by Vesanto Melina and Mio Lainchbury and Arooj Hayat, Moving towards a plant-based diet can initially raise questions about whether you’re getting enough protein—especially if you’re not up on the science. If you’ve been on a plant-based journey for some time, you’re already aware of the many rich protein sources available, especially legumes (beans, peas, …
Celebrate with Compassion By Vesanto Melina, MS, RD Across North America and Europe, people are choosing plant-based meals and the trend is accelerating, especially among young people. So you are likely to have at least one vegetarian or vegan at your holiday dinner table. They may be making this choice because they have learned from …
by Vesanto Melina, MS, Registered Dietitian Farm subsidies in the US amount to $53 billion dollars per year. A pound of hamburger would cost $30 without the subsidies that go to the farmers and to the wheat and soy used as fodder. Corn is heavily subsidized, and used for high fructose corn syrup. Its production …
by Vesanto Melina, MS, Registered Dietitian A paper published by the American Society for Nutrition makes the case for modernizing the definition of protein quality. This is a welcome development. The current definition is outdated and fails to protect public health because it assesses how well various proteins meet human requirements based solely on digestibility …
Redefining Protein Quality: What’s New About Protein? Read More »
by Vesanto Melina A half-century ago, vegetarian and vegan diets were viewed with concern by health professionals. In decades since, these have been the focus of vast amounts of research. Today, a dietary shift in the direction of plant foods is regarded as a very positive step by knowledgeable dietitians, MDs, nutritional scientists and by …
by Vesanto Melina Some people call our fair city “Vegcouver”. One reason is that when we go to the helpful guide for plant-based eating, www.happycow.net , and search Vancouver BC, we find no less than 99 listings. (These include vegan and vegetarian restaurants.) If we narrow our filter just to vegan restaurants, we still end …
11/10/2017 +Share NUTRISPEAK by Vesanto Melina Last month, we explored the cruelty and environmental damage inherent in commercial fishing. This month, we look at aquaculture. Today, approximately half the fish consumed are reared in crowded enclosures whether on land or in water. Globally, between 40-120 billion farmed fish are slaughtered for food each year. The goal in …
08/09/2017 +Share NUTRISPEAK by Vesanto Melina Fish has long been viewed as an ideal protein source and the significant source of long-chain omega-3 fatty acids such as DHA. Health authorities have sometimes advised people to consume at least two servings of fish per week. Globally, an estimated one trillion fish are caught each year, excluding illegal …
08/07/2017 +Share NUTRISPEAK by Vesanto Melina Catherine Jones and Stéphane Lahaye Are you interested in pursuing a plant-based lifestyle but don’t know where to start? Read on for easy ways to swap out animal products for plant-based alternatives that still provide all the nutrients you need. “How can I get enough protein?” is one of the …
06/05/2017 Share NUTRISPEAK by Vesanto Melina For many, doing what comes naturally is an appealing concept. (For a good laugh, look up “Doin’ what comes natur’lly” on Youtube, from Annie Get Your Gun.) Often, the appeal comes from a realistic concern regarding food mass produced in systems never envisioned a century ago, using toxic pesticides and genetically …
