Avocado nutrition facts - six things about this amazingly healthy superfood

(NaturalNews) Beware of popular health myths. For instance, throughout the 1990s and into the first few years of this century, popular health "experts" often warned against eating coconut oil or coconut milk, causing many people to eschew a food now known to offer many health benefits. Another lingering popular health myth warns against avocadoes, which wrongly labels them as a dietary culprit because of their caloric and fat content. Yet, the truth is avocadoes can boost health in at least 5 ways:

Leggo the Eggos: Vegan Egg Substitutes

If you're avoiding eggs because you eat a plant-based diet or simply to limit your intake of saturated fat and cholesterol, you have several options. Some substitutions work better than others depending on the recipe, but a little trial and error will help you determine which one works best with each dish. See the list below to learn which option I used in the vegan Chocolate Cranberry Zucchini Bread pictured here.

The Natural Human Diet

When you see dead animals on the side of the road, are you tempted to stop and snack on them? Does the sight of a dead bird make you salivate? Do you daydream about killing cows with your bare hands and eating them raw? If you answered "no" to these questions, congratulations—like it or not, you're an herbivore.
According to biologists and anthropologists who study our anatomy and our evolutionary history, humans are herbivores who are not well suited to eating meat. Humans lack both the physical characteristics of carnivores and the instinct that drives them to kill animals and devour their raw carcasses.

The Vegetarian Diet Supports Cruelty To Animals

Definition

The definition we use for the "vegetarian diet", generally accepted around the world, is a diet that includes fruits, vegetables, grains, seeds, nuts, Dairy products, eggs and honey.

The Dairy Industry

The Dairy industry is inextricably linked to the Beef industry. Unwanted calves, both female and male, are either sent directly to slaughter, as "vealers", or become beef cattle, to be killed later as adults. After a lifetime of service to the dairy farmer, many (if not all) older cows, who are no longer producing as the farmer requires, are also killed for meat. The Dairy cow is forced to become pregnant, so she can produce milk for vegetarians' cornflakes and coffee. The only way that the cow's milk can be given to humans is to deprive the calf of its natural milk. So, the calf is taken away from the cow, which is very distressing to the mother cow, as any human mother can imagine. Can you imagine the outcry if humans did this to human mothers? It did happen to the Australian Aborigines, with appropriate outrage! Not to be outraged by this behaviour, is to be "speciesist". Would you support or condone this industry?

10 Everyday Fruits and Vegetables that are Poisonous

Most of us think that eating fruits and vegetables can be nothing but healthy but there are hidden dangers in many common foods. Poisons that make you sick, paralyze and even kill you lurk behind some of our favorites.

10. Lima Beans
Photo: Sanjay Acharya
Lima beans have to be very well cooked before they are eaten because the raw beans contain a product called limarin. Just a handful can make someone violently ill so always ensure they have been cooked at least 10 minutes and never, ever put them in salads raw. Cooking renders them harmless and gives you lots of good nutrition. 

9. Cassava Root
Photo: David Monniaux
When it comes to starch, cassava (also called manioc or yucca) is the third most consumed food in the world. It also contains cyanide and unless processed in some way, it can kill. There are two types, sweet and bitter, with the bitter having more cyanide, but many farmers prefer it because pests don't eat it - or die if they do. Even simply soaking cassava for a few hours will help as it also contains an enzyme called limnarase that liberates the cyanide over time. One pound of bitter, unproccessed cassava will kill a cow and has killed humans in the past.

8. NutmegPhoto: Miansari66
Nutmeg contains myristicine, which is psychoactive. If that wasn't enough, too much of it will cause vomiting, sweating, dizziness, hallucinations and headache. Not to worry though, the amount normally used in any cooking is not enough to give you any symptoms, but lately there has been a fad by teens to get high on nutmeg... with very unhappy results.

7. Kidney Beans
Photo: Triatoma
Kidney beans contain the toxin phytohaemagglutinin, which will make you extremely ill and in some rare cases has killed. The beans MUST be boiled for 10 minutes before cooking, and that includes slow cooking. These beans become five times more toxic when heated to the temperatures used in slow cooking than they are when raw, so never just add them to a stew or chili without boiling them first. Better yet, use canned kidney beans. Only a few will land you in hospital wishing you had died. A few more and there is no wishing about it.

6. Chocolate (cocoa beans)
Photo: gerenme
Chocolate is included here though while it is not poisonous to humans, the ingredient theobromine is dangerous to dogs and cats. Most of us love our furry friends and it is vital you keep your favorite treats away from them. Unfortunately, like anti freeze, which is sweet, they seem to enjoy it so never leave it where they can scoot off with an Easter egg. As little as 40 grams can make them violently ill. It is treatable in most cases albeit very expensive and in larger doses will kill.
Humans are not immune to it either, it is just too low a dose to bother most of us though some elderly chocolate lovers may find themselves unable to tolerate it.

5. Tomato

Photo: Manjith 
Kainickara
The leaves and vines of tomato plants contain alkaloid poisons such as atropine that cause dizziness, headaches and upset tummies. There is also some in green tomatoes and one death has been attributed to it, but generally the amount of 'tomatine' in them is too small to cause any harm. Always refuse tea made from the leaves though; it is still something offered on occasion.

4. Cherries, Apricots, Peaches and Plums
Photo: Amanda Slater
Cherries, apricots, peaches and plums contain cyanogenic glycosides that creates cyanide in the pits. Swallowing a pit or two is not going to have much effect - our bodies will deal with a certain amount of cyanide but it is more dangerous if you chew them. This makes children particularly vulnerable, especially if they get into a full bowl and don't de-pit the fruit. Some people die every year (not just children) from eating too many pits, but you do have to work at it. For most of us, one or two is not a problem.

3. Rhubarb
Photo: Le Grande Farmers Market
You probably won't die from it if you eat the leaf, but it contains oxalic acid salts that can cause kidney problems, coma and convulsions. However, the stalks are not a problem and even with the leaves, you would need to eat about 5 lbs before you reached a fatal dose. Just don't think they look like great greens and why let them go to waste - you will be very ill.

2. PotatoesPhoto: Scott Bauer 
Potatoes are perfectly safe unless they have turned green on the skins or are sprouting. They contain solanine, which develops with exposure to light - one reason to always keep potatoes in a cool, dark place. If you eat too much, you will experience severe digestive problems or even death.

1. Apple
Photo: Photo: Abhijit Tembhekar
An apple a day will keep the doctor away. Unless you eat the seeds. Like cherries and other fruits, they contain cyanogenic glycosides causing cyanide. Seeds from one apple will not likely cause an effect but people have eaten enough to die from it.
These ten fruits and vegetables are healthy if consumed carefully but remember that illness and death can be lurking where you least expect it!

Sources: environmentalgraffiti

ABOUT TEETH

TEETH: INCISORS
----------------------

CARNIVORE:Short & Pointed
HERBIVORE: Broad ,Flattened & Spade Shaped
OMNIVORE: Short & Pointed
HUMAN: Broad,Flattened & Spade Shaped

TEETH: CANINES
--------------------

CARNIVORE:Long,Sharp & Curved
HERBIVORE:Dull & Short or Long (for defense),Or None,
OMNIVORE: Long,Sharp & Curved
HUMAN:Short & Blunted

TEETH: MOLARS
---------------------

CARNIVORE: Sharp,Jagged & Blade Shaped
HERBIVORE:Flattened With Cusps vs Complex Surface
OMNIVORE:Sharp,Blades And/Or Flattened
HUMAN:Flatterened With Nodular Cusps

CHEWING
---------------

CARNIVORE:None;Swallows Food Whole
HERBIVORE:Extensive Chewing Necessary
OMNIVORE: Swallows food whole And/Or Simple Crushing
HUMAN: Extensive Chewing Necessary

SALIVA
------------

CARNIVORE:No Digestive Enzymes
HERBIVORE:Carbohydrate Digesting Enzymes
OMNIVORE:No Digestive Enzymes
HUMAN:Carbohydrate Digesting Enzymes

STOMACH TYPE
---------------------

CARNIVORE:Simple
HERBIVORE:Simple
OMNIVORE:Simple
HUMAN:LOUIS:Simple

STOMACH ACIDITY
--------------------------

CARNIVORE: Less Than Or equal to PH 1 With Food In Stomach
HERBIVORE:PH 4 To 5 With Food In Stomach
OMNIVORE: Less Than Or Equal To PH 1 With Food In Stomach
HUMAN: PH 4 To 5 With Food In Stomach

STOMACH CAPCITY
------------------------

CARNIVORE: 60% To 70% Of Total Volume Of Digestive Tract
HERBIVORE:Less Than 30% Of Total Volume Of Digestive Tract
OMNIVORE: 60% To 70% of Total Volume Of Digestive Tract
HUMAN: 21% To 27% Of Total Volume Of Digestive Tract

Chocolate, Cheese, Meat, and Sugar -- Physically Addictive

Pus in milk?

In NutritionFacts.org‘s video-of-the-day today, I note that the antiseptics used to disinfect cow teats can provide a source of iodine, but have been found to boost the level of pus in the milk of cows with staph-infected udders. Today’s dairy cows endure annual cycles of artificial insemination, pregnancy and birth, and mechanized milking for 10 out of 12 months of the year (including seven months of their 9-month pregnancies). This excessive metabolic drain overburdens the cows, who are considered “productive” for only two years and are slaughtered for hamburger when their profitability drops, typically around their fourth birthday – a small fraction of their natural lifespan.

Processed Meats Declared Too Dangerous for Human Consumption

By Mike Adams

The World Cancer Research Fund (WCRF) has just completed a detailed review of more than 7,000 clinical studies covering links between diet and cancer. Its conclusion is rocking the health world with startling bluntness: Processed meats are too dangerous for human consumption. Consumers should stop buying and eating all processed meat products for the rest of their lives

10 Superfoods ALL vegans should consume!

Walnuts – There are just a few good sources of essential omega 3 fatty acids in the vegan diet. The walnut is one of the most appealing and healthy of the choices. Walnuts have been called “brain-food” and it’s interesting that they even look like a brain. Their high concentration of omega-3 essential fat is just what is needed to keep your brain cells functioning properly. It is commonly known now that lack of omega-3 fats has conclusively been linked to depression. But studies also show that a lack of omega-3 fats is linked to learning disorders, behavioral problems, temper tantrums, and sleep disorders. Walnuts have been found to contain a bio-available form of ‘melatonin’; a hormone produced by the pineal gland, which induces and regulates sleep; and sleep is very important to healing. Studies have linked eating a handful of walnuts to a reduction in bone-loss. Studies also point out that our body turns the ALA (alpha linolenic acid) provided by walnuts into EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid) which is a long-chain fatty acid. Vegan diets, typically, do NOT contain any DHA (another long-chain fatty acid). Some studies say that we can make EPA long-chain fatty acid from walnuts or flax, but not DHA, therefore some vegans will supplement with a vegan DHA from microalgae. There is little evidence of adverse health or cognitive effects due to DHA-deficiency in adult vegans, but vegan medical doctors strongly advise pregnant and lactating vegan mothers to supplement with DHA made from micro-algae. Walnuts are also a very good source of manganese and a good source of copper, two important and essential minerals. They also contain an antioxidant compound called ‘ellagic acid’, which helps in cancer protection. I’m off for a handful of walnuts!

Calcium absorption: soy milk versus cow milk

Protein

Protein is important for maintaining muscle and bone mass, for keeping the immune system strong, and to prevent fatigue.

People not familiar with vegan nutrition often assume it is terribly hard to get enough protein on a vegan diet, and that's if they even think there is any protein in plant foods at all (how they think vegans survive is an interesting question, though many of them probably don't think we do). On the other hand, once "educated", most vegans have the diametrically opposite view, considering it impossible for someone not to get enough protein on a vegan diet.

'Flexitarians' driving global move away from meat consumption: study

Sales of meat have slowed to a crawl around the world, thanks in part to the growing number of 'flexitarians' -  that murkily-defined group of part-time vegetarians - and public health warnings outlining the perils of red meat consumption.
According to an August report from Euromonitor International, meat was one of the worst performers over the 2005 to 2010 period, with sales growing less than 14 percent over the six-year period. Only vegetables fared slightly worse, with a growth rate of 11 percent.

No Meat: Vegetarians and B12

There are essential nutrients that your body needs to function properly and promote optimum health. As a vegetarian— the absence of meat in your diet reduces the amount of vitamin B12 received through food intake as animal products are the primary source of this nutrient. Vegetarians and vegans could become deficient in B12, so it is important to know how to reduce the risk of deficiency.

New Study: Bacon Increases Diabetes Risk by 50 Percent

By Nathan Runkle

According to a new study by the Harvard School of Public Health, published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, even modest consumption of red or processed meat significantly increases the risk of type 2 diabetes - an illness that can cause debilitating health problems, including blindness, kidney failure, heart attacks and strokes.

What About Milk?

• Calcium: Green vegetables, such as kale and broccoli, are better than milk as calcium sources.
• Fat Content*: Dairy products—other than skim varieties—are high in fat, as a percentage of total calories.
• Iron-Deficiency: Milk is very low in iron. To get the U.S. Recommended Dietary Allowance of 11 milligrams of iron, an infant would have to drink more than 22 quarts of milk each day. Milk also causes blood loss from the intestinal tract, depleting the body’s iron.
• Diabetes: In a study of 142 children with diabetes, 100 percent had high levels of an antibody to a cow’s milk protein. It is believed that these antibodies may destroy the insulin-producing cells of the pancreas.
• Contaminants: Milk is frequently contaminated with antibiotics and excess vitamin D. In one study of 42 milk samples tested, only 12 percent were within the expected range of vitamin D content. Of ten samples of infant formula, seven had more than twice the vitamin D content reported on the label, and one had more than four times the label amount.
• Lactose: Three out of four people from around the world, including an estimated 25 percent of individuals in the United States, are unable to digest the milk sugar lactose, which then causes diarrhea and gas. The lactose sugar, when it is digested, releases galactose, a simple sugar that is linked to ovarian cancer and cataracts.
• Allergies: Milk is one of the most common causes of food allergy. Often the symptoms are subtle and may not be attributed to milk for some time.
• Colic: Milk proteins can cause colic, a digestive upset that bothers one in five infants. Milk-drinking mothers can also pass cow’s milk proteins to their breast-feeding infants. 

Are Hot Dogs as Bad as Cigarettes?

By Michael d’Estries, Mother Nature Network

We all know the damage that cigarettes can cause to our health, but should hot dogs be given the same cold shoulder? 

According to the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine, a nonprofit that advocates for a plant-based diet and preventative medicine, that answer is yes — and this is but one of many processed foods that are slowly killing us.

How Dairy Actually Causes Osteoporosis

I know what you are thinking, dairy prevents osteoporosis. It keeps my bones strong right? Wrong. The more dairy you consume the weaker your bones become, let me explain how. 

Thinking back to High School Chemistry, we remember acids and alkaline. When placed together they neutralize making both ineffective. What many don't realize is that calcium is an alkaline, while the proteins in milk are an acid. The problem is that there is actually more acid in the milk than alkaline calcium. So when you drink the milk, your body has to leach more calcium from what is already in your bones in order to neutralize the acids coming in. Of course we cannot give dairy all the blame, but it is definitely a large part of the problem. The problem is too much protein in our diets. It is so sad that those who consumes dairy to prevent osteoporosis, are actually causing the opposite to occur. 

Processed Meats Declared Too Dangerous for Human Consumption

By Mike Adams

The World Cancer Research Fund (WCRF) has just completed a detailed review of more than 7,000 clinical studies covering links between diet and cancer. Its conclusion is rocking the health world with startling bluntness: Processed meats are too dangerous for human consumption. Consumers should stop buying and eating all processed meat products for the rest of their lives.

UN Urges a Vegan Diet To Feed A Growing Population

A recent report released by the United Nations found that the rate in which other cultures are moving toward a Western diet that's heavy on both meat and dairy is simply unsustainable. The UN also proclaimed that diet was one of the largest contributors to fossil fuel consumption. With the global population surging to a predicted 9.1 billion by 2050, a vegan diet will be a must in order to be able to feed the population.

According to the report, Assessing the Environmental Impacts of Production and Consumption: Priority Products and Materials, seen on the Guardian:

The Protein Myth

In the past, some people believed one could never get too much protein. In the early 1900s, Americans were told to eat well over 100 grams of protein a day. And as recently as the 1950s, health-conscious people were encouraged to boost their protein intake. Today, some diet books encourage high-protein intake for weight loss, although Americans tend to take in twice the amount of protein they need already. And while individuals following such a diet have sometimes had short-term success in losing weight, they are often unaware of the health risks associated with a high-protein diet. Excess protein has been linked with osteoporosis, kidney disease, calcium stones in the urinary tract, and some cancers.

Cooking Without Eggs

Many people choose not to use eggs in their diet. About 70 percent of the calories in eggs are from fat, and a big portion of that fat is saturated. They are also loaded with cholesterol—about 213 milligrams for an average-sized egg. Because egg shells are fragile and porous and conditions on egg farms are crowded, eggs are the perfect host for salmonella—the bacteria that is the leading cause of food poisoning in this country.

Pengganti telur

Catatan: 1 cangkir = 235 ml

* GROUND FLAXSEED
Untuk setiap 1 buah telur, kocok 1 sendok makan bubuk flaxseed dengan 3 sendok makan air sampai adonannya menjadi krim yang kental.
Cocok digunakan untuk membuat: waffle, martabak, apem, muffin, kue oat, roti.

* PISANG
Untuk mengganti satu atau dua buah telur, ambil satu buah pisang masak. Belah menjadi dua, lalu gunakan setengahnya saja, kemudian blender. Cocok digunakan untuk membuat: roti, muffin, kue, panekuk.

* APPLE SAUCE (BLENDER APEL)
¼ cangkir saus apel tanpa gula sama dengan satu butir telur. Cocok digunakan untuk membuat: kue basah, roti, roti instan, dan brownies.

21-Day Vegan Kickstart

Each day during the days you become a vegan, this site provide recipes and suggestions for every meal. Don’t let this overwhelm you. There are tons of options, but you get to pick and choose how many recipes you make each day or week—and how much of each recipe you make. 

Read the complete article here.

The New Four Food Groups

Be sure to include a good source of vitamin B₁₂, such as fortified cereals or vitamin supplements.

3 or more servings a day Fruits are rich in fiber, vitamin C, and beta-carotene. Be sure to include at least one serving each day of fruits that are high in vitamin C—citrus fruits, melons, and strawberries are all good choices. Choose whole fruit over fruit juices, which do not contain very much fiber. Serving size: 1 medium piece of fruit • 1/2 cup cooked fruit • 4 ounces juice

2 or more servings a day Legumes, which is another name for beans, peas, and lentils, are all good sources of fiber, protein, iron, calcium, zinc, and B vitamins. This group also includes chickpeas, baked and refried beans, soymilk, tempeh, and texturized vegetable protein. Serving size: 1/2 cup cooked beans • 4 ounces tofu or tempeh • 8 ounces soymilk

5 or more servings a day This group includes bread, rice, tortillas, pasta, hot or cold cereal, corn, millet, barley, and bulgur wheat. Build each of your meals around a hearty grain dish—grains are rich in fiber and other complex carbohydrates, as well as protein, B vitamins, and zinc. Serving size: 1/2 cup rice or other grain • 1 ounce dry cereal • 1 slice bread

4 or more servings a day Vegetables are packed with nutrients; they provide vitamin C, beta-carotene, riboflavin, iron, calcium, fiber, and other nutrients. Dark green leafy vegetables such as broccoli, collards, kale, mustard and turnip greens, chicory, or cabbage are especially good sources of these important nutrients. Dark yellow and orange vegetables such as carrots, winter squash, sweet potatoes, and pumpkin provide extra beta-carotene. Include generous portions of a variety of vegetables in your diet. Serving size: 1 cup raw vegetables • 1/2 cup cooked vegetables

Nutrient Recommendations for Vegans

Daily Nutrient Recommendations for Vegans please CLICK HERE

Tips for Parents of Young Vegans

By Reed Mangels, PhD, RD

Some children have been vegan from birth. Others come from families that decided to make the change to a vegan diet. Still others have decided, independently of their family, to be vegan. No matter how long a child has been a vegan or what their motivation is, the key to a nutritionally sound vegan diet is a variety of nutritious foods. These foods include whole grains, dried beans, nuts and seeds, fortified soymilk, and fruits and vegetables. Vegan children should use reliable sources of calcium, vitamin D, and vitamin B12.

Feeding Vegan Kids

by Reed Mangels, Ph.D., R.D.

Many members of The Vegetarian Resource Group are glowing testimony to the fact that vegan children can be healthy, grow normally, be extremely active, and (we think) smarter than average. Of course it takes time and thought to feed vegan children. Shouldn't feeding of any child require time and thought? After all, the years from birth to adolescence are the years when eating habits are set, when growth rate is high, and to a large extent, when the size of stores of essential nutrients such as calcium and iron are determined. The earliest food for a vegan baby is ideally breast milk. Many benefits to the infant are conveyed by breast feeding including some enhancement of the immune system, protection against infection, and reduced risk of allergies. In addition, breast milk was designed for baby humans and quite probably contains substances needed by growing infants which are not even known to be essential and are not included in infant formulas.

Vegetarian Diets for Children

Right from the Start

Eating habits are set in early childhood. Vegetarian/Vegan diets give your child the chance to learn to enjoy a variety of wonderful, nutritious foods. They provide excellent nutrition for all stages of childhood, from birth through adolescence.

Vegetarian Diets for Pregnancy

During pregnancy your need for nutrients increases. For example, you will require more calcium, more protein, and more folic acid, although your calorie needs increase only modestly. It is important to eat foods that are rich in nutrients, but not high in fat or sugar or excessive in calories.
Vegetarian diets, based on nutritious whole foods, are healthful choices for pregnant women.

Top 15 Sources of Vitamin C

Vitamin C, a valuable nutrient in the shortening the duration of colds and flu, rebuilding tissue, bones and blood vessels, as well as improving the body’s ability to digest and utilize calcium and other minerals, is often cited as an integral part of a healthy diet. Studies are also being conducted to prove vitamin C's role in brain function, healing from injuries, and recovering from illnesses. The National Institutes of Health recommend that the average adult male consumes 90 mg of vitamin C, while the average healthy female consumes 75 mg each day. The following list of foods, rich in vitamin C, will help you to add healthy doses of it to your diet.

Calcium in Plant-Based Diet

Many people avoid milk because it contains saturated fat, cholesterol, allergenic proteins, lactose sugar, and frequent traces of contamination, or simply because they don’t feel well after consuming dairy products. Milk is also linked to type 1 (juvenile-onset) diabetes and other serious conditions. Happily, there are many other good sources of calcium. Keeping your bones strong depends more on preventing the loss of calcium from your body than on boosting your calcium intake. Some cultures consume few or no dairy products and typically ingest fewer than 500 milligrams of calcium per day. However, these people generally have low rates of osteoporosis. Many scientists believe that exercise and other factors have more to do with osteoporosis than calcium intake does.

Diet, Vegetarianism and Cataract risk

Appleby PN, Allen NE, Key TJ.

Cancer Epidemiology Unit, Nuffield Department of Clinical Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom.

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Age-related cataract is a major cause of morbidity. Previous studies of diet and cataract risk have focused on specific nutrients or healthy eating indexes but not on identifiable dietary groups such as vegetarians.

Top Tips for Vegetarian/Vegan Diet

The health benefits of a vegetarian diet are impressive. Dr. T. Colin Campbell, nutritional researcher at Cornell University and director of the largest epidemiological study in history, says, "The vast majority of all cancers, cardiovascular diseases, and other forms of degenerative illness can be prevented simply by adopting a plant-based diet."

How To Get The Best Nutrition

A well-planned vegetarian diet is a healthy way to meet your nutritional needs. Find out what you need to know about a plant-based diet. 

By Mayo Clinic staff

Key Nutrients

Protein

What children primarily require is sufficient food energy i.e. calories rather than protein per se. With adequate calories an individual will be in positive nitrogen balance and will thrive on a diet in which protein is available from a mix of plant-based foods.

Vitamin B12

After birth, if a woman's breast milk contains too little B12, deficiency can then occur in her infant - not in the first few weeks of life but after a few months when his or her own stores have run down. B12 problems in breastfeeding infants of vegan mothers remain very rare. Requirements include 0.3 micrograms per day for infants aged 0-6 months and 0.4 microgramsfor infants aged 6-12 months. Children from 1-10 years of age should consume 1 microgram increasing to 2 micrograms per day. B12 deficiency in infancy and childhood is rare. However, because deficiency can have severe effects, and because natural plant sources of the vitamin are in serious doubt, it is important for vegan families to use and give their children fortified foods or supplements.

Vitamin D

Except in northern latitudes, most people obtain vitamin D from exposure to sunshine, rather than food. Consequently the UK has a set Reference Nutrient Intake (RNI) only for people most at risk from deficiency - that is infants from 8.5 micrograms dropping to 7 micrograms per day. Formula feeds contain sufficient vitamin D for infants but breast milk may not supply adequate amounts after 4-6 months of age especially in northern countries in the winter. Even in the general population, some autumn-born babies who are solely breast fed throughout winter may develop a deficiency, because the vitamin D content of their mother's breast milk is low. Nutritional rickets is more likely to occur under these conditions in dark-skinned people, especially if traditional clothing limits exposure to sunshine. Brief daily exposure of the skin to daylight in spring, summer and autumn, although not at the hottest times of the day, nor necessarily in direct sunshine, will ensure adequate vitamin D. Alternatively vitamin D fortified foods or supplements are an option for solely breast-fed infants and at weaning.

Calcium

Calcium deficiency has not been reported in vegan children. Given the importance of calcium intake during youth on the future risk of osteoporosis, vegan parents like any others should ensure calcium-rich foods in the diet. The RNIs are: 350-550mg per day for infants and children to the age of 10 years, 800mg per day for teenage girls, 1000mg per day for teenage boys.

Iron

Infants can absorb up to 50% of the iron in human breast milk but it is calculated that only 10% of the iron in formula milks is absorbed. A 1981 survey of British vegan children aged 1-4.6 years found an average iron intake of l0mg per day, mainly from wheat and pulses, which considerably exceeds the British RM of 6.1-6.9mg per day. A follow up study at the ages of 5.8-12.8 years confirmed that all the children were still consuming the RNI for iron. The 1991 UK RNI is: 0-3 months - 1.7mg per day; 4-6 months - 4.3mg per day; 7-12 months - 7.8mg per day; children up to 10 years - 6.1-8.7mg per day (depending on age); and teenagers from 11.3-14.8mg per day.

Zinc

There is evidence from the general population that malformations occurring in some infants may be linked to zinc insufficiency in their mothers. Human milk is not a rich source of this mineral and during breastfeeding infants draw on their body reserves laid down during the last 3 months of pregnancy. Thus premature babies may be at risk of zinc deficiency. UK recommendations are 0-6 months - 4mg/day; 7 months-3 years - 5mg/day; 4-6 years - 6mg/day; 7-10 years - 7 mg/day.

Feeding Vegan Children

Infants need plenty of energy. Home-prepared cereals should be made as a thick porridge and not as a thin gruel. Add a little vegetable oil to the cooked grains to increase their calorie content, and improve palatability by making them less glutinous as they cool.

Use more soya bean oil or rapeseed (canola) oil, and less sunflower, safflower or corn oils. The former may encourage the production of fatty acids that are important for the development of the brain and vision.

Do not allow infants fill up with liquids before meal-times.

Spread breads with margarine,seed or nut butters to increase calories.

Low salt yeast extract is a good source of vitamins and minerals.

Well-cooked and mashed pulses (e.g. lentils, mung beans and chick peas) provide energy and protein. Use black molasses to boost iron and calcium intakes.

Tofu prepared with calcium salt (usually calcium sulphate) contains more calcium than cow's milk. It is also rich in protein.

Make sure children have access to sunshine regularly and provide vitamin D2 supplements in winter.
Use non-dairy milks e.g. soya milk that is fortified with calcium, vitamin D2 and vitamin B12.

Sources : Vegan Society

The Three-Step Way to go Vegetarian/Vegan

If you are making the switch to a vegetarian/vegan diet for its health benefits, you’ll be pleased to find that there is a wonderful additional benefit to vegetarian/vegan eating: it’s a delicious and fun way to explore new foods. A vegetarian/vegan meal can be as familiar as spaghetti with marinara sauce, as comforting as a bowl of rich, potato soup, or as exotic as Grilled Polenta with Portobello Mushrooms.

The switch to a vegetarian diet is easier than you might think. Most people, whether vegetarians or meat-eaters, typically use a limited variety of recipes; the average family eats only eight or nine different dinners repeatedly. You can use a simple, three-step method to come up with nine vegetarian dinner menus that you enjoy and can prepare easily.

1. First, think of three vegetarian meals that you already enjoy. Common ones are tofu and vegetable stir-fry, vegetable stew, or pasta primavera.

2. Second, think of three recipes that you prepare regularly that can easily be adapted to a vegetarian menu. For example, a favorite chili recipe can be made with all of the same ingredients; just replace the meat with beans or texturized vegetable protein. Enjoy bean burritos (using canned vegetarian refried beans) instead of beef burritos, veggie burgers instead of hamburgers, and grilled eggplant and roasted red peppers instead of grilled chicken in sandwiches. Many soups, stews, and casseroles also can be made into vegetarian dishes with a few simple changes.

3. Third, check out some vegetarian cookbooks from the library and experiment with the recipes for a week or so until you find three new recipes that are delicious and easy to make. Just like that, with minimal changes to your menus, you will have nine vegetarian dinners.

After that, coming up with vegetarian options for breakfast and lunch is easy. Try muffins with fruit spread, cholesterol-free French toast, or cereal for breakfasts. Sandwiches, with spreads like hummus or white bean pate with lemon and garlic, or dinner leftovers all make great lunches.

Source :PCRM