VEGG GUIDEIE VEGGIE NUTRITION MINI-POSTER INSIDE! > > 15 ge i, a ! len GIE ye EG : N G V er IN ov GO C OR R YOU F GOOD FO A VEGETARIAN IS… >>> CONTENTS Someone who eats all sorts of yummy, It’s BETTER for the animals. delicious food including curries, pizza, Every day, in the United Kingdom alone, A vegetarian is… 3 pasta, stir fry, Sunday roasts and fry- over two million land animals are Veggie considerations 4 up breakfasts, chips, ice cream, crisps, slaughtered for their meat. It has been cakes, fruits, vegetables, beans, Taking responsibility for your vegetarianism 6 suggested that a lifelong vegetarian butties… pretty much anything EXCEPT will save the lives of approximately Veggie challenges 8 animals. A vegetarian does not eat any 760 chickens, 5 cows, 20 pigs, 29 sheep, Tips for veggie success 12 meat, poultry, game, fish, shellfish, or by- 46 turkeys and half a tonne of fish. Talk to your parents 13 products of animal slaughter such as gelatine or rennet. Veggie Nutrition mini-poster 14 It’s BETTER for the planet. If you are reading this it is likely that you It is estimated that livestock farming Note to teens: We use the word “parent” in this booklet have recently become a vegetarian, or are produces more greenhouse gases than the to describe anyone who is responsible for looking after you. thinking about taking the first steps to world’s entire transport system – and, yes, cutting meat and fish out of your diet. In that does include aeroplanes, cars and doing so, you will join millions of other trains! Clearing land for livestock vegetarians in the UK and around the production is responsible for 70% of the world. destruction of the Amazon rainforest in Here are some of the great reasons South America. why you should feel good about going veggie: It’s BETTER for your family. It’s BETTER for you. Having a new vegetarian in the house is an opportunity for the rest of the family to A vegetarian diet is known to have a wide consider the way they eat and why. Many range of health benefits, including lower of us eat the way we do out of habit, not rates of obesity, coronary heart disease necessarily because it’s healthy. Thanks to and high blood pressure. Vegetarians also your veggie diet, your whole family will be do not live with the guilt that an animal had introduced to a new way of eating and to die for their dinner (or breakfast or lunch) thinking about food. “Once I realised meat – and that is something to celebrate! was from a dead animal, I thought it was cruel so I wanted to stop.” 2 Veggie Guide for Teens Lois, age 14 Veggie Guide for Teens 3 NS TIO ieaware RA .org/vegg IDE w.vegsoc S IT ww N S, VIS O DIENT T E N C INGR A E IDDEN I N H W N O G IO U G RMAT O E E INFO Y V MOR WHY DO E? FOR O VEGGI TO G > Whatever your reasons for going Rennet : an enzyme taken from the stomach >> veggie, you should feel proud of your of a slaughtered calf; used to curdle milk to decision. Vegetarianism is a make cheese. Vegetarian cheese is made compassionate, healthy way of life. from non-animal-based rennet and will be Different types of vegetarians labelled as “suitable for vegetarians”. Cochineal (E120, carmine) : a red dye There are several different types of made from the dried, crushed bodies of vegetarian. All vegetarian diets include plant the cochineal insect. Used to colour food, foods such as fruit, vegetables, beans and drinks and cosmetics; it is sometimes grains, but there are some variations when referred to as “natural colouring” since it it comes to eggs and dairy products. isn’t made artificially in a laboratory. Lacto-ovo vegetarians Animal fat : fat made from the tissue and are the most common type of vegetarian. bones of slaughtered animals. It is used in Their diet includes eggs and dairy products the manufacture of some margarines, (milk, cheese, yoghurt, etc). cakes, pastries and biscuits. Suet and lard Lacto vegetarians are types of animal fat, though you can buy eat dairy products but no eggs. vegetarian suet. Butter is made from milk Ovo vegetarians so is suitable for vegetarians. eat eggs but no dairy products. Vegan diets Vegetarians do not eat fish!!!! are totally plant-based and do not include Every step toward vegetarianism is a eggs, dairy products or anything that positive one, but if you still eat fish, please comes from an animal, including honey. do not call yourself a vegetarian – yet. It Be veggie aware causes confusion. A surprising number of foods that would Eggs: Many vegetarians choose to eat only > > for all otherwise be vegetarian contain “hidden” free-range eggs from hens with adequate 17 veggie e ople go ingredients that are made from slaughtered indoor and outdoor space, and the freedom ag Pe ns. The k, of reaso animals. The main culprits are: to move between the two. By contrast, ric sorts at s are: P main one Gelatine (or gelatin) : usually made by caged hens may never experience natural animals. are about boiling the ligaments, tendons, skin and light or fresh air, and do not leave their > They c thier. o be heal bones of pigs and cattle in water. Gelatine cages until they are taken for slaughter. ey want t > Th bout the worried a is sometimes found in yoghurts, ice The average caged hen spends her life “I realised that there > They’re were alternatives to nment. cream and confectionery (including in an enclosure with just enough room enviro ages n discour lots of jelly sweets and to stand upright, and a floor space meat, and I didn't ir religio OCIETY > The TARIAN S l flesh. even mints). VEGE DUCTS need to cause animal g anima VED PRO no bigger than this open booklet. eatin ste or APPRO SE deaths to satisfy my e the ta T ONLY U don’t lik MUS GS. > They ANGE EG dietary needs.” at. FREE-R ture of me Fiona, age 14 tex Veggie Guide for Teens 5 SIBILITY KING RESPON TA SIBILITY TAKING RESPON YOUR FOR NISM >> By choosing to go veggie, you Help with meal planning. Talk to the TARIA > have made an independent, person in your home who does most of the VEGE positive decision for yourself. cooking and food shopping. Armed with Well done! Now you need to your new vegetarian cookbook and follow that decision through with nutritional knowledge, discuss the veggie independent, positive action. meals you would like to try. Show them some recipes and explain why you think Learn all you can about veggie they are good options – not just for you but nutrition. It’s not enough to just cut meat for the whole family. and fish from your diet. You must replace the nutrients you once gained from those Offer to do some of the cooking. If your foods with new, vegetarian options. It’s not parents are worried about your new hard to do, but you need to know what your vegetarian diet, one of their concerns might options are. By reading this booklet from be that they will now have to cook two cover to cover (including the Parents meals rather than one. Ease these concerns section), visiting the Vegetarian Society’s by offering to do some of the cooking. websites (www.youngveggie.org and Remember: non-veggies can eat and enjoy www.vegsoc.org), and getting yourself a a vegetarian meal, but a vegetarian cannot good veggie cookbook (see below), you will eat and enjoy a non-veggie meal. be well on your way. Help with the washing up. Whether your Get a good vegetarian cookbook. Go to vegetarianism is generating more washing the library or your nearest book shop and up or not, show your parents that you are take a look through their vegetarian serious about your new diet – and cookbooks. As a new veggie, you will want appreciate their support – by helping with one that includes a thorough introduction to the washing up. They may start to wish you had gone veggie years ago! > “…there was some initial worry vegetarian cooking and nutrition. Look for 4 > e 1 that we’d have to cook multiple simple recipes that you think you and your The more you can demonstrate ag is, meals, but there are ways round whole family will enjoy. Remember that the to your parents that you are Lo it. My family enjoy veggie range of vegetarian cookbooks is vast. serious about your new diet dishes together a couple of Some will be written for beginners, others and are committed to times a week (they’ve no choice will be targeted at experienced gourmet when I cook!). My dad makes a making it work, the more big stir fry mix and then chefs. Choose a book and style that suits likely they will be to support divides it into two pans, with your cooking skills and taste. You can also you in your decision. tofu for me and prawns for email [email protected] for everyone else. And today we all suggestions. had pasta but with different sausages.” Rebecca, age 16 Veggie Guide for Teens 7 you’ve Now that may NGES eggie, you ALLE gone v rself: IE CH sking you VEGG be a OPLE Y ARE PE WH NG > People may behave in all sorts People can become oddly defensive about GI >> vegetarianism, often for two main reasons: ALLEN of strange and mysterious ways CH when you tell them that you have > They are afraid of things that MY become a vegetarian.