December 2014
Home
Current Issue
Archives
Recipes
Store
Support VegE-News

Wishing everyone a healthy and compassionate 2015

No act of kindness, no matter how small, is ever wasted. - Aesop

In this edition...

Health
  Video: Chicken not a good choice for weight control
  Canadian avian flu virus related to lethal strain in Asia
  New study: How becoming a vegetarian can CURE diabetes
  Is a vegan diet healthy for children?

Environment and World Hunger
  The exponential benefits of eating less
  Japan vows to resume whaling for 'science'
  Meat and dairy are heating up the planet, but nobody seems to care
  Why the next world war will be fought over food

Lifestyles and Trends
  Man up and eat some tofu
  Vegetarian New Zealand conflicts with Kiwi identity for many
  Vegan egg substitutes
  'Eat More Kale' entrepreneur triumphs over fast food giant
  Paleo diets may negate benefits of exercise

Animal Issues and Advocacy
  Video: Comedian Jon Stewart on pig crates - part two
  Vegan mythbusting: Are wild animals killed when grain is harvested for vegans?
  Video: Rescued rabbits in the EU take first hop of freedom
  The tale of an unprejudiced heart: An interview with James Cromwell

Books and Perspectives
  Vegan author schools news anchors on vegan children and parenting
  Meet the farmer exposing Big Poultry's dirty laundry
 

Don't forget to visit:
Visit us on Facebook:

(Excerpts are included from current news stories. Click on the "Full story" link to read the full article.)
  Health    

Video: Chicken not a good choice for weight control
Video source: NutritionFacts.org

Chicken consumption is associated with more weight gain than other meat. [Also see this video that compares different types of meat in one of the largest nutrition studies ever and finds meat consumption vs plant-based diets to be associated with weight gain even at the same calorie intake].   Watch video...

NutritionFacts.org - December 15

Canadian avian flu virus related to lethal strain in Asia
Full story: Globe and Mail

The avian flu virus involved in an outbreak in British Columbia is related to a deadly strain that has spread through Asia and is now affecting North American poultry for the first time, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency says. Experts say the presence of an avian flu virus with Asian lineage does not increase the danger to humans - which remains very low - but it could pose a significant risk to the poultry industry. Nearly 250,000 chickens and turkeys are either dead or set to be euthanized due to avian flu, which has infected 11 sites in B.C. since the beginning of the month.   Read more...

Globe and Mail - December 19

New study: How becoming a vegetarian can CURE diabetes
Full story: Daily Mail, UK

Switching to a vegetarian diet could help reverse diabetes, a new study claims. Millions of people battling the killer disease could improve their blood sugar levels by eradicating meat from their weekly shop. Scientists believe removing animal fats could help cure the condition, leaving patients free from the disease.   Read more...

Daily Mail, UK - November 25

Is a vegan diet healthy for children?
Full story: ABC, Australia

Raising children on a vegan diet has been criticised as misguided and even dangerous, but advocates argue it's both a compassionate and healthy lifestyle choice -the NHMCR's Australian Dietary Guidelines 2013 [as well as the American and Canadian dietetic associations] note that appropriately planned vegetarian diets, including total vegetarian or vegan diets, are healthy and nutritionally adequate. [The article author] meets some vegan-by-choice children to ask how they feel about the decision.   Read more...

ABC, Australia - December 5

More Health News:
Why do vegan women have 5x fewer twins?
Study conclusion: Women attempting conception should avoid milk and dairy products. - NutritionFacts.org (December 26)
How long to avoid fish before conception?
NutritionFacts.org (December 25)

 
  Environment and World Hunger    

The exponential benefits of eating less
Full story: Pacific Standard Magazine

Eating less food - whole food and junk food, meat and plants, organic and conventional, GMO and non-GMO - would do a lot more than just better our personal health.   Read more...

Pacific Standard Magazine - November 26

Japan vows to resume whaling for 'science'
Full story: Care2

Earlier this year whales won a historic victory when the International Court of Justice ruled that Japan's scientific whaling program in the Antarctic was illegal and ordered it be ended, but Japan is back at it with plans to continue under a new proposal. While Japan initially said it would respect the ruling, some feared the country would come back with a new proposal and recently those fears were confirmed when the Ministry of Agriculture, Forests and Fisheries submitted a new proposal to continue it's "scientific" whaling program in the Antarctic.   Read more...

Care2 - December 2

Meat and dairy are heating up the planet, but nobody seems to care
Full story: Treehugger

Despite the fact that livestock production contributes more greenhouse gas emissions than the entire transport sector, there is an appalling unwillingness to change eating habits in order to make a difference. A new study has just been released by Chatham House in Great Britain and was designed to assess the global public opinion on meat and dairy consumption. What they found is revealed in the name of the study: "Livestock - Climate Change's Forgotten Sector." It is a forgotten sector largely because nobody wants to think about it.   Read more...

Treehugger - December 23

Why the next world war will be fought over food
Full story: Fortune

The world has a massive food crisis - so big that the World Bank and the United Nations say there won't be enough food to feed the global population by 2050. But feeding the world is big business.   Read more...

Fortune - December 21

More Environment and World Hunger News:
Demand for meat destroys Brazil's 'underground forest'
Straight.com (December 19)

 
  Lifestyles and Trends    

Man up and eat some tofu
Full story: PETA Blog

One day, Charlie was walking down the street when he noticed that dogs were being unloaded from a truck and taken into a slaughterhouse. He walked inside and watched as the dogs were hoisted up by their hind legs and had their throats cut while they were still conscious. After seeing this, Charlie approached the slaughterhouse owner and asked where he could buy the dog meat. You see, Charlie is a real man because he eats dog meat. That sounds *!& insane, doesn't it?! Why should this scenario be any different when we change the word "dog" to "cow," "pig," or "chicken"?   Read more...

PETA Blog - December 2

Vegetarian New Zealand conflicts with Kiwi identity for many
Full story: The New Zealand Herald

A meat-free New Zealand would be seen as conflicting with the country's national identity, according to a new study from Victoria University of Wellington. For her Ph.D thesis, [vegan] psychology graduate Maddie Judge examined the perception of vegetarianism and veganism. Judge said, despite the perception of many survey participants, previous research showed a plant-based diet could fit well with parts of New Zealanders national identity; this included "Kiwi's concerns for nature, animals and other humans." Despite the skepticism, many participants said a vegetarian New Zealand would encourage more warmth and less dysfunction in society.   Read more...

The New Zealand Herald - December 3

Vegan egg substitutes
Full story: Care2

You can easily avoid the cruelty and health issues involved in the egg industry...   Read more...

Care2 - December 8

'Eat More Kale' entrepreneur triumphs over fast food giant
Full story: Forbes

A kale enthusiast has successfully trademarked the phrase "Eat More Kale," despite objections from fast food giant Chick-fil-A. Bo Muller-Moore announced that the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office has approved his federal trademark. [Video of press conference. Note Mr. Muller-Moore says he is eating lots of kale but is not a vegetarian.]   Read more...

Forbes - December 15

Paleo diets may negate benefits of exercise
Full story: NutritionFacts.org

The deleterious effects of a Paleolithic diet appear to undermine the positive effects of a Crossfit-based high-intensity circuit training exercise program.   Read more...

NutritionFacts.org - December 19

More Lifestyles and Trends News:
Boy George’s turn around thanks to Raw Food Diet & Juicing
VegWorld Magazine (November 25)
Business and entrepreneurs seize opportunities in rise of veganism
Guardian, UK (November 28)
What I have learned from my family after becoming a plant-based eater
Sound advice - One Green Planet (November 25)

 
  Animal Issues and Advocacy    

Video: Comedian Jon Stewart on pig crates - part two
Full story: The Daily Show

Porks and Habitation The Daily Show host, Jon Stewart, follows up his earlier segment with this piece on Christie's veto of the bill that would've banned pig crates in New Jersey.   Read more...

The Daily Show - December 1

Vegan mythbusting: Are wild animals killed when grain is harvested for vegans?
Full story: The Flaming Vegan

As a vegan, I've often heard the refrain that animals are killed when plant food is harvested - effectively, animal consumers indicate that vegans eat food whose production involves wholesale slaughter of small wildlife that lives on farms. And, as they argue, since harvesting grain kills a lot of rats, fawns and nestlings, and slaughtering a cow kills only one animal, vegans are responsible for more animal cruelty than meat eaters are.   Read more...

The Flaming Vegan - August 12

Video: Rescued rabbits in the EU take first hop of freedom
Video source: Care2

In the EU, more than 330 million rabbits are commercially bred each year, [then] killed for meat or fur, while others are sent to medical testing facilities and universities. Having spent their entire lives inside cages and testing labs, the rabbits had never even had the opportunity to experience any of their natural instincts. The video shows their first steps of freedom, nervous, apprehensive and extremely timid. Within just a few minutes, they were bouncing around on the grass, with a slight wobble as they began using their legs properly for the first time ever.   Watch video...

Care2 - December 24

The tale of an unprejudiced heart: An interview with James Cromwell
Full story: All Animals Magazine

It was 20 years ago when a heartwarming Australian movie about a sociable pig named Babe captivated audiences in theaters across America. James Cromwell's performance as farmer Arthur Hoggett earned him an Oscar nomination for best supporting actor. The experience, he says, changed his life. After working closely with animals on the movie set, he adopted a vegan diet. He has since championed myriad animal protection causes, from the use of animals in entertainment and research to factory farming, horse slaughter and hound hunting. In this interview, James Cromwell discusses the animal issues near to his heart and the ways Babe changed his life.   Read more...

All Animals Magazine - January/February 2015

More Animal Issues and Advocacy News:
Heartwarming video: Calves destined for slaughter experience joy of running
Mercy for Animals (November 12)
Animal rights from A to Z
Care2 (December 15)
Canada gets a D grade on animal protection, according to new global index
Vancouver Desi (November 30)
What the bible says about animals may surprise you
PETA
Video: Dog and deer play racing game
Pet 360



 
  Books and Perspectives    

Vegan author schools news anchors on vegan children and parenting
Full story: GirlieGirlArmy

In the greenroom just before this TV interview, a producer gently warned me that the anchors would likely take a tough stance against my book, Vegan Is Love. I imagine that she, the producer, had taken in my small stature, the cuteness of my book cover, and had suddenly felt badly about throwing an innocent little children's book author to the wolves. By the end of the interview, as I stepped off the stage, I could feel it had not gone as expected!   Read more...

GirlieGirlArmy - December 5

Meet the farmer exposing Big Poultry's dirty laundry
Full story: Salon

Craig Watts has been raising chickens since 1992 - and he's had enough. In recent years, the North Carolina [U.S.] farmer has begun calling attention to the abuses he's witnessed while under contract for Perdue, the country's third-largest chicken producer. [Recently], he took his biggest step yet, inviting the animal welfare group Compassion in World Farming to his barns and allowing them to film the conditions there. [In this interview, Watts describes the sensation of going public as having an anvil lifted off his chest. See also NYT article.]   Read more...

Salon - December 10

Also of interest:

Websites and Blogs
Veganuary explodes some common myths - and invites you to take the Veganuary pledge...
Vegan Myths

Darwin IKEA monkey needs a new home by spring 2015! ...
Help Darwin

From PETA - articulate article on why abuse of any kind is wrong...
What PETA really stands for

More Tidbits:

VegE-News Archives

VegE-News Recipes and Tips

Would you like to support or sponsor VegE-News?
Your support in any amount is really appreciated.

Visit our VegE-Store for books and more
Thanks for buying all your books via the VegE-News link!

Note: We love new subscribers - but please don't add other people's addresses. Thanks!

 
Note: Whenever possible, stories are linked to the original source. Some sites may require registration, and/or not archive the stories. All links were active at the time of publication.
Follow these links to subscribe or unsubscribe to the VegE-News.
For more information about this newsletter, contact: VegE-News
Click here to view the VegE-News archives.
The VegE-News is prepared by:
3365 Harvester Rd., Suite 202, Burlington, Ontario L7N 3N2, Canada

To ensure that you continue to receive the VegE-News, please add the sender to your address book or safe list. This will help ensure that it doesn't get zapped by your spam filter and wind up in your JUNK or TRASH folder.