FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
WHY DOES THE DATE CHANGE ON THE HOME PAGE BUT NOT MOST OF THE CONTENT?
Keeps everything looking fresh for new visitors. It’s a psychological thing, like the expiration date on a carton of soymilk. Would you wanna drink something that said January 1, 2008?
VG is fast 411 for newbies. It stays compact so it’s easy to navigate. Anyway, we all need to escape blog-fog and get our pasty selves outdoors for a dose of natural Vitamin D from the sun. Maybe even a bit of contact with trees, animals, and another curmudgeony human.
WHAT THE HELL IS A SOY ANALOGUE?
Just a not-so-tasty fancy name for mock meat.
WILL VEGAN FOOD COST MORE THAN FOOD FROM THE STANDARD AMERICAN DIET (SAD)?
No. Unless you eat a heap of processed vegan food. The more packaged a food is, the more processed it is. Watch out if the list of ingredients on the container is longer than the width of your thumbnail. (Of course, this all applies to SAD processed products, too.)
Buy fruits and veggies in their natural state. Browse your local farmers market. Learn to do a little basic cooking and baking. Custom-made for your own tastebuds, your homemade feast is not only much cheaper but fresher and yummier.
DO PARTICULAR FOODS NEED TO BE EATEN TOGETHER IN THE SAME MEAL TO MAXIMIZE NUTRITION?
Uh, is the earth flat? Just be sure to chow down a daily variety of plant-based foods from the Four Food Groups. Your body will do the rest.
ARE CHICKPEAS AND GARBANZO BEANS THE SAME THING?
Yep.
WHAT’S THE TRUTH ABOUT SOY? IS IT HARMFUL OR HELPFUL?
Okay, here’s a little Botany 101… Phytonutrients exist only in natural plants. Phytonutrients are anticarcinogens, or powerful cancer inhibitors. Soybeans are full of phytonutrients.
And yes, phytonutrients–such as isoflavenes found in soy–work in a similar way in the human body as the hormone estrogen but with one vital difference: they do NOT trigger cancer. Truth is, foods made from soy appear to BLOCK cancer.
So don’t be afraid of the little BEAN.
DO ADVERTISERS BRIBE VG FOR ENDORSEMENTS?
The only way to get mentioned is to provide an excellent product or service. If a company slacks off or turns out not “animal- or earth-friendly” as it claims, it promptly gets the boot.
WHY IS THERE A LINK TO GARY FRANCIONE’S ABOLITIONIST SITE AND LINKS TO SITES SUCH AS SEA SHEPHERD CONSERVATION SOCIETY? ISN’T THIS A CONTRADICTION? IF YOU READ HIS BOOKS AND ESSAYS, YOU’LL SEE HE DOESN’T SUPPORT THOSE ORGANIZATIONS. HE BASICALLY ADVOCATES VEGAN OUTREACH AS THE WAY FOR CHANGING OUR SOCIETY.
Who agrees with anyone 100%? He offers some good info and provides yet another viewpoint.
VG believes there’s plenty of room for everybody in the animal liberation movement. We need to quit bickering and just free the animals. Turning on each other when we’re pissed accomplishes nada. If ya gotta gripe at somebody, vent on goobers running industries that directly and indirectly torture and kill animals and financially-poor people, especially in the so-called Third World.
By the way, SSCS rocks. Every dollar you give in support goes into the ships, food for the volunteer crew, equipment, fuel. Captain Paul Watson is a true warrior, in the fierce spirit of Geronimo and Crazy Horse. And damn it, Hellywood (not typo): Wake up and make that biopic with Christian Bale as Watson….
WHAT’S VG’S TAKE ON ORGANIZATIONS SUCH AS GREENPEACE?
Too much overhead, too much compromise. Way, way too meek.
WHO CAN I CONTACT AT VEGAN GRUB?
Send your suggestions, bellyaching, or questions to Maggie at vegangrub@gmail.com.
If she doesn’t know the answer to your question, she’ll track it down for you.
WHAT’S SEITAN?
Seitan is also known as wheat gluten. It’s a chewy vegan meat substitute made from the gluten of wheat. (Gluten is protein, and it’s what gives kneaded bread dough its elasticity.)
WHAT’S TEMPEH?
A fermented soybean food that’s firmer and more aromatic than tofu. Tempeh can be used in vegan chili, sloppy joes, stew, stir-fry, and sandwiches. It’s tastiest when skillet-fried or deep-fried in thin strips.
The trick is to first steam tempeh before you use it. This removes its bitterness. Pat dry tempeh with a clean kitchen towel to absorb excess water after steaming.
HOW SHOULD I SPREAD THE WORD ABOUT GOING VEGAN?
You’re not a door-to-door Jehovah’s Witness. Chances are you don’t own a suit and tie anyway. Bet you’re short on brimstone, too. Let folks ask you about being a vegan. Don’t worry, they will.
If you’re content and healthy, you’re already a yummy walking ad for going vegan. Action speaks loudest.
