Black Vegetarian Society of New York | e-mail us| 718 362 9552
What do vegetarians eat?
What is veganism?
Are vegetarian diets healthy?
Won't I be
hungry all the time without meat?
What about dairy?
Isn't fish supposed to be
healthy?
I
heard a vegan couple killed their baby. Is this true?
I don't have time to eat healthy or cook. How will this work for
me?
I don't
have access to vegetarian foods. What can I do?
Why should black
people become vegetarian?
Soul Food is a part of our culture; why should we give it up?
Will I get enough...
...protein?
...Vitamin D?
...Calcium?
...Iron?
...Vitamin B12?
What do vegetarians eat?
Vegetarians eat a wide variety of fruits, vegetables, grains, legumes,
nuts, and seeds.
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What is veganism?
Veganism is the practice of abstaining from all types of animal consumption - food, clothing, furniture, bodycare and household products and includes expressing compassion, advocacy, and activism for sentient beings.
Are vegetarian diets healthy?
Vegetarian diets that are well planned, varied, and low in fat, sugar,
refined flours, and junk food are healthy. The key to a nutritious
plant-based diet is variety.
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Won't I be
hungry all the time without meat?
Healthy plant-based diets are rich in fiber and good fats that will
leave you satisfied between meals.
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What about dairy?
The topic of dairy comes up often in the plant-based diet discussion. It
is not necessary for anyone past infancy to consume milk. Cow's milk is
designed to take a baby calf from 55 to 100 pounds at birth to double or
triple that size in three months, so consider what that means for humans
at any stage of development.
Other reasons why dairy is unnecessary for human consumption:
-
millions of people, including those of African descent, are lactose intolerant
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milk is a high fat, high cholesterol food
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milk has been linked to allergies, asthma, childhood diabetes, colic, depression, eczema, some cancers, stomach problems, and obesity
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milk has been linked to early menarche (menstruation) and PMS symptoms
Isn't fish supposed to be
healthy?
Fish today contains dangerous levels of mercury, a heavy metal that is
also a deadly poison. Also, much of today's fish is farm-raised, pumped
full of growth hormones and antibiotics. Why do fish need
antibiotics? Why would you want to consume a food injected with growth
hormones and antibiotics?
I
heard a vegan couple killed their baby. Is this true?
In 2005, a couple in Florida were convicted of neglect and abuse for malnourishment while raising their 5 kids, one of whom died on a raw vegan diet. They were cleared of starving their baby after it was determined the baby suffered from a genetic disorder.
In 2007, an Atlanta couple was convicted of killing their 6-week-old baby by underfeeding him. The couple said they were vegans, but that had nothing to do with their baby's death. In this unfortunate case, it was discovered that the newborn was not breastfed, but was instead given soymilk (not formula) and apple juice, an unacceptable diet for a newborn on all accounts.
It's important to keep in mind that we do not have access to all of the facts, that the media can be unfair and biased in their reporting, and the parents in these cases may not have had access to relevant, comprehensive nutrition education necessary to help their children thrive.
A well-planned plant-based diet can meet all of our nutrition needs at every stage of life.
I don't have time to eat healthy or cook. How will this work for
me?
You can make time to be healthy, or you'll have to make time to be sick.
Many plant-based dishes can be prepared in 30 minutes or less. Salads and sandwiches take little time to prepare, and many plant-based meals can be put together in minutes from frozen, boxed, or canned sources.
Look for canned soups and beans, frozen vegetables, and ready-meals for those times when preparing a meal from scratch is not an option.
I
don't have access to vegetarian foods. What can I do?
If you know where the supermarket
is, you have access to a wide variety of plant foods, such as fruit,
vegetables, grains, legumes, nuts, and seeds.
If your local supermarket does not
carry acceptable produce, talk to the produce manager about the choices.
Get your community involved by having your neighbors write letters and
verbally complain to the manager/owner. Search online for a local community supported
agriculture (CSA) program, a farmer's market, or a produce delivery
service.
If you're looking for nontraditional foods, such as soy meat, wheat
gluten, grain flours like millet and buckwheat, and other foods not
available at your local grocer, visit ethnic grocery stores like Asian
and West Indian markets, and the World Wide Web is full of resources
to help support a plant-based diet.
Why should black
people become vegetarian?
Here are our reasons:
-
Black people top the list when it comes to diabetes, heart disease, obesity, asthma, colon cancer, breast cancer, kidney failure, gallbladder removal surgeries, high blood pressure, and arthritis. Our food choices are directly connected to these ailments. Healthy Vegetarians and Vegans are less likely to develop these problems.
-
A plant-based diet, when properly planned, is low in fat, cholesterol free, and high in essential vitamins, minerals,. and other nutrients.
Soul Food is a part of our culture; why should we give it up?
Soul Food, is not a
health-supportive diet. This diet may have sustained an enslaved people during
very harsh, unspeakable cruelties, but one should also consider that
meals were one of the few times families could spend together. Food,
while necessary, is not the only thing that nourishes us. Soul Food, along with our lifestyle choices, is
largely responsible for our rising rates of diabetes, obesity, heart
disease, and the other diseases listed in the previous answer.
It is very likely that our original Soul Food diet was plant-based, as
access to meat during enslavement was rare.
Also, many of the Soul Food recipes we hold dear are not a part of
traditional African diets, but appropriations and enhancements of
traditional European and Native American dishes.
The Soul Food Diet is a Survivalist Diet that has no place in "Soulful"
cuisine.
The term Soul Food should be redefined to include a health-supportive
way of eating that is nurturing, satisfying, and delicious but does
not include meat, unhealthy fats, large amounts of salt, and animal byproducts.
Will I get enough...
...protein?
Yes. Well-planned plant-based diets can supply you with adequate protein. Legumes, nuts, seeds, tofu, seitan, tempeh, and grains are sources of protein.
Yes. The sun helps the body to make Vitamin D, so get outside for a few hours everyday, especially in winter, and let the sun bless you with its healing rays. Also, many foods are fortified with Vitamin D, and you can purchase Vitamin D supplements.
Yes. Dark green leafy vegetables, calcium-fortified tofu and orange juice, and sesame seeds are just a few sources of calcium available.
Yes. Plant sources of iron include beans, and dark green leafy vegetables
Look for Vitamin B12-fortified cereals, non-dairy milks, meat analogues, supplements, and some brands of nutritional yeast to meet your B12 needs .
Have a question not answered here?
E-mail us and we'll consider it for inclusion.