A Must-Attend Event for 25 Years

Given that the Toronto Vegetarian Association (TVA) has been around since 1945, the Food Fair is a fairly recent innovation, born from the vision of a few keen members of the Board of Directors who were seeking to expand the TVA’s reach back in 1984.

“We needed to do more to reach the general public,” says Peter McQueen, a long-time volunteer with the TVA, who served as the organization’s president of the volunteer Board for seven years during the 1980s, and who still serves on the Board in a number of key roles.

“We have definitely accomplished what we set out to do,” he adds. “About half of the people who attend the Food Fair each year are NOT vegetarian. We’re reaching people who are either thinking about moving towards a plant-based diet, or who are in transition, or who are simply curious about a lifestyle they don’t know much about.

“Our outreach to non-vegetarians is, in my opinion, why the Food Fair is such an incredibly worthwhile event. We’re educating while at the same time giving people a great time in a fun and exciting environment. They get to sample and purchase delicious veggie food, buy the latest eco- and animal-friendly products, and hear groundbreaking information from international leaders in cuisine and health.”

The Food Fair, today as in the beginning, owes its existence to volunteer power. In the beginning, it was run entirely as a labour of love by an unpaid Food Fair Coordinator together with a group of dedicated volunteers.

Today, as big as the event has become, a full-time TVA staff member is responsible for putting the event together, but with such a large venue as Toronto Harbourfront, and with almost 15,000 people expected to attend, volunteers are as important as ever, and TVA volunteers respond to the call for help by the hundreds.

“The Food Fair began as the Vegetarian Information Fair, but another Board member and I decided to shift the focus to food,” Peter McQueen recalls. “We were right on the money, because in our second year our venue was packed, we drew over 500 people and lots of food was sold – we knew we had to move to a larger location because we had a hit event on our hands.

“I contacted Toronto’s Harbourfront Centre and as luck would have it, they were looking to put on a health fair – and our event fit the bill. Moreover, since Harbourfront is fully funded by the federal government, they gave us the space and charged only for technical fees.

"In our first year at Harbourfront, we attracted 3000 people, up from 500 the year before. And our attendance has grown exponentially ever since. We expanded the event to three days, and moved it from May to September, when all the students are back in town. The Food Fair keeps growing and getting more exciting, year after year.

“Based on the feedback we get, people love to attend the Food Fair and they keep coming back after their first year of attendance. Our vendors and exhibitors, not just the food sellers but also the animal rights groups, tell us that the Food Fair is very good for business.

“I’m proud of what we’ve achieved and I want to take this opportunity to invite everyone to experience the Toronto Vegetarian Association Food Fair. There is no admission fee, and I can guarantee that you will have fun, learn something new, and taste some of the best food in the city.”

Plentiful and tasty food. Or, pills and needles?

There’s a lot of nutrition advice floating around the media today, but how good is it? Is it designed to create optimum health – or headlines? I think I know the answer to that.

That’s why I’ve bookmarked the site of the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine (PCRM). Founded in 1985, the PCRM is a nonprofit organization that promotes preventive medicine, conducts clinical research, and encourages higher standards for ethics and effectiveness in research.

The PCRM will be represented at the Toronto Vegetarian Association Food Fair by its Director of Diabetes Education and Care, Caroline Trapp.

“As a nurse practitioner I’ve been working with people with diabetes in an internal medicine practice for the past 15 years,” she says. But it was her own weight struggles that led her to really empathize with people dealing with Type 2 diabetes, which she says is largely a disease of lifestyle.

Four years ago, Caroline adopted a plant-based diet. Not only did her own health improve, but she saw her patients benefitting from plant-based eating.

Caroline went on to complete a master's degree in community health, as she always had an interest in populations and public health. “I was very fortunate to learn about the ground-breaking research of Neal Barnard, MD, on diabetes and other chronic diseases, and I now work with PCRM to share this information with the public and with health care providers.

“When I first started suggesting a low-fat, plant-based approach to the people who came to me for help with their diabetes, I did worry that this would be a bit too ‘out there’. I've since learned that I can't tell by looking who will and will not want to give it a try. I don't really try to convince anyone; I offer this nutrition option to everyone.

Counting calories or eating unlimited portions? You decide!

“Given the choice between the usual approach of calorie or carbohydrate counting and controlled portion sizes, or eating unlimited amounts of whole grains, legumes, vegetables and fruits, many find that a healthy plant-based approach has a stronger appeal. Concerns about the cost and side effects of medication, fear of complications, and just plain being sick and tired of being sick and tired have all proven to be powerful motivators to trying a plant-based approach.”

Clearly, for people who’ve eaten meat all their lives, going without a portion of meat on the plate can be a daunting prospect at first.“I think the biggest barriers remain lack of family support, fears about fitting in socially, missing certain tastes, and the convenience of a meat-based diet,” says Caroline. “Fortunately, many of my patients have successfully found ways around these, and allow me to share their stories with those who need inspiration and ideas.”

Are you interested in embarking on a plant-based diet but don’t know how?

Caroline has some advice for beginners. “I encourage a week of getting the right foods in the house, planning some simple plant-based meals, determining what to pack for lunch, and then eating 100% vegan for a 3-week trial period.”

Vegan means no meat, dairy, or animal products of any kind. If you’re uncertain which products are or are not derived from animals, not to worry, there’s plenty of help available.“Through PCRM, there are many free or low-cost resources available to help people get started,” says Caroline. “Three weeks is enough time to start to experience some benefits, such as weight loss, better blood sugar levels, resolution of bowel problems, improvements in chronic joint pain, or other improvements, which provide powerful motivation to stick with it.”

As you continue with a plant-based diet, you’ll find that your tastes start to change, and eating lighter starts to feel good. It's really exciting when someone finds that the medication that did not seem strong enough is suddenly too strong, and they need a lower dose or can even eliminate a medication altogether.”

Not just for people with diabetes – plants are for everyone!

“A low-fat, plant-based diet is ideal for people with diabetes,” says Caroline, “but also offers tremendous benefits to people concerned about heart disease, weight control, high cholesterol, high blood pressure, irritable bowel disease, acne, migraines, many types of cancer, and more. Years of research confirms it.”

Getting started on the road to healthier eating

Caroline offers this advice for those of us eager to improve our health, the tasty way.“Avoid any food that comes from an animal because of the fat, cholesterol, and calories. Fill up on foods that are unprocessed or minimally processed: legumes, whole grains, vegetables and fruits.”

Looking ahead to the Food Fair

“It is wonderful that the focus of this year's Food Fair is on health,” says Caroline. “The foods we choose to eat can significantly help us or hurt us. I greatly look forward to talking to those who want to take control of their health, and providing information that is supported by research, along with practical information for utilizing a plant-based nutrition approach for diabetes control.”

Vegetarian Athletes

We know that plant-based diets decrease the risk of cancer, diabetes, heart disease. So they will likely help us us live longer, and are good at controlling weight by reducing fat intake. But is the diet optimal even for athletes?

Increasingly, the pros are saying yes.

Due in large part to the aforementioned protein myth, it is commonly believed that athletes need to consume animal products in order to build muscle and perform optimally. But like so many other groups, the professional athletic community is now recognizing the benefits of a plant-based diet. Many prominent professional athletes in fact report that this diet gives them a competitive edge; vegetarian and vegan converts regularly report more energy and faster recovery time after changing their eating habits.

In November 2008, the Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition released a study showing that the acid level of a typical Western diet has the potential to increase the risk of several health problems, including osteoporosis, obesity, heart disease and overall well-being.

The acid-forming culprits are cheese, meats, processed grains. Eating a lot of these foods and little of the potassium and bicarbonate-rich, alkaline-forming foods like fruits and vegetables is associated with increased urinary calcium and magnesium loss and a greater risk of osteoporosis. Other negative consequences of an acidic diet include metabolic acidosis induced by exercise, compromised performance and increased recovery time during intermittent exercise.

Alkaline foods, however, are high in chlorophyll, which cleanses the blood by removing toxins. Daily consumption of chlorophyll rich foods is important for ensuring the body’s cell regeneration and increasing energy levels.

TVA is hosting two talks at the food fair this year by pro athletes who will be talking about their athletic success with a plant-based diet: Aaron Richards, a member of the Olympic National Martial Arts Team, and Brendan Brazier, an Ironman triathlete and author of several books about what he calls the "thrive diet." Brazier is also an endurance athlete, further defying old stereotypes that plant-based diets do not provide the necessary caloric load for this kind of athletic performance.