[Vision2020] Care About Healthy School Nutrition for OurChildren?

Wed Oct 1 15:38:47 PDT 2008

Fried ants with chili sauce anyone?
Ate 'em as a kid, but for some reason they don't sound as appetizing now.

From: Ted Moffett 
Sent: Wednesday, October 01, 2008 1:33 PM
To: Saundra Lund 
Cc: vision2020 at moscow.com ; donovanjarnold2005 at yahoo.com 
Subject: Re: [Vision2020] Care About Healthy School Nutrition for OurChildren?

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 ProgramPlanning Branch Chief for the USDA to encourage that vegetarian meals andnon-dairy beverage options be incorporated into The Child Nutrition Actrevisions currently being drafted. You can contact Mr. Eadie by letter, fax, or email at: Mr. Robert M. Eadie, Policy and Program Planning Branch ChiefU.S. Department of Agriculture, Food and Nutrition Service3101 Park Center Drive, Room 640Alexandria, VA 22302-1594E-mail: robert.eadie at fns.usda.govFax: (703) 305-2879 You can learn more about what we can do to provide healthy meal options inour schools at:http://www.healthyschoollunches.org/ For those who don't want to have to reinvent the wheel, below is a copy ofour letter: Dear Mr. Eadie, Although neither of us are vegetarian, our daughter took the "Pledge to beVeg" when she was in the seventh grade.  She graduated from high school inJune, and she remained vegetarian in spite of the challenges schoolbreakfasts and lunches provided throughout the years.  And, out of the groupof friends who took the Pledge, all 11 of them remain vegetarian today. Many children do not consume animal products due to ethical, religious, orhealth reasons.  Children of color are especially likely to need analternative to regular cow's milk, due to lactose intolerance.  It is***essential*** that the National School Lunch Program accommodate allstudents!  The American Medical Association and American Public HealthAssociation already support efforts to provide vegetables, fruits, legumes,grains, vegetarian foods, and healthful nondairy beverages in school lunchesand food assistance programs. We ask the USDA to include these items when the Child Nutrition Act isreauthorized next year:-  Nondairy beverage alternatives should be available and reimbursablewithout a note wherever cow's milk is provided.  Offering all students anutritious nondairy beverage will reduce saturated fat consumption andincrease overall program participation.  -- Vegetarian meal options should be available every day, as trailblazingstates such as California, Florida, Hawaii, and New York have alreadyrecommended.  Whether a student consumes a vegetarian diet or chooses anoccasional vegetarian meal, experts agree that plant-based foods are healthychoices for all children. -- Nondairy vegetarian commodity foods should be readily available toschools.  The USDA should provide schools with more fresh fruits andvegetables and plant-based entrées to help meet the demand for thesehealthful foods.   The USDA and Congress should shift federal subsidies sothat they support child health rather than agricultural interests. We join the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine, the AmericanMedical Association, and the American Public Health Association in askingthe USDA to provide healthful vegetarian foods including vegetables, fruits,legumes, grains, and nutritious nondairy beverages in schools.  Increasingaccess to low-fat, cholesterol-free, vegetarian foods will help mitigate therising prevalence of obesity and other chronic diseases.  Sincerely,Saundra & Bill Lund<snip>_____ Saundra LundMoscow, 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======================================================= 

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