Dear vegans (although we are in the tiny minority), you're on the right track, but...

...please remember to also consume enough of these everyday:
wikipedia.org/wiki/Vitamin_B12
wikipedia.org/wiki/Omega-3_fatty_acid

This is because too little Vitamin B12 and Omega-3 fatty acid in our bodies can still increase our risk of heart disease, even though we're vegans, which I discovered after watching:

[video=youtube;q7KeRwdIH04]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q7KeRwdIH04[/video]
(entertaining, yet informative, talk by Dr Michael Greger in 2003)

I buy my:
Holland & Barrett Vitamin B12 Tablets 100ug
hollandandbarrett.com/shop/product/holland-barrett-vitamin-b12-tablets-100ug-60001170
hollandandbarrett.com/search?query=b-12&isSearch=true
from:
shopsinsg.com/holland-barrett-supplement-shops-in-singapore.html
and consume one 100-microgram tablet everyday; otherwise I would have to eat chicken eggs or drink cows milk everyday, which have too much unhealthy animal protein, saturated fat and cholesterol, increasing my risk of heart disease and osteoporosis:
sammyboy.com/showthread.php?227102-Why-Animal-Protein-Is-Bad
sammyboy.com/showthread.php?226890-quot-Why-Milk-Is-Bad-For-You-And-Your-Bones-quot-by-Vivian-Goldschmidt

I also get my daily dose of Omega-3 fatty acid by consuming two tablespoons of:
Origins Healthfood Brown Flaxseed Meal
(it must be ground, otherwise the nutrients won't be absorbed if the unground seeds are eaten instead)
wikipedia.org/wiki/Flax#Nutrients
nutritiondata.self.com/facts/nut-and-seed-products/3163/2
Otherwise, I would have to eat fish everyday (or at least a few times every week), which might have mercury and/or other toxins:
Dangers of Fish and Fish Oil - YouTube playlist
wikipedia.org/wiki/Mercury_in_fish

Even until now, I still like to eat fish, seafood, eggs and dairy products, but I've chosen to make this sacrifice because I want to have the best possible health until I die.
This does not mean that I fear death; in fact, I'm trying my best to psychologically prepare myself to die young, if that is my fate.
I just hate the feeling of falling sick, especially if it's because of some preventable sickness, as has happened when I was younger (even though it was not life-threatening); not to mention seeing certain members of my immediate and extended family contracting some serious disease, usually starting from middle age onwards; but believe it or not, one of my cousins contracted Stage FOUR cancer when she was in her mid-teens, after being pampered for years by her parents with too much sugary and meaty food.

Re: Dear vegans (although we are in the tiny minority), you're on the right track, bu

Please also remember to abstain from any processed food:
authoritynutrition.com/9-ways-that-processed-foods-are-killing-people
that contains any added artificial sugar/sweetener and/or MSG:
authoritynutrition.com/9-reasons-to-avoid-sugar
articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2009/04/21/msg-is-this-silent-killer-lurking-in-your-kitchen-cabinets.aspx
and avoid using nearly all types of cooking/vegetable oil because they contain very unhealthy:
wikipedia.org/wiki/Trans_fat#Health_risks
authoritynutrition.com/6-reasons-why-vegetable-oils-are-toxic
except:
wikipedia.org/wiki/Olive_oil
(which is usually the most expensive cooking oil, which is why I don't bother to use any cooking oil at all when I cook my food; and which also means I don't, or very seldom, eat fried food)

[video=youtube;omjWmLG0EAs]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=omjWmLG0EAs[/video]

Re: Dear vegans (although we are in the tiny minority), you're on the right track, bu

I also drink at least two cups of green tea everyday; usually Japanese (i.e. literally made in Japan) green teabags, not the inferior and cheaper Chinese green tea (wikipedia.org/wiki/Green_tea#China), even though green tea actually originated in China:

Green Tea Health Benefits
chinesefood.about.com/library/weekly/aa011400a.htm

The Miracle of Green Tea
"Better to be deprived of food for three days, than tea for one." (Ancient Chinese Proverb)

What makes green tea so special?

The secret of green tea lies in the fact it is rich in catechin polyphenols, particularly epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG). EGCG is a powerful anti-oxidant: besides inhibiting the growth of cancer cells, it kills cancer cells without harming healthy tissue. It has also been effective in lowering LDL cholesterol levels, and inhibiting the abnormal formation of blood clots. The latter takes on added importance when you consider that thrombosis (the formation of abnormal blood clots) is the leading cause of heart attacks and stroke.

Links are being made between the effects of drinking green tea and the "French Paradox." For years, researchers were puzzled by the fact that, despite consuming a diet rich in fat, the French have a lower incidence of heart disease than Americans. The answer was found to lie in red wine, which contains resveratrol, a polyphenol that limits the negative effects of smoking and a fatty diet. In a 1997 study, researchers from the University of Kansas determined that EGCG is twice as powerful as resveratrol, which may explain why the rate of heart disease among Japanese men is quite low, even though approximately seventy-five percent are smokers.

Why don't other Chinese teas have similar health-giving properties? Green, oolong, and black teas all come from the leaves of the Camellia sinensis plant. What sets green tea apart is the way it is processed. Green tea leaves are steamed, which prevents the EGCG compound from being oxidized. By contrast, black and oolong tea leaves are made from fermented leaves, which results in the EGCG being converted into other compounds that are not nearly as effective in preventing and fighting various diseases.

Re: Dear vegans (although we are in the tiny minority), you're on the right track, bu

rurouni said:

I also drink at least two cups of green tea everyday; usually Japanese (i.e. literally made in Japan) green teabags, not the inferior and cheaper Chinese green tea (wikipedia.org/wiki/Green_tea#China), even though green tea actually originated in China:

Click to expand...

Talk about empty vessels. The finest green tea in the world comes from China, in particular the Hangzhou Dragon Well (Longjing) green tea. At the annual tea auction in Shanghai and Hangzhou, the finest grades go for more than $20 per gram, pricier than gold.

Japanese green tea is crap, both in taste and quality. It either comes in a paste (for the Japanese tea ceremony), or inferior tea bags containing crushed leaves and twinings.

In contrast, Longjing is always sold as loose leaves (the lighter the colour, the more superior the grade.) When you've tasted the best Longjing (preferably brewed in a Yixing purple clay teapot, the best of which may cost more than $10,000), you won't settle for anything less.

Good place to buy fine Chinese teas online: Seven Cups

Some info from Wiki: Longjing Tea

Good article on Chinese tea auctions: China's premium-tea prices have cooled, but it's still boom time for some

Record Longjing auction: Longjing tea fetches price higher than gold at auction

P.S. I get my Longjing locally at Yue Hwa Emporium in Chinatown. Not the finest grade, but still very decent at $20 per 50g. And I won't go into super-stratospheric world of Chinese white teas, which would fly over the heads of the clueless here.

Re: Dear vegans (although we are in the tiny minority), you're on the right track, bu

I think being vegan is good. But I can't, I love to eat meat. The fattier the meat, the better.

Cheers!

Re: Dear vegans (although we are in the tiny minority), you're on the right track, bu

yellowarse said:

Talk about empty vessels. The finest green tea in the world comes from China, in particular the Hangzhou Dragon Well (Longjing) green tea. At the annual tea auction in Shanghai and Hangzhou, the finest grades go for more than $20 per gram, pricier than gold.

Click to expand...

Of course, there are exceptions; but I was comparing the more common mass-market Chinese and Japanese brands, because my post is intended for the middle class, who constitute the majority of Sinkies.
Also, there are fake "Longjing" teas:
chinadaily.com.cn/business/2010-02/23/content_9489252.htm

yellowarse said:

Japanese green tea is crap, both in taste and quality. It either comes in a paste (for the Japanese tea ceremony), or inferior tea bags containing crushed leaves and twinings.....And I won't go into super-stratospheric world of Chinese white teas, which would fly over the heads of the clueless here.

Click to expand...

Nearly all the well-known East Asian teas are produced from the leaves of:
wikipedia.org/wiki/Camellia_sinensis
But it seems that the Japanese steam the leaves most of the time, while the Chinese seldom do so, causing the difference in taste.

I have drunk from mass-market Chinese brands before, and they are probably healthy enough.
But I find the mass-market Japanese brands to be tastier, possibly healthier, and only slightly more expensive, so they are still affordable.

Re: Dear vegans (although we are in the tiny minority), you're on the right track, bu

Agoraphobic said:

I think being vegan is good. But I can't, I love to eat meat.

Click to expand...

Since you agree that it's good to be a vegan, you should try your best to resist the temptation to eat meat.
From my own experience back in 2007 when I first started abstaining from meat, it's only the first week that is very difficult, like a drug addict going "cold turkey".
By the end of the second week, not only will your body feel healthier, you should also start to feel as if you had never eaten meat before, and literally forget why you used to like meat!

For beginners, it's probably best to replace meat with more fish/seafood and eggs (in order to consume enough protein) during the first few months... so that's just vegetarian, not vegan yet.
But such beginners should try to graduate to veganism (i.e. strict vegetarianism) as soon as possible, by replacing the fish/seafood and eggs with beans, grains and nuts. And add enough:
wikipedia.org/wiki/Iodised_salt
so that the food does not become too tasteless after cooking, and also to prevent:
wikipedia.org/wiki/Iodine_deficiency
I usually also add ground pepper and Japanese shiitake (椎茸) mushrooms or the cheaper, but healthy enough, Chinese 香菇 (xiāng gū), either 冬菇 (dōng gū) or 花菇 (huā gū):
wikipedia.org/wiki/Shiitake
foodfacts.mercola.com/shiitake-mushrooms.html
to my soya bean (not tofu or tau kwa) soup for extra taste.

And of course, eating fruits (I recommend guava) and vegetables (I recommend broccoli) everyday is necessary, to prevent Vitamin C deficiency disease, i.e.:
wikipedia.org/wiki/Scurvy
wikipedia.org/wiki/Vitamin_C#Plant_sources
The alternative, if buying and eating fresh fruits and vegetables are too troublesome and/or expensive, is to buy and consume Vitamin C and multi-vitamin supplements everyday:
wikipedia.org/wiki/Vitamin#List_of_vitamins

Re: Dear vegans (although we are in the tiny minority), you're on the right track, bu

Pegan <--- Folks, this is the right way to eat. Just look at our teeth and digestive systems we're made to bite, eat meat but don't eat all meat just a small amount is good.



http://dailyburn.com/life/health/pegan-diet-paleo-vegan/

How to Eat Pegan

The pegan diet focuses primarily on fruits and vegetables — specifically, filling 75 percent of your diet with plants, and rounding out the other 25 percent with animal protein and high-quality fats. “The pegan diet is a somewhat odd combination because the foundation of vegan diets is a belief of not consuming any animal products,” says nutritionist and chef Beth Saltz, MPH, RD. “A better description is probably a very clean, modified paleo diet.” Though the rules of the pegan diet are still evolving, these are the basic dos and don’ts of eating pegan as recommended by Dr. Hyman:

Pegan DOs:

Fruits and Vegetables: Both vegan and paleo diets place an emphasis on plant-based foods, since they’re a tremendous source of the vitamins and minerals that our bodies need to remain healthy. They should make up 75 percent of your diet. (Check out these 9 Healthy Dinner Recipes for Meatless Monday.)

Meat: Taking a clue from paleo, protein should come from grass-fed and antibiotic-free animals — in other words, organic. Animal protein like chicken, beef, fish and eggs should only make up approximately 25 percent of your diet.

High-Quality Fats: Olive, coconut and avocado oils, in addition to avocados, nuts and other sources of omega-3 fats, are staples of the paleo diet and tend to be a part of good vegan diets, too. However, you’ll want to steer clear of peanuts, which are a legume, and limit the amount of saturated fats found in grass-fed or sustainably raised animals.

Healthy Grains: Vegans often rely on grains for energizing B vitamins. Reach for gluten-free, whole grains, such as quinoa, when you’re on a pegan plan.

Lentils: A nutritional powerhouse and great source of meatless protein, small beans like lentils are allowed in limited portions. Other beans or legumes like pinto and peanuts should be avoided.

Pegan DON’Ts

Dairy: Shunned by vegan and paleo dieters alike, dairy has no place in the pegan eating plan, since many people have a hard time digesting it.

Soy: This vegan diet staple is a no-no in the pegan and paleo camps. Why? Research links the bean to disrupting hormones and it also tends to be genetically modified.

Sugar: As with most healthy diets, sugar should be viewed as a treat and used sparingly. Too much of the sweet stuff has been linked to obesity and disease so cutting back will do your body good.

Re: Dear vegans (although we are in the tiny minority), you're on the right track, bu

Being vegan is good and is a personal choice.

But is retarded for certain vegans to insult meat eaters and behave like "holier than thou" attitude, especially online.

Re: Dear vegans (although we are in the tiny minority), you're on the right track, bu

eErotica69 said:

Being vegan is good and is a personal choice.

But is retarded for certain vegans to insult meat eaters and behave like "holier than thou" attitude, especially online.

Click to expand...

Well said.

Re: Dear vegans (although we are in the tiny minority), you're on the right track, bu

rurouni said:

Of course, there are exceptions; but I was comparing the more common mass-market Chinese and Japanese brands, because my post is intended for the middle class, who constitute the majority of Sinkies.
Also, there are fake "Longjing" teas.

Click to expand...

Green tea should never be brewed in tea bags. These usually comprise leaf fragments and twinings with little anti-oxidants (catechins), and are usually oxidised to black tea by the time they reach supermarket shelves. You'd be better off drinking Lipton.

As for fake Longjing, all I can say is only something of worth is counterfeited. Just so, the proliferation of fake Rolexes takes nothing away from the intrinsic worth of a genuine Rolex.

Good quality loose leaf Longjing can be bought here at an affordable price, well within the reach of most. A $15 100g pack lasts me about 2 months. No one is talking about auctionable grades here.

But it seems that the Japanese steam the leaves most of the time, while the Chinese seldom do so, causing the difference in taste.

Click to expand...

The Japs steam the leaves, while the Chinese pan-fry theirs. No difference in health qualities, but connoisseurs prefer the more 'earthly' taste imparted by pan-frying.

But that's not the point: the Japs prefer to process their leaves into a paste - I've tasted good grade matcha paste and it still tastes funny, because of the chemicals used to to congeal the tea and make it soluble, much like instant coffee. Comparing matcha with Longjing is like comparing Nescafe with a cup of cafetiere-brewed highland Java Arabica.

There are many things that the Japs do better than the Chinese, but green tea is definitely not one of them.

Re: Dear vegans (although we are in the tiny minority), you're on the right track, bu

I see many animals as sentient beings, where the young are raised by their mother, and they grow up with siblings as company, play, fight, and learn the things they need to know in order to survive. But commercial industry (for meat, animal-products, etc.) strip them of all these and our species treat them as mere merchandise. There is no other way - profit is the motive and costs are the main concern in operational efficiency. Because of this, I believer veganism is the solution. BUT, I was raised to love meat, admire culinary talent and skills, and admire good food. Any meat dish, from char siew, to barbecue rib, - I love them, so, I look forward to a good well-prepared meal and hope that the animal used in my meal was raised and killed as humanely as possible. I respect associations like PETA, SPCA, and where I can, I care for animals. But it is not my obligation, nor duty. I just do what I can, when I can not to spread any further cruelty to animals. To me, animals have no rights. Their fate/destiny just happens to be in human hands. Its their luck the kind of treatment they receive.

Cheers!

rurouni said:

Since you agree that it's good to be a vegan, you should try your best to resist the temptation to eat meat.
From my own experience back in 2007 when I first started abstaining from meat, it's only the first week that is very difficult, like a drug addict going "cold turkey".
By the end of the second week, not only will your body feel healthier, you should also start to feel as if you had never eaten meat before, and literally forget why you used to like meat!

For beginners, it's probably best to replace meat with more fish/seafood and eggs (in order to consume enough protein) during the first few months... so that's just vegetarian, not vegan yet.
But such beginners should try to graduate to veganism (i.e. strict vegetarianism) as soon as possible, by replacing the fish/seafood and eggs with beans, grains and nuts. And add enough:
wikipedia.org/wiki/Iodised_salt
so that the food does not become too tasteless after cooking, and also to prevent:
wikipedia.org/wiki/Iodine_deficiency
I usually also add ground pepper and Japanese shiitake (椎茸) mushrooms or the cheaper, but healthy enough, Chinese 香菇 (xiāng gū), either 冬菇 (dōng gū) or 花菇 (huā gū):
wikipedia.org/wiki/Shiitake
foodfacts.mercola.com/shiitake-mushrooms.html
to my soya bean (not tofu or tau kwa) soup for extra taste.

And of course, eating fruits (I recommend guava) and vegetables (I recommend broccoli) everyday is necessary, to prevent Vitamin C deficiency disease, i.e.:
wikipedia.org/wiki/Scurvy
wikipedia.org/wiki/Vitamin_C#Plant_sources
The alternative, if buying and eating fresh fruits and vegetables are too troublesome and/or expensive, is to buy and consume Vitamin C and multi-vitamin supplements everyday:
wikipedia.org/wiki/Vitamin#List_of_vitamins

Click to expand...

Re: Dear vegans (although we are in the tiny minority), you're on the right track, bu

yellowarse said:

Green tea should never be brewed in tea bags. These usually comprise leaf fragments and twinings with little anti-oxidants (catechins), and are usually oxidised to black tea by the time they reach supermarket shelves. You'd be better off drinking Lipton.

Click to expand...

Yes, I agree that green teabags are inferior to matcha:
matchasecrets.com/matcha-vs-green-tea-which-is-the-better-tea-for-you
but the catechin content in the teabags is still significant enough, and not very much lower than that in matcha.
So I think you're exaggerating, especially when you say that Lipton is better.

yellowarse said:

As for fake Longjing, all I can say is only something of worth is counterfeited. Just so, the proliferation of fake Rolexes takes nothing away from the intrinsic worth of a genuine Rolex.

Good quality loose leaf Longjing can be bought here at an affordable price, well within the reach of most. A $15 100g pack lasts me about 2 months. No one is talking about auctionable grades here.

Click to expand...

To be fair, I'll give Longjing tea a try, so I intend to visit Yue Hwa Building sometime in the near future:
yuehwa.com.sg/en-us/locator
(that store in Yue Hwa Building is the one you buy your Longjing tea from, right?)

yellowarse said:

The Japs steam the leaves, while the Chinese pan-fry theirs. No difference in health qualities, but connoisseurs prefer the more 'earthly' taste imparted by pan-frying.

Click to expand...

Some "connoisseurs", such as the vast majority of Japanese people and myself, prefer the opposite.

yellowarse said:

But that's not the point: the Japs prefer to process their leaves into a paste - I've tasted good grade matcha paste and it still tastes funny, because of the chemicals used to to congeal the tea and make it soluble, much like instant coffee. Comparing matcha with Longjing is like comparing Nescafe with a cup of cafetiere-brewed highland Java Arabica.

There are many things that the Japs do better than the Chinese, but green tea is definitely not one of them.

Click to expand...

May I ask, what is/are the name/names of those "chemicals used to to congeal the tea and make it soluble"?
According to this Kyoto tea production company, there's no such thing:
marukyu-koyamaen.co.jp/english/about/process01.html
so are they covering up the truth?

I also don't see any "chemicals" added during the final preparation of the tea for drinking:
iikoto.co.uk/muse/preparing-matcha.html
matchasource.com/how-to-prepare-matcha-green-tea

Re: Dear vegans (although we are in the tiny minority), you're on the right track, bu

Where do vegans stand on masturbation?

Re: Dear vegans (although we are in the tiny minority), you're on the right track, bu

rurouni said:

To be fair, I'll give Longjing tea a try, so I intend to visit Yue Hwa Building sometime in the near future:
yuehwa.com.sg/en-us/locator
(that store in Yue Hwa Building is the one you buy your Longjing tea from, right?)

Click to expand...

Good on you. Yes, that store. The other place where you can get decent Longjing is Tea Chapter (9 Neil Rd). Ten Ren Tea (259 South Bridge Rd) does have a decent selection though they specialize in Taiwanese Oolong.

Re: Dear vegans (although we are in the tiny minority), you're on the right track, bu

JHolmesJr said:

Where do vegans stand on masturbation?

Click to expand...

Er, beating your meat is not the same as eating it.

Re: Dear vegans (although we are in the tiny minority), you're on the right track, bu

i'm going vegan because i have no money for meat.

Re: Dear vegans (although we are in the tiny minority), you're on the right track, bu

when i have a little more money i becum an uncommitted vegetarian, with a slight morsel of chao tar seafood.

Re: Dear vegans (although we are in the tiny minority), you're on the right track, bu

with at least $69 in my wallet i would transition from vegetarian to meat-eater in a heartbeat.

Re: Dear vegans (although we are in the tiny minority), you're on the right track, bu

wait a minute. all these are vegan stuff. vegan seafood. :p