At the small inner-city historically black college where my gf teaches, a lot of the young women have diet-related health problems, like high blood pressure & diabetes. A faculty member has started a support group to encourage good nutrition and exercise among these young women. She knows that Lea (my gf) is vegan, and has asked her to speak to the group next week.

Most of these women have never met a vegetarian (forget vegan!) and probably don't have a clear idea of what the word means. They have grown up on traditional "home cooking", which means everything is fried or has lard in it, and all the veggies are cooked with bacon.

My question: If you were speaking to the group, what would you tell these young women about nutrition and vegetarianism?

Concentrate on the food and nutrition of vegetarianism mostly. Leave the ethics debate for another time.

Here are a few random thoughts:

1. The importance of 5-10 servings of fruits and vegetables a day and the attempt to have them as unadultered as possible.

2. The importance of 25g + of fibre a day and how to get it.

3. getting calcium into your diet (be it low-fat dairy options, fortified soy, BSM, beans, nuts).

4. the difference between good and bad oils

5. how healthy eating is about moderation and portion size, not about cutting calories and fads.

that's all i think about now....

Good advice, Krista. And quick, too! Thanks!

Krista, what is BSM? I've tried every combination of words I can think of, but none of them seem like good sources of calcium. :p

I just remembered these, they could be a nice inspiration:


http://www.vegtv.com/YourBody/yourbody_04.htm

Dr. Neal Barnard (President of PCRM) speaks to a crowd of, well, seemingly S.A.D. omnis. I found this speech great, he is a good speaker and it's obvious that most people in the crowd don't know what vegetarian means. From what I can tell, they are in awe!!!


http://www.vegtv.com/Lifestyle/lifestyle_13.htm

This is Dr. Michael Klaper, another vegan doc. This speech is addressing a more educated audience I think, but Dr. Klaper is a very nice and funny speaker. I like listening to him.

:)

Thanks, Oatmeal! I'm watching the lectures right now. They're very informative.

black strap molasses. It's bittersweet and adds a shocking kick of iron and calcium for next to no calories.

My favorite: 1 tsp BSM, 1 tbsp peanut butter, 1 slice WW bread. Serve with a piece of fruit, and you have uber snack time. Add another slice of bread, a salad, some veggies and dip and a cookie, and you have a light lunch.

If you need any meal ideas or menus, let me know and I can hook ya up.

You can make really delicious, low-fat versions of lots of southern cooking. I LOVE collard greens and gumbo and jambalaya...perhaps if you're gf gave them some healthier alternatives to the food they've grown up on, the transition to a healthier diet would be easier.

Also, explaining some of the health risks associated with diabetes (blindness, losing a leg, kidney failure) might wake up some of the girls.

black strap molasses. It's bittersweet and adds a shocking kick of iron and calcium for next to no calories.

Oh, of course! I guess I had never seen it abbreviated that way. Thanks!

Thanks, muppetcow! I think they are going to have potluck dinners, so I'll suggest to Lea that she make some traditional dishes, but healthier.

Those links were very informative, Oatmeal. Thanks for posting them.

Wow, high blood pressure and (i'm assuming lifestyle-induced) diabetes in college-girls??? That's sad...

Glad to hear they are getting an informative lecture. :) That's awesome, Gracie.

That sounds very much like the standard diet around here (I live in Southern Virginia.) Vegetarian Times had an issue not too long ago that had an article on soul food. It had some yummy looking recipes in it! You may want to see if you can find it. I think it was from this past summer.

Hi Austinswingrr--yeah, these young women have a lot of strikes against them, and their diet is only one of them.

Hey Pickletatertot! I'll definitely look for that issue of Veg Times. It sounds like it would be perfect! Thanks!

Gracie, how did it go?

Gracie, how did it go?

Hi Krista! It went really well. I wasn't there, so I'm just reporting what my gf said. Some of the girls seemed really motivated to change their diets, and they asked a lot of questions about nutrition. I don't know if any of them will become vegetarians, but they are informed about it now.

Also, the faculty members involved had brought some food for the girls to try. They really liked the veg stuff we made!

Thanks for your input, and your interest. These kids have so many strikes against them already, and I hate for them to battle diet-related illnesses, too.

black strap molasses. It's bittersweet and adds a shocking kick of iron and calcium for next to no calories.

My favorite: 1 tsp BSM, 1 tbsp peanut butter, 1 slice WW bread. Serve with a piece of fruit, and you have uber snack time. Add another slice of bread, a salad, some veggies and dip and a cookie, and you have a light lunch.

If you need any meal ideas or menus, let me know and I can hook ya up.

that's a great suggestion. I'll make it walnut butter + bsm, and skip the WW (no wheat for YOU!). I really like BSM, but have had a hard time figuring out what to do with it that doesn't involve cookies or other baked goods. I've tried it in my tea, and it just doesn't do it for me. Thanks for the suggestion.

that's a great suggestion. I'll make it walnut butter + bsm, and skip the WW (no wheat for YOU!). I really like BSM, but have had a hard time figuring out what to do with it that doesn't involve cookies or other baked goods. I've tried it in my tea, and it just doesn't do it for me. Thanks for the suggestion.

Have you tried bean breads? Breads that use bean flour as, well, flour.

Mix the nut butter and BSM and use as a dip for apples. Very sinful tasting. Especially if you drizzle it ever so lightly with chocolate syrup :naughty:

Gracie - is your gf going to be doing more of these or was it a one-time thing?

Make sure it's known that you can get your full amount of protein while being a veggie! Everyone thinks I'm unhealthy because I "...won't get enough protein!"

Oh, and austinswingrr, I have 3 friends who became diabetic within 3 months of each other in the 5th grade. They aren't related in any way. And My brother had a slightly high blood pressure, but the doctor discovered that it was just "White Coat Syndrome"!