Q & A

Q. Why do some Vegans use honey while others oppose it?

A. A strictly vegan lifestyle avoids all forms of animal exploitation, which includes honey bees. They are no different from all factory-farmed animals, as they, too, can be victims of unnatural living conditions. Still, most bees are kept by responsible beekeepers, who care for their bees, meticulously nurturing their hives and inhabitants. The Mayo Clinic found that the antioxidants in honey might be associated with a reduced risk of heart disease. Studies suggest Citrus, Eucalyptus, and Labiatae honey, or Lamiaceae honey, the name refers to honey produced by bees that forage on plants from the Lamiaceae family (mint, deadnettle, or sage family), can act as cough suppressants for some with upper respiratory infections. Honey may relieve gastrointestinal tract conditions such as diarrhea associated with gastroenteritis. Further studies suggest that honey might offer antidepressant, anticonvulsant and anti-anxiety benefits and memory disorders. Topical use of medicinal honey may promote wound healing, particularly in burns. Knowing that the source of the honey and the beekeeper's care of their honeybees can be easily researched, and that there is no doubt that our planet, without honey bees pollinating the vegetation that wildlife depends on, and the vegetables and fruits humans eat, would die out. For these reasons, some recipes in this cookbook choose honey as an alternative sweetener. This author apologises to those strict vegetarians who may be offended.

Q. Why do vegans have "Fake Meat"?

A. The word "meat" is rooted in the Old English term "mete", which meant "item of food". Therefore, it is not Vegans and Vegetarians who are using the word "meat" incorrectly, but rather the flesh traders and flesh farmers who have appropriated the word for their materialistic purposes. A vegan substitute for flesh is not fake meat. It is a natural, edible, nourishing food sourced from plants and fungi preferred by those who wish to live an ethical, compassionate, and healthy lifestyle. That said, some vegan sausages and other products sold as flesh alternatives are often labelled "fake meat" and are designed to mimic the taste, texture and appearance of the product that was once part of a living animal's body. But why should this be an issue? Perhaps people who enjoy the taste of flesh refrain from eating it because they have a conscience. Take your hat off to them.

Q. Why is flesh now being referred to as Protein?

A. The word "protein ", when referring to animal flesh, subliminally suggests that eating flesh is the only way people can get protein, a blatant untruth meant to boost sales in the flesh industry.

Q. Why do Vegans call thick liquids from plants, nuts, and grains "milk" when we have been taught that milk refers to liquid produced from the mammary glands of animals?

A. Plant milk has been consumed for centuries and has long been referred to as "milk". Soy milk originated in China during the Han Dynasty (206 BC). The word "milk" describes the character difference between milk and juice, as seen in coconut, nut, and plant milks. The dairy industry is trying to stop the word milk from being applied to anything not produced by living animals because they are losing money from the growing consumer preference for cruelty-free foods. The popularity of plant-based milks like almond, oat, soy, and coconut milk has steadily risen, driven by health, environmental, and ethical considerations.

Q. Don't we need the calcium in animal milk? Dairy farmers advertise that their milk contains calcium.

A. Calcium is in dairy milk, which is perfect for calves and kids. When consumed by humans, animal milk leaches calcium, causing a calcium deficiency that exits our body via urine. This was demonstrated through a twelve-year health study conducted by Harvard Nurses, which found that women who consumed dairy products broke more bones than those who didn't, based on an analysis of 77,761 women aged 34 to 59. Listed are easily obtainable foods high in absorbable calcium. Compare them to cow's milk. Cow's Milk. One cup = 305 mg calcium. Firm Tofu. One cup of firm tofu = 506 mg calcium. Almond Milk. One cup of unsweetened almond milk = 499 mg of calcium. Rhubarb Juice. One cup = 2300 mg calcium. Whole Almonds. One cup of whole almonds = 385 mg calcium. Oat Milk. One cup of oat milk = 350 mg calcium. Soy Milk. One cup of fortified Soy Milk=305 mg calcium. Soy Yoghurt. One cup of soy yogurt = 305 mg calcium. Q. What is the difference between dairy and Vegan Cheeses? A. Dairy cheeses are made predominantly from cows' milk, while others are made from goats', sheep's, camels, and buffalo's milk, which are produced after giving birth. The unfortunate mother rarely sees her child but becomes a living machine, kept continuously pregnant and enslaved in the dairy industry for human profit. Male calves are killed, while females, like their mothers, become dairy slaves, ensuring an eventual violent death. The Australian dairy industry includes capturing wild camels. Shocking footage shows brutal handling, purposefully inflicting pain and distress, until the camel is psychologically 'broken', then forced into servitude by Ukurru Camel tours in Yulara, and most often the female and their female babies are sold to or bought by the Camel Dairy business. Northern Territory. Dairy Cheesemakers, who introduce bacteria to animal milk to convert lactose to lactic acid, then rennet, made of enzymes obtained from a dead, un-weened baby animal's stomach lining, to coagulate the milk. By stopping the consumption of dairy products – and encouraging your friends and family members to do so as well – you will be sending a powerful message that the cruel treatment of animals is unacceptable.

Vegan cheeses are an excellent alternative for those who prefer food from a non-violent source. Essential ingredients for plant-based cheeses include almonds, cashews, coconut oil, soy, and acidophilus probiotics for gut health, as well as Mesophilic Penicillium Candidum for that extra tangy, cheesy flavour. L-Acidophilus Probiotics. Since vegan cheese contains no lactose or casein, it does not cause intestinal permeability. Vegan cheeses often mimic but don't always taste like dairy cheeses. However, they have an irresistible flavour of their own. This recipe book doesn't include cheese-making, mainly because there are many options available on the market.

Q. Why are Vegans opposed to eggs, considering that hens lay them naturally and don't die laying an egg?

A. The egg industry is dark and hideously cruel. In Australia, over five million hens are trapped in appalling conditions, hidden by opaque walls. They have all suffered an excruciating procedure known as "beak trimming" without an anaesthetic. To produce more eggs, they are denied food and water. At about 18 months old, when a hen is no longer laying an egg a day, she is electrified, her throat slit and she is cast into a scalding bath designed to remove her feathers. Many hens are boiled alive. Eggs, whether labelled "happy hen" or "free-range", "cage-free", or "organic", when purchased from a retailer, were laid by hens who suffered hideously, and it should be known that the buyer contributes to this vile industry. Male chicks are brutally suffocated in plastic bags, ground up alive, electrocuted or gassed on mass.

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