Vegetarian-friendly Toronto prepares to shine, this weekend and beyond

For the veg-happy, Toronto is the place to be this week. TVA's annual vegetarian food fair is only a day away and I, for one, am excited!

Toronto's vegetarian culture has been flourishing in recent years. As of 2008, Toronto boasted 54 vegetarian restaurants (20 more than we had only five years ago), more than New York City (gasp!) has per capita, but still lagging behind west coast cities like Vancouver and Seattle.

Of course, fully vegetarian restaurants are not necessarily the best indicator of how veg-friendly a city is. Toronto's multicultural flair means that cuisines from countries whose diets are not so meat-intensive as North America are readily available here. Ethiopian Misir Wot stew with spongy injera on your lunch break? No problem. Szechwan garlic-chili eggplant at 1am on a Tuesday? You can have it here.

And then there's the food fair. That thousands of Torontonians, both herbivores and omnivores alike, come flocking to Harbourfront every year to sample wares from local vegetarian vendors is testament to our passion for good food, better health, cultural diversity, and less meat on our plate.

The impact of choosing a vegetarian meal echoes far beyond our individual well-being as well. TVA volunteer Steve Leckie shared some sobering statistics with me recently; it takes seven times more land to produce food for the average meat-eating Canadian than for a vegetarian (3.5 acres compared to half an acre). Typically, 360 trees will grow on one acre of land. If that's not enough environmental incentive, consider this staggering fact: livestock production accounts for 18% of human-induced greenhouse gas emissions—that's more than all of the world's motor vehicles.

In addition, skipping the meat saves farm animals from lives of intense suffering. In 2007, Canadians consumed 686 million farm animals (that's about 21 per person). Conditions in the large-scale factory farms required to meet such unsustainable consumption levels are extremely grim—animals are subjected to overcrowded conditions, painful procedures and dangerous drugs. Even for those of us that do not adopt a vegetarian diet, reducing meat consumption and using our consumer power to demand humane and sustainable farming operations has an enormous impact on animal welfare and environmental health.

A friend visiting from a mid-sized U.S. city last month commented, while we were wandering around the city, "I can't believe how much good vegetarian food you have here. You're so LUCKY!" While she's right, I think there's more to it than luck; we're making better choices all the time, Toronto, and it shows. Be sure to come down this weekend and support the food fair and all the vendors that help make these choices possible.

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.

Battling the Protein Myth

It’s a no-brainer that we know a lot more about nutrition than we used to. But old habits die hard, and the protein myth—namely, that vegetarian and vegan diets do not contain enough protein—is so prevalent that even some vegetarians still think it's true.

The sneaky part of this myth is that it is partially based on a truth—vegetarians do tend to get less protein. To compete with the protein intake of your average North American meat-eater, you would (as vegetarians are often warned) need to eat an awful lot of beans. The real fallacy is that you need this much protein to be healthy. The average meat-based diet actually has way too much protein—twice as much as is needed. An excess of animal protein in the diet has been linked to osteoporosis, kidney stones, diabetes, heart disease and cancer.

In fact, if you have a reasonably healthy diet (one without a lot of sugary, processed foods), it would be difficult to consume as many calories as you need for the day and not get enough protein. Beans, tofu and soy products, tempeh, nuts, seeds—most people know these foods are protein superstars. But protein is also lurking in smaller amounts in grains and many vegetables (the green ones in particular).

Nutritional research has also systematically debunked the ideas that a balanced vegetarian diet is deficient in iron, calcium, vitamin D, and omega-3’s. With modern supplements and fortified dairy substitutes, even consuming adequate amounts of B12—a vitamin found primarily in meat, eggs, and dairy—need not be an issue for vegans.

So not only are fears about a plant-based diet being deficient unfounded, but unfortunately the protein myth has scared many people away from a balanced diet that could give them more energy, lower their risk of disease, help them avoid hormones and chemicals prevalent in animal products, and is downright delicious.

The good news is, it's never too late to feel better. And don't believe the protein hype.

Vegetables Are Good For You!

In the midst of all this food fair goodness, I thought it was worth taking a moment to think about some of the reasons why vegetarianism is reason for celebration in the first place.

Reason number one: it’s good for you.

However, despite overwhelming evidence to the contrary, it is still a popular belief that a vegetarian diet is less healthy than one that includes meat. And I’m not even talking about evidence buried from the layperson’s eye in scientific journals—a google search will find you millions of hits on the health benefits of vegetarianism. Yet there remains an awful lot of worrying going on that vegetarians and vegans aren’t getting everything they need, and that meat is what does our bodies good. What gives?

Personally, I blame the lingering ghosts of the old Canada's Food Guide; the version of my childhood had us believe that every plate should be as a quartered pie of food groups, and half of the plate should be made up of animal products. In my home and many others, the meat was the centrepiece and the rest of the meal was designed around it. Meat had become synonymous with protein, and protein keeps you healthy...right? Well, yes and no. More on that later.

Okay, okay, so our cultural allegiance to meat may have a few more layers beyond the content of a government publication. But incidentally, the food guide isn’t what it used to be. It’s evolved into a much more flexible tool over the years, and now focuses strongly on variety and balance—including recommendations on exercise, for example, and a far greater emphasis than its predecessors on reducing high fat foods such as red meat, milk, and cheese, if they are used at all. In 1977, the “meat” food group was renamed to include non-meat alternatives. Now even the holy “milk” category, largely unchanged since the guide’s inception in 1942, also includes milk alternatives. In this model, vegetarians and vegan diets are as balanced as those that include meat. Be sure to tell your mom.

In fact, a tremendous body of literature suggests that a plant-based diet rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains and nuts is directly linked to a lower incidence of all the big boys: cancer, heart disease, stroke, obesity, diabetes. This isn’t to say all vegetarians are healthy, of course—but conscientious eaters have the advantages on their side. The official position of the Dieticians of Canada and the American Dietetic Association is that vegetarian diets are not only nutritionally appropriate for people of all ages, but the diet also has numerous health benefits in disease prevention. And the World Cancer Research Fund agrees.

Want to know more about what a body really needs? Check back soon!

Gene Baur: Changing Hearts and Minds about Animals and Food

Leading animal rights activist Gene Baur, co-founder of Farm Sanctuary, likes to rescue animals. His beagle and greyhound are rescues. And just like Gene, they thrive on a plant-based diet.

If you haven’t met Gene Baur, the Toronto Vegetarian Association is pleased to make the introduction this September at the Food Fair. Gene is back by public demand, having wowed audiences at last year’s Food Fair with his talk on how he co-founded Farm Sanctuary in 1986 and built it into the leading farm animal protection organization in the United States. This year, he’ll talk about current trends in the burgeoning food movement, trends such as veganism.

“The Toronto Vegetarian Food Fair is one of the best of its kind in North America,” says Gene by phone from Watkins Glen, New York, where Farm Sanctuary has one of its two sanctuaries (the other is in northern California). “I loved the wide variety of vendors and the abundance of educational material available. I’ve been a vegan for a long time, but I haven’t paid that much attention to the health perspective. I’m doing more of that now.”

Farm Sanctuary works to expose and stop cruel practices of the food animal industry through research and investigations, legal and institutional reforms, direct rescue efforts, and educating people about what life is really like for farm animals.

Over the years Farm Sanctuary has won many battles in the fight against the cruel treatment of animals on factory farms. In November 2008, Farm Sanctuary celebrated a landmark victory for farm animals: the passage of Proposition 2 in California. This law phases out some of the most restrictive confinement systems used by factory farms, giving 20 million pigs, calves and egg laying hens space to stand up, stretch their limbs, turn around and lie down comfortably. “This year we’re looking at launching similar initiatives in the American Midwest,” says Gene.

“While we are doing battle in the marketplace by confronting cruelty, we do so in a way that is respectful and compassionate,” says Gene. “We want to educate people. We keep our arguments objective, reasoned and rational. We step back and question underlying assumptions that don’t hold up, and we ask the farming industry and consumers to question current practices and think about what makes sense.”

In April, 2009, Farm Sanctuary published a groundbreaking report, entitled The Truth Behind the Labels. This report describes how food producers and retailers, seeing the increasing consumer opposition to the way farm animals are treated on industrial farms, use labels suggesting that their animals were raised ‘naturally’ or treated ‘humanely’. “These terms are often just marketing schemes,” says Gene. “We want to educate consumers so that they can make more informed choices. Our goal is to encourage people to eat in a way that is consistent with their values and best interests.”

Though a U.S.-based organization, Farm Sanctuary has a very strong following in Toronto. “Watkins Glen isn’t that far from Toronto, so it’s easy for people to visit,” says Gene. “But also, we are a very forward-thinking organization and in a cosmopolitan city like Toronto we find a relatively sympathetic audience. Folks in Toronto tend to be more open-minded. In some parts of the United States, our message can sometimes be dismissed without much thought.”

To learn more about Gene Baur, please visit the Farm Sanctuary website and read his exceptional book, Farm Sanctuary: Changing Hearts and Minds About Animals and Food (available for loan or purchase through the Toronto Vegetarian Association).

Gene has seen a lifetime’s worth of egregious atrocities committed against defenceless animals, and yet the evil he has seen has not embittered him. He is a pleasure to meet: friendly, generous, and quick with a smile.

“Being able to rescue animals and watch them recover helps keep me sane,” he says. “I also see people make changes as they learn more about where their food comes from, and this is very inspiring to me. I’m essentially an optimist. I believe most people will do the right thing, and therefore, I believe change is inevitable. As Dr. Martin Luther King said, ‘The arc of the universe is long but it bends towards justice’.”

If you want to help Gene Baur and Farm Sanctuary help farm animals, here are some suggestions from Gene on how to do it:

• Educate yourself – read Gene's book, go through the Farm Sanctuary website

• Spread information about the reality of factory farms to your friends and family

• Get literature from Farm Sanctuary to give to people, or leave in public places

• Wear T-shirts or buttons with a compassionate message

• Put a bumper sticker with a compassionate message on your car

• People are social creatures and we learn from those around us, so invite people over for some vegan food – that’s the best way to teach folks that eating plants is better than eating animals

• If you go to a barbecue, bring a delicious veggy dish

• Create a vegan dining group – call ahead and let the restaurant know your group is vegan; the restaurant now has a strong incentive to modify their cuisine and to provide vegan dishes on the menu

Gene Baur and me at last year's Food Fair.