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The latest issue of Vegetarian Journal includes a recipe piece by Hannah Kaminsky titled Beverage Inspired Holiday Treats. You might want to add one of these delicious desserts to your New Year’s menu this year: Hot Cocoa Brownies, Maple Brown Sugar-Oat Milk Pops, Cold Brew Coffee Cake, Poached Pear Upside-Down Cake, and Orange-Pepper Peanut Brittle.

Find the article here: https://www.vrg.org/journal/vj2021issue4/2021_issue4_holiday_treats.php

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

By Reed Mangels, PhD, RD

When I was growing up, I couldn’t understand why my mother disdained white potatoes. She strongly preferred the taste of sweet potatoes and would only occasionally make baked potatoes or use a package of instant mashed potatoes. In contrast, I was a white potato fan, although I never cared for instant mashed potatoes.

I was reminded of the potato debate of my childhood when I started reading about the “Healthful Plant-Based Diet Index,“ which is used in epidemiology research. The creators of this index classify sweet potatoes as healthy plant foods and potatoes as less healthy plant foods (1). The less healthy plant foods group also includes fruit juice, refined grains, sugar-sweetened beverages, sweets, and desserts – not exactly illustrious company. I wondered if their categorization of potatoes as less healthy plant foods was based on fried potatoes. Indeed, French fries and potato chips are included in the potato category but so are baked and mashed potatoes (1).

Are potatoes truly a “less healthy plant food”? The answer seems to depend on what they are being compared to and, to some extent, on how they are prepared. Several studies find that higher consumption of “potatoes,” which includes both baked and fried potatoes, is associated with greater long-term weight gain (2) and a modest increase in risk of type 2 diabetes (3) and hypertension (4). In all of these studies, French fries had a greater effect on risk than did mashed or baked potatoes. There was still a statistically significant higher risk of health effects in those eating more mashed or baked potatoes compared to those who ate less (2-4).

In contrast, other studies do not find an association between the amount of potatoes that people eat and their risk of heart disease (5), hypertension (6), or mortality (7).

Potatoes are known to have a high glycemic Index which means that they are more likely to lead to increased blood glucose levels.  They are often eaten fried or with butter or sour cream. On the positive side, they are a good source of potassium and of vitamin C and are a low-fat food if eaten unadorned.

Based on what I’ve read about potatoes, there’s no reason to avoid eating them. Eat reasonable amounts, mix it up so that sometimes you eat potatoes and sometimes whole grains or other carb sources including sweet potatoes, choose baked or mashed potatoes over fries, and think about what you’re putting on them.

So, my mother was on the right track – sweet potatoes are nutritional superheroes providing lots of beta-carotene, vitamin C, and potassium. I’ve grown to appreciate them. Still, when I want a comfort food, I turn to a baked potato with a little vegan butter and nutritional yeast.

For recipes using potatoes and sweet potatoes see:

Potato Power

No Oil Mashed Potatoes

Sweet and Savory Sweet Potatoes

References

1. Satija A, Bhupathiraju SN, Rimm EB, et al. Plant-based dietary patterns and incidence of type 2 diabetes in US men and women: Results from three prospective cohort studies. PLoS Med. 2016;13(6):e1002039.

2. Mozaffarian D, Hao T, Rimm EB, Willett WC, Hu FB. Changes in diet and lifestyle and long-term weight gain in women and men. N Engl J Med. 2011;364:2392-2404.

3. Halton TL, Willett WC, Liu S, Manson JE, Stampfer MJ, Hu FB. Potato and french fry consumption and risk of type 2 diabetes in women. Am J Clin Nutr. 2006;83:284-290.

4. Borgi L, Rimm EB, Willett WC, Forman JP. Potato intake and incidence of hypertension: results from three prospective US cohort studies. BMJ. 2016;353:i2351.

5. Larsson SC, Wolk A. Potato consumption and risk of cardiovascular disease: 2 prospective cohort studies. Am J Clin Nutr. 2016;104:1245-1252.

6. Hu EA, Martínez-González MA, Salas-Salvadó J, et al. Potato consumption does not increase blood pressure or incident hypertension in 2 cohorts of Spanish adults. J Nutr. 2017;147:2272-2281.

7. Hashemian M, Murphy G, Etemadi A, et al. Potato consumption and the risk of overall and cause specific mortality in the NIH-AARP study. PLoS One. 2019;14(5):e0216348

Whether it’s a family gathering or other festive event, finger foods are the perfect item to serve. Zel Allen’s previous Vegetarian Journal article offers recipes for Overstuffed Spuds, Almond and Olive-Stuffed Brussels Sprouts, Red Light Stuffed Mushrooms, Spanish Tapenade Stuffed Tomatoes, Teriyaki Tempeh Bites, Pickled Vegetables, Smoky Garlic-Stuffed Endive, Tahini Peanut Confections, and Choco Caramel Confections.

For the complete article, see: Finger Foods for the Holiday Season

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

In honor of The Vegetarian Resource Group’s 40th anniversary next year, a member has pledged a $5,000 match. So your donation to support vegan education will be doubled. You can donate at www.vrg.org/donate and write MATCH in the comments area. Thank you!

The Vegetarian Resource Group maintains an online Guide to Vegan/Vegetarian Restaurants in the USA and Canada. Here are some recent vegan restaurant additions. The entire guide can be found here: http://www.vrg.org/restaurant/index.php

To support the updating of this online restaurant guide, please donate at: www.vrg.org/donate

Here are some new additions to VRG’s guide (Note: Due to the COVID-19 pandemic many are doing take-out and/or delivery now):

Badass Burgers, 1502 Liliha St., Honolulu, HI 96817

There are several types of burgers, chicken sandwiches, and plate lunches. The Bad ass chick sandwich is a must-try.

Jennifer Lee’s Allergen Friendly & Vegan Shoppe, Boston Public Market at Haymarket, 100 Hanover St., Boston, MA 02108

Jennifer Lee’s is a bakery in the Boston Public Market offering savory baked goods such as Chocolate sprinkles doughnuts, soft pretzel, the cookie monster, and more. Preorder pickup orders must be placed 24hrs in advance.

Lightbox Café, 704 S. 4th St., Philadelphia, PA 19147

Organic hot teas, smoothies, lattes, bowls, desserts, and more are available at Lightbox Café. The atmosphere is cozy, and brunch is a must at this café.

Loving Vegan Market & Cuisine, 2240 W. Fairbanks Ave., Winter Park, FL 32789

Wraps, rolls, burritos, salad, pasta, noodles, burgers, and more are available. They use fresh herbs from their own garden.

Nuleaf, 888 8th Ave., New York, NY 10019 and 23 W. 23rd St., New York, NY 10010

Nuleaf offers hummus avocado wraps, lentil soup, fiesta bowls, chickpea salad wraps, and various other options.

Seeds Restaurant, 130 Hwy. 20 East, Fonthill, ON L0S 1E6 Canada

Enjoy a wide variety of bowls including My Thai Power Bowl, Tempeh Club Power Bowl, Berry Bowl Smoothie Blast, and Force Fruit Bowl, as well as sandwiches and burritos.

Soul & Juice, 122 W. 6th St., Bloomington, IN 47404

Smoothies, gourmet toasts, fruit waffles, acai bowls, and more are on the menu.

Trendy Vegan, 3821 Richmond Ave., Houston, TX 77027

Trendy Vegan serves shakes, salad plates, soups, and appetizers, etc. The bento box comes with a main dish, salad, spring roll, rice, and dandan noodle.

By Jeanne Yacoubou, MS

VRG blog commenter Nirav asked us in June 2021 for “…an update…and latest information…” on Domino’s Pacific Veggie Pizza. He referred to our 2013 article titled “Parmesan-Asiago Cheese on Domino’s Pacific Veggie Pizza Contains Animal-Derived Lipase.”

We first reached out to Domino’s in July 2021 through its website contact form. Here is what we asked:

“Does the Pacific Veggie Pizza contain any cheese made with animal enzymes, including rennet or lipase? The information on your ingredients page states there are three cheeses in this pizza: provolone, mozzarella, and feta, but specific enzyme types and sources aren’t given.”

For interested readers, here is the complete ingredient statement for the Pacific Veggie Pizza posted on the Domino’s Pizza website. Bolded words are theirs:

“Provolone Cheese [Shredded Provolone Cheese (Pasteurized Milk, Cultures, Salt, Enzymes), Nonfat Milk, Sodium Propionate (Added As A Preservative)], Pizza Sauce [Tomato Puree (Water, Tomato Paste), Sugar, Salt, Spices, Garlic, Soybean Oil, and Citric Acid], Pizza Cheese [Part Skim Mozzarella Cheese (Pasteurized Milk, Cultures, Salt, Enzymes, Modified Food Starch, Cellulose (Added to Prevent Caking), Nonfat Milk, Whey Protein Concentrate, Natural Flavors, Sodium Propionate (Added as a Preservative)], Spinach, Feta Cheese [Cultured Pasteurized Milk, Salt, Enzymes, Potato Starch (Added To Prevent Caking)], Fresh Mushrooms, Fresh Yellow Onions, Roasted Red Peppers [Red Peppers, Water, Salt, Citric Acid, Calcium Chloride], Diced Tomatoes [Fresh Vine-Ripened California Tomatoes, Tomato Juice, Salt, Calcium Chloride, Citric Acid], Black Olives [Ripe Olives, Water, Salt, Ferrous Gluconate (added to stabilize color)], Garlic & Herb Shake-On [Garlic, Onion, Spices, (Black Pepper, Fennel, Parsley, Basil, Bay Leaves, Marjoram, Oregano, Savory, Thyme, Red Pepper, Coriander, Cumin, Mustard, Rosemary, and Celery Seed), *Carrot, *Orange Peel, Natural Flavor, Flavor, (Natural Flavoring, Soy Lecithin), And No Greater Than 2% Soybean Oil Added As A Processing Aid. *Dehydrated].”

A few days later we received the following email response from Katie of Domino’s Customer Support:

“Domino’s pizza cheese (mozzarella) is made with a microbial rennet. As far as our other cheeses, Domino’s purchases from many suppliers and does not specify the source of all ingredients. The source could vary from time to time based on availability.

L-cysteine and the enzymes in our hand tossed dough are microbial based. We use sweet dairy whey and it is a byproduct of milk from cows.

Most of the products Domino’s serves (such as pizza cheese or sandwich bread) do not contain animal derived enzymes. The Alfredo sauce does contain enzymes from a beef source.

All enzymes used in this cheese are from a non-animal source.”

Note from The VRG: The sentence in the quote above from Katie in Domino’s Customer Support is bolded by The VRG for emphasis. The Spinach & Feta pizza at Domino’s contains the Alfredo sauce made with beef enzymes.

The VRG wanted more information about the part of Katie’s response where she had stated that “…All enzymes used in this cheese are from a non-animal source.”

It is not clear which cheese(s) she was referring to in that sentence.

So we replied to Katie asking for more clarification on this point. We wanted to know if she were talking about one or more of the three cheeses in the Pacific Veggie Pizza.

This time, Ramea of Domino’s Customer Support replied by repeating:

“All of the enzymes in our mozzarella cheese are from a non-animal source. As far as our other cheeses, Domino’s purchases from many suppliers and does not specify the source of all ingredients. The source could vary from time to time based on availability.”

Cheese Enzymes on Domino’s Pacific Veggie Pizza

Still unclear from the lack of specificity in the answer, we extended our reach back to three mid- and senior-level employees who had helped us with Domino’s ingredient information in years prior to our 2013 article. Although they were no longer with the company, we managed to reach a few employees in the quality assurance and menu and product development departments at Domino’s.

The VRG asked them:

“In 2013, Carey Allen, a Quality Assurance Specialist at Domino’s, wrote to us:

‘..Domino’s shredded provolone, pizza cheese (mozzarella), and feta cheeses are made with rennet derived from a non-animal source. Parm/Asiago blend (the cheese applied to the Hand Tossed crust for Pacific Veggie) contains lipase enzyme from an animal source, but the rennet is derived from a non-animal source. Parmesan shake-on (grated parm) rennet is non-animal sourced and does not contain lipase.

All American Legends^® theme pizzas, including the Pacific Veggie build, include cheese applied to the crust rim when made with hand tossed dough. If there is concern, the consumer ordering can specify ‘no cheese on crust rim.’’

Could you tell us if these statements are still accurate today?”

Spencer Breidinger, Manager of Global Product Quality and Regulatory Compliance – Supply Chain Services at Domino’s, wrote to us in November 2021:

“Yes, they are accurate with the exception of the cheese rim on ‘Legends’ pizzas. We no longer apply cheese to the rim of these menu items.”

To get more clarification on the other points previously stated by former employee Carey Allen (quoted above), The VRG followed up by asking:

“1. Of the three cheeses in the Pacific Veggie Pizza, (according to your website: provolone, mozzarella, and feta), do any of them contain animal-derived lipase?

2. Is the Parm/Asiago blend (the cheese applied to the hand tossed crust for Pacific Veggie that contains animal-derived lipase), the cheese that is NOT used anymore?”

Spencer replied by writing in response to the first question in December 2021 after consulting with his team:

“No added lipase is in these cheeses, however naturally occurring lipase enzyme may be present.”

And to the second question, he replied:

“The Parm-Asiago is no longer used on the crust of those pizzas, but is still a menu item that can be chosen by the consumer. The cheese itself has not changed.”

Interested readers who have further questions about Domino’s menu items should contact Domino’s directly.

For information about other chains, see https://www.vrg.org/fastfoodinfo.php

Also see an upcoming posting about vegan options at Domino’s.

For information about ingredients, see: https://www.vrg.org/ingredients/index.php

The contents of this posting, our website, and our other publications, including Vegetarian 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.

(Serves 8)

By Rissa Miller, Senior Editor Vegetarian Journal

This simple side dish offers a different way to prepare both butternut squash and parsnips. Their combination of sweet and tart with a veggie crunch creates a nice balance and a hearty winter offering.

4 cups seeded and cubed butternut squash

4 parsnips, peeled and chopped

1-3 teaspoons olive oil

3 branches fresh rosemary, leaves removed (about 2 Tablespoons leaves)

1/2 cup shelled and chopped pecans 

Salt and pepper, optional, to taste

Maple syrup, optional, to serve

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In a 9- x 13-inch casserole dish, toss squash, parsnips, olive oil, rosemary leaves, and pecans, seasoning with salt/pepper as desired. Bake uncovered for 40-45 minutes, stirring once during baking.

Serve warm with a drizzle of maple syrup if desired.

By Reed Mangels, PhD, RD

Vitamin D is known as the sunshine vitamin because humans are able to produce vitamin D after sunlight exposure. This essential vitamin is needed for healthy bones, plays an important role in the immune system, and helps our nerves function properly.

Certainly, in winter, many of us aren’t out in the sun (or at least not with large amounts of skin exposed) to the same extent that we are in summer. For that reason alone, other sources of vitamin D may be needed in the winter. In fact, anything that prevents skin from being directly exposed to the sun affects the amount of vitamin D that our bodies can produce. Clothing, sunscreen, air pollution, clouds, window glass, even darkly pigmented skin all limit vitamin D production. That’s not to say, however, that a lot of sun exposure is needed for vitamin D production. Around 10 to 15 minutes a day of sun on hands and face appears adequate for many people. It gets more complicated in the winter, however. In addition to being bundled up, having fewer daylight hours, and staying inside more, in winter, there’s not enough of the type of sunlight needed to stimulate vitamin D production in some areas. In locations above 42 degrees north latitude (Chicago, Boston, and Portland, Oregon, for instance), vitamin D production does not occur from late October through early March. Even as far south as Atlanta (about 35 degrees north latitude), vitamin D production doesn’t occur from November to February.^{1, 2}

Vitamin D is stored in our liver and fat tissue. Although it could be possible to rely on stores in the winter months, studies consistently show that blood vitamin D levels drop significantly in the winter, suggesting that additional vitamin D is needed.^{3, 4} There also are other factors that can reduce vitamin D production including being an older person and having darker skin. And there are concerns about sun exposure and increased risk of skin cancer – although the short sun exposure needed for vitamin D production seems to be pretty low risk.

The RDA for vitamin D is 600 IU per day for children and adults up to 71 years old, and 800 IU per day for those age 71 years and older.⁵ Some plant milks are fortified with vitamin D and can be an important source of this vitamin for vegans. Still, with 40 to 240 IU in a cup of fortified plant milk, one would need to drink a lot of plant milk to meet the recommended amount of vitamin D. The same is true for nonvegans relying on fortified cow’s milk for vitamin D – multiple cups would be needed. A supplement of vitamin D can be helpful in meeting vitamin D needs especially in winter or other situations where sunlight exposure is limited.  A recent study found that a 600 IU/day vitamin D supplement in the winter months helped promote an adequate vitamin D status, regardless of location.⁶

To read more about vitamin D, see:

FAQs about vitamin D

Vegan vitamin D₃

References

1. Holick MF. Vitamin D deficiency. N Engl J Med 2007; 357:266-81.

2. Wang SQ, Halpern AC. Estimated equivalency of vitamin D production from natural sun exposure versus oral vitamin D supplementation across seasons at two US latitudes. J Am Acad Dermatol. 2010;62(6):929.e1-929.e9299.

3. Outila TA, Kärkkäinen MU, Seppänen RH, Lamberg-Allardt CJ. Dietary intake of vitamin D in premenopausal, healthy vegans was insufficient to maintain concentrations of serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D and intact parathyroid hormone within normal ranges during the winter in Finland. J Am Diet Assoc. 2000;100(4):434-441.

4. Kroll MH, Bi C, Garber CC, et al. Temporal relationship between vitamin D status and parathyroid hormone in the United States. PLoS One. 2015;10(3):e0118108.

5. Institute of Medicine, Food and Nutrition Board. Dietary Reference Intakes for Calcium and Vitamin D. Washington, DC: National Academy Press, 2010.

6. Mendes MM, Hart KH, Williams EL, Mendis J, Lanham-New SA, Botelho PB. Vitamin D supplementation and sunlight exposure on serum vitamin d concentrations in 2 parallel, double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trials. J Nutr. 2021;151(10):3137-3150.

Chef Kathleen Byrd, owner of Mobtown Sweets and Treats in Maryland, wrote an article titled “Heavy Lifting: Sweet and Savory Dips, Gravy, and Sauces for Winter” in a previous issue of Vegetarian Journal. Enjoy recipes for Lentil Walnut Paté, Cranberry Onion Jam, Roasted Garlic Dip, Roasted Carrot Sriracha Hummus, Buffalo Chickpea Dip, Roasted Eggplant Red Pepper Spread, Golden Sage Gravy, Mexican Chocolate Sauce, and Coconut Caramel Sauce.

Read the entire article here: https://www.vrg.org/journal/vj2020issue4/2020_issue4_sweet_savory.php

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