also Presents A Sustainable Financial Message.

Article from UWA Green-e-News

Recently a friend asked me to accompany her to a vegetarian restaurant. Knowing that I was Environmental Officer at UWA, she exclaimed that the proprietors of this restaurant were interested in sustainability. Ok then I thought, and told her "I would love to go."

I arrived at One World Cuisine early, thinking it will be nice to chat to some of the staff about their views on sustainability and this would make for some stimulating dinner conversation.

It wasn't long before I realised that these perceptions were limiting. In fact, upon entering One World Cuisine, I knew I had entered into a different world. A large screen at the front of the restaurant played shows on vegetarian cooking, sustainable eating, holistic living and environmental issues. Beside the screen there was a library containing, an assortment of literature on the benefits of vegetarianism, sustainability and animal ethics. I indulged in the viewing and literature as I waited for my friend.

She arrived, we greeted, sat and she explained how the food was served. The buffet style vegetarian meal is not only meat free, but GMO and MSG also. To top this, the cost of the food is 'pay as you feel.' The more I learned about this restaurant, the more I saw that this was a business operating on a foundation and ethos of sustainability.

Can you imagine the feeling of eating food that is great for your body while feeling a freedom about what you pay for it? It was very liberating indeed.

We ate, talked, and I marveled at the many creative foods and individual flavors that I was enjoying. While I had been a vegetarian at one time in my life, I had never managed to create such a variety and taste in my cooking.

It was about then that I thought to write an article on the place. I communicated this to my friend, who said "I know the Manager, I will call her over" Bonus, this was all too good and too easy.

I met Manager Lee-Lin, and introduced myself. She was impressed with my role as Environmental Officer, and really excited about my desire to write an article on One World Cuisine. Lee-Lin showered me with pamphlets which explained and supported the One World Cuisine philosophy of vegetarianism and sustainability.

For social sustainability, the pay what you feel concept was introduced to encourage trust, generosity and respect. Further, this is used as a strategy to draw customers and highlight the urgency of sustainable eating. One World Cuisine operates on the belief that the vegetarian diet is more environmentally friendly because it uses fewer resources and promotes respect for life. Specifically, they are concerned about the high use of water and emission of methane that results from animal husbandry practices.

One World Cuisine staff will gladly present you with a variety of literature that presents scientific and philosophical arguments for vegetarianism. Plus, they are more than happy to provide you with vegetarian cooking support.

I I thoroughly recommend a visit to One World Cuisine. The staff are friendly, the food gorgeous, the atmosphere inspiring, and the sentiment infectious. A meal at One world Cuisine is memorable on a variety of levels.

One World Cuisine
Where: Shop 7, 23 South St, Kardinya
Opening hours: Lunch 11:30 - 2:00,
Dinner 5:45 - 9:00pm
Closed Mon and Tue
How much: pay as you feel
Phone: 9331 6677
Web: http://www.oneworldcuisine.com.au/