By Reed Mangels, PhD, RD

A recent study investigated what the study researchers called “disproportionate beef consumption” in the United States. They defined disproportionate beef consumption as eating more than 4 ounces of beef per day. Using a large survey of U.S. adults, they determined that 12% of the adult population consumed more than 4 ounces of beef per day. This 12% of the adult population was responsible for fully half of beef consumption in the United States (1).

Who is eating these “disproportionate” amounts of beef? They are more likely to identify as male than as female. They are more likely to be non-Hispanic White than non-Hispanic Black or Asian. Younger (18-29 years old) and older (66 years and older) adults are less likely to be “disproportionate beef consumers.” Family income does not appear to play a role.

Almost a third of the beef consumed was in the form of different beef cuts such as steak, brisket, ribs, and pot roast. The other categories in the top five sources of beef were burgers, mixed dishes containing beef (such as meatloaf and beef stew), burritos and tacos, and cold cuts.

These “disproportionate beef consumers” are markedly exceeding recommendations. For example, the EAT-Lancet Planetary Health Diet calls for an upper limit of half an ounce per day of red meat (beef and lamb) (2). The 2020-2025 Dietary Guidelines for Americans U.S.-style Dietary Pattern limits total meat, poultry, and eggs to 4 ounces per day for those with a 2200 calorie diet (3).

Meat production has serious environmental impacts. Identifying and implementing programs to influence those who consume the most beef to greatly reduce their beef consumption (or, even better, to eliminate meat entirely) could have beneficial environmental effects as well as offering health benefits.

References

1. Willits-Smith A, Odinga H, O’Malley K, Rose D. Demographic and socioeconomic correlates of disproportionate beef consumption among US adults in an age of global warming. Nutrients. 2023;15(17):3795.
2. EAT-Lancet Commission Brief for Everyone. https://eatforum.org/content/uploads/2019/01/EAT_brief_everyone.pdf. 2019.
3. U.S. Department of Agriculture and U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2020-2025. 9th Edition. DietaryGuidelines.gov. 2020.

To read more about meat’s environmental effects see:

Carbon Footprint of Vegan vs. Meat Pizza

The Water Footprint of a Vegan versus a Meat Burrito

The Vegetarian Resource Group continues to be very busy on a daily basis. Below are some examples of successes and activities. Your support through Combined Federal Charity (CFC) or your Local/State Campaign is greatly appreciated! You can also donate directly to VRG at www.vrg.org/donate

Here’s a sampling of some of our accomplishments and outreach:

• The Vegetarian Resource Group Nutrition Advisor Reed Mangels, PhD, RD, did a presentation to Maryland Dietitians in Health Care Communities on Offering Plant-Based and Vegan Options: Why It Makes Sense and How to Do It.
• The Vegetarian Resource Group poll numbers were cited in The Hill, a political news publication, which is read by The White House, Congress, and others. See: thehill.com/changing-america/sustainability/3747206-vegetarianism-is-on-the-rise-especially-the-part-time-kind
• The Vegetarian Resource Group Nutrition Advisor Reed Mangels, PhD, RD, did an interview on Arirang TV, an English-language broadcasting station in South Korea, on vegetarian diets. She also authored the Guide on How to Go Vegetarian or Vegan in Psyche (digital magazine).
• Reed was interviewed for an article for Contemporary Pediatrics about nutritional benefits and/or drawbacks of veganism and vegetarianism in adolescents. The aim of this article is to provide general practice pediatricians with guidance and nutritional information that they can share with their patients who may want to pursue either of these diets.
• VRG sent materials for health fairs, clinics, and restaurant tabling in Alabama, New Jersey, New York, and Pennsylvania. For example, a presenter at a health fair in Alabama asked for copies of our My Vegan Plate to distribute to attendees. VRG also gave 75 copies of our Spanish coloring books to three kindergarten classes in California. We were told it was a fun resource to use with their mostly bilingual students.
• Charles Stahler and Debra Wasserman coordinated a booth at Vegan SoulFest in Baltimore, Maryland, while Elsa Spencer, PhD, staffed a VRG booth at Richmond VegFest in Virginia.
• VRG sent 400 Vegan Journals to include in grab bags for VegFests in Sarasota, Florida; Durham, North Carolina; Columbia, South Carolina; and Greenville, South Carolina, for a total of 1,600 copies. We also shipped four boxes of Vegan Journals and VRG handouts to the Vegan Society of Hawaii to be shared at the Climate Fair on the Hawaii State Capitol’s lawn and at the Windward Coast Emergency Preparedness Fair. Finally, we sent materials for events at a church in Selma, Alabama, and another in Anniston, Alabama, as well as a Juneteenth day of celebration and learning in Richmond, Virginia.
• VRG continues to host virtual interns/volunteers throughout the year. They all worked/are working on a number of exciting outreach and research projects!

This is just a small sampling of what we are doing at VRG every day. Thank you so much! We couldn’t do this without your support.

You can donate directly to VRG at www.vrg.org/donate

You can also mail donations to The Vegetarian Resource Group, PO Box 1463, Baltimore, MD 21203 or call in your donation to (410) 366-8343 Monday through Friday 9am to 5pm EST.

Golden Beet Japchae photo by Rissa Miller

Joseph Solar shared a variety of vegan noodle recipes in a previous issue of Vegan Journal. Enjoy recipes for Stuffed Shells with Basil; Golden Beet Japchae; Mushroom Marsala; Classic Vegan Pad Thai; and Vegan Carbonara.

Find the article here: https://www.vrg.org/journal/vj2022issue4/2022_issue4_noodling_around.php

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

Vegan Journal is published by The Vegetarian Resource Group. Enjoy in-depth original research, product and book reviews, scientific updates on veggie nutrition, delicious vegan recipes with gorgeous photos, plus so much more. Both long-term vegans and those new to a vegan life-style will enjoy this magazine.

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

photo from The Plot Express

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:

Beleaf Café, 6600 Topanga Canyon Blvd., FC12, Canoga Park, CA 91303 and Haven City Food Mall, 8443 Haven Ave., Rancho Cucamonga, CA 91703

Beleaf Café offers several healthy junk food options. Burgers are served on classic vegan buns with Impossible meat or Beleaf patties including the black bean burger, kale burger, and avocado burger. Baja-style food such as tacos and burritos are served with a house-made crunchy taco mix. Several sides are available on the menu including buffalo cauliflower wings, loaded fries, and nacho grande.

Earthy Picks, 420 E. Church St., Orlando, FL 32801

Expanding beyond their Farmers Market offerings, Earthy Picks, located at Camden Thorton Park, is a vegan café with a Latin twist. With many gluten-free and soy-free options, their menu includes bowls, tacos, burritos, and empanadas, as well as smoothies and cold-pressed juices made locally. The New Age Burrito epitomizes the Latin twist, made with quinoa and black beans, crispy onions, maduros (sweet plantains), avocado, cilantro aioli, and a spicy mayo—and served with plantain chips. The Colombian-Style Empanadas are made from crunchy corn and filled with lentils, potato, and Colombian sofrito. If you need a pick-me-up, the Get Up Smoothie should do the trick, as it is a blend of Colombian coffee, banana, peanut butter, dates, oat milk, and cacao nibs. Earthy Picks’ mission is to create a community through their café, welcoming everyone and noting “You don’t have to be vegan to eat vegan food.”

J. Bar, 537 MA-28 #1E, Harwich Port, MA 02646

About an eighth of a mile from the beach, J. Bar starts with fresh ingredients and they focus on preparation that preserves nutrients. You might be bowled over by their many Powerbowls. To name a couple, there are Bank Street Bowl with Dragon fruit, raspberries, banana, cacao nibs, pumpkin seeds, dates, and granola, or the Ava-Girl combo of blue spirulina, pineapple, banana, mango, goji berries, shredded coconut, and granola. They offer a few Salads. Most are combinations of cabbage, greens, beets, carrots, avocado and celery—varying by fruit, lemon or lime, seasonal tomato, hemp, or pumpkin seeds. The Peacemaker builds on those ingredients, varying with cucumber, basil, vegan tahini dressing, sprouts, and hummus. If Avocado Toast floats your boat, there are four options, one of which is Sol Sista featuring mango, cacao nibs, chili flakes, and pink salt. Choose from several Almost Raw Sandwiches all made on organic vegan bread. Mom’s Fave serves up Vegan cheeze, vegan mayonnaise, cucumbers, carrots, greens, tomato, and J. Bar sprinkle (their secret blend of dried herbs & spices). Thirsty? As the name would imply, J. Bar offers all sorts of fresh juices and juice shots—fruity, veggie and herbal. There are also mocktails and a serious selection of Smoothies including a couple of dessert types like Mint Chill with bananas, cacao nibs and more, or Hawaiian Pudding with coconut, pineapple, bananas, figs, and cinnamon. There are some daily menu variations too including vegan treats with various ensembles of nuts, seeds, dried fruit, nut-butters, coconut, and more appearing in Bars, Balls, Yogurt, Party Mix, etc. Don’t forget Pup Cup, a plant based treat for your dog.

Kaffa Ethiopian Cuisine, 2987 Sacramento St., Berkeley, CA 94702Kaffa is an Ethiopian restaurant that serves vegan and gluten-free food. There are five main dishes to choose from, each varying in their use of split peas, mixed vegetables, spices, and kale. All dishes come with gluten-free injera. For smaller meals, they offer lentil or potato sambusas, along with teas, coffees, and yerba Mate. The restaurant is wheelchair accessible and has an accessible restroom. Reservations accepted.

Mesa Verde, 1919 Cliff Dr., Santa Barbara, CA 93101

Among Plates to Share one inventive offering is Fried Winter Brussels Sprouts with roasted beets, pickled onion, mustard, sherry vinegar, pepitas, and fresh dill. A few of many Main Ideas include Street Tacos with cacao black beans, jackfruit “chorizo,” charred cashew cheese, blueberry chipotle salsa, caramelized onion, pickled beet, pickled mustard seed and cilantro, Crispy Fried Oyster Mushroom Sandwich, with chicory slaw, dill, capers, and avocado mole, or a Falafel Mediterranean Bowl of grilled flatbread, quinoa tabbouleh, hummus, cashew yogurt, cucumber, pickled beets, sun-dried olives, harissa, pistachio, greens, and herbs. There are a couple of Salads. Winter Tuscan Soup showcases root vegetables, red potato, celery root, carrot, fennel, and onion, stewed in vegetable broth. How will you choose between these Desserts? There’s Chocolate Cake with candied macadamia nut, ganache, tempered chocolate, blueberries, and maca, Strawberry Cheesecake with fresh strawberries and coulis, or lemon-kissed Bird Nest Baklava of filo dough, pistachios and simple syrup.

One WorldBeat Café, 2100 Park Blvd., San Diego, CA 92101

One WorldBeat Café serves flavors from all over the diaspora. From Louisiana Creole Gumbo to Costa Chica chili and African-inspired dishes, the menu offers an endless array of dishes. In addition to the more elaborate meals, the café also features simpler yet equally intricate sandwiches and burritos.

The Plot Express, 2956 Roosevelt St. #3, Carlsbad, CA 92008

Dine on a Gyro Wrap, Cubano, chopped salad, Caesar salad, taco salad bowl, Harissa Chicken Shawarma, potato salad, truffle fries, and more.

Sprout Organic Café, 1200 Henriette Delille St., New Orleans, LA 70116

Sprout Organic Café offers Cold-Pressed Juices, Organic Coffee, Organic Tea, Vegan/Raw Meal Options, Healthy Smoothies, and Ginger Shots.

Gianna from Arizona is a VRG video contest winner. She said: I’m interested in vegetarianism because it seems like a good way to be kind to animals, protect the environment, and maybe even improve my health. I want to learn more about how eating a plant-based diet can make a positive impact overall.

Her video is at https://www.vrg.org/veg_videos.php#gianna

The dealine for the next video contest is July 15, 2024. See https://www.vrg.org/videoscholarship.php

For information about VRG’s college scholarships, see https://www.vrg.org/student/scholar.htm

To donate towards The Vegetarian Resouce Group internships and scholarships, donate at www.vrg.org/donate or join at https://www.vrg.org/member/2013sv.php

Oat-ly Coffee Frozen Dessert photo from Oatly

We noticed that Oat-ly frozen dessert was labeled 100% vegan, but also was labeled OUD, which is a kosher certification that would indicate dairy.

We found that Kashrut.com quoted the Orthodox Union and said:

The Oat-ly Frozen Dessert are labeled OUD, but in fact, its true status, at the present time, is DE (Dairy Equipment).

What does DE mean? A DE product does not contain actual dairy ingredients, but it is manufactured with heat on dairy equipment. DE items may be eaten after meat, but not with meat at the same time…. Please note that it is possible that the manufacturer will

reformulate this product and add a true dairy ingredient. You will not be able to know this, since the OUD kosher symbol will remain the same.

For more information, see https://www.kashrut.com/Alerts/?alert=A7859

The above is from a kosher point of view. Vegans of course wouldn’t eat their vegan frozen dessert after consuming meat. One of our members described kosher and vegan as two parallel highways, where both may be similar and sometimes intersect, but they are different roads with different purposes. We also noticed that the Oatly package had a vegan certification. This certifier apparently has a different view on the shared equipment than the Orthodox Union. This can also apply to vegans and certifiers making their decisions on health, animal rights, animal welfare, environment, or their religion. Use your own judgment about what is important to you. If it matters to you, investigate how the certifiers are making their decisions in labeling.

The contents of this posting, our 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.

photo from Good Meat

According to the Non GMO Project, USDA issued its approval, in the form of Grants of Inspection (GOIs), to the first products (i.e., chicken) from two cell-cultured meat developers.
The Non GMO Project indicates that the specified on-pack labeling requirement for these two products is “cell-cultivated chicken.”
The Non GMO Project states, “The development of cell-cultured meat and seafood has been shrouded in secrecy, primarily due to the cutting-edge nature of the technology, significant amount of investment at stake, and fierce competition across the field.”
For more information, see https://www.nongmoproject.org/blog/new-gmo-alert-the-downside-of-upside-foods/

The contents of this posting, our 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.

Apples with Cinnamon Roasted Nuts photo by Rissa Miller

Chef John Beck offers recipes for stuffed veggies and fruit in a previous issue of Vegan Journal. Enjoy Deviled Potatoes; White Bean-Stuffed Tomato Cups; Mac and Cheez-Stuffed Peppers; Stuffed Eggplant Rolls; and Apples with Cinnamon-Roasted Nuts.

Find the article here: https://www.vrg.org/journal/vj2021issue4/2021_issue4_get_stuffed.php

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

Nothing beats a simple graphic to get the vegan message out! The Vegetarian Resource Group created My Vegan Plate to display on outreach tables at various events. If you live in the United States, you can request copies of this handout to distribute by emailing us at [email protected]

You can view the handout here: https://www.vrg.org/nutshell/MyVeganPlate.pdf

This same handout can also be read in Spanish here: https://www.vrg.org/images/miplatovegano.jpg

We also have a version you can print out for kids to color on: https://www.vrg.org/nutshell/MyVeganPlateCP.pdf

Donations towards this outreach are always appreciated: www.vrg.org/donate