CHAPTER- 1
Why I am Vegan
What is a vegan? What is veganism? What do vegans eat ?
Veganism is a type of vegetarianism diet that also excludes dairy products, meat, eggs, fish, honey and all other animal-derived ingredients. Vegans also do not eat foods that are processed using animal products, such as refined white sugar and some wines. They also avoid the use of all products tested on animals, as well as animal-derived non-food products, such as leather, fur, silk and wool.
Vegans do not ride on animals; they do not use them for fun, sports or entertainment. They don’t go to zoos or other prisons of animals, birds or sea creatures. They don’t fly paper kites, they even don’t use sliver foil on sweets etc.
To sum up they don’t consider animal or birds as a commodity rather they believe all animals and other living creatures have same feelings and senses as humans. All vegans treat all animals whether small or big as another beautiful soul of nature and they treat them equal.
All vegans try to eat organic food as much as they can due to heavy use of chemicals in inorganic produce.
Vegans do not use animals for their use for any purpose what so ever. They believe in the philosophy that all animals and birds have their own rights and freedom and they should not be deprived from their natural condition.
Vegan refers to either a person who follows this way of life- in food or complete lifestyle.
What do vegans eat?
This is perhaps the most common question about veganism. A vegan diet includes all grains, beans, legumes, vegetables and fruits and the nearly infinite number of foods made by combining them. Vegan versions of almost all the familiar foods are available, so you can eat vegan hot dogs, ice cream, cheese and vegan mayonnaise without missing the animal ingredients in it.
How can I become vegan?
So you’ve decided to become vegan. But now what? Some people easily go from eating meat to vegan right away, while others struggle with their new commitment, or choose to go vegetarian first and then slowly omit eggs and dairy. There's no right or wrong way to do it, but you may want to learn about what has worked for other people. However you do it, keep your goals in mind and remember why you are choosing to adopt a vegan diet.
CHAPTER-2
WHY I AVOID MILK AND OTHER DAIRY PRODUCT
INSIDE THE IN DAIRY INDUSTRY
A Report on the Abuse of Cows and buffaloes exploited for Milk
(Source: PETA Investigation)
The Story which you are about to read, is not isolated cases; they represent Industry standards for animals raised for milk.
Cows, buffaloes and other animals raised for milk have many of the same basic needs as we do including food, water, shelter, compassion and freedom to move around. They feel pain just as we do and they understand the world which they live otherwise they could not survive. Animals raised for milk are forced to utmost pains and sufferings. They have been turned into milk producing machines by the Industry who has become increasingly industrialised over recent few decades.
In the Year 2007 India produced almost 100 Million tonnes of milk, which is 15% more than the US and 3 times more than China.
Like all mammals animals raised for milk need to become pregnant in order to produce milk. Typically animals raised for milk are made to give birth to a calf every year. Which means they are pulled lactating and pregnant for at least 7 months in a year. Within 3 months of giving birth the cow has made pregnant again and at times through artificial methods. Artificial insemination is a process by which sperm is collected from the male, processed and stored and artificially introduced into the female reproductive tract for the purpose of conception. Animals are artificially inseminated by bare foot healers without any minimum standard of care.
PETA investigators observed that artificial insemination guns were rarely sterilised and syringes and needles were used repeatedly on different animals without being sterilised and the bare foot healers shut their bare soapy hands into the animal uteruses causing the animal immense pain and exposing them to potential infection and deceases.
Cows and buffaloes raised for milk in India today are milked over and over using machines to extract more milk that animals would yield easily. Because workers can not pay always attention, the machines continue to often run even after animals annals are empty causing them a lot of pain.
Most cows raised for the dairy industry are intensively confined and they are unable to fulfill their basic desires such as nursing their calves. They are treated like milk producing machines and are given hormones that cause them to produce more milk. Most cows are chained by their next immovable stone, they are unable to stretch or move normally. Lack of proper food cause them to suffer from digestive problem and lack of exercise causes lameness.
Many dairy farms do not have drainage facility, electricity or proper place to dispose of the animal waste. Buffaloes stand several feet deep in their toilet and dung slush. They suffer from skin infection, foot decease, and tuberculosis.
THE HORROR STORY
The following are just some of the horrors PETA investigators observed. A new born calf was found tightly to his tongue. Animals were covered in their own dung. Because nobody attended to the buffalo that had gone to labor, her calf died during birth. Some buffaloes were bleeding from their vaginas but workers pay no attention to this.
All containers were kept in the open place causing potential contamination. Flies were all over the place and were sitting in milk containers and buckets potentially contaminating the milk. Dead calves were found lying near the cowsheds.
Male calves who are of no commercial value to the dairy industry were tied up with ropes so short that they can not even lift their heads. Very often these calves are sold to the slaughter houses and killed for their skin. The way of treating the dead cows and calves is very painful and another horror story to tell.
OXYTOCIN
Oxytocin is a Schedule H drug which means it can not be bought or sold without doctor prescription however its use in the dairy industry although illegal is rampant for non therapeutically purposes as the drug causes cow to produce more milk. Oxytocin causes cows to experience serious stomach cramps similar to labor pain and weakens them. It also causes them stop producing milk after just 3 years. After that cows are often went loose to feed for themselves on the streets.
Under natural conditions a cow can live up to 18 years but cows raised for milk are only about 6 or 7 years old when they are sent to slaughter house to be killed for their meat and skin. Cows are transported to the states where they can be legally killed. The animals are then roped together in the preparation of the harrowing death march which can last several days. Handlers pull the cattle by the ropes tied through their noses and twist their neck, horn and tail to keep them moving. They put them in and out of the trucks without ramps causing injuries such as broken legs, limbs and horns.
The other way handlers keep animals moving by rubbing chilli and tobacco in the eyes of animals. Nearly half of the animals succumb to this torture and are found dead at the time they arrive at the slaughter houses. The survivors are often killed in full view of each other. They are generally killed through hacking with a down blade.
It all comes down to the pain and sufferings not intelligence not strength not social class or civil right. Pain and sufferings are themselves banned and should be prevented.
SAY NO TO THE SLICE OF CHEESE OR THE GLASS OF MILK
And
SAY NO TO DAIRY PRODUCTS
There are so many nutritious, delicious and cruelty free recipes available now to enjoy the foods traditionally made using dairy products. Soy Milk is available now almost everywhere in India. Soy is not only cruelty free but also rich in protein and nutritious.
BE ALERT AND AWARE
Urge your local municipal corporation to ensure that basic animal welfare laws are enacted and enforced and the Tabelas across the city are hygienically maintained.
28 Things You should know if you drink Milk
1.Milk is the food that new born mammals receive from their mothers.
2.Usually, females like women, cows and capybaras DO NOT provide milk unless they become pregnant.
3.In nature camels, giraffes and bears are fed on milk.
4.Maternal milk is very tasty, healthy and nutritious when it comes from our own species.
5. When they are grown, mammals stop drinking milk and follow other diets.
6. All mammals grow and stop sucking. All, but one: HUMAN. Is it NATURAL?
7. Cows do not give humans milk.
8. Human confine, enclose, enslave and rob and rob and steal the milk from calves.
9. Male calves also called heifers or veal are killed and the milk their mothers would give them is stolen by human beings.
10. Cows and calves suffer so much in the separation.
11. To profit more with the death of the babies’ men has created this: the very tender, white and tasty meat of veal.
12. Is white because baby cows receive a very strict low iron diet. They have Anemia.
13. It is tender because babies can not move. Most of the time, to calm down their youth vitality, man puts them in the dark away from green grass, sunshine and friends.
14. Meat Industry call them "baby beef"
15. Man is the only animal capable of enslaving.
16. Free, a cow can live about 25 years.
17.Enslaved, rarely reaches 6 years and her meat turns into hamburgers and skin into leather.
18. Free, a cow produces about 5 liters of milk (132 gallons) a day.
19. Arrested and stuffed with drugs she can produce 44 liters (1162 gallons) per day.
20. Mammals only drink milk from their mothers.
21. Once we grow, we do not need milk.
22.Women have superpowers: I MAKE MILK what’s your superpower?
23. But men transform cows’ milk into veils’ blood.
24. You can change it.
25. Green leaves are rich sources of calcium, more efficient then cows’ milk.
26. You can also use vegetal milks like: coconut milk, rice milk, almond milk, oat milk.....
27.Can use vegetal cheese/paneer like tofu and eat very well without killing anyone: Vegetarian Kebab.
28. The calves need your HELP ! HELP ! HELP ! Freedom !
70% of milk in Delhi, country is adulterated
Times of India Front Page Report I Jan 10, 2012
NEW DELHI: Beware, your daily glass of good health could actually be doing you harm. As much as 70% of milk samples picked up from the capital by a government agency failed to conform to standards.
Of the 71 samples randomly taken from Delhi for testing by the Food Safety Standards Authority of India (FSSAI), 50 were found to be contaminated with glucose and skim milk powder (SMP), which is usually added to milk in the lean season to enhance volumes.
Elsewhere in the 33 states and UTs study, milk was found adulterated with detergent, fat and even urea, besides the age-old dilution with water. Across the country, 68.4% of the samples were found contaminated.
Only in Goa and Pondicherry did 100% of the samples tested conform to required standards. At the other end were West Bengal, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Orissa and Mizoram, where not a single sample tested met the norms.
Other prominent states fared just a shade better. Around 89% of the samples tested from Gujarat, 83% from Jammu & Kashmir, 81% from Punjab, 76% from Rajasthan, 70% from Delhi and Haryana and 65% from Maharashtra failed the test. Around half of the samples from Madhya Pradesh (48%) also met a similar fate.
States with comparatively better results included Kerala where 28% of samples did not conform to the FSSAI standards, Karnataka (22%), Tamil Nadu (12%) and Andhra Pradesh (6.7%).
The samples were collected randomly and analysed from 33 states totaling a sample size of 1,791. Just 31.5% of the samples tested (565) conformed to the FSSAI standards while the rest 1,226 (68.4%) failed the test.
A study conducted by Food Safety Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) across 33 states has found that milk was adulterated with detergent, fat and even urea, besides the age-old practice of diluting it with water. Across the country, 68.4% of the samples were found contaminated.
These were sent to government laboratories like Department of Food and Drug Testing of Pondicherry, Central Food Laboratory in Pune, Food Research and Standardisation Laboratory in Ghaziabad, State Public Health Laboratory in Guwahati and Central Food Laboratory, Kolkata, for testing against presence of adulterants like fat, neutralizers, hydrogen peroxide, sugar, starch, glucose, urea, detergent, formalin and vegetable fat.
Detergent was found in 103 samples (8.4%). "This was because milk tanks were not properly washed. Detergents in milk can cause health problems," FSSAI official told TOI. The non-conforming samples in rural areas numbered 381 (31%) out of which 64 (16.7%) were packet milk and 317 (83.2%) were loose samples.
In urban areas, the number of non-confirming samples were 845 (68.9%) out of which 282 (33.3%) were packed and 563 (66.6%) were loose.
The most common adulteration was that of fat and solid not food (SNF), found in 574 (46.8%) of the non-conforming samples. This, scientists say, is because of dilution of milk with water. The second highest parameter of non-conformity was skim milk powder in 548 samples (44.69%) which includes presence of glucose in 477 samples. Glucose could have been added to milk probably to enhance SNF.
Times View
This only confirms that food adulteration is common in India. Even milk, consumed primarily by children, isn't spared. What's particularly worrying is the kind of substances used to adulterate, including toxic chemicals. This shows the trade off between the risk of getting caught and the 'reward' of huge profits is skewed heavily in favor of the latter. The government must focus on raising the risks to the adulterator. One way of doing this is by hiking the penalty, including making it analogous to attempt to murder in extreme cases. It's equally important to regularly check foodstuff for adulteration and ensure speedy trials.
What substitutes I eat for milk?
Maybe you're thinking about going vegan, so you need some vegan dairy substitutes, or maybe you're allergic to milk and looking for lactose-free dairy substitutes or trying to keep kosher. Whatever your reason, reducing the amount of dairy in your diet can be a healthy way to lower your fat and cholesterol intake. Here's what you need to know about dairy substitutes, including non-dairy soy milk, vegan margarine, non-dairy ice cream substitutes and more.
While milk may be a good source of calcium and protein for vegetarians, many people are reducing their consumption of dairy due to food allergies, in an effort to reduce fat and cholesterol intake, or just to take advantage of the many health benefits of soy. Need a dairy substitute for baking, cooking or drinking? Soy milk, almond milk and rice milk can all be easily substituted for dairy in most recipes.
The first dairy substitute you probably want to know about is milk! You may have heard about soy milk, but what are some other dairy substitutes for milk and how can you use them in baking or cooking? Soy milk may be the most popular, but you may also want to try almond milk or rice milk.
Substitute soymilk, rice milk or almond milk for milk. You won't even be able to tell the difference in most recipes, including breads, muffins, cakes, cookies, puddings and other creamy desserts.
Soy milk
The good news is, soy milk is healthy, cheap, and easy to find and use. The bad news is...well, there really is no bad news! From a nutritional perspective, soy milk has almost as much protein as dairy milk, less fat, no cholesterol, and, since most soy milks are fortified, is a comparable source of calcium. Vegans should make sure to find a brand that is fortified with Vitamin B12. Soy milk is an excellent dairy substitute for baking or for kids.
Each brand of soy milk is slightly different, so try a couple and see which one suits your taste buds best. Soy milk is increasingly popular and many popular grocery chains and neighborhood stores have started stocking it. In Bharat Statea and Sofit are popular available options. Internationally brands such as Trader Joes, Whole Foods and Safeway are available in variety of flavours.. I recommend trying unflavored soy milk to start, though the chocolate flavor is an incredibly tasty treat.
Rice Milk
Rice milk is not as thick as soy or dairy milks, and has a somewhat translucent consistency. Because it is slightly sweet, rice milk works well in dessert recipes and is not suited for savory or salty dishes, such as mashed potatoes. Compared to soy and almond milk, rice milk has less protein.
Almond milk
Milk made from almonds or other nuts, such as cashew milk has a creamy consistency similar to soy milk and a nutty taste perfect for making vegan fruit smoothies or other creamy drinks and desserts, though they don't taste much like dairy milk, and are best in non-savory dishes. Be sure to shake your almond milk well before using. If you can't find almond milk at your grocery store, try making a homemade almond milk or cashew milk.
Dairy substitutes for cereal, oatmeal and beverages:
Any milk substitute will work fine, so it's really a matter of personal taste. I find that rice milk is a bit too sweet for me on cereal, but you may find that the sweetness of the rice milk just enhances the taste of a bowl of cereal. For extra flavor, try using vanilla flavored soymilk on your cereal- yum!
Milk substitutes for cooking:
Regular or unsweetened soymilk will work best in recipes such as pasta sauces, cream sauces, mashed potatoes, salad dressings and other savory recipes that call for milk. Although a thick soy cream is best for creamy recipes such as non-dairy Alfredo sauce, a reasonable facsimile can be made with a basic vegan roux. You can find soy cream at well stocked natural foods stores.
Replacing buttermilk:
If a recipe calls for buttermilk, add one tablespoon of white vinegar or lemon juice to a cup of soymilk to replace buttermilk and mix well. It's not quite as robust as buttermilk, but will have a similar flavor.
Dairy Substitutes
1. Butter Substitute: Non-Dairy Vegan Margarine
Vegan margarine is the best non-dairy substitute for butter and will work well with anything you need butter for, whether you're baking cookies or you need something to spread on your toast. Many margarine brands contain a bit of dairy in the form of lactose or whey, making them unsuitable as a dairy substitute, so be sure to read the label carefully. Sadly popular brands like Nutrilite in Bharat contains Milk Solids* in its margarine. The only downside to using margarine instead of butter is that it may contain hydrogenated oils, which are not healthy. If this is a concern for you, look for a dairy-free vegan margarine that contains no trans-fats or hydrogenated oils, such as Earth Balance. *(as recorded in Feb 2014)
2. Cheese Substitute: Soy Cheese
If you need a dairy-free substitute for cheese, I recommend looking for a cheese substitute that is labeled vegan if you are lactose intolerant or have a milk allergy. Some brands of non-dairy soy-based cheese contain a bit of casein or caseinate. Not a problem if you're just looking to reduce the dairy in your diet, but not helpful if you're fully vegan! So, be sure to read the label. If you avoid soy as well as dairy, look for vegan almond milk or rice milk cheese.
3. Alfredo and Cheese Sauce Substitutes: Homemade Vegan Alfredo
Fettuccine alfredo was one of my favorite foods before I went vegan, so I've spent many hours trying to fine dairy-free substitute for alfredo sauce and cheese sauces. Although there are a few commercially available mixes, I personally think that the best vegan alfredo sauces, cheese sauces and macaroni and cheese recipes are homemade rather than store bought.
4. Parmesan Cheese Substitute: Nutritional Yeast
If you're cutting dairy from your diet but you miss sprinkling Parmesan cheese on your pasta or garlic bread, you need to try a product long popular amongst vegans, called nutritional yeast. This is a flaky powder with a naturally cheese-like flavor. Nutritional yeast is similar to brewer's yeast - but careful!
They aren't the same! Shop for nutritional yeast in the bulk foods section of your local health food store or co-op grocery.
You can also keep an eye out for a non-dairy vegan Parmesan cheese substitute called Parma, or try shopping online at a vegan specialty store for Parma. Just like regular Parmesan cheese, Parma doesn't need to be refrigerated, so it's easy to buy online.
5. Sour Cream Subsitute: Vegan Sour Cream
Need a non-dairy substitute for sour cream? Tofutti brand is to the rescue! Found in the refrigerator section of natural foods stores and larger well-stocked grocers, if you are not in Bharat Tofutti non-dairy Sour Supreme and non-hydrogenated better than Sour Cream are both delicious dairy-free choices. Or you might also want to try making a homemade dairy-free sour cream substitute.
6. Ice Cream Substitutes: Soy, Coconut, or Rice Milk Ice Cream
When it comes to a non-dairy alternative to ice cream, vegans and the lactose intolerant have a few choices. More and more grocery stores are stocking non-dairy ice creams, and natural food stores stock a myriad of choices, including coconut milk based ice creams for those who avoid soy, low-fat rice milk ice cream, and of course, soy ice cream as well. If you'd like to try making a homemade non-dairy ice cream.
7. Homemade Cheese Substitutes
There's still quite a few dairy products you might be craving (or need for a recipe!) that are still unavailable to buy at the store. We've come a long way with commercial substitutes, but there's always room for improvement. In the meantime, try making your own homemade Indian paneer cheese from tofu or use Italian spices to make a tofu ricotta cheese substitute, perfect for making low-fat dairy-free lasagna.
TEA SUBSTITUTES
GREEN TEA
Health Benefits of Green Tea
Green tea acquires a prestigious place among soft beverages and it is one of the foremost things that come to the mind when the topic is anti oxidants. Within a short time, it has made billions of fans around the world and many lovers of normal tea have switched on to green tea, due to its health benefits. Those who are habituated to normal tea may not like its taste for the first time, but I am sure that it will be their favorite on very soon.
What is Green Tea: Green tea comes from the same plant from which normal tea is obtained. Scientifically, it is known as Camellia Sinensis. In fact, it is the same tea but processed differently. The normal black tea is obtained by fermenting the tea leaves. This fermentation changes its color, flavor and raises the level of caffeine and tannin in it. Whereas, in case of Green Tea, the tea leaves are dried or slightly steamed but not fermented. This makes it look green when brewed and otherwise.
Health Benefits: The health benefits from Green Tea are primarily due to its anti oxidizing properties which come from its Caffeine, Catechin Polyphenols and Theonine. These health benefits can be listed as under;
Anti Ageing.
Stimulating.
Immunity Boosting.
Astringency.
Anti Carcinogenic
Reducing Cholesterol
Cardiac & Arterial Health
Anti Diabetic
Weight Loss
Stamina & Endurance Booster
De intoxicating
Other Tea/ coffee Substitutes
Lemon Tea, Black tea are preferred vegan and healthy tea options, besides these Masala tea or tea with any herbals can be easily veganised or cooked without milk. Similarly soy milk tea also loved by many. Many cha bars and coffee outlets these days serves soy milk coffee or black coffee. Vegans are advised to use brown sugar, unrefined sugar, palm sugar, stevea leaves, jaggery or any other easily available natural sweetner instead of normal white sugar since many a times Bone char/ charcoal/ other chemicals have been used for refining the sugar which is not only unhealthy but make them non vegan as well.
