[Vision2020] Care About Healthy School Nutrition for Our Children?

Wed Oct 1 13:33:25 PDT 2008

Insects are animals, thus technically off limits for a non-animal sourced
diet.  It is well known, however,
that some insects or insect pieces are present to a small degree in many
foods.  It is impossible to keep them all out.
It is thus nearly impossible to eat a totally "non-animal" sourced diet,
technically speaking. *  I suspect many vegetarians *
*are not as opposed to eating insects on ethical or environmental grounds as
they are for pigs, cows and sheep, *
*even if the idea of eating insects **is repulsive nonetheless.*

However, all the other Kingdoms of life (besides Animalia) are legitimate
for food for a non-animal sourced diet.
Apparently spirulina (a blue green algae) is not a plant, according to the
Wiki source lower down.  Yet the website below calls
it a "aquatic plant:"

http://www.spirulina.com/

This tiny aquatic plant has been eaten by humans since prehistoric times and
is grown worldwide as a healthy food.
---------------------

Tempeh is produced with mold.
Brewers yeast also falls into this same Kingdom:

http://wiki.answers.com/Q/Are_insects_considered_animals

>From URL above:

Insects are considered animals. Every living thing falls into one the 5
(sometimes 6) major kingdoms of life on planet earth.
Insects belong to Kingdom Animalia:

Monera bacteria, blue-green algae, and spirochetes

Protista protozoans and algae of various types

Fungi funguses, molds, mushrooms, yeasts, mildews, and smuts

Plantae (plants) mosses, ferns, woody and non-woody flowering plants

Animalia (animals) sponges, worms, insects, fish, amphibians, reptiles,
birds, and mammals
------------------------------------------
Vision2020 Post: Ted Moffett

On 10/1/08, Ted Moffett <starbliss at gmail.com> wrote:

> Vegetarian diets can include B-12 from foods that are commonly available
> (check the Moscow Food CO-OP).
>
> Spirulina, brewers yeast, and tempeh all can have significant amounts of
> vegetarian sourced B-12.  I am holding a bottle of Nutrex
> Spirulina purchased at the Moscow Food CO-OP that lists B-12 (Human
> Active) content in 2 tsp. at 30 % of RDA.  The bottle
> does not indicate this is artificially added.  Either this is
> a false claim, or a significant source of vegetarian B-12, not from
> supplements.
>
> However, there is disagreement on whether these foods contain enough B-12
> of the correct kind for optimum health in a vegetarian
> diet without taking B-12 supplements, a rather easy option.  Sometimes
> spirulina, brewers yeast and tempeh, depending on how
> produced and processed, have limited B-12 or not of the correct kind.
>
> Given the claims at this web site below, that B-12 is not make by plants,
> but by
> micro-organisms, it is no surprise that brewers yeast and tempeh can
> contain B-12, given the micro-organisms involved in these foods.
> "Plants" are not the only source of food for a non-animal sourced diet. a
> common misconception.  Spirulina is a micro-algae, so
> either this is not a "plant," or the claim that plants do not produce B-12
> is false, the label on my spirulina bottle is a lie, or the B-12
> is added artificially to this spirulina.
>
> But consider that insects in the diet can supply B-12, also according to
> this web site below.  Are insects acceptable
> for a "vegetarian" diet?  They are not plants, but are they considered
> animals?  If they are not animals, a vegetarian could
> get B-12 from this source, though our culture's views of insects as foods
> would render this unthinkable for many:
>
> http://www.vegetarianaction.org.au/Refs/RFB12.htm
>
> --------------------------------------------
> Vision2020 Post: Ted Moffett
>
>
>
> On 9/30/08, Saundra Lund <sslund_2007 at verizon.net> wrote:
>>
>>  Hi Donovan & Other Visionaries,
>>
>>
>>
>> Thanks for your response and for the opportunity to provide accurate
>> information.
>>
>>
>>
>> First, because improving the nutrition available for all children who eat meals at school is very important to me, I renew my request that folks take this opportunity to contact the USDA to encourage that vegetarian meals and non-dairy beverage options be incorporated into The Child Nutrition Act revisions currently being drafted (for those who may have missed my original post, please scroll down or go to http://mailman.fsr.com/pipermail/vision2020/2008-September/056598.html).
>>
>>
>>
>> Second, the study you cited has nothing to do with the topic I was posting
>> about, although through no fault of yours, no one would know that from
>> reading the links since the study itself wasn't identified in the links you
>> provided.  In case there are other science junkies like me here, feel free
>> to check out:
>>
>>
>> http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18779510?ordinalpos=1&itool=EntrezSystem2.PEntrez.Pubmed.Pubmed_ResultsPanel.Pubmed_DefaultReportPanel.Pubmed_RVDocSum
>>
>> OR
>>
>> http://tinyurl.com/4e65uu
>>
>> *Vitamin B12 status and rate of brain volume loss in community-dwelling
>> elderly.*
>>
>>
>>
>> With permission, I'm sharing the response I received from my contact at
>> Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine, who has given permission for
>> it to be shared to anyone who may be confused:
>>
>>
>>
>> Headlines claiming that vegetarian and vegan diets cause "brain shrinkage"
>> have received quite a bit of attention recently. These headlines are based
>> on a recent study conducted by researchers at Oxford and published in the
>> Journal "Neurology". This was not a study of vegans or vegetarians.
>> Unfortunately, this sound research study on vitamin B12 status in older
>> adults has been mistakenly misconstrued by a few members of the popular
>> media.
>>
>>
>> http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18779510?ordinalpos=1&itool=EntrezSystem2.PEntrez.Pubmed.Pubmed_ResultsPanel.Pubmed_DefaultReportPanel.Pubmed_RVDocSum
>>
>>
>>
>> This study looked at older adults, who are much more likely to be
>> deficient in vitamin B12 compared to younger adults. This allowed the
>> researchers to see the differences in brain atrophy, or "shrinkage," between
>> groups of people with low B12 levels vs. normal B12 levels. In fact, the
>> researchers found that older adults with lower B12 levels lost more brain
>> mass over a five-year period compared to those with higher B12 levels. But
>> this does not necessarily have anything to do with their diet, and because
>> dietary intake was not measured, there is no evidence of a relationship
>> between a vegetarian or vegan diet and brain volume.
>>
>>
>>
>> The most common cause of B12 deficiency actually has nothing to do with
>> diet.  Rather, some people simply cannot absorb it adequately. Normally,
>> cells in the stomach produce a compound called intrinsic factor, which
>> combines with vitamin B12 and allows it to be absorbed in the small
>> intestine. Some people cannot make intrinsic factor, because of various
>> stomach disorders. They need monthly B12 injections or very large oral doses
>> (1,000 - 2,000 mcg per day).  Also, certain medicines for acid stomach, such
>> as omeprazole (Prilosec), esomeprazole (Nexium), ranitidine (Zantac), or
>> famotidine (Pepcid), interfere with the body's ability to absorb B12.
>>
>>
>>
>> Vegan diets need to be supplemented with B12. However, the National
>> Academy of Sciences recommends that everyone over age 50 take a B12
>> supplement or use B12-fortified foods, and some have suggested that this
>> should apply to all age groups. The reason is that about 15 percent of older
>> meat-eaters-and some younger ones as well-are low in B12.  So, the bottom
>> line is to take a multiple vitamin or a B12 supplement. This is not a reason
>> to add meat to your diet; that would lead to far worse problems.
>>
>>
>>
>> The harm in the popular media's misinterpretation of this study is
>> twofold.  First, reporters have wrongfully implicated vegetarian and vegan
>> diets in causing brain shrinkage, while research continues to show the
>> health benefits of this plant-based eating pattern. But most regrettably, we
>> as a community have failed to acknowledge the value of this study, which
>> clearly demonstrates the need to prevent, screen, and treat vitamin B12
>> deficiency in older adults. While these vulnerable members of our community
>> go unnoticed, they continue to suffer from preventable cognitive decline,
>> nerve damage, personality changes, and depression.
>>
>>
>>
>> Furthermore, the authors of this article noted that other risk factors for
>> brain atrophy include hypertension, diabetes, and hyperlipidemia. So, PCRM
>> concludes that those people who follow a low-fat vegan diet and take a
>> vitamin B12 supplement have a low risk of brain atrophy, as a low-fat vegan
>> diet has demonstrated improvements and reversals of all of the above risk
>> factors.
>>
>>
>>
>> Please see PCRM's fact sheet on vitamin B12 for more information.
>>
>> http://www.pcrm.org/health/PDFs/faq_b12.pdf
>>
>>
>>
>> Best regards,
>>
>>
>>
>> Katie Strong, M.S., R.D.
>>
>> Staff Dietitian
>>
>> Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine
>>
>> 5100 Wisconsin Ave, NW, Suite 400
>>
>> Washington, DC 20016
>>
>> Phone: 202-686-2210 ext. 338
>>
>> Fax: 202-686-2216
>>
>> kstrong at pcrm.org
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> Saundra Lund
>>
>> Moscow, ID
>>
>>
>>
>> The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good people to do
>> nothing.
>>
>> ~ Edmund Burke
>>
>>
>>
>> ****** Original material contained herein is Copyright 2008 through life
>> plus 70 years, Saundra Lund.  Do not copy, forward, excerpt, or reproduce
>> outside the Vision 2020 forum without the express written permission of the
>> author.******
>>
>>
>>
>> *From:* Donovan Arnold [mailto:donovanjarnold2005 at yahoo.com]
>> *Sent:* Thursday, September 25, 2008 9:25 PM
>> *To:* vision2020 at moscow.com; Saundra Lund
>> *Subject:* Re: [Vision2020] Care About Healthy School Nutrition for Our
>> Children?
>>
>>
>>
>> Didn't they just find out that not eating meat shrinks the brain?
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/HealthSci/Eating_veggies_shrinks_the_brain/articleshow/3480629.cms
>>
>> http://www.nowpublic.com/health/eating-veggies-shrinks-brain
>>
>> http://www.freshplaza.com/news_detail.asp?id=28622
>>
>> Isn't that something the students need? I sure could have used a bigger
>> brain in school, now I don't need it that much, but I sure could have used
>> one back when I was in school.
>>
>>
>>
>> Best Regards,
>>
>>
>>
>> Donovan
>>
>> --- On *Thu, 9/25/08, Saundra Lund <sslund_2007 at verizon.net>* wrote:
>>
>> From: Saundra Lund <sslund_2007 at verizon.net>
>> Subject: [Vision2020] Care About Healthy School Nutrition for Our
>> Children?
>> To: vision2020 at moscow.com
>> Date: Thursday, September 25, 2008, 11:11 AM
>>
>> If so, then I urge you to contact Mr. Robert M. Eadie, Policy and Program
>>
>> Planning Branch Chief for the USDA to encourage that vegetarian meals and
>>
>> non-dairy beverage options be incorporated into The Child Nutrition Act
>>
>> revisions currently being drafted.
>>
>>
>>
>> You can contact Mr. Eadie by letter, fax, or email at:
>>
>>
>>
>> Mr. Robert M. Eadie, Policy and Program Planning Branch Chief
>>
>> U.S. Department of Agriculture, Food and Nutrition Service
>>
>> 3101 Park Center Drive, Room 640
>>
>> Alexandria, VA 22302-1594
>>
>> E-mail: robert.eadie at fns.usda.gov
>>
>> Fax: (703) 305-2879
>>
>>
>>
>> You can learn more about what we can do to provide healthy meal options in
>>
>> our schools at:
>>
>> http://www.healthyschoollunches.org/
>>
>>
>>
>> For those who don't want to have to reinvent the wheel, below is a copy of
>>
>> our letter:
>>
>>
>>
>> Dear Mr. Eadie,
>>
>>
>>
>> Although neither of us are vegetarian, our daughter took the "Pledge to be
>>
>> Veg" when she was in the seventh grade.  She graduated from high school in
>>
>> June, and she remained vegetarian in spite of the challenges school
>>
>> breakfasts and lunches provided throughout the years.  And, out of the group
>>
>> of friends who took the Pledge, all 11 of them remain vegetarian today.
>>
>>
>>
>> Many children do not consume animal products due to ethical, religious, or
>>
>> health reasons.  Children of color are especially likely to need an
>>
>> alternative to regular cow's milk, due to lactose intolerance.  It is
>>
>> ***essential*** that the National School Lunch Program accommodate all
>>
>> students!  The American Medical Association and American Public Health
>>
>> Association already support efforts to provide vegetables, fruits, legumes,
>>
>> grains, vegetarian foods, and healthful nondairy beverages in school lunches
>>
>> and food assistance programs.
>>
>>
>>
>> We ask the USDA to include these items when the Child Nutrition Act is
>>
>> reauthorized next year:
>>
>> -  Nondairy beverage alternatives should be available and reimbursable
>>
>> without a note wherever cow's milk is provided.  Offering all students a
>>
>> nutritious nondairy beverage will reduce saturated fat consumption and
>>
>> increase overall program participation.
>>
>>
>>
>> -- Vegetarian meal options should be available every day, as trailblazing
>>
>> states such as California, Florida, Hawaii, and New York have already
>>
>> recommended.  Whether a student consumes a vegetarian diet or chooses an
>>
>> occasional vegetarian meal, experts agree that plant-based foods are healthy
>>
>> choices for all children.
>>
>>
>>
>> -- Nondairy vegetarian commodity foods should be readily available to
>>
>> schools.  The USDA should provide schools with more fresh fruits and
>>
>> vegetables and plant-based entrées to help meet the demand for these
>>
>> healthful foods.   The USDA and Congress should shift federal subsidies so
>>
>> that they support child health rather than agricultural interests.
>>
>>
>>
>> We join the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine, the American
>>
>> Medical Association, and the American Public Health Association in asking
>>
>> the USDA to provide healthful vegetarian foods including vegetables, fruits,
>>
>> legumes, grains, and nutritious nondairy beverages in schools.  Increasing
>>
>> access to low-fat, cholesterol-free, vegetarian foods will help mitigate the
>>
>> rising prevalence of obesity and other chronic diseases.
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> Sincerely,
>>
>> Saundra & Bill Lund
>>
>> <snip>
>>
>> _____
>>
>>
>>
>> Saundra Lund
>>
>> Moscow, ID
>>
>>
>>
>> Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter.
>>
>> ~ Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> =======================================================
>>
>>  List services made available by First Step Internet,
>>
>>  serving the communities of the Palouse since 1994.
>>
>>                http://www.fsr.net
>>
>>           mailto:Vision2020 at moscow.com
>>
>> =======================================================
>>
>>
>>
>> =======================================================
>>  List services made available by First Step Internet,
>>  serving the communities of the Palouse since 1994.
>>               http://www.fsr.net
>>          mailto:Vision2020 at moscow.com
>> =======================================================
>>
>
>
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