Vegetarianism focuses on a plant-based diet.

Vegetarianism is the practice of eating food obtained from plants and abstaining from meat products. It can sometimes include abstaining from most or all of animal products such as dairy, honey, and eggs, although this is most often categorized as veganism. People are drawn to vegetarianism for a multitude of reasons, some of which include religion, ethical motivation, health, environmental conservation, economic factors, dislike of meat, and culture. Below are the countries with the highest rate of reported vegetarianism around the world.

The number of vegetarians in Australia has been steadily increasing, and currently sits at 5.5% of the total population. Vegetarian Week is held from 1-7 October on an annual basis. Food businesses have adapted to the trend by offering vegan versions of popular dishes.

Ireland has 5% of the population adhering to vegetarianism. Irish culture has long embraced the consumption of meat, but vegetarianism is growing in the nation, as well as veganism. The vegan society of Ireland is a voluntary and not for profit organization that was established in 2009 by group of vegans to promote vegan philosophy that promotes the awareness of veganism as a lifestyle choice, environmental friendly option, just and a healthy way of living.

The only South American nation on the list is Brazil with a rate of 8% vegetarians. Several metropolises in the country are home to numerous vegan establishments including Rio de Janeiro, Sao Paulo, and Curitiba. Vegetarianism in Brazil is associated with counterculture movements, Eastern religions and philosophies, anarchism, punks, Spiritism, indie youth subcultures, and New Ageism. The majority of vegetarians in the country is middle or upper-class urban dwellers who inhabit the Central-Southern half of Brazil.

The UK has seen an increasing number of vegetarians in recent years, and it is now estimated that about 9% of the countrys population is vegetarian. Many citizens started adopting the vegetarian lifestyle starting after the WWII. Presently, there are twice as many vegetarian women as men and the country now have the third highest rates of vegetarianism in Europe. Flexiterianism is also becoming a trend in the country, which refers to those who still consume meat but have made a conscious effort to do so less.

Germany's population is 9% vegetarian. Most Germans who switch to a plant-based diet cite environmental protection, animal rights, and perceived health benefits as motivation. Cities such as Berlin in Germany have experienced an increase in number of vegetarian and vegan establishments due to the increase in consumer demand.

Austria has a 9% vegetarianism rate. Vegetarianism has seen a steady increase in popularity as a lifestyle choice in Austria and there are vegetarian outlets across Vienna in particular. There is also the Austrian Vegan Society which was founded in 1999 and the Austrian vegan market has been growing steadily over the years.

Italy has one of the highest rates of vegetarianism in Europe at 10% of the whole population. Vegetarians in Italy cite different reasons for following the diet including ethical sensitivity towards animals, health consciousness, and environmental protection. The number of vegetarians in Italy has been increasing in recent years. In 2016, the city of Turin proposed a meat-reduction agenda targeted towards vegetarianism. The move was championed by the Mayor, Chiara Appendino, but was met with resistance from the inhabitants. The plan to promote vegetarianism is intended to educate people on animal rights, environmental health, and human health.

13% of Taiwans population observe a vegetarian diet and over 6,000 establishments which cater to vegetarians are operational in the nation. Hokkien, Hakka, and Buddhism vegetarian practices have helped to cultivate a plant-based culture in the nation. In 2007, Taiwan joined India and Sundarapore in instituting a meat ban. Taiwan has strict food labeling laws as they pertain to vegetarian food. The country is home to a famous movement dubbed "one day vegetarian every week" that has benefited from local and national government support.

In Israel 13% of the population are vegetarians. Vegetarianism in the country is credited to Judaism which restricts the consumption of animals. Vegetarianism in Israel is gradually becoming a lifestyle choice even for those who identify as non-religious. The country is home to hundreds of restaurants offering vegan meals. In 2014, Tel Aviv hosted the biggest vegan festival in the world where 15,000 people attended. The city is continuously ranked as a favorite destination for vegan travelers.

India is ranked top in the world with 38% of the total population being vegetarians. Vegetarianism in the region became popular after the introduction of Buddhism and Jainism which was around 6th Century BC. Both of the religions have the concept of ahimsa which emphasizes on respect and non-violence to all forms of life. Vegetarianism in the country is associated with Lacto-vegetarianism, where people eat dairy products but not eggs. India has one of the lowest rates of meat consumption in the world. However, the consumption of meat is common in coastal states such as West Bengal and Kerala. Vegetarianism is prevalent in communities such as Jain Community, Lingayat, Brahmins, and Vaishnav Community.

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Countries With The Highest Rates Of Vegetarianism - WorldAtlas

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Europe Plant-based Food Market by Type [Dairy Alternatives, Plant-based Meat, Meals, Confectionery, Beverages, Egg Substitutes, Seafood), Source (Soy, Wheat, Pea, Rice), Distribution Channel (B2B, B2C (Convenience Store, Online Retail)]- Forecast to 2029

Redding, California, March 30, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- According to a new market research report titled, Europe Plant-based Food Market by Type (Dairy Alternatives, Plant-based Meat, Meals, Confectionery, Beverages, Egg Substitutes, Seafood), Source (Soy, Wheat, Pea, Rice), Distribution Channel (B2B, B2C (Convenience Store, Online Retail) - Forecast to 2029, published by Meticulous Research, the Europe plant-based food market is expected to grow at a CAGR of 10.1% from 2022 to 2029 to reach $16.7 billion by 2029.

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Veganism is a contemporary and expanding societal phenomenon that has been lately growing in European countries, which is demonstrated by the steadily growing number of vegans and people following plant-based diets. In recent years, there has been a growing trend toward vegetarianism and veganism in Europe due to growing awareness of health, environmental concerns, and compassion for animals. Within the last four years, the number of vegans in Europe has doubled from 1.3 million to the current estimated figure of 2.6 million, representing 3.2% of the population. Nearly half of all-vegan Europeans (45.5%) say they would like to see more vegan alternatives for sausages and cold cuts, followed by cheese substitutes as the next product on their want-list. There also seems to be strong demand for plant-based baked goods (38.6%) as well as more snacks (32.9%) (Source: Veganz).

In recent years, there has been an increase in the number of lactose-intolerant consumers. Lactose tolerance is exceptionally widespread in Northern European countries like Sweden and Finland. In addition, Turkey, Italy, Germany, and Spain recorded some of the highest numbers of lactose-intolerant consumers. Therefore, the target market for plant-based food and beverage is not limited to vegans but includes a vast majority of consumers, including flexitarians, lactose-intolerant consumers, and even consumers looking for clean-label food and beverage options.

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The growing vegetarianism, declining meat consumption, increasing preference for plant food, and increasing venture capital investment in animal alternatives are some of the major factors driving the market for plant-based food products in Europe.

Impact of COVID-19 on the Europe plant-based food market

The COVID-19 pandemic created new momentum for plant-based food and drink in Europe. During the pandemic, consumer demand for plant-based diets accelerated in this region. A study published in BMJ Nutrition, Prevention and Health found that vegetarian and vegan diets had a lower risk of developing moderate-to-severe COVID-19. Many food companies are rapidly increasing investments in plant-based products to meet consumer demand for plant-based products and partly to offset risks associated with animal-based products that the COVID-19 pandemic exposed. Few to be listed are:

In June 2021, Heura Food (Spain) raised USD 4.8 million through a crowdfunding campaign to fuel its R&D and launch new plant-based meat products.

In September 2020, The Meatless Farm (U.K.) raised USD 31 million in funding to keep up with post-COVID demand.

In July 2020, Follow Your Heart (U.S.) partnered with U.K.-based Tesco stores. As a part of this development, the companys Vegenaise will be available in just over 550 outlets, and its Smoked Gouda and Medium Cheddar Slices in 300 outlets in the U.K.

In September 2020, Nestl SA introduced a meatier-tasting version of its flagship plant burger and launched an oats-and-peas version of its Nesquik cocoa drink in Europe. In 2020, vegetarian and plant-based sales posted strong double-digit growth, supported by new launches.

In December 2019, Unilever PLC (U.K.) invested EUR 85 million in The Hive, the innovation of a food center at Wageningen University (Netherlands) to support research into plant-based ingredients and meat alternatives, efficient crops, sustainable food packaging, and nutritious food.

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These increased investments during the pandemic to fuel R&D activities and increase plant-based product sales benefit stakeholders in the plant-based product market in Europe.

Plant-based Food Market in Europe - An Overview

The Europe plant-based food market is segmented based on type, source, distribution channel, and country.

Based on type, the Europe plant-based food market is segmented into dairy alternatives, meat substitutes, meals, baked goods, confectionery, RTD beverages, eggs substitutes, seafood substitutes, and others. The dairy alternatives segment is estimated to command the largest share of the European plant-based food market, mainly attributed to increased demand for dairy alternatives from the lactose intolerant population. With the issues like lactose intolerance and milk allergy arising from the consumption of cows milk, there has been an increased demand for plant-based alternative milk in Europe. However, the seafood substitute segment is expected to grow at the highest CAGR during the forecast period.

Based on source, the soy segment is expected to account for the largest share of the overall plant-based food market in Europe in 2022. The dominant position of this segment is mainly attributed to the rising demand for soy ingredients due to its easy availability, high quality, cost-effectiveness, wider application areas, and higher consumer acceptance for soy-based food products. However, the pea segment is expected to grow at the highest CAGR during the forecast period.

Quick Buy Europe Plant-based Food Market by Type [Dairy Alternatives, Plant-based Meat, Meals, Confectionery, Beverages, Egg Substitutes, Seafood), Source (Soy, Wheat, Pea, Rice), Distribution Channel (B2B, B2C (Convenience Store, Online Retail)]- Forecast to 2029 Research Report: https://www.meticulousresearch.com/Checkout/74550253

Based on distribution channel, the B2C segment is estimated to account for the largest share of the overall plant-based food market in Europe in 2022. The large share of this market is mainly attributed to increased shelf space for plant-based products in modern groceries, increased retail sales of plant-based food in supermarkets & hypermarkets, growing preference for shopping from brick-and-mortar grocers due to easy access & availability, and increasing consumer acceptance for vegan & vegetarian food products. This segment is also expected to grow at the highest CAGR during the forecast period.

Geographically, Germany is expected to account for the major share of the European plant-based food market in 2022. This growth can be attributed to the growing vegetarian population, increased consumer awareness, increasing concern about animal welfare, and growth in vegan and vegetarian restaurants. Veganism in Germany is becoming a popular trend.

The key players operating in the plant-based food market in Europe are Beyond Meat Inc. (U.S.), Danone S.A. (France), Amys Kitchen Inc. (U.S.), The Hain Celestial Group, Inc. (U.S.), Daiya Foods Inc. (Canada), Marlow Foods Ltd. (U.K.), Taifun Tofu GmbH (Germany), Vbite Food Ltd (U.K.), Plamil Foods Ltd (U.K.), Plant & Bean Ltd (U.K.), Unilever PLC (U.K.), Berief Food GmbH (Germany), Nestl S.A. (Switzerland), The Meatless Farm (U.K.), and Veganz Group AG (Germany) among others.

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Scope of the Report

Europe Plant-based Food Market, by Type

Dairy Alternatives

Milk

Cheese

Yogurt

Butter

Ice Cream

Creamer

Others

Meat Substitutes

TVP

Burger Patties

Tempeh

Hot Dogs and Sausages

Seitan

Meatballs

Ground Meat

Nuggets

Crumbles

Shreds

Others

Meals

Baked Goods

Confectionery

RTD Beverages

Egg Substitutes

Seafood Substitutes

Others

Europe Plant-based Food Market, by Source

Soy

Almond

Wheat

Pea

Rice

Others

Europe Plant-based Food Market, by Distribution Channel

Business-to-Business

Business-to-Customers

Modern Groceries

Convenience Store

Specialty Store

Online Retail

Others

Europe Plant-based Food Market, by Country

Germany

U.K.

Spain

Italy

France

Netherlands

Belgium

Austria

Poland

Portugal

Rest of Europe (RoE)

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The name of our company defines our services, strengths, and values. Since the inception, we have only thrived to research, analyze, and present the critical market data with great attention to details. With the meticulous primary and secondary research techniques, we have built strong capabilities in data collection, interpretation, and analysis of data including qualitative and quantitative research with the finest team of analysts. We design our meticulously analyzed intelligent and value-driven syndicate market research reports, custom studies, quick turnaround research, and consulting solutions to address business challenges of sustainable growth.

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Europe Plant-Based Food Market Worth $16.7 Billion by 2029 - Exclusive Report by Meticulous Research - Yahoo Finance

The new report by Expert Market Research titled, GlobalPea Protein MarketReport and Forecast 2021-2026, gives an in-depth analysis of the global pea protein market, assessing the market based on its segments like types, forms, applications, and major regions. The report tracks the latest trends in the industry and studies their impact on the overall market. It also assesses the market dynamics, covering the key demand and price indicators, along with analysing the market based on the SWOT and Porters Five Forces models.

Request a free sample copy in PDF or view the report [emailprotected]https://www.expertmarketresearch.com/reports/pea-protein-market/requestsample

The key highlights of the report include:

Market Overview (2016-2026)

The pea powder industry has been witnessing considerable growth owing to the rising demand of vegetarian products, increasing concerns regarding heart related diseases caused by red meat consumption and increasing awareness among consumer regarding the consumption of a healthy diet. Rising lifestyle related health problems, such asdiabetes, allergies and obesity, have led to a shift towardsvegandietary habits. Moreover, it is dairy and gluten free owing to which it serves as a suitable choice for people who suffer fromglutenallergy or lactose intolerance. Peaprotein powderis likely to witness a rise in demand due to its wide applications in themeat substitutes industry.

Industry Definition and Major Segments

Pea protein is made by segregating the protein from ground yellow peas. It is a healthy source of iron, and can be easily digested by our body. Pea protein is a healthy vegetarian food source due to its nutritional value and low allergenicity. It can also help increase muscle mass, losing weight, and provide essential nutrients such as arginine and branched chain amino acids.

Explore the full report with the table of [emailprotected]https://www.expertmarketresearch.com/reports/pea-protein-market

On the basis of type, the industry can be divided into:

The form of the product can be categorised as follows:

On the basis of application, the industry can be divided into:

The regional markets for pea protein industry include:

Latest News on Global Pea Protein [emailprotected]https://www.expertmarketresearch.com/pressrelease/pea-protein-market

Market Trends

The key market trends driving the growth of therobotictechnology industry include the growing demand for meat substitutes and allergen friendly sports and fitness supplements. Rising awareness regarding healthy protein intake in everyday life along with its functional benefits such as it reduces appetite resulting in weight loss, increases muscle mass and strength, and maintains bone health, and bolsters immune health will augment the product demand. According to recent research and studies excessive consumption of meat and meat products has resulted in increasing risk of heart diseases, cancer, and obesity. All these factors are expected to significantly contribute to the demand for robotic technology in the forecast period.

Key Market Players

The major players in the market are Roquette Frres S.A, Burcon NutraScience Corporation, Axiom Foods Inc, Farbest-Tallman Foods Corporation, Cosucra Groupe Warcoing SA, and Shandong Jianyuan Group, among others. The report covers the market shares, capacities, plant turnarounds, expansions, investments and mergers and acquisitions, among other latest developments of these market players.

About Us:

Expert Market Research is a leading business intelligence firm, providing custom and syndicated market reports along with consultancy services for our clients. We serve a wide client base ranging from Fortune 1000 companies to small and medium enterprises. Our reports cover over 100 industries across established and emerging markets researched by our skilled analysts who track the latest economic, demographic, trade and market data globally.

At Expert Market Research, we tailor our approach according to our clients needs and preferences, providing them with valuable, actionable and up-to-date insights into the market, thus, helping them realize their optimum growth potential. We offer market intelligence across a range of industry verticals which include Pharmaceuticals, Food and Beverage, Technology, Retail, Chemical and Materials, Energy and Mining, Packaging and Agriculture.

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*We at Expert Market Research always thrive to give you the latest information. The numbers in the article are only indicative and may be different from the actual report.

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Global Pea Protein Market to be Driven by the Growing Trend of Vegan and Vegetarianism in the Forecast Period of 2021-2026 ChattTenn Sports -...

The holidays are right around the corner with their arrival comes a series of typical meat-based dishes. For vegetarians, it may be difficult to maintain their diet through the next two months because of a lack of options as crop season dwindles.

Instead of sacrificing your plant-forward lifestyle to a holiday turkey, ham or prime rib, there are ways around it.

Since protein is arguably the most important macronutrient to consume, eating primarily animal-based protein is more practical for many people because those proteins contain all the essential amino acids. Health and wellness manager of JMU dining services Gillian Kelly said you can live a perfectly healthy life eating animal-based proteins and that theres no evidence becoming a vegan or vegetarian results in a healthier lifestyle. Rather, Kelly said plant-forward eaters typically cite animal rights and sustainability as purposes for abstaining from meat or animal products.

Protein can still be abundant in many meat-free foods, namely in tofu, beans and nuts. But in order to receive all essential amino acids or to become a complete protein they need to be combined with grains, JMU dietetics professors Michelle Hesse and Danielle Torisky said. Torisky said that depending on different laboratories' research, there are either eight or nine but at least eight amino acids that arent naturally occurring and therefore need to be consumed through food.

There are nutritional risks if you don't do vegetarianism with the right combinations of foods, Torisky said. Vegetarians need to get more nutritional bang for their buck.

One of the most common and cost-friendly vegetarian and vegan combinations that fulfills all your essential amino acids is a bean and rice mixture, Torisky said. Hesse said beans and rice can become heartier by adding cheese or a fried egg on top for vegetarians that allow for it the cheese incorporates calcium and vitamin D, while Torisky said eggs have been recognized by athletes for many years as the superior protein because of their protein-efficiency ratio. The darker the yolk, the more iron an egg has, Torisky said.

There are different branches of vegetarianism that make different ingredients edible. Pescatarians eat fish, lacto-vegetarians drink milk and ovo-vegetarians eat eggs. These exceptions open the doors for more ways to experiment, like having a milk base in your fruit smoothie or incorporating canned salmon into your veggie stir fry.

Despite this, vegetarian, and especially vegan, eating can become monotonous with the elimination of animal proteins. To combat that, Hesse said different herbs and spices can complete flavor profiles in plant-forward staples.

Basil, a sweet herb, pairs well with cheeses especially mozzarella cheese in caprese salads or sandwiches and with other herbs and spices like garlic, rosemary and oregano. In Indian cuisine, a vegan lentil and tofu dish can be jazzed up with the herb cardamom. Cardamom, also a sweet, fragrant ingredient, typically pairs well with turmeric, ginger and cumin, according to CookSmarts.

If you play your cards right, Hesse said, combinations really are endless with plant-based cooking.

After exhausting your favorite herb-spice combinations, plant-based proteins can be taken to another level by changing textures, Kelly said. She recommended a tofu scramble, which takes the usual bricks of tofu and breaks them up to give the ingredient a smooth texture which can very easily mimic scrambled eggs she said theyre offered in the morning in JMUs dining halls.

I think really, if you are going to be vegan or vegetarian, you're going to want to experiment with these different ways to make these different proteins, Kelly said. You can have that creativity in there and not get bored with what you're eating while also not necessarily having to always have on hand several different types of protein at your disposal.

In addition to protein combinations, a combination of differing colors of food on your plate is also crucial, Kelly said. Red and orange vegetables bell peppers, radishes and tomatoes are higher in vitamin A and C, which Kelly said aid eyesight and hair and skin health.

Green vegetables cucumber and leafy greens like lettuce, spinach and kale contain folate, which Kelly said is especially important for young women because of its prevention of neural tube defects during pregnancy. Hesse said theres not much differentiation in the nutritional values between leafy greens, but darker, leafy greens like kale, spinach and collard greens contain more vitamin K and C than lighter leaves like romaine and iceberg lettuce.

Despite the abundance of vitamins and minerals, plant-based food can turn on you if consumed in excessive amounts, Hesse said. Specifically, she said minerals like iron and fat-soluble vitamins like vitamins A, D and K can be harmful when consumed in very, very high amounts.

Too much of a good thing is not a good thing, Hesse said. With certain vitamins and minerals, consuming too much can lead to toxic levels, which creates a disbalance in the body and can make you really sick.

However, there are certain vitamins that Torisky said plant-based eaters typically lack in their diets specifically, vitamin B-12, iron and calcium. She said a way to secure B-12 for plant-based eaters is through fortified milks namely, almond and oat milk.

Torisky said iron consumption can be difficult in vegans and vegetarians that consume spinach because it has phytates and oxalates antinutritents that can adversely affect metal ions bioavailability that chelate or bind with spinachs iron, causing the mineral to leave your digestive system. Calcium can be hard to consume due to vegans absence of dairy, so Torisky recommends leaning on the cabbage familys collard greens and broccoli, which she said absorbs calcium well.

Down the line, Kelly said chronic issues like osteoporosis can develop as a result of deficient vitamin consumption. Getting a variety of colors on our plates at a younger age, Kelly said, is critical to prevent long-term defects.

All those colors kind of have a higher little bit of concentration of different vitamins and minerals that you're going to want, Kelly said. I mean, you walk in the produce section, and it's a literal rainbow.

When you walk into a JMU dining hall, youre greeted by little flags at different stations that Kelly said distinguish between vegan and vegetarian stations.

In order to prevent contamination among the dining halls plant-forward options, Kelly said the sections of food are situated so students concerned with cross-contact can rest assured that meat residue doesnt get into vegan or vegetarian food for example, Kelly said tofu is farther from the server than chicken so that while tofu can intermingle with the chicken, the opposite cant happen.

Certainly, we do everything that we can to avoid that cross contact in most of our situations, whenever it's possible, Kelly said. In any instance where we have the space to accommodate that, we will.

Its situations like this where Torisky said vegetarians need to be extra careful, but also, she said plant-based eaters need to do their due diligence with the latest trends and findings with the niche diet. She said it was recently found that quinoa can serve as a complete protein on its own.

Stay on top of the research, Torisky said. In order to keep it interesting, in order to just love your food life, if you stay on top of the science and stay open to new foods, then your food life is just going to become more and more enjoyable.

For on-campus vegetarians, Kelly said buffalo cauliflower and vegan chicken noodle soup are some of her favorite, unique dishes the JMU dining halls offer. Even for those with dietary restrictions, Kelly said she thinks its impossible for a student to say they cant find anything to eat on campus.

Dining doesn't have to be something that stresses [students] out or is a big concern in their life, Kelly said. [Dining] can just be something that makes them feel included and part of this great community that we have here at JMU.

Contact Grant Johnson at breezecopy@gmail.com. For more health & wellness content, stay tuned for the A Wealth of Health'' column every other Thursday, and follow the culture desk on Twitter and Instagram @Breeze_Culture.

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A Wealth of Health | Guide to plant-based eating - The Breeze

It was no big deal diets are personal choices that ought to be respected. Years ago, a friend whose family raised beef cattle returned from college and said that he had stopped consuming meat, eggs and milk because a new girlfriend convinced him the meat industry was inhumane.

Being a meat-and-potatoes person and farm-raised, I objected to his condemnation of an entire industry. A farmer who abuses livestock wont last long in a demanding industry. The livestock community also works at self-policing and urges farmers to use best husbandry practices.

Per capita consumption of livestock and poultry meats since 1960 reached a high of 149.6 pounds in 1971 and stood at 110.1 pounds in 2020. Approximately 3% of the U.S. population considers themselves vegetarians, which represents a modest growth in recent years.

There was a time when it seemed that nearly every Hollywood starlet credited vegetarianism for maintaining their youthful appearance and some celebrity doctors urged avoiding meat. The pendulum has swung a bit back to all things in moderation.

It was unthinkable that my friends eating habits, and philosophy, could be turned on its head after one year of college.

He said he felt healthier eating more fruits and vegetables and admitted to but one vice Jell-O, which was introduced more than 100 years before. Pearle Wait and his wife, May, made cough medicine in their home before concocting a fruit-flavored dessert they called Jell-O. Lacking funds to develop the product, they sold the trademark to a deep-pocketed businessman for $450.

My friend may not have been well-informed about vegetarianism because he did not know that a key ingredient in Jell-O is gelatin, which is an animal collagen found in animal tendons, ligaments, and bones. A bit self-defensive, he said at least his vices dont include hot dogs.

Do you know whats in a hot dog? he asked.

I never needed to know mostly because Mother possessed great skill in curing our meat in the smokehouse, a small and modest building that resembled a one-seater outhouse. Hams, bacon and sausage were smoked with hard maple and corncobs. Blood and liver sausage as well as headcheese kept us well fed.

Headcheese ingredients head jowl, tongue, and other meat made for a great sandwich splashed with vinegar. Mother mixed the sausage ingredients in the same huge metal bowl that she used in bread-making.

Eldest daughter Sarah upended our household when it was decided to butcher her 4-H steer. Sarah vowed that if we followed through on the decision, she would never eat meat again. A compromise was reached in which we traded her steer for a neighbors fattened animal. A similar standoff ensued and eventually solved when daughter Rachels pet turkey was harvested.

The German prisoners of war who weeded fields were thankful that they hadnt been captured by the Soviets and had plenty of food to eat. As the war took its grim toll back at home, the German population filled their bellies with bread with sawdust as its main ingredient. Sawdust shaped in pork roast form eased hunger pangs.

Vegetarian or meat eater, the United States is blessed with abundant food. We are reminded as the weather turns cold, and Thanksgiving approaches that food insecurity is worsening. Local food shelves need donations to restock shelves as the holidays approach.

Consumers, in recent months, have been shocked that some items that they routinely purchase cannot be found on store shelves. Suppliers say that spot shortages will gradually work themselves out as the pandemic eases.

To read more of Mychal Wilmes' Farm Boy Memories, click here.

Mychal Wilmes is the retired managing editor of Agri News. He lives in West Concord, Minn., with his wife, Kathy.

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Meat eater or not, the U.S.'s abundant food supply is to thank for our choices - AG Week

While the trajectory of vegetarianism and veganism the world over has been a mercurial one, over the last few decades or so, it is undoubtedly at its zenith today. It is no great surprise that it took a pandemic to put the two intimately related concepts into greater focus and scrutiny. Thus, giving them a certain gravitas and staying power like never before. Healthy, clean, plant-basedall buzzwords that smack us in the solar plexus almost everywhere we look today.

A perfectly timed cookbook,Tarkariby RohitGhai takes full advantage of the zeitgeist. Having grown up in a vegetarian family in Punjab, the Michelin-starred chefwho has to his credit the opening of super successful restaurants like Kutir and KoolCha in Londonchannels his vegetarian roots very effectively. All this to come up with an almost seminal ode to vegetarianism in all itsdesiglory. A well-curated collection of recipes that revels in its simplistic, yet often experimental take on Indian vegetarian and vegan dishes. Almost each one of them reflect some much-needed heart and soul.

Vegging Out

Never mind Wikipedias rather pithy and wildly erroneous take on what a tarkari is by calling it,a spicy vegetable curry, originally from the Indian subcontinent. This eponymous cookbook celebrates the Bengali word (torkari) or any vegetable dish, the way it was intended to be. Plain and simple.

Keeping simplicity at the fore (and core!) of this book, chef Rohit Ghai's easy recipes seem to stem from something he remembers his mother often saying... If you can cook with your heart and soul, you dont need special ingredients. With this, his first cookbook, Ghai managers to dispel the myth that Indian food is overly complicated with lengthy recipes. He harnesses his love for simple, home-style dishes with recipes for a rusticPindi chana(pg. 142), an ubiquitouspalak paneer(pg. 134)where he recommends using a 50-50 blend of pured and chopped spinach for a unique textureand a fool proof butter naan recipe (pg. 157) to mop it all up with.

Vegan Vows

With a sizable chunk of his recipes paying obeisance at the altar of vegan cuisine, Ghai pulls it off with aplomb. He does this by showing us his very apparent reverence...nay, obsession with rapeseed oil. One that finds itself as the fat component in almost every second recipe in this book. Replacing the much-loved butter andgheein a few traditional recipes likebaingan ka bharta(pg. 102) andpaneer makhani(pg. 116).

The book also does its best to hero a rapidly emerging 'superstar' in the vegetarian, mock meatworldjackfruit. This truly versatile, fibrous vegetable (or, is a fruit!?),finds itself in both a jackfruit masala (pg. 88) and in a jackfruit biryani (pg. 148). The latter being a somewhat complex preparation to navigate around, but worth the stress. Trust me, I tried it out and lived and loved to tell the tale!

Exotic Bites

Extending his repertoire beyond Indias borders, by paying homage to a fewtarkaridishes from around the Indian subcontinentand Nepal in particularare a few exotic (to me, at least!) recipes. Ghai speaks of his time in the Himalayan country, where he was based for his regional cuisines qualifications as a chef-in-training, with nostalgia.

Recipes liketareko aloo(pg. 56), the beans and pulses-richkwati (pg. 127), the leafy, greenpalungo ko saag(pg. 141) and the yummy rice-basedbhute ko bhat(pg. 146) put the spotlight on Nepali cuisine like never before. A cuisine that is robust and flavourful. And a perfect blend of Indian and Tibetan influences.

Ghai continues to flirt with the exotic via an array of jazzed up, fusion style dishes.We see seaweed making an appearance in the vegan chickpea and samphire salad (pg. 61) a riff on a South Indiansundal. This one jostles for space with a Brussels sprouts poriyal (pg. 128). Kashmiri morels make an appearance in hisbharwan guchhi(pg. 81), while the super trendy avocado finds itself in a chutney form (pg. 178).

The book even features an 'elevated' version (not that it needs any elevation) of a vegan mushroom and trufflekhichdi(pg. 99) that has become one of Ghais signature dishes at Kutir. Teaching us an important lesson that simple and boring are very much at opposing ends of the spectrum.

Meh! Moments

As much as I relished this book with almost manic gusto, it isnt a perfect one. A few red herrings seemed to surface every now and again. One of the fundamental issues I had with the book is that the pictures and styling of the dishes werent very evocative of what they sought to highlight. Indian food, for me, is all about colour and abundance. The colour-saturated visuals lack that much-needed vibrancy and zest. As does the styling which leans towards a more western aesthetic and sensibility in its austere and almost stark display.

At the risk of being accused of nit-picking, I also found the addition of a sole, French dessert (from Lyon and Burgundy) la poached pears (pg. 182) at great odds with the others in a section named meetha. One that is otherwise laden with gems of the Indian dessert table likemalpua(pg. 187), carrot halwa (pg. 193) andphirni(pg. 194) to name an illustrious, yet humble few.

Tarkari

Hachette India

RohitGhai

208 pages; Rs. 999

Check the book out on Amazon

(A wearer of many hats in the food and travel space, Mumbai-based Raul Dias is a food-travel writer, a restaurant reviewer, and a food consultant)

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A Heartfelt Ode to Indias Love Affair with Vegetarian and Vegan Cuisine - The Hindu BusinessLine

By LalitGarg

World Non-Veg Prevention Day is observed every year on 25 November, the main purpose of celebrating this day is to be sensitive towards animal violence and motivate people towards vegetarianism.The main motive of this day is to develop a civilized, balanced and non-violent society. From world history till today, great men who have walked on non-violent ideology have been known with great respect. While great men like Lord Mahavira, Mahatma Buddha and Mahatma Gandhi made India their identity in the world through non-violence, they made people aware of non-violence and vegetarianism. Then why even today, from the country to the world, everywhere from city to village, peoples food is based on meat, due to which millions of innocent animals fall prey to human diet. Science also says that vegetarianism is the best food to prevent all kinds of diseases, from consuming non-vegetarian food where mental disorders arise. Even in the Corona epidemic, vegetarianism has been accepted as the most safe, suitable and healthy food.

At the time of the Corona catastrophe, the voice of change in the food for the happy life and health of human beings is heard all over the world. The number of people who give up non-vegetarian food is increasing not only in India but in the world. According to a recent survey conducted by global research company Ipsos, 63 % of Indians are now adopting vegetarianism instead of non-vegetarian food. According to news, 1.5 million people in America are vegetarian. 10.5% of the population of the Netherlands was vegetarian ten years ago, while currently 5% of the people there are vegetarian. According to the well-known Gallup poll, three thousand people are becoming vegetarian every week in England. There are now more than 25 million people who are vegetarian. The shortness of life due to increasing diseases has forced a person to adopt vegetarianism; the truth is that vegetarianism is an advanced lifestyle, safe diet.

Doctors around the world have proved that vegetarian food is the best for good health. A balanced diet consisting of fruits, herbs, vegetables, different types of pulses, seeds and milk products etc. does not produce any poisonous elements in the food. The main reason for this is that when an animal is killed it becomes a dead substance. This does not apply with vegetables. If a vegetable is cut in half and sowed in the ground, then it will be produced again as a vegetable tree. Because it is a living substance. But this cannot be said for a sheep, lamb or a rooster. Other specific discoveries have also revealed that when an animal is killed, it becomes so frightened that the toxic elements emanating and spread all over its body and those poisonous elements are in the form of flesh. Then after eating the animal flesh the same toxins have been transferred into the body of humans. Our body is not capable of completely removing those poisonous elements. The result is high blood pressure, heart and kidney disease, etc.

Therefore, it is absolutely necessary that in terms of health, we should be completely vegetarian while prohibiting non-vegetarian food. Nature has made man vegetarian by nature. No laborious animal consumes animal flesh, be it horse or camel, bull or elephant. Then why does a human being become non vegetarian, contrary to his nature; spread fatal diseases and deformities of the world?

Eating meat only for taste is not only violence but also the culmination of the nature of forgiveness. In the Sushruta Samhita:, it is written that cooking food is a sacred act like a yajna. A carnivore produces poisonous elements that make a person cruel and violent, reducing his bodys immunity and making him prone to other diseases like blood pressure and heart diseases.Tamsik food produces deformities like anger and laziness in the human body. It is also said that the food should be eaten as it is.

Mahatma Gandhi used to say that taste is not in substance, but in mans own tongue. Far from opposing non-vegetarianism in the country of Gandhi, who controlled the taste of tongues with neem, it is worrisome that in some areas, the emphasis on non-vegetarianism is worrisome, even shameful for the non-violence worshipers. The meat industry has been adopting various tactics to encourage and promote meat eating. Such mischiefs have been happening in India too. The business people have been undertaking such so-called cruel and religious beliefs taken for granted for their own benefit and also for the promotion and use of meat and eggs.

The poultry industry tried its best to spread its commercial net by promoting eggs as vegetarian and non-living. But it is auspicious dialogue that now vegetarianism has started in India, making it a lifestyle of the people is a moral obligation of every enlightened citizen in favour of non-violence and against the ruthless killing of innocent creatures and unborn seedlings for the sake of happiness. It is the first duty of everyone to prepare the public.

Efforts have been made to promote vegetarianism in India, not only in India but the great intellectuals of the world, e.g. Aristotle, Plato, Leonardo Davinci, Shakespeare, Darwin, P. H. Huxley, Emerson, Einstein, George Bernard Shaw, H.G. Wells, Sir Julian Huxley, Leo Tolstoy, Shelly, Russo, etc. were all vegetarians. In terms of human structure, we will see that vegetarian food is our natural food. Americas world-renowned nutritionist Dr. Michael Klepper says that the yellow part of the egg is the largest source of cholesterol and frozen lubricants in the world, which is fatal to health.

Today the biggest problem in the world is to prevent further peace of world peace and violence. There are clouds of violence and terrorism everywhere. If they can be stopped, then only by propelling human nature towards non-violence and vegetarianism. We also have a duty under Article 51A (G) of the Indian Constitution to have mercy on all living beings and remember that if we cannot provide life to someone, then we have no right to take his life. The question is why then we have been undertaking extensive efforts to develop and encourage slaughterhouses here? After all, why have we become so insensitive?

In the last few years, a large number of vegetarians have been seen in western countries ever since new researches have proved that vegetarianism is safer as human food. Not only this, people have also come to understand that non-vegetarianism is not just the cause of diseases, but are contrary to non-violence, peace, environment, agriculture, morality and human values. It is also negative for the economy. Modernism has become synonymous in the West. People can be seen taking pride in declaring themselves vegetarian as leaders of this new trend.

The ideology of Western philosophies, which once used to consider meat eating as the most suitable, has started to turn towards vegetarianism. This should be called a good sign in favour of vegetarianism from many perspectives. Non-vegetarians are the cause of many problems and this is causing tremendous damage to agriculture. In Ayurveda, non veg has been called the home of diseases. The flag-bearer of agro-culture has always been a driver of many values like non-violence and love. It is important that central and state governments can solve the problem of food grains of the country by closing slaughterhouses, while at the same time they can also solve the problem of water, environment, dwindling livestock, milk, ghee and fertilizer. The employment that crores of people will get is different. Promoting vegetarianism means enhanced health as well as improved economy and progressive lifestyle. If we can educate the coming generations about vegetarianism, and tell people about its benefits, and advise them to eat non-vegetarian food, then it will be a real meaning to celebrate World Non-Vegetarian Prevention Day.

(Lalit Garg is a Journalist, columnist, writer and member of Rajbhasa samiti, Ministry of Home Affairs. The views expressed are personal opinion of the author. He can be reached at lalirgarg11@gmail.com)

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Non-vegetarianism affects the whole humanity - - Avenue Mail

In this episode, we speak to Balmurli Natarajan and Suraj Jacob about the politics of vegetarianism in India.

At best, only three in ten Indians are vegetarians, and more realistically less than two in ten are vegetarians. Yet, India is often portrayed as a land of vegetarians in popular culture. Our guests will probe this representation, and reveal how vegetarianism varies across caste, religion, class, gender, state and time.

We will speak toBalmurli Natarajan and Suraj Jacob about the politics of vegetarianism in India.Dr Jacob is a political economist afliated with Azim Premji University, Bengaluru and Centre for Development Studies, Trivandrum. Dr Natrajan is an anthropologist afliated with William Paterson University of New Jersey, United States and Azim Premji University, Bengaluru. We will discuss their EPW articles titled"'Provincialising' Vegetarianism:Putting Indian Food Habits in Their Place" and "Deepening Divides:The Caste, Class and Regional Face of Vegetarianism."

Subscribe to Research Radio to stay tuned to our entire season. Do listen to our previous episodes if you have not already.

1 February 2021

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Research Radio Ep 14: The Myth of Vegetarianism in India - Economic and Political Weekly

Photo: Lynne Gilbert/Moment Editorial/Getty Images

When I was 8 years old, I lived in a town so small that my family would drive 30 minutes to the nearest Taco Bell for takeout. By the time wed driven back home, the food would be cold and slightly soggy. It was still the highlight of each week.

My family is one of the many Indian families who immigrated to the United States in the second major wave of migration from the 1980s to the mid-1990s. I started preschool in the U.S., and its fair to say that my childhood was defined by the trappings of American culture. I primarily spoke English, I made white American friends, and I watched American TV. Outwardly I was an average American kid. At home, though, I lived an alternate identity. My Indian parents spoke our native tongue of Gujarati, watched Bollywood movies, spent time with Indian friends, and most notably, exclusively cooked and ate vegetarian Indian food.

At the time, burgers and pizza were unfamiliar territory for Indians migrating to the West. Alternatively, vegetarianism was a largely foreign concept to Americans in the 90s and it had certainly not broken through to the mainstream chains we coveted as we struggled to find a place in American culture. Eating out was, for people like us, just not a thing.

Growing up as a vegetarian in Texas, which was hardly understood 30 years ago, it was next to impossible to find vegetarian-friendly food, much less vegetarian fast food, says Akansha Sharma, a senior product marketing manager from Houston. It was and still is really novel to look at a menu and be able to order anything, which is possible as a vegetarian at Taco Bell.

As incongruous as it sounds, the chain that specializes in tacos and burritos was a lifeline for Indian American families. My family and I would always find something each of us liked, explains Manasi Arya, a special education teacher and illustrator from Indianapolis. The sauces were our favorite part, and we still have drawers full of random Taco Bell sauces.

Taco Bell introduced an option for families like ours to join in the very American tradition of grabbing a cheap fast-food meal. Whats more, it helped my immigrant parents and me to find common ground at a time when we couldnt agree on much else. As Arya explains, Taco Bell offered a surprisingly appealing combination of details: Spicy sauces and ingredients my parents were familiar with like rice, beans, and veggies and regular American food with cheese.

Which is why it was so startling when Taco Bell first announced that it would remove a number of vegetarian items the 7-Layer Burrito, the Spicy Potato Soft Taco, Cheesy Fiesta Potatoes from its menu starting this past August and continuing until last week. While change is hard, the company pandered to its disappointed customers, a simplified menu and innovation process will leave room for new fan favorites.

While touting the completion of its menu revamp and announcing the elimination of its Mexican Pizza the chain tried to assuage the concerns of its vegetarian customers by pointing out the menu remains highly customizable, encouraging them to play around on our mobile app.

But by eliminating specific items that had become so important to vegetarians, and instead encouraging them to place special orders, the message Taco Bell sent was not so subtle, and its priorities became clear. Even if the move was an attempt to improve the bottom line, it also felt personal.

So, in true American fashion, Indian Americans are protesting Taco Bells decision to remove the items. Soon after hearing the news, Krish Jagirdar, a venture partner from New York City, started the Save the Mexican Pizza petition on Change.org. Its made its rounds with the Indian American community in the last few months, garnering almost 144,000 signatures.

I think its a huge mistake. Taco Bell is deeply intertwined with Indian American culture, Jagirdar explains. For most Indians, the Mexican Pizza was a staple item included in almost every order. Many friends and relatives have sent me screenshots of the petition being shared in various text and WhatsApp groups, often by aunties and uncles as well.

For many Indian Americans, trips to Taco Bell have been the backdrop to both significant and mundane memories. Memories of my adolescence are earmarked by how accessible Taco Bell was, such was its critical existence in my own familys life. Vegetarian-friendly fast-food options have, of course, improved immensely in recent years, but the Indian American communitys love for Taco Bell isnt just about the food. To eat it is to feel at home, a reminder that inclusivity can make all the difference. Taco Bell will live on as an unlikely champion in the Indian American story: When everything else made me felt like an outsider, eating at Taco Bell unwittingly reminded me that choices matter, and that we belong here, too. Fortunately, that feeling wont disappear entirely, even if the Mexican Pizza has.

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How Taco Bell Turned Its Back on Indian Americans - Grub Street

Effie Caldarola

By Effie Caldarola Catholic News Service Posted November 25, 2020

During Advent, we pray about our call to be disciples. But what does discipleship mean?

One of the most accessible and enjoyable Jesuit writers of the 20th century was a priest named Mark Link. Father Link wrote numerous books, and hes well known for his short, pithy anecdotes that express truth in a simple way.

In his 1993 book, Challenge, Father Link tells the story of two brothers, Clarence and Robert, who had committed their lives to Jesus when they were young. Clarence grew up to become a political activist, Robert an attorney.

One day Clarence asked Robert for some legal help in a civil rights matter, writes Father Link. Robert refused, saying it could hurt his political future.

What about Roberts commitment to Jesus?

Robert said, I do follow Jesus, but Im not going to get crucified like he was.'

To which Clarence replied, Robert, you are not a follower of Jesus; you are only a fan.

This story gives me pause. Of course I admire Jesus and hope that his teachings make an impact in my life. But am I a disciple? Or merely a fan? Is there a line I wont cross?

Ive just read Jon Meachams brilliant book about John Lewis, the civil rights activist who died this year at age 80.

In His Truth Is Marching On: John Lewis and the Power of Hope, Meacham introduces us to a man who heard Jesus invitation from a young age. He was just a little kid when he decided to be a preacher, and his first audience was the chickens he fed daily. When his mom killed one of his congregation for supper, Lewis would refuse to eat.

This childhood experience didnt lead to vegetarianism, but it did lead to a Baptist seminary after high school, and eventually to what Mother Teresa of Kolkata described in her own life as a call within a call.

Lewis entered seminary in 1957, just as the South was still reeling from and resisting the school integration decreed by the 1954 Supreme Court decision, Brown vs. Board of Education. Lewis had grown up in an environment of racism white robed klansmen walked the streets, lynchings stalked the countryside.

He saw the abuse heaped on students brave enough to integrate public schools and made his decision to pursue nonviolent protest against a violent system. He modeled this decision on the Gospel. For him, the Gospel was a social gospel.

When we remember Lewis as a respected member of Congress, where he spent the last years of his life, we forget the many beatings he took. We forget the times he was dragged from lunch counters and refused service. We forget the mobs that gathered outside the buses that he and other Freedom Riders rode to integrate travel. We forget the decision Lewis made to board one of those buses after a firebombing destroyed another.

Lewis skull was fractured at the Edmund Pettus Bridge. Yet his commitment to nonviolence and love was unwavering.

One test of a saint, writes Meacham, is the willingness to suffer and die for others. Which Lewis was willing to do again and again and again.

Discipleship calls us to be, somehow, indifferent to our own life, even if its just in the small opportunities we have each day to give generously of ourselves.

On Dec. 2, we celebrate the 40th anniversary of the killing of the four Catholic churchwomen in El Salvador, another example of people who were all in for Jesus. Remembering their discipleship, and Lewis, is a good way to honor Advent.

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Advent's call to discipleship, and what that means - CatholicPhilly.com

His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama is encouraging his followers around the globe to adopt a vegetarian dietin an effort to alleviate suffering on World Animal Day, which took place this past Sunday, October 4th. In a recorded message, the Buddhist leader said, "It is very useful to promote vegetarianism. We should pay more attention towards developing more vegetable [-based diets]," adding that factory farming is "environmentally very harmful." The Dalai Lama also urged kitchens of Buddhist monasteries and Tibetan schools to forgo meat in favor of more vegetables.

Buddhismhas a long history of vegetarianism and different sects of the religion hold different values and observe different diets. In Buddha's final teachings in the Mahayana school, it is said that he told his followers that they should not eat meat or fish. TheLankavatara Sutra states, "So as not to become a source of terror, bodhisattvas (a person on the path toward Buddhahood) established in benevolence should not eat food containing meat...People kill animals for profit and exchange goods for the meat. One person kills, another person buysboth are at fault."

Strict vegetarianism is not a belief that all Buddhists hold, for example, theTheravada school allowsmonks to eat pork, chicken, and fish but only if the animals were not killed for their consumption, rather offered and not specifically prepared for the person, similar to food donations the Buddha would accept, which sometimes contained meat.

Other schools such asVajrayana are not all vegetarian, but one overarching theme of the Buddhist religion is compassion, and in this time of climate change, vegetarianism can offer both compassion for the planet as well as for the animals inhabiting it.

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The Dalai Lama Encourages a Switch to Vegetarianism on World Animal Day - The Beet

As of 2020, even if you don't follow a strictly vegan or vegetarian diet, you've most likely considered cutting down on your meat consumption at some point or another, whether it was for the sake of your health, for the sake of the environment, or both. Even longtime culinary professionals, such as Food Network chef Katie Lee, have started gravitating towards plant-based cooking.

Green Matters caught up with Katie Lee to discuss all things veggie, from her history with vegetarianism, to the meatless weeknight dinners she enjoys with her husband, her favorite veggie burger recipe, and the work she's currently doing to fight food insecurity.

Between "meat masters" like Guy Fieri and Bobby Flay, many people associate the Food Network with, well, a lot of meat. However, Lee tells us that she largely gravitates towards a plant-based diet, because that's simply how she was raised. For a few years in high school and through college, Lee followed a vegetarian diet, and she continues to predominantly eat vegetables for the sake of her health.

"When I was in high school, I actually went vegetarian, so most of my high school, college years were completely vegetarian, and my mom was as well. We were always really into eating a lot of vegetables," Lee says.

"And then I started eating meat again, but I look at my plate, and I make it 70-80 percent vegetables, and 20-30 percent other stuff... that was the way my grandmother ate, and I just think its a great way to keep yourself in check, and to really fill up on those good veggies."

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She adds, "As far as plant-based cooking goes, [my husband and I] love to make mushroom bolognese, an eggplant Parmesan, and I always have tofu and tempeh in my fridge to make a quick stir-fry with those. [Plant-based eating] is something thats still definitely a part of my life."

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Lee also tells us these plant-based recipes have proven to be quite popular on her current Food Network series, The Kitchen.

"I actually found that our viewers really gravitate towards these plant-based recipes I always get a lot of messages from people telling me theyre making them and exploring new flavors and new cooking techniques," Lee explains.

"Over the summer I did a grilled tofu taco with a peach black bean salsa that was really good and popular. Ive even made a carrot hot dog! We try all sorts of recipes."

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Being a new mom, Lee tells us that she is constantly seeking out simple meals to make for dinner, and as a longtime burger enthusiast, she's developed a burning passion for Gardein's latest offering, the Ultimate Plant-Based Burger. She says she and her husband always like to have them on hand, adding she's especially partial to them as a meatless alternative and for a solid protein source.

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"[Gardein burgers] are very satisfying and Im a burger person... to have this on hand in my freezer makes it very convenient, especially because I had a baby five weeks ago," Lee explains.

"My husband are always looking at each other and saying what are we going to eat for dinner.' And since theres 19 grams of protein in each one, Im breastfeeding so I like getting my protein in. Its just a really great thing to have on hand," she says.

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Lee even entered the annual New York Food and Wine Festival's Burger Bash this year with a nostalgic spin on Gardein's latest offering.

"I won the very first Burger Bash back in 2008 Im basically a dinosaur at this point in the food world," she laughs. "But I won that with a recipe that was my grandmothers for a patty melt. We call it a Logan County Burger because shes from Logan County, West Virginia."

"I decided to update it this year, for the virtual Burger Bash, and Im using Gardein. [I did] a patty melt and just kind of amping it up since it's the Ultimate Gardein burger, Im making my Ultimate Patty Melt. Im doing griddled onions, a little special sauce in there, and of course lots of melted American cheese and its on buttered toasted bread... Its like a grilled cheese with a burger tucked inside."

If you're looking to make a vegan copycat version, you aren't alone.

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Along with abiding by a "flexitarian" diet for her health and for the environment, Lee is also working with the Food Bank for New York City, because during the ongoing pandemic, food insecurity is currently at an all-time high.

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"Of course with the state of the world right now with COVID, the food bank has needed a lot of support," Lee tells Green Matters. "So, Ive just been working closely with them and trying to raise awareness so people make donations and keep these food banks full so they can support the people of their communities."

Anne Burrell (L) and Katie Lee serve holiday meals for New Yorkers in need during Food Bank For New York City's "Thankful To Give" Holiday Campaign Event at Food Bank for New York City's Community Kitchen of West Harlem on November 19, 2014 in New York City.

Katie Lee's affinity for meatless cooking is certainly inspiring, especially in a largely omnivorous industry such as food media. And honestly, if you're feeling brave in the kitchen later, we strongly suggest checking out her entire plant-based recipe it's to die for.

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Katie Lee on Plant-Based Cooking and Her Obsession With Veggie Burgers - Green Matters

The entrepreneurs who walk into 'Shark Tank' come with high hopes of wowing the investors (sharks), and hopefully raising some money for their business. The sharks Mark Cuban, Kevin O'Leary, Lori Greiner, Barbara Corcoran, Lori Greiner, Daymond John, and Rebert Herjavec, take their own sweet time to dissect the pitch presented by the hopeful entrepreneur, before deciding on whether they should invest their money in the business or not.

While the sharks have over the years have reportedly invested over $100 million into various businesses pitched on the show, there are quite a few entrepreneurs who unfortunately either failed to impress the sharks or secure the funds from sharks, but still managed to become a raging success. 'Shark Tank' has proved to be not only a perfect platform for pitching and capital for unique business ventures but also a great platform for getting the word out about your products or services. So, although the below-listed entrepreneurs failed to raise money from sharks, they however benefitted immensely from the exposure that the show provided to them, which turned them into millionaires!

Chef Big Shake

Mark Cuban has over the years invested in several businesses pitched on the show, and made a lot of money. However, the 'Dallas Mavericks' owner to date regrets not biting into one particular pitch. Back in 2011, Shawn Davis came on the show and pitched for his specialty seafood burger business. Davis asked for $200,000 for a 25% equity stake of the company. After his daughter turned to vegetarianism, Davis realized that there was immense potential in the vegetarian market for foods with a seafood base instead of traditional meat sources, and he wanted to tap into it. Unfortunately for Davis, although all the sharks (except for Barbara) loved his burgers, they thought that his business venture was very risky and decided to pass on it.

But things turned around for Davis after his appearance on 'Shark Tank'. Davis's product- Chef Big Shake caught angel investors' eyes, who offered him $500,000. Soon the company grew from $30,000 in sales to a projected $5 million in just a year. In an interview, Mark admitted that he regretted not investing in Chef Big Shake.

Copa Di Vino

James Martin, the CEO and founder of Copa Di Vino, an individually packaged wine by the glass, appeared on 'Shark Tank' not once but twice, unfortunately, he went back both the times empty-handed, but fortunately found success outside the show. Martin first appeared on Season 2, when he came in with a pitch for $600,000 and offering a 20% stake in his business. Aside from Kevin, all the other sharks passed on the opportunity. Kevin found the idea of packaging wine by glass interesting, so he offered the requested $600,000, but in exchange for a 51 percent stake in the company. Martin wasn't happy with the offer, so he turned down the deal and walked away.

But his appearance on the show worked in the company's favor, as they made a record $5 million in sales that year. Copa Di Vino began growing at a great pace, so the producers reached out to him and asked him to come back on the show again. So, in 2012, Martin once again came into the tank, but this time with the hopes of raising $300,000 for further expanding his business. Unfortunately for Martin, his return to the show wasn't well-received by the sharks, who felt that he was being arrogant. So, yet again, Martin left empty-handed. Despite not raising any capital from the show, his business managed to thrive, just based on his appearance. According to estimates, Cop Di Vino sold 48 million glasses of wine and hit $250 million in revenue!

Rocketbook

When Joe Lemay and Jake Epstein, the CEO and co-founders of the reusable notebook Roketbook came on the show during Season 8, the sharks were far from impressed with the duo's pitch. They all roasted the entrepreneurs for their idea of producing a reusable book that needed a microwave to wipe clean the contents of it, and reuse it again. Kevin openly wondered the point of making a product like that, as there would be no returning customers for it. After plenty of criticism and harsh judgment, the entrepreneurs went back without the $400,000 they were seeking as capital. But after the episode aired, over 500,000 Rocketbooks were sold by major retailers and the company hit $10 million in sales. It also became a top-selling notebook on Amazon.

'Shark Tank' Season 12 premiers on Friday, October 16 at 8/7c only on ABC.

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'Shark Tank': A look at pitches that were a dud on the show but became raging success outside of the tank - MEAWW

With the new year and decade here, many resolve to make changes to their lifestyle. Maybe its a new exercise regimen, dry January, or the currently trending Veganuary which is exactly what it sounds like.

If youve considered giving up meat, or animal products altogether, in 2020 youre not alone more than 500,000 people have already pledged to go vegan on the official Veganuary site. And while maintaining a climate-conscious diet is certainly on many peoples minds, nearly half of those whove pledged to eat vegan for the first month of the year did so for health reasons.

According to experts, it is true that cutting out meat can result in health benefits but only if you do it safely. That means keeping in mind all the nutrients you are (and arent) getting from plant-based eating. Its important not to transition blindly or to assume that by dropping meat alone, your health will improve.

Assuming youre not loading up on high-carb, processed foods like pasta and sweets, one benefit of going vegetarian or vegan might be a reduction in inflammation, says Chris DAdamo, an assistant professor at the University of Maryland School of Medicine. Thats a benefit of eating minimally processed foods in general, DAdamo tells Inverse.

DAdamo explains that plants have an abundance of nutrients, especially in their non-processed form. Plant-based diets also typically mean that one is consuming more fiber, which can help with satiety making you feel less hungry and curbing overeating.

In addition to decreased inflammation, positives can include a healthier weight, better energy metabolism, suggests at 2019 study published in Nature. The researchers reviewed hundreds of studies on how vegetarian diets influence health and determined that plant-based diets, compared to conventional diets, can benefit weight, metabolism, and systemic inflammation.

The researchers write that one of the reasons those benefits arise is because of changes to the gut. Studies suggest that eating plants can cause the microbiome to foster a favorable diversity of bacteria species.

In October, Stephanie Papadakis, a certified holistic nutrition consultant at Gut of Integrity, told Bustle that the antibiotics used to raise meat are also part of the reason why the gut experiences a change when one goes meat-less.

If you cut all meat out of your diet, you would likely see a positive shift in the number of beneficial bacteria in your gut, Papadakis explained. Many conventionally raised animals are given hormones and antibiotics, which can shift our own beneficial bacteria in the same way taking antibiotics can.

Other studies have shown a potential reduction in the risk of heart disease, commonly linked to red meat consumption. But theres a bit of a grey area there another review 2019 paper, this one published in the Annals of Internal Medicine, suggested that red meat does not actually carry the health risks weve previously thought it to have. But many doctors and nutritionists still say that cutting out red meat is still a good idea.

When looking at health benefits of vegetarianism, one factor influencing results can be the health of vegetarian population overall, says Drew Frug, an assistant professor at Auburn University.

On a population level, we see that any derivative of a vegetarian diet is associated with improved health compared to the average omnivore, Frug tells Inverse, but we often neglect the fact that vegetarians are typically pursuing multiple healthy lifestyle behaviors such as exercising regularly and not smoking.

And while in humans, its nearly impossible to prove that meat is not beneficial to the diet, its also widely accepted that humans can be perfectly healthy without consuming meat, Frug says.

Like many areas of nutrition, red meat is open for debate. But if youre thinking of going veg, there are some more immediate health concerns to keep in mind.

While plant-based foods can benefit your body in various ways, there are some health aspects to consider if youre cutting out meat. DAdamo notes that vegetarian and vegan diets can sometimes lack important nutrients, like iron, zinc, vitamin B12 and the lesser-discussed creatine, choline, and omega-3 fats.

Just cutting out animal products in favor of plant foods is not necessarily going to be healthy, DAdamo says. Really this comes down to eating minimally processed food, eating whole foods, regardless of whether there are animal foods in it or not.

To get at those potential deficiencies, vitamin supplements can be key. DAdamo says that taking a B12 supplement is something that every vegan should be doing alongside monitoring the levels of other nutrients.

Essentially, its important to consider going vegetarian as part of a bigger health push. Cutting out meat, in and of itself, is not going to improve health, notes DAdamo. But it can lead be healthy if done in the context of a minimally processed, whole-food-based diet.

On the Veganuary website, a list of foods that are vegan by accident includes treats like Oreos, Doritos, and several types of beer. Perhaps this part misses the point but the list includes some real food, too, like oatmeal and hummus.

The same goes for trendy meat alternatives, like the [Impossible Burger], Frug says. Since the burger is highly processed and high in saturated fat and sodium, some pro-vegetarian nutritionists and researchers argue that its not a healthy alternative to a beef burger.

This is a good representation of extremes in the vegetarian diet, Frug says. If all I do to call my diet vegetarian is exchange one fast food meal for another, I would expect zero health benefits, metabolic, or physical changes.

On the other hand, replacing fast-food meals with minimally processed vegetarian dishes would mean consuming less saturated fat, sodium, and likely total calories. Therefore, diet change would lead to improved blood pressure, blood glucose, and body composition.

To ensure youre truly keeping it healthy, Frug says: Learn to cook.

There are plenty of healthy vegetarian options in restaurants and grocery store freezers, but foods will almost always be healthier coming out of your kitchen, he says.

Frug adds that legumes in particular are among the least expensive nutrient-dense foods you can find at the grocery store, so following a vegetarian diet does not have to be an expensive endeavor.

For DAdamos part, he says that going vegetarian or vegan might be a totally legit way to improve your health. But he also says there are other options. For example, low-carb, paleo, and Mediterranean diets all work for some people too.

The reality is that there are many ways to be healthy, DAdamo says. Theres no one right way.

Read the original:
Veganuary: What hopeful vegans need to know before giving up meat in 2020 - Inverse

Our earlier article (Natrajan and Jacob 2018) argued that the existence of considerable intra-group variation in almost every social group (caste, religious) makes essentialised group identities based on food practices deeply problematic. We showed that myths of Indians meat-avoidance (vegetarianism) stand exposed when we unpack India in different ways, through the lens of caste, gender, class, and especially region. We also presented evidence to suggest the influence of cultural-political pressures (valorising vegetarianism and stigmatising meat by proscribing and punishing beef-eating in particular, but also meat-eating more generally) on reported food habits. The present article follows up our earlier work by analysing changes in the incidence of vegetarianism over time.

The earlier article used data from three different large-scale, representative surveys. Of these, the National Family Health Survey (NFHS) released a new data set (round 4) after our earlier analysis was completed. This allows for a comparison of vegetarianism across the two NFHS rounds, bookending a decade of potential change (200506 in round 3 to 201516 in round 4). The NFHS is analogous to the Demographic and Health Surveys (DHS) conducted in over a hundred countries. Surveys are conducted for separate large samples of women aged 1549 years and men aged 1554 years. Data for round 3 are from 1,24,385 women and 74,369 men. Data for round 4 are from 6,99,686 women and 1,12,122 men. NFHS looks at specific items of food consumption, including eggs, fish and chicken or meat, asking respondents about how often the item was consumed. For our analysis and consistent with our previous article, we consider those who answered never to all three (eggs, fish, chicken/meat)as vegetarian. Appropriate sampling weights were used to construct estimates of vegetarianism within different aggregates (states and social groups).

Decadal Change

From the data, one interesting finding is that there was little change in the overall incidence of vegetarianism in the decade 200515 for women and men: while vegetarianism among women changed marginally from 30.22% in 200506 to 30.97% in 201516, for men it was 20.60% to 20.73%. This amounts to an increase of 0.75 and 0.13 percentage points forwomen and men, respectively (equivalent to 2.5% and 0.6%, respectively). In our earlier article we showed that there exists a significant gender gap in reported vegetarianismabout 10 percentage points higher among women (equivalent to almost 50% more among women compared to men). This gap of 10 percentage points, we showed, was persistent across location (ruralurban), class and caste categories. One interesting puzzle we raised was the existence of the gap only among Hindus (10 percentage points) and Sikhs (a whopping 34 percentage points), much less among Jains and Buddhists (about 5 percentage points), and almost non-existent among Christians and Muslims. We had submitted that this gap could be shaped by gender ideologies within households and communities that placed undue burden on the woman to uphold a tradition, and gendered practices of eating out (favouring men).

The new data show how this gap is persistent, pointing to the possibility of a rigidification of communitarian ideas shaped by food beliefs and practices, but also the social norms rapidly being put in place (partially by state ideologies, but also partially within society through social actors such as community leaders, ethnic mobilisers who craft community boundaries as markers of distinction). We bring this point up in order to emphasise that this overall result (of no change in gender gap over time) hides interesting temporal dynamics for sub-groups of the population. We now turn to examining the intersectional changes across caste and class categories.

Change across mega-caste and wealth categories: Figure 1 (Graphs 1 and 2) shows vegetarianism for mega-caste categories. For women, there was little change (less than 1 percentage point increase) in the decade 200515 for the categories of Scheduled Tribes (STs), Scheduled Castes (SCs) and Other Backward Classes (OBCs). But there was a relatively substantial increase in vegetarianism for the residual (other) category, broadly including privileged castes (4.4 percentage points increase from 2005, equivalent to 12.4% increase). In the case of men as well, the other category of privileged castes saw a substantial increase in vegetarianism (3.3 percentage points increase from 2005, equivalent to 12.6% increase). This points to an increasing assertiveness among privileged castes with respect to vegetarianism.

Figure 1 (Graphs 3 and 4) shows vegetarianism across five wealth quintiles. There was little change in all except the richest quintile which saw a 3.9 percentage points and 2.5 percentage points increase for women and men in that category, respectively (equivalent to 9.8% and 9.1% increase). This confirms our earlier observation (and some other previous studies cited in our earlier article) that vegetarian practices are correlated with socioeconomic status.

Change across states: Figures 26 (pp 2324) turn to reported vegetarianism across states. Figure 2 plots change in 200515 against the baseline (2005). It shows that, on average, states with higher incidence of vegetarianism in 2005 experienced greater increase in the following decade, and this is true for both women and men separately. This implies that over the decade there is increasing divergence across states. In Figure 2, the graphs on the right (#2 and #4) focus on the 17 states with population of at least 2.5 crore in the last census (2011). Divergence occurs even in this subset. Further, the size of the divergence is substantial: For Graphs 1 and 3, for every 1 percentage point of vegetarianism incidence in 2005, there is an average increase of 0.14 percentage points over the following decade for women and 0.26 percentage points for men, and this relationship is statistically significant at the 99% confidence level. In fact, the relationship continues to hold with similar large size and statistical significance for the higher-population states with only 17 observations.

In Figure 3, the left graphs show the same data as scatter plots of 2015 against 2005. The right graph also shows, for women, the change between 1998 and 2005interestingly, the change in that seven-year period was minimal for the states that showed large jumps in the following decade. All this suggests, quite strongly, that vegetarianism-as a political-ideological driver of cultural distinctioncontinues to be a strong shaper of food practices or at least reported food practices in particular parts of the country and not in others. In fact, we see this at work when we disaggregate the changes below.

Which are the key regions powering the increasing divergence across states over time? There are seven statesall from the west and north of the countrywith at least 2 percentage points increase over the decade. Remarkably, these also happen to be the top-six states for vegetarianism in 2005, as confirmed by Figure 2. As shown in the map in Figure 4, they form a contiguous geographic swathe from west to north: Gujarat to Rajasthan to Haryana to Punjab to Himachal Pradesh (HP), then dipping to Uttar Pradesh (UP) and Madhya Pradesh (MP).

Among the high growth states (where vegetarianism increased substantially over the decade), it is useful to distinguish the west-to-north diagonal swathe (Gujarat, Rajasthan, Haryana and Punjab, all have increases well in excess of five percentage points) from the two others to the east of these (although still contiguous), UP and MP, which show slightly lower increase. All of the east and south have reduced incidence of vegetarianism over the decade (negative growth). We note the curious cases of Karnataka and Bihar, two states with substantial reduction in vegetarianism (average change -6.7 and -4.0 percentage points, respectively). Although it is important to consider why this may be the case, it is difficult to identify causal mechanisms. Nonetheless, as mentioned in our earlier article, states that show a combination of factors such as a historically strong Dalit movement, a reasonably sizeable Muslim and OBC population, and a moderate but not all-powerful Hindutva movementmay show the most resilience against cultural-political pressures towards vegetarianism.

Figure 5 plots decadal change for women and men across states. There is a broad correlation/consistency in the direction of decadal change for women and for men: either incidence of vegetarianism for both women and men goes up in a state or goes down (all observations in Figure 5 are either in the top-right quadrant or the bottom-left quadrant of the xy axes). The decadal increase is remarkably high in cases like Punjab and Rajasthan (average increase of 19 and 13 percentage points, respectively). By contrast, among the nine states where vegetarianism decreased among both women and men, there were only three where the average change (across women and men) was at least 2 percentage points, and with only two of them having an average of at least four percentage points (Karnataka and Bihar). The reason that the remarkable increases in vegetarianism among states in the top-right quadrant do not end up tilting the all-India figure upwards, is due to the fact that the many states in the bottom-left quadrant have sufficiently large population between them to balance it out. This can be seen in Figure 6, which is the equivalent of Figure 5 with states weighted by their populations (and with all states now included).

In Conclusion

Our analysis has produced the following key findings. There was little change in incidence of vegetarianism over the decade 200515. This non-change or stasis, however, masks a number of changes at the sub national level and across caste, class, regions, and persistent gender gap the socio-economically privileged castes and classes turned increasingly vegetarian. For the country as a whole this was nullified by a (smaller) decrease in overall vegetarianism among the numerically preponderant less socio-economically privileged. A major point to note for regional change is that states in the west and north, which had the highest incidence of vegetarianism at the start of the decade, also had the biggest increase over the decade. Again, for the country as a whole this was nullified by a (smaller) decrease in overall vegetarianism in the rest of the country (east and south). Finally, the size of the changes among states is far greater than the size of the changes among socio-economic groups. This reinforces the point in our previous article that geography (and underlying agro-ecology as well as the cultural norms influenced by it) plays a much bigger role than social group identities and associated cultural norms.

This article is an attempt to identify and describe trends in vegetarianism over the last decade. Although we do not try to explain them here, the trends towards divergence (across regions, castes, classes) nevertheless suggest deepening divides linked to socioeconomic status and culturalpolitical power inequalities. They therefore suggest a tendency towards divergence in attitudes towards vegetarianism, both for socio-economic groups and for geographical regions. If this emerging divergence is indeed being driven by culturalpolitical pressures, then it suggests polarisation that has negative implications for pluralism and democracy itself.

Notes

1 The National Sample Survey (NSS), the National Family Health Survey (NFHS) and the India Human Development Survey (IHDS)for the years 201112, 200506 and 201112, respectively.

2 Round 2 of the NFHS (199899) also had data for vegetarianism, but only for womens data. The present article supplements the analysis of rounds 3 and 4 with some womens data from round 2. The IHDS, although it had two rounds, did not collect data on vegetarianism in round 1.

3 See https://dhsprogram.com/pubs/pdf/FRIND3 /FRIND3-Vol1AndVol2.pdf for details.

4 See https://dhsprogram.com/pubs/pdf/FR339/FR339.pdf for details.

5 There was very little difference in reported vegetarianism across age-groups, for women and men, and for 200506 and 201516 separately. Since the womens and mens data sets are truncated at ages 49 and 54, respectively, the fact that there is little difference in vegetarianism across age-groups suggests that the estimates reported here can be generalised to 49+ and 54+ populations as well.

6 However, for women there was a marginal increase in the incidence of vegetarianism between 199899 (NFHS2) and 200506 (NFHS3). NFHS did not collect mens data for 199899.

7 Unlike for caste, class and regions (where there were variations in decadal change in vegetarianism), there was virtually no change across the categories religion, education status and age-group. This paper focuses on caste, class and regions.

8 Incidence of vegetarianism also increased marginally among SC men (1.8 percentage point increase from 10.8% in 2005, equivalent to 16.7% increase).

9 These are results from fitting a simple bivariate linear regression; approximately similar results continue to hold for quadratic fit.

10 P-value 0.002 for women and 0.000 for men.

11 With 17 observations, the size of the bivariate linear relationship increases to 0.15 for women and 0.30 for men, with p-values 0.008 and 0.000, respectively.

12 In fact, Himachal Pradesh also has a relatively high increase and belongs in this groupit was not represented in Figure 4 due to relatively lower population, but it is represented in the map in Figure 6.

13 Strictly speaking, there is one exception: in Odisha incidence went down by 0.06 percentage points for women (practically zero) and went up by 0.71 percentage points for men.

Reference

Natrajan, B and S Jacob (2018): Provincialising Vegetarianism: Putting Indian Food Habits in Their Place, Economic & Political Weekly, Vol 53, No 9.

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Deepening Divides : The Caste, Class and Regional Face of Vegetarianism - Economic and Political Weekly

Q: What are the types or levels of vegetarianism?

A: There are several levels of vegetarianism, or types of vegetarian diet, that depend on which foods you choose not to eat. Starting from the most restrictive and working our way down, the types of vegetarian are as follows:

Vegans do not consume any animal products or by-products. So vegans of course do not consume red or white meat, fish or fowl. They also do not consume eggs and dairy. Vegans do not use honey or beeswax, gelatin and any other animal by-product ingredients or products. Vegans typically do not use animal products such as silk, leather and wool, as well.

Lacto-vegetarians do not eat red or white meat, fish, fowl or eggs. However, lacto-vegetarians do consume dairy products such as cheese, milk and yogurt.

Ovo-vegetarians do not eat red or white meat, fish, fowl or dairy products. However, ovo-vegetarians do consume egg products.

Lacto-ovo vegetarians do not consume red meat, white meat, fish or fowl. However, lacto-ovo vegetarians do consume dairy products and egg products. This is the most common type of vegetarian.

While technically not a type of vegetarian, these individuals do restrict their meat consumption to fish and seafood only. Pescatarians do not consume red meat, white meat or fowl. This is considered a semi-vegetarian or flexitarian diet.

Much like the pescatarian, this semi-vegetarian diet restricts meat consumption to poultry and fowl only, and is not officially considered a vegetarian. Pollotarians do not consume red meat or fish and seafood

A plant-based diet with the occasional meat item on the menu. These folks do their best to limit meat intake as much as possible and they have an almost entirely plant-based diet. This is not technically considered a vegetarian diet, but we commend the effort!

There are many different ways to approach vegetarianism, and its up to you to make dietary choices that best fit your lifestyle. Consider your health and fitness goals or needs when choosing. Whether you are becoming a vegetarian yourself, or simply trying to better support your vegetarian friends and family, we hope this list and chart have been helpful!

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Types of Vegetarian Diets | Levels of Vegetarianism

Vegetarian eaters are no longer a minority in North America. Theres as many as 8 million of us here, according to a Harris Interactive poll.

The carnivores question is: Why?

Idealistic vegetarians might say its for the environment, a research-based assertion. The University of Michigan published a study in 2018 determining one-fifth of Americans are responsible for about half 46 percent of our countrys greenhouse gas emissions. And those Michigan researchers concluded thats mainly because that fifth of the population eats more meat, specifically beef.

Anyone who has spent time around cows knows they are constantly expelling methane so much methane, in fact, that the United Nations determined farmed livestock, chiefly bovines, are responsible for roughly 15 percent of human-related greenhouse gas emissions.

Now none of our large-scale farm operations are emission-free even fertilizing soil has adverse effects for the climate. Too much nitrogen in fertilized soil can spike nitrous oxide, which is 300 times worse for climate change than carbon dioxide, according to those Michigan researchers.

But cutting out farmed meat, or even reducing ones meat intake, is smarter for planet health than the alternative, cutting out the fruits and veggies.

What about human health?

Before vegetarianism was widespread in the U.S., researchers focused on nutrition in meat that vegetarians would not be eating. Meat is a significant source of protein, and also has healthy vitamins and minerals.

Now researchers understand that the vegetarian diet is nutritious on its own, and in a different way. But whether thats better for humans isnt scientifically proven, especially since vegetarians tend to be healthier in other, research-confounding ways as well theyre less likely to smoke or excessively drink, and are more likely to exercise.

But Harvard research says vegetarians eat less saturated fat and cholesterol, and more vitamins, dietary fiber, folic acid, potassium, magnesium and plant chemicals, all associated with lower LDL cholesterol, the bad kind, lower blood pressure, which is good and a lower body mass index, also good and all traits of longevity and lower disease risk.

Because of that, vegetarians may be significantly less likely to die from heart disease or suffer type 2 diabetes, and they may be slightly less likely to develop a form of cancer as well.

As one considers trying a vegetarian lifestyle, note there are several kinds of vegetarians. Vegans are the extreme they dont eat anything produced by another creature. Lacto-ovo vegeterians do eat dairy products and eggs. Lacto vegetarians eat only dairy products on top of vegetables and fruits, while ovo vegetarians eat only eggs on top of vegetables and fruits.

Regardless of which lifestyle looks right for you, the path to implementing a vegetarian existence is the same. One can go cold turkey, something one will not eat again as a vegetarian, or gradually adopt the lifestyle, the difference between jumping into a pool or slowly sinking in, starting in the shallow water.

The difficult part of the transition will probably be the social aspect. Oh, sure, people might scoff, express confusion, ask what a vegetable is, but the real challenge is adapting ones social habits.

The entrees list at your favorite restaurant might seem significantly slimmer. Remind yourself you may be as well.

Finding the right meal after an endless days work may take longer than popping in the chicken Lean Cuisine. Remind yourself you have the time to spend you may still be kicking while your TV dinner-consuming pals are six feet under.

No more reaching for the barbecue chicken during NFL season. Remember that while your friends may be in danger of a cholesterol-related event from their game-related excitement, you can jump, kick, howl and cheer without fear. Of that, anyway. Try not to trip and fall through the hors doeuvre table like last year.

One social area vegetarianism may instantly improve is dating. If your date orders, say, an appetizer of nachos littered with beef, politely decline and explain why.

If your date adjusts the order accordingly, proceed.

If your date chuckles and shakes their head, remember the above-mentioned life expectancy.

If your date says, Im so sorry, and, as they decry your symptoms, you realize theyve confused your diet with the fictitious disease lycanthropy, best you politely leave.

Mastering these social situations simply takes time. Vegetarianism is a rhythm, and like any rhythm, learned through practice.

And theres no time better to practice than the start of a new year.

The rest is here:
Year of the veggies: going vegetarian in 2020 | News | samessenger.com - St. Albans Messenger

When at Achija Youre Here, Youre Home stands justified as it has been a part of daily life for more than three decades to its clients and has held their utmost loyalty.

Achija is a chain of fast-food restaurants, established in the year 1987 in a Central Suburb of Mumbai by Lakhamshi Vershi Mange. Since their journey began, they have grown to eight successful restaurants spread across Mumbai & have also carved a strong foothold in the Indian fast-food segment, establishing themselves as solid partners for its management with renowned chains for 21 restaurants in Mumbai and Dubai & now are a legacy in itself.

Stepping into the hospitality industry in the year 2010 Tapan Mange (grandson of the founder), now a successful restaurateur & an entrepreneur started with Achijas first grandeur remote expansion. In the coming two years his execution and efforts gave a standardized business module to Achija, which for decades had practiced traditional business patterns. Mr. Mange then off his international exposure & experience in Dubai, created a vision to take the brand global.

Theres a great appreciation to the vegetarian franchises in an international market is a proven thing which now is even better known for good in today as the world is now preferring veganism or vegetarianism giving up or lowering on meat, which also aids in justifying your quality/flavour, to legitimize yourself & narrow down your competition as youre literally just competing off 100s being a vegetarian franchise than in 1000s like others then followed by a larger/loyal audience to be served. If youre passionate about serving the best and sustaining quality more than anything, your franchise would sure be gold & prime and would be admired anywhere in the world. Just be wise & loyal on your pick! is Tapan Manges mantra. With New York and Canada being the pick for Achija, he plans to take the legacy to the Big Apple, with a twist.

To give a further glimpse of the brand, its potential/positioning & its expansion Mr. Mange planning is to pilot Achijas new version of QSRs & Cloud Kitchens. Giving a new face to the Indian fast-food, Batata Vadas to its mouth-watering Bhaji in pocket bread, grilled potatoes with Bhaji, Pav-Bhaji Pizzas to a fun-filled wide array of Sandwiches & Rolls. Standards & Packaging to its best, handy & convenient to be consumed anytime & anywhere Aiming to serve Achijas best on/off-premises, Mr. Tapan mange while focusing on New Jersey, New York City and Toronto to cover it all within the first 12 months of its pilot launched. Sure good news for Gujaratis based in America.

Achija stands for its scrumptious Pav-Bhaji & its Mumbai Fast-Food diners step in for authentic Indian fast food while enjoys a kinder fusion of Modern Indo-western cuisine, pleasing palates across all ages. Their promise to taste and health has stayed true from the time it was established 30 years ago in a small joint to the eight self-owned outlets today. This shows it has the best potential from all perspectives be it the quality of its food, the utmost loyal decades-old customer base, its hygiene practices, or its traditional hospitality! Being a QSR it always has proven to be most efficiently managed and consistently been outstanding with regards to its market position, quality, customer satisfaction/loyalty with the limited available resources.

Over the last 30 years, Achija has successfully always been into top favorites amongst in the related localities and its competitions and so has been efficacious throughout and created a high & ever-growing loyal customer base. Also, it is highly recommended amongst Gujaratis which holds a strong presence in America, hence Achija is already being welcomed in the USA and Canada & goodwill held by the brand itself pre promises exposure to a colossal and loyal customer base.

Motivated by the success and growing demand for vegetarianism, Mr. Mange and his team have envisioned and embarked to set up a vegetarian legacy in the global market. Achija has always held an ever-growing Brand Loyal Customers who are frequent and enthusiastic visitors in Mumbai and its recalling and recognition would provide a firm base to Achija to cultivate the Brand Loyalty in the United States & Canada again which is the ultimate reward for successful marketers since Achijas customers are far less likely to be enticed to switch to other brands compared to non-loyal customers, says Tapan Mange, Entrepreneur- Restaurateur, Achija.

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Taking 'Achija', the legacy of Indian fast-food to Toronto and New York - NewsPatrolling

Rise in vegetarianism and veganism among consumers worldwide has generated a positive impact for potato protein as an ingredient across an array of food & beverage categories. The global demand for potato protein market is expected to increase due to the growing demand from consumers for plant-based proteins.

According to a new report published by Allied Market Research, titled,Potato Protien Marketby Type and Application: Global Opportunity Analysis and Industry Forecast, 20192026,the global potato protein market size was valued at$363.6 millionin 2018, and is projected to reach$648.4 millionby 2026, registering a CAGR of7.60%from 2019 to 2026.

Potato protein is obtained during the process of extracting starch from potatoes. When starch is extracted, protein-rich juice is produced, which is further precipitated to extract potato protein.

It is available in three types, depending on the protein concentration, isolates, concentrates, and hydrolyzed. It offers superior emulsifying, foaming, and gelling properties.

Potato protein has a high content of amino acids and is free from animal proteins or allergens. This makes potato protein an ideal component in animal feed as well as for human consumption, thereby driving the growth of the global potato protein market.

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Allergenicity has become a concern for consumers globally.

Several animal and vegetable proteins, such as from soy, milk, egg, or wheat are declarable allergens. In addition, proteins obtained from rice, maize, or pea provide limited solubility, nutrition, and texture.

This gives potato protein an edge in the plant protein market, as it provides a combination of superior functionality, high nutrition, and low allergenicity. In addition, potato proteins offer superior emulsifying, foaming, and gelling properties.

Furthermore, they serve as a substitute for animal proteins such as egg albumen & egg yolk, meat & meat analogues, and egg-free dressings. Moreover, they are highly regarded as an ingredient for gluten-free bakery products.

However, the availability of cereals such as wheat, oat, and barley, which are high in proteins, fiber, minerals, vitamins, and carbohydrates is expected to hamper the growth of potato protein market.

Get detailed COVID-19 impact analysis on the Potato Protein Market @www.alliedmarketresearch.com/requestqfor=covid

Conversely, food products organically grown with high nutrition value are gaining elevated demand, which is expected to create a positive impact on the growth of the global potato protein market in the near future.

The global potato protein market analysis is carried on the basis of type, application and region. On the basis of type, the market is categorized into isolates, concentrates and hydrolysates.

Among these, the isolates segment led the potato protein market in terms of revenue share in 2018, however the hydrolysates segment is anticipated to grow at the highest CAGR during the forecast period. Based on application, the market is bifurcated into animal feed, meat, bakery & confectionery, supplements and others.

Among these, the animal feed segment garnered the highest market share in the potato protein market in 2018, however the bakery & confectionery segment is anticipated to grow at the highest CAGR during the forecast period. Region wise, the market is studied across North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific and LAMEA.

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Key findings of the Study:

The key players in the potato protein industry include Avebe, Kemin Industries, Inc., Royal Cosun, KMC Ingredients, Tereos, Roquette Frres, PEPEES Group, Agrana, Bioriginal Food & Science Corp., and Meelunie B.V.

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Examine Potato Protein Market size is witnessing a CAGR of 7.60% from 2019 to 2026 - WhaTech

French President Emmanuel Macron inspects a cow at an exhibition centre in Paris in February 2020. Photo:LUDOVIC MARIN/POOL/AFP via Getty Images

PARIS, France Five years on from the Paris Agreement, the first legally binding international treaty on climate change, France has made grand gestures to avert impending ecological disaster.

The French government has recently proposed a ban on short-haul domestic flights, outlawed the heated terraces beloved in Paris, launched a high-profile citizens convention on the climate and is currently debating an amendment to the constitution that would guarantee the preservation of the environment.

But last month when Grgory Doucet, the progressive Green Party mayor of Lyon, announced that school lunch menus offered to some 29,000 Lyonnais children each day would no longer include meat, for many it was a step too far.

Grald Darmanin, the right-leaning French interior minister, said that dropping meat was scandalous and an unacceptable insult to French farmers and butchers that was part of an elitist and moralist policy.

Julien Denormandie, the agriculture minister, called the Lyon mayors introduction of meat-free lunches aberrational from a nutritional point of view and shameful from a social point of view.

Adding to the cacophony of criticism, Bruno Retailleau, president of the right-wing Les Republicains party in the French Senate, described the move as the totalitarian temptation of a current of thought which wants to impose its options on all by force.

Farmers feed cows on the square facing the city hall of Lyon in protest at the mayor's decision to feed kids from vegetarian-only menus. Photo: OLIVIER CHASSIGNOLE/AFP via Getty Images)

But not all have been critical of Lyons meat-free policy. Instead fierce political factions have emerged on both sides, underlining the existential crisis that France faces as it attempts to uproot age-old traditions to avoid climatic catastrophe.

The Minister of Ecological Transition, Barbara Pompili, was one of those to hit back. We have fallen into a prehistoric debate, she said. I regret these worn out clichs, such as vegetarian food provides an unbalanced diet, when we know that meat can be replaced by fish, eggs, and vegetables which provide all the necessary proteins. It prevents us having a real debate on why we want to implement vegetarian menus.

That debate, added Pompili, should focus on the fact that livestock is responsible for 15% of greenhouse gas emissions. Frances own Ecological Transition Agency (ADEME) estimates that a meat dish on average requires 137g of CO2 emissions nearly ten times the 15g emitted in producing a vegetarian equivalent.

Leading global authorities have come to a similar conclusion. In a special report published in 2019, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), the UN climate body, found that plant-based diets are a major opportunity for mitigating climate change, and recommended that countries reduce meat consumption.

For Benoit Granier, food expert for the French Climate Action Network, an environmental campaign group, a reduction in eating meat in France will be key to preventing the destruction of the planet.

Its a qualitative and quantitative problem, says Granier. We eat too much meat and too much bad quality meat. Its led to huge deforestation in Latin America. We need to massively reduce consumption of animal products, especially those made with intensive farming practices.

However, Lyon City Hall has played down the climate aspect and insists the decision to drop meat was made to speed up the service in the citys 206 schools to better comply with the pandemics health protocol requirements under COVID-19, which is now entering a deadly third wave across Europe.

We only took the decision to allow the public service to continue, a spokesperson told VICE World News. Children eat more quickly if theres only one choice and thats needed to allow social distancing to be maintained between students.

But critics are doubtful of this explanation and point to the fact that Mayor Doucet pledged in his election campaign last year to offer the choice of a vegetarian menu every day of the week in schools.

A photo shows the aftermath of a protest by farmers in Puy-de-Dome prefecture in Clermont-Ferrand. Photo: BART MAAT/Thierry Zoccolan AFP/AFP via Getty Images

Mlanie Hamon, a lawyer for the Admys-avocats firm, is representing the Departmental Federation of Farmers' Unions (FDSEA) and parents from Lyon in a legal appeal against the decision to temporarily stop serving meat.

The mayor says the reason for not serving meat is because of COVID but he clearly has a political motive, says Hamon, whose emergency appeal was submitted last month. But in any case, we consider it illegal.

The city's administrative court rejected those initial appeals earlier this month, noting that the non-meat menus do not create a health risk for children in terms of an emergency, allowing municipal canteens to continue not serving meat.

But that ruling has not halted the wave of criticism, with some decrying an assault on Frances sacrosanct individual liberty. Pierre Perrin, president of the Rhne regions Butchers Union, told VICE World News the decision to stop serving meat in Lyons cantines is an attack of freedom and that the environmental argument for reducing meat eating was not proven scientifically.

Its more an ideology, he adds. And its wrong. Eating meat is indispensable. Its very worrying. Good food, good living and good eating is part of Lyons culture. Lyon is the capital of French gastronomy.

Analysts say the furore is being framed by some as the latest Anglophone attack on French society and values: from culture wars to culinary wars.

Vegetarianism is seen as an Anglo-American import, says Renan Larue, a French professor at the University of California. Some are trying to make this a question of French identity and ecologists are being accused of betraying French heritage. Its an explosive cocktail.

Larue believes that the framing is down to the fact that France is increasingly being forced to face something of an existential crisis.

Its a particular moment of malaise, because theres a growing feeling of culpability regarding meat-eating in France but many are still attached to this past, he adds. Thats why theres been such a strong reaction.

Others see different factors behind the backlash. lodie Vieille-Blanchard, president of the vegetarian association of France, says that the very influential meat and dairy lobby in France has also played a role in the size of the debacle.

Theres been a historical support for these industries because of it, she says. Lies have been told, a cacophony of them.

But Vieille-Blanchard says that Frances meat consumption has been on the decline for years as attitudes evolve. In 1998, some 93.6kg of meat was consumed on average a year by every French person but that has since fallen to 86.2kg.

Vieille-Blanchard says that Mad cow disease a fatal condition for cattle that led to health problems in adults who consumed affected meat in the 1990s, and a more recent scandal over horse meat discovered in frozen beef lasagnas, have also led to dips in meat consumption.

I believe the decision by Lyon is common sense, she adds. A sustainable diet for the planet is one largely based on vegetable protein.

But while in January, a vegan restaurant near Bordeaux became the first to earn a prestigious Michelin star, only around 2% of French people say they are vegetarian and 0.5% vegan (although 30% say they are flexitarian).

For now, as French parliament this week debates a climate law that could require canteens to serve a vegetarian meal option every day, Lyon City Hall will continue to serve meatless meals. It remains an unpalatable reality for some.

The Interior Ministry and Ecological Transition Ministry did not respond to requests for comment.

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France Is Having an Existential Crisis About Giving Up Meat to Save the Planet - VICE UK