Professional Documents
Culture Documents
d o v e g e ta ria ns e at?
What
o p e o p le g o v e g g ie?
Why d
v e g e ta ria n is m h ealthy?
Is
Established in 1847, the Vegetarian Society is an educational charity working
to support, represent and increase the number of vegetarians in the UK.
We believe that a balanced vegetarian diet is better for people, the planet
and, of course, the animals.
As a charity we:
• help people learn how to cook imaginative and tasty vegetarian meals at our
Cordon Vert cookery school.
• attend events and give talks and presentations that encourage people to learn
more about vegetarianism and choose a vegetarian diet.
• provide food manufacturers with expert advice on vegetarian diet and nutrition,
enabling them to meet the needs of vegetarians with confidence and integrity.
• run membership clubs for young vegetarians. See page 31 for more details.
The Vegetarian Society does not receive any funding from the government or local
councils; we depend on our membership and other fundraising activities to support
our work. If you find this booklet useful please consider making a donation via 0161
925 2000, www.vegsoc.org/donateonline or by becoming a member.
Contents
Vegetarian diets are usually full of healthy, fresh, nutritious, and delicious food. Meals suitable for
vegetarians (and everybody else!) are found in every country you can think of; you can have veggie
pizza, spaghetti Bolognese, chilli, stir fry, curry, bean burgers, veggie sausages (eg Quorn™),
ratatouille, lasagne, stew, wraps, quiche, chips and lots more. And let’s not forget sweets, ice
cream, cake and chocolate too…
Think of any meat or fish-based dish and, chances are, it can be made suitable for vegetarians and
anyone else who wants to cut down on the amount of meat they eat.
including cow (beef), pig (pork, ham, bacon, gammon), sheep (lamb and mutton), goat, poultry
(including chicken, turkey, goose, duck), game (including rabbit, deer / venison, pheasant).
including tuna, cod, herring, shark, salmon, haddock, mackerel, oyster, mussels, cockles, eel,
squid, lobster, crab, prawn and shrimp.
is made from animal ligaments, skin, bone and tendons. It is often found in sweets (including
marshmallows and some jelly sweets), biscuits, margarine, yoghurt, mousse, medicine
capsules, vitamin / mineral supplements and some coloured drinks.
■ RENNET
is traditionally sourced from the stomach of slaughtered young calves and is used to make
cheese. Vegetarian cheeses are manufactured using rennet from non-animal sources.
■ ANIMAL FATS
are fats taken from the body of an animal and can be found in a variety of foods, including
some margarines, cakes, pastries and biscuits. Often found as lard (pig fat) or suet (usually
cow or sheep fat) but not to be confused with butter, which is made from milk.
■ COCHINEAL
is a red colouring that is made from crushed insects. It is also known as E120 and sometimes
called carmine. It is used as a food and drink colouring and can be found in biscuits, desserts,
coloured drinks and sweets. Products containing cochineal may not always be red.
1
■ LACTO-OVO VEGETARIAN
The most common type of vegetarian. This diet consists of vegetables, fruit, nuts,
pulses (that’s all types of beans, peas and lentils), grains (such as wheat, oats and
rice), free-range eggs and dairy products (milk, cream, cheese and yoghurts).
2 ■ LACTO-VEGETARIAN
3
■ OVO-VEGETARIAN
4
■ VEGAN
A diet that is based on vegetables, fruit, nuts, pulses and grains, and does not
include eggs, dairy produce or any kind of animal product, including honey.
HOW MANY
VEGETARIANS ARE
THERE IN THE
UNITED KINGDOM?
1
reasons:
Animals
Most people become vegetarian
because they are opposed to the
cruelty and pain inflicted upon millions
of animals every day and believe that
animals should never be killed for
food.
Removing or reducing meat from diets can significantly reduce the intake of fat, especially
saturated fats. Even extra-lean minced beef has over four times the fat of pulses. Making
Bolognese or curry with Quorn™ or soya mince can reduce the fat content by approximately
three-quarters.5
Research shows that eating a well-balanced, low-fat, high-fibre vegetarian diet may reduce the
chances of suffering from certain cancers, heart disease and diabetes. Vegetarians are also
less likely to be obese and tend to have a lower average body mass index (BMI).6
Vegetarian diets have also been successfully used in the treatment of various illnesses,
including rheumatoid arthritis and type 2 diabetes.
It has also been estimated that farmed animals impact further on the environment by
producing more greenhouse gas emissions than the world’s entire transport system!8
Meat and farmed fish are two of the most costly foodstuffs in terms of resources used to
prepare them. Raising cattle causes the most environmental damage due to over-grazing of
land, soil erosion, deforestation and their gaseous emissions.
Religion
4
Approximately 25% of the world’s population enjoy a vegetarian diet and
veggies can be found amongst the followers of all the major religions,
including Christianity, Islam, Buddhism, Judaism and Hinduism. Many
religions demand specific practices in the preparation and eating of different
foods and it is possible to observe all of these requirements whilst following a
vegetarian diet.
HEALTH BENEFITS
RELIGIOUS BELIEFS
Protein
a r i a
Veget imes aske tein
t o
some et their pr
g
they on from…
r
an d i
Everybody’s protein needs are automatically met by well-balanced, varied diets. Protein is available
in varying amounts in all foods apart from refined white sugar and some oils.
Meat and fish do provide protein but they are not the only
source. Nuts, beans (including soya), peas, cereals
(wheat, oat and rice), eggs and dairy products (such as
milk, cheese and yoghurt), lentils and many meat
substitutes are all good sources of protein. Animal-based proteins, such as
egg, meat, milk and cheese tend to
be regarded as having a higher
For example, one slice of low-fat cheddar cheese has the
One of the benefits of a vegetarian diet is that it usually is why plant proteins are
contains adequate, but not excessive, protein. Too much sometimes referred to as low
dietary protein can be a cause of health problems. Excess quality proteins or low biological
animal protein can cause pressure on the kidneys and value (LBV). Soya, however, is a
doctors will recommend a vegetarian diet to help avoid high quality protein with high
and treat kidney stones.2 biological value (HBV) and can be
regarded as equal to meat protein.
Which foods contain protein?1
100g Protein (approx)
Cheddar cheese 25.5g
salted peanuts 24.5g
boiled free-range egg 12.5g
wholemeal bread 9.5g
cornflakes 8g
tofu 8g
white bread 8g
boiled red lentils 7.5g
tinned chick peas 7g
pasta 6.5g
semi-skimmed milk 3.5g
soya milk 2.5g
Unlike animal protein, plant proteins may not contain all essential
amino acids in the necessary proportions. However a varied vegetarian
diet does ensure that a mixture of proteins is consumed and that the
amino acids in one protein compensate for the deficiencies of another. Amino acids: A
reminder! Proteins
are made up of
Combining plant proteins, such as grains with pulses (for example, smaller units called
beans on toast), leads to high quality proteins which are just as good amino acids. There
as protein from foods made from animals.
are about 20 different
amino acids, at least
Recent research now shows that it is not necessary to combine eight of which are
protein sources within a single meal as our bodies are able to keep a essential amino acids
short-term store of essential amino acids. that must be present
in the diet because
they cannot be made
1 McCance and Widdowson “The Composition of Foods”
from other
2 Robertson WG, Peacock M, Marshall DH. “Prevalence of Urinary compounds in the
Stone Disease in Vegetarians”
human body.
3 Department of Health “Dietary Reference Values”
Anaemia, which causes tiredness and a lack of energy, occurs when there is a reduced
number of red blood cells in the body. This can be caused by iron deficiency.
Good vegetarian sources of iron include bran flakes, spinach, muesli, wholemeal bread,
watercress, chick peas, red and green lentils, dried fruit, most nuts, kidney beans, tofu,
pumpkin seeds, baked beans and sunflower seeds.
■ Haem iron: found in foods and products derived from animals, and
■ Non-haem iron: found in plant-based foods.
Haem iron is more readily absorbed than non-haem iron but non-haem
iron is the main form of dietary iron. Meat-eaters in the UK obtain only
between 10%-14% of their iron in haem form from meat, with the rest
coming in non-haem form from cereals, bread, fruit and vegetables.
BREAKFAST
Porridge
Fruit juice
Croissant
LUNCH
Pasta salad
Fruit
a ter or fru it -f lavoured milk
W
TEA/DINNER
e- ma d e ch ic k pea curry,
Hom
d rice
naan bread an
Ice cream
Drink of choice
dian
Many In table
e sui
dishes ar ns and
ria
for vegeta nd great
a
vegans – ing!
for shar
out any lumps from the mixture. until the cheese is browned and
Continue stirring until the sauce bubbling. Serve with steamed
thickens, then add the next bit of milk. broccoli and sliced tomatoes.
This eas
sauce is y cheese
u
all sorts seful for
of
try it po dishes –
u
freshly red over
steam
broccoli ed
…
Sizzling Stir Fry Serves 5
You will need… 1 Heat oil in a large pan or wok on
medium heat, fry pepper, garlic, and
2 tbsp oil ginger for 2 minutes.
2 red peppers, deseeded and sliced
Add vegetables, in order of
3 garlic cloves, crushed 2 ingredient list, and soy sauce. Stir
5cm root ginger, peeled and chopped fry for approximately 10-12 minutes
3 carrots, sliced into thin strips until vegetables are cooked but still
firm and crunchy. Add cashews.
1 red onion, sliced
1 broccoli head, split into small florets
10 baby sweetcorn, whole
3 Serve with rice or noodles.
a nd
colourful –
200g beansprouts
g
satisfyin unch
90g unsalted cashew nuts
dd cr
3 tbsp soy sauce
cashews a tein
and pro
© Vegetarian Society
a st a , c h eese and
P
n fl o w e r seeds are
su
l l g o o d s ources of
a r
protein fo
ns
vegetaria
This un
usua
and swe l potato
etc
topping orn
transfo c an
rm left-
into a f ov
illing m ers
ea l
And for dessert…
Strawberry
Knickerbocker
Cheesecake Serves 4
You will need…
1 Put the biscuits into a plastic bag and
crush them into small pieces using a
100g biscuits (we used digestives but
rolling pin. Put to one side.
ginger nuts work well too)
250g low-fat vegetarian cream cheese Combine the cream cheese, yogurt,
250g strawberry yogurt
2 icing sugar and vanilla extract and stir
until creamy and smooth.
1 tbsp icing sugar, sieved
1 tsp vanilla extract Put a layer of biscuit, a layer of the
100g fresh strawberries, sliced
3 yogurt mixture and then a layer of
strawberries into a bowl or dessert
glass. Continue sharing out the
ingredients, ensuring that the top
© Vegetarian Society layer is strawberries. Serve
immediately or chill until ready to eat.
Note: Strawberries can be replaced with other fruits of choice, and different flavoured
yoghurts can also be used. Defrosted frozen fruits can be used in place of fresh.
2 free-range eggs
Whisk the eggs and sugar together in a
75g light brown sugar 2 large bowl then blend in the oil. Gradually
100ml vegetable oil add the flour, stirring continually with a
This cl
ass
cake lo ic carrot
ok
impres s very
si
it’s rea ve – but
lly eas
y to
make!
The Vegetarian Society Approved symbol
The only legally registered trademark for
vegetarian products and services. Millions of
people regard this symbol as a trustworthy guide
to what is suitable for vegetarians.
Whenever you see the Vegetarian Society Approved symbol – you
might be doing the shopping, buying a cookery book, or having a
meal in a café or restaurant – you can be sure that the product is
100% suitable for vegetarians.
Products that are Vegetarian Society Approved must not include any meat, fish, or genetically
modified ingredients. If eggs are included they must be free-range, and the product must not have
been tested on animals. All of a product’s ingredients are carefully checked, and a visit to the
manufacturer is often made, before the Vegetarian Society will put its label on it.
The Vegetarian Society Approved symbol can currently be found on over 8,500 different items
worldwide, including those made by Quorn™, Cauldron and Linda McCartney Foods.
The Vegetarian Society Approved symbol is also displayed on menus in restaurants, hotels, mobile
catering units, cafés, and it is even used in hospitals. Anyone eating out can dine with confidence
when they see the symbol, safe in the knowledge that their vegetarian meal fully complies with our
strict criteria.
“It was first registered as an official trademark in 1969 and was probably the first-ever food
accreditation label.”
“It began as a sketch of a letter V which resembled a sprouting seedling, with the words ‘live
and let live’ underneath. It has been slowly developed into the world-famous ‘V’ symbol.”
■ At what stage does a manufacturer usually approach the Vegetarian Society for
product approval?
“The product development stage is popular, or when packaging is about to change.”
“The manufacturer lets us know which ingredients have changed and we investigate. It's
very rare that we have to retract approval. Once a product has been approved the
manufacturer is usually keen to keep the product vegetarian and retain its approved status.”
■ Can anyone apply to have their products approved by the Vegetarian Society?
“Anyone can apply. We work with a diverse range of clients. Some of them, (eg McDonalds’,
Dalepak, Burger King and Beefeater) also produce meat products.”
■ What is the most unusual product you have ever been asked to approve?
“Veggie black pudding! Black pudding usually has animal blood and intestines in it”
Charity number: 259358 Registered company number: 959115 (England and Wales) © Vegetarian Society 2012