Plant-Based diet

Athletes Turn to Plant-Based Diets to Improve Performance

smcdonaldHealth Leave a Comment

Vegan AthletesCan you imagine a day when vegans and vegetarians are no longer asked “where do you get your protein?” — but rather, the initial knee-jerk response to finding out that someone still eats meat is: “But, how do you get enough nutrients in your diet?”

This day might be closer than we think thanks to vegan athletes like triathlete Brendan Brazier, ultra runners Rich Roll and Scott Jurek and NFL guard Deuce Lutui making headlines, winning events and showing off toned, muscular physiques.

Given all the health research behind the benefits of a vegan diet, it makes sense that eliminating animal product intake would enhance athletic performance.

US VegWeek

US VegWeek Success: Thousands Go Meat-Free for a Week!

smcdonaldEvents, Health Leave a Comment

Vegan Baking Our fifth annual US VegWeek wrapped up on Sunday, and it was a resounding success!

The weeklong celebration highlighting the many benefits and flavors of vegetarian eating included more than 3,500 people from coast to coast taking our 7-Day VegPledge, 140 restaurant specials offered in 21 states, 150 events held in 33 states, and more media coverage than ever before.

eggs and heart disease

New Study Links Eggs and Heart Disease

smcdonaldHealth Leave a Comment

Vegan BakingMove over saturated fat and cholesterol; there are two new health culprits in town that are linked to raising heart disease risk. Last month, news circulated widely about one of these culprits when research revealed how consumption of l-carnitine, found abundantly in red meat as well as in dairy, fish and chicken, plays a significant role in the development of heart disease.

In addition, just last week, a new study revealed that through a similar process, lecithin, found in eggs, also raises heart disease risk.

connecticut schools

Connecticut Schools Go Meat-Free to Celebrate VegWeek

smcdonaldEvents, Health, Outreach, Veg Eating 1 Comment

Guilford Schools Chef Timothy Cipriano, Director of Food Services of Guilford Public Schools (GPS) in Guilford, Connecticut, touts an unusual and commendable specialty on his LinkedIn profile: “Working with kids to get them to appreciate good wholesome real food.” And that’s exactly why he was recruited by Guilford’s Superintendent of Schools, Dr. Paul Freeman, to ramp up the nutritional integrity of the GPS lunch program.

Spring Cleaning: 5 Tips to Clean Up Your Diet this Season

smcdonaldHealth, Outreach Leave a Comment

Spring Cleaning“Spring Cleaning” is a phrase many of us are familiar with, and we often use the first warm days of the year to deep clean our houses, update our wardrobes for spring weather, or even reorganize various aspects of our lives. Why not also take this time to reexamine the foods we eat and swap them out for healthier, more humane, and environmentally-friendly options? It’s easy, and we’ve got five simple steps to help you “spring clean” your diet.

Antibiotics

When Drugs Become Dangerous: Antibiotics in Agriculture

smcdonaldHealth Leave a Comment

AntibioticsAlexander Fleming’s discovery of penicillin was a breakthrough in modern medicine, and who of us hasn’t relied on the effectiveness of antibiotics to cure an infection at some point in our lives? The overuse of antibiotics, however, is leading to an increase of drug-resistant “superbugs” which cause harder-to-treat and more-likely-to-be-lethal infections. Doctors across the country have recognized this threat, and have stopped the practice of over prescribing. Despite this effort, one industry gets away with unchecked and unregulated use of antibiotics: animal agriculture.

Industrial animal farms add low-level antibiotics (often without veterinary oversight) to animal feed to foster faster growth and mitigate the spread of disease caused by keeping thousands of animals in cramped, filthy factory farms.

beyond eggs

New Company Shells Out Innovation Taking Us Beyond Eggs

smcdonaldHealth Leave a Comment

Beyond EggsYou know you can bake at home without using eggs, so why don’t major food manufacturers cut the cruelty and go egg-free?

Enter Hampton Creek Foods, a one year-old company with about 20 staff all working to crack the code on eggs. This dedicated team of scientists, chefs, and food industry experts is developing an innovative egg-free egg product that is 100% plant-based: Beyond Eggs.

The goal is to create a healthier, more sustainable product that major foods companies and everyday consumers can use to ultimately replace eggs in everything – from omelets and mayonnaise to cookies and twinkies.