Where can I go to buy Vegan organic products?!
Answers: I live in Little Rock, Arkansas. I can go to the commissary on base and get all the organic produce I can shake a stick at, but I would like to eat vegan organic "meat," "butter" spread, soy milk, etc. I know Wild Oats sells organic implements, but is there anywhere else I can go? The Wal*Mart by my house sells organic produce, but it's certified by the USDA (so, as far as I'm concerned, it's not organic). Vegan Arkansans, please help!!
Health Food Shop. =]
from my understanding USDA certification of organic can many times be a more accurate designation than someone who slaps a sticker on it, and many of the other companies that do grant that designation are certified by the USDA as authorized, and as such will use very similar standards. Vegan and organic are far from the same thing though.
Now for finding vegan food. you can go to organic markets and most will have a section for vegan foods, or at the very least many have staff that can help you. Short of that, it just comes down to reading labels and knowing what to avoid. I've posted a few links you may find helpful.
Unless you raise your own, you never really know for sure. But I agree that the USDA has stringent requirements. Moreso than any "health food" store. Stay away from vegan"meat" all of that processed junk is loaded with contaminants. No true vegan would touch that stuff. The wannabe vegans on here eat that stuff up.
There is no such thing as vegan meat because vegans don't eat meat. Read this article:
Veganism (also strict or pure vegetarianism) is a philosophy and lifestyle that seeks to exclude the use of animals for food, clothing, or any other purpose.[1][2] Vegans do not use or consume animal products of any kind.[3] The most common reasons for becoming a vegan are ethical commitment or moral convictions concerning animal rights, the environment, or human health, and spiritual or religious concerns.[4][5][2] Of particular concern are the practices involved in factory farming and animal testing, and the intensive use of land and other resources required for animal farming.
Various polls have reported vegans to be between 0.2%[4] and 1.3%[6] of the U.S. population, and between 0.25%[5] and 0.4%[7] of the UK population. The Times estimated in 2005 that there were 250,000 vegans in Great Britain.[7]
Vegan diets are a subset of vegetarian diets, which are credited with lowering the risk of colon cancer, heart attack, high blood cholesterol, high blood pressure, prostate cancer, and stroke.[8] However, vegan diets can be low in levels of protein, calcium, iodine, vitamin B12 and vitamin D. Vegans are therefore encouraged to plan their diet and take dietary supplements as appropriate.[9