By Reed Mangels, PhD, RD

Around 30 years ago, researchers in the United Kingdom started a large study that would provide a wealth of data about the health of vegans and vegetarians. The study is called EPIC-Oxford which stands for the Oxford cohort of the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition. It includes 65,000 adult men and women living throughout the U.K, approximately half of whom don’t eat meat (1).  About 30% of subjects are lacto-ovo vegetarian and 4% are vegan (2).

EPIC-Oxford tracked study subjects for more than 18 years, during which the subjects answered questions about their health and food choices. One important area that the study investigated was the relationship between diet type and the risk of developing common chronic diseases such as heart disease, cancer, and diabetes.

Compared to nonvegetarians, vegetarians and vegans had a 22% lower risk of heart disease (1). This appeared to be due to the generally lower body mass index (BMI), lower blood pressure, and lower LDL-cholesterol level typical of vegetarians and vegans.

Diabetes is an increasingly common condition. In EPIC-Oxford, vegetarians had a 35% lower risk of diabetes compared to nonvegetarians; vegans had a 47% lower risk. Overall cancer risk was 10% lower in vegetarians and 18% lower in vegans. Vegetarians and vegans also had a lower risk of diverticular disease and cataracts and vegetarians had a lower risk of kidney stones compared to a group characterized as “high meat eaters” (1).

In contrast to these positive results, vegetarians had a higher risk of a type of stroke, namely hemorrhagic stroke (1).  You can read more about this result here. Bone fracture risk was also higher in vegetarians and vegans. You can read more about that result here.

The results, showing a reduced risk of several common diseases in vegetarians and vegans are especially impressive when we consider that both the vegetarians and nonvegetarians in this study were considerably healthier than the average person living in the United Kingdom (1).

The scientists who conducted this important study would like to see more research done investigating changes in diets of vegetarians and vegans over recent years as more vegan convenience foods have been developed. They would like to see a study done which includes many more vegans than EPIC-Oxford did – tens of thousands of vegans in contrast to EPIC-Oxford’s approximately 2,300 vegans.

References

1. Key TJ, Papier K, Tong TYN. Plant-based diets and long-term health: findings from the EPIC-Oxford study. Proc Nutr Soc. 2022;81(2):190-198.
2. Davey GK, Spencer EA, Appleby PN, et al. EPIC-Oxford lifestyle characteristics and nutrient intake in a cohort of 33,883 meat-eaters and 31,546 non meat-eaters in the UK. Public Health Nutr. 2003;6:259-68.

To read more about EPIC-Oxford see:

Long-term Studies of Vegetarians

Adequate Calcium Important for Vegan Bone Health

EPIC-Oxford website

Cranberries are often served on Thanksgiving in the USA. Debra Daniel-Zeller shares the following cranberry-based recipes in a previous Vegetarian Journal article she wrote:

Orange-Cranberry “Butter”

Warming Cranberry-Apple Cider

Heavenly Squash, Cranberries, and Rice

Double Cranberry Soda Bread

Cranberry-Apple Cobbler

Cranberry Fruit Salad

Whole Cranberry-Pineapple Sauce

Creamy Cranberry-Apple Whip

Find the recipes here: Crazy About Cranberries

Subscribe to Vegan Journal in the USA only by visiting https://www.vrg.org/member/2013sv.php

Recent topics brought up include:

– The Vegetarian Resource Group’s $30,000 Scholarship Program for Graduating High School Seniors

– Info on bimonthly So Many Kids in the Kitchen show shared

– Kids and food allergies by Reed Mangels, PhD, RD

https://www.facebook.com/groups/VRGparentsandkids is intended to be a group that offers support for families raising children on vegan diets and for vegan kids around the world. We envision it as a place to get advice about a wide-variety of topics: pregnancy, birthday parties, school lunches, Halloween, non-leather apparel, cruelty-free products, summer camps, and more. Please use it as a place to share your wisdom, seek advice, or just find a sympathetic ear. The goal is to offer support.

Consequently, any profane, defamatory, offensive, or violent language will be removed. Feel free to disagree, but do so respectfully. Hateful or discriminatory comments regarding race, ethnicity, religion, gender, disability, sexual orientation, or political beliefs will not be tolerated. We expect that posts should relate to vegan diets and lifestyles. The Vegetarian Resource Group reserves the right to monitor all content and ban any user who posts in violation of the above rules, any law or regulation, SPAM, or anything otherwise off topic.

Please share this information with any veggie families that you know! Thanks.

Warm Wheatberry Salad photo by Rissa Miller

Are you searching for some new vegan side dishes to serve to co-workers, friends, and family at Thanksgiving? Chef Brown from The Land of Kush vegan restaurant in Baltimore, Maryland, shares several recipes (serving 12) in his article titled, “Cooking for a Crowd.” Enjoy Thai Squash Stew, Collard Greens in Orange Sauce, Warm Wheatberry Salad, Stuffed Sweat Potatoes, Coconut Curry Eggplant Stew, and Cranberry & Mango Sauce.

Read the entire article here: Cooking for a Crowd

Subscribe to Vegan Journal in the USA only by visiting https://www.vrg.org/member/2013sv.php

Waffled Tofu with Red Eye Gravy photo by Hannah Kaminsky

A previous issue of VRG’s Journal featured a recipe piece by Hannah Kaminsky titled “Breakfasts to Savor.” Enjoy recipes for Waffled Tofu with Red Eye Gravy; Curried Coconut Granola; Cheesy Broccoli and Bac-un Toaster Tarts; Bread Omelet; and Black Bean Chilaquiles.

Read the article here: Breakfasts to Savor

To subscribe to Vegan Journal in the USA, see: https://www.vrg.org/member/2013sv.php

Matt and Nat CRUISE Vegan Wallet – Loom

Are you looking to buy a non-leather vegan wallet? The following companies in the USA, Canada, and Europe all offer a variety of wallets for men and women.

USA

Couch sells a variety of wallets for men and women.

Doshi offers wallets for men and women.

Fabric Horse sells wallets for men and women.

Grape Cat sells a wide variety of wallets for women and men.

Green Banana Paper sells wallets made out of banana leaves.

K Carroll sells wallets for women.

Labante has offices in the USA and United Kingdom and offer wallets for women and men.

Matt and Nat sells wallets for men and women. Ships internationally.

Mechaly sells a variety of women’s wallets.

Moo Shoes sells a variety of wallets for men and women.

Unicorn Goods sells a variety of men’s wallets.

Vegan Chic sells women’s wallets.

The Vegetarian Site sells hemp wallets.

CANADA

Jeane & Jax is a Canadian company selling a wide variety of wallets for women.

Nice Shoes is a Canadian company that offers wallets for men and women.

Pixie Mood is a Canadian company that sells a variety of women’s wallets.

 EUROPE

Avesu in Germany offers a wide range of wallets in various colors made from different materials.

Corkor in Portugal sells wallets for men and women made out of cork.

Labante has offices in the USA and United Kingdom and offer wallets for women and men.

Hiking, walking, and camping are great ways to get outside, enjoy nature, and unwind from your day-to-day life. We’ve got all the info you need to put together your own sweet or savory trails mixes, make vegan homemade oatmeal bars, and more. These ideas are great for the outdoors or car trips or even just to keep handy for snacking.

See video at https://youtu.be/IpYVzxt7OKQ

Recipe for Cherry Ginger Oat Bars: https://www.vrg.org/blog/2022/02/18/cherry-lime-ginger-oat-bars/

Vegan Hiking Boot Guide: https://www.vrg.org/blog/2022/03/10/vegan-hiking-boots-sold-online-in-the-usa-canada-and-europe/

Recipe for Homemade Trail Mixes: https://www.vrg.org/blog/2022/02/16/trail-mixes/

Vegan Hiking On the Appalachian Trail: https://www.vrg.org/blog/2020/01/29/hiking-while-vegan/

The contents of this website and our other publications, including Vegetarian Journal and Vegan Journal, are not intended to provide personal medical advice. Medical advice should be obtained from a qualified health professional. We often depend on product and ingredient information from company statements. It is impossible to be 100% sure about a statement, info can change, people have different views, and mistakes can be made. Please use your best judgment about whether a product is suitable for you. To be sure, do further research or confirmation on your own.

In the United States when people think of pancakes they often picture a pile of pancakes covered with maple syrup. However, did you know that around the world pancakes are savory? Debra Daniels-Zeller shared savory pancake recipes with readers in a previous issue of The Vegetarian Resource Group’s Journal. Enjoy Asian Noodle Pancakes with Sweet and Sour Sauce, Millet-Vegetable Pancakes with Wild Mushroom Sauce, Tomato-Garlic Chickpea Pancakes with Salsa Spread, and more.

Read the entire article here: https://www.vrg.org/journal/vj2009issue2/2009_issue2_pancakes.php

Subscribe to Vegan Journal in the USA only by visiting https://www.vrg.org/member/2013sv.php

photo by Rissa Miller

In honor of The Vegetarian Resource Group’s 40^th Anniversary we offer you a wide variety of brownie recipes from Vegan Journal that are perfect to serve at Thanksgiving. Enjoy Pumpkin Spice Brownies with Crumb Topping, Brownie-Beet Pecan Pie, Minty-Zucchini Brownies, Cheesecake Brownies, Orange-Chocolate Chip Blondies, Raspberry Brownies, and more! Find the recipes here: https://www.vrg.org/journal/vj2022issue3/2022_issue3_vegan_brownies.php

Subscribe to Vegan Journal in the USA only by visiting https://www.vrg.org/member/2013sv.php

By Reed Mangels, PhD, RD

The Sushi Samurai, located in the Queen Anne neighborhood of Seattle, features an extensive menu of vegan sushi rolls, appetizers, nigiri, and sashimi. Some of the creative offerings include vegan prawns (made from konjac root and potato starch), shrimp, “krab,” salmon (made from konjac root and tapioca starch), and eel (made from a type of gourd). Icons on the menu indicate which items are spicy, raw, or gluten-free.

After a lengthy deliberation, four of us shared an appetizer of edamame, five different rolls, and a serving of avocado nigiri. We had take-out and the presentation was lovely with flowers garnishing several of the compostable containers of food.

Our consensus favorite was the Yoga Roll which included tofu, cucumbers, and cilantro in a sweet chili sauce. The combination of flavors in this roll made it our top pick. The Green Goddess Roll and the Seattle Tempura Roll tied for most attractive. The Green Goddess Roll was topped with avocado and sesame seeds and filled with green onions and pickled carrot. The Seattle Tempura Roll was topped with thinly sliced, coral pink vegan salmon and filled with avocado and cream cheese. We also enjoyed a vegetable roll with generous amounts of asparagus, cucumber, avocado, and mixed greens and a cucumber roll. We requested that gluten-containing items be packaged separately from those containing gluten and the restaurant was quite accommodating, even including gluten-free tamari in our take-out order.

You can find The Sushi Samurai at 1817 Queen Anne Ave. N., Seattle, WA.

Visit their website at https://www.thesushisamurai.com/

To find a list of veggie restaurants in the USA and Canada visit: https://www.vrg.org/restaurant/index.php