I was on the Plant Powered Youth Steering Committee with Friends of the Earth and worked towards getting plant-based meals and milks in schools. From this, I advocated for plant-based yogurt at my old high school! I also lobbied congress to support the Healthy Future Students and Earth Act. I will be continuing this advocacy in college.

For more information about Cheyenne see https://www.vrg.org/blog/2024/04/30/virginia-student-cheyenne-klapper-wins-5000-vegetarian-resource-group-2024-scholarship/

The deadline for the next Vegetarian Resource Group college scholarships is February 20, 2025.

See https://www.vrg.org/student/scholar.htm

To support VRG scholarships and internships, donate at www.vrg.org/donate

In the latest issue of Vegan Journal, Priscila C. Reis has created a vegan Brazilian Meal Plan. She describes common vegan foods eaten in Brazil and offers a 5-day meal plan based on these items. Read the entire article here: https://www.vrg.org/journal/vj2024issue3/2024_issue3_vegan_brazilian_meal_plan.php

To subscribe to Vegan Journal visit www.vrg.org/member

Summer Pad Thai photo from Sawatdee Thai Restaurant

Where: Sawatdee Thai Restaurant, Minneapolis, Minnesota

When: Sunday, October 6, 2024, 6 PM

Come meet dietitians from the Vegetarian Nutrition Dietetic Practice Group as well as VRG members. The public is invited. You must preregister. You can pay at www.vrg.org/donate and write in the names of attendees and that this is for the Networking dinner.

BUFFET

Appetizers: Vegetarian Spring Rolls and Fried Tofu

Main Dishes:

Red Curry with Tofu

Summer Pad Thai

Combination Vegetable Dish with broccoli, cauliflower, mushrooms, onions, napa, water chestnuts, tomatoes, and mock duck.

Plus: Brown Rice and White Rice and Coffee or tea and water

Dessert: Mango and Sticky Rice

SIGN-UP TODAY!

Cost: $30 for VRG and Vegetarian Nutrition Practice Group members before September 15, 2024. $35 for others. $20 for two to ten year olds. Other drinks can be purchased from the restaurant separately.

PLEASE PAY at www.vrg.org/donate and write in the Comments: Networking Dinner with the Attendee names.  Or call (410) 366-8343. Or mail payment to The Vegetarian Resource Group, P.O. Box 1463, Baltimore, MD 21203. We look forward to seeing you there.

Each issue of Vegan Journal includes a column called Vegan Action where we feature individuals promoting a vegan lifestyle. In the latest column, Whitney McVerry describes all the work she has done as a VRG volunteer. See: https://www.vrg.org/journal/vj2024issue3/2024_issue3_vegan_action.php

To subscribe to Vegan Journal visit www.vrg.org/member

The Internal Revenue Service states that individual retirement arrangement (IRA) owners age 70½ or over can transfer up to $100,000 to charity (such as The Vegetarian Resource Group) tax-free each year. These transfers, known as qualified charitable distributions or QCDs, offer eligible older Americans a way to give to charity. For those who are at least 73 years old, QCDs count toward the IRA owner’s required minimum distribution (RMD) for the year. You need to have your IRA trustee send the money to the charity directly, and not to you first. You do not need to itemize your taxes for this benefit. For more information, see https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/qualified-charitable-distributions-allow-eligible-ira-owners-up-to-100000-in-tax-free-gifts-to-charity

This is not legal or tax advice, for which you should speak to your financial and legal advisors.

To make direct donations to VRG and support vegan education and research, donate at www.vrg.org/donate

While most crackers are unremarkable dip-delivery tools, Maine Crisp Buckwheat Crackers stand alone as robust, flavorful gourmet snacks. “Savory Fig & Thyme” is an understated description of the flavor, which balances an earthy sweetness with woodsy, subtle herbaceous notes. Read our review of this product in Vegan Journal: https://www.vrg.org/journal/vj2024issue3/2024_issue3_veggie_bits.php

For more information on this product, visit www.mainecrisp.com

Linda Tyler is a regular contributor to Vegan Journal. In the latest issue we review her book called The Plant-Based Anti-Inflammatory Cookbook. The book offers a wealth of information on the best plant-based foods she says fight inflammation, common inflammation-related conditions, the role diet plays in chronic inflammation, and a discussion of foods to minimize the chances of inflammation. Read the review here: https://www.vrg.org/journal/vj2024issue3/2024_issue3_book_reviews.php

To subscribe to Vegan Journal visit www.vrg.org/member

photo from Mellow Mushroom

Mellow Mushroom has a separate online plant-based menu. Vegan options include vegan pretzels, vegan cheese pizza, vegan Greek salad, vegan avocado hoagies, and vegan tempeh hoagies. See https://www.mellowmushroom.com/vegan

To see other places to eat in the U.S. and Canada, go to:

https://www.vrg.org/restaurant/index.php

https://www.vrg.org/fastfoodinfo.php

For those who like it hot, and even those who don’t, Hot Drops makes the hot sauce for you. Made in small batches using a variety of chilies grown in Sonoma County, California, there’s a range of flavors and intensity to suit any palate. Read our review of this product in Vegan Journal: https://www.vrg.org/journal/vj2024issue3/2024_issue3_veggie_bits.php

For more information on this product, visit www.hotdropsauce.com

By Reed Mangels, PhD, RD

Many dietary guidelines recommend a shift to a more plant-based diet and also recommend a reduction in use of foods that have been classified as ultra-processed. The U.S. Dietary Guidelines recognize fortified soymilk as nutritionally equivalent to cow’s milk. Cow’s milk is considered a minimally processed food. Ironically, fortified soymilk has been classified as an ultra-processed food. You can read more about the NOVA system which is used to classify foods as ultra-processed here. A recent study examined the effect of substituting soymilk for cow’s milk on a variety of outcomes related to heart disease and metabolic health.

What is the study?

The study (1)  used statistical techniques to combine data from 17 studies of 504 adults. All studies were 3 or more weeks long and used a median of about 2 cups per day of fortified soymilk to substitute for about 2 cups of cow’s milk.

What did this study find?

Substituting soymilk for cow’s milk resulted in a reduction in blood pressure, LDL (bad) cholesterol, and C-reactive protein (a marker of inflammation). Substituting soymilk, including sweetened soymilk, for cow’s milk did not affect blood glucose, diabetes control, or insulin levels and had no effect on body weight or BMI.

Are there practical implications?

These results suggest that fortified soymilk should not be classified as an ultra-processed food that potentially has harmful health effects since health benefits were seen when cow’s milk was replaced by soymilk. Additionally, the study authors suggest that the U. S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) allow soymilk containing up to 5 grams of added sugar per cup (10% of the Daily Value for sugar) to be labeled as “healthy.” Fortified soymilk with 5 grams or less of added sugars per cup is a health-promoting replacement for cow’s milk.

Reference:

1. Erlich MN, Ghidanac D, Blanco Mejia S, et al. A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized trials of substituting soymilk for cow’s milk and intermediate cardiometabolic outcomes: understanding the impact of dairy alternatives in the transition to plant-based diets on cardiometabolic health. BMC Med. 2024;22(1):336.

To read more about vegan processed food, soymilk, and the use of “healthy” see:

Vegan Processed Foods – Embrace Them? Shun Them?

VRG Sends in Testimony to the FDA on the Labeling of Plant-based Milk Alternatives

The Vegetarian Resource Group Testimony to FDA Concerning the Use of “Healthy” on Food Labels