Vegetarian Star

Scarlett Johansson is giving Michelle Obama backup by urging lawmakers to adopt changes to school lunch menus to include healthier items like fruits and vegetables.

Mrs. Obama has been busy promoting her anti-obesity campaign, and there is legislation in the works asking schools to use more plant based meals with less milk and less fat.

“I am so thankful that the National Lunch Program exists and helps children around the nation get enough to eat. But right now, many of the foods served through this program do not support children’s healthy development. Many students who eat school lunches consume too much saturated fat and cholesterol and not enough fruits and vegetables. Childhood obesity is striking young children like never before, and being overweight puts kids at risk for type 2 diabetes and other chronic diabetes.”

Ecorazzi reports that a press release states Scarlett grew up with little means, and knows firsthand how difficult it can be for children who might get their only decent meal from a school cafeteria.

You can read Scarlett’s entire letter as well as key provisions to the act here.

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Moby has accumulated a lot of titles in his forty something years, and he now has the pleasure of adding one more-book editor.

The vegan musician, singer, DJ and activist spoke to Oregon Live about his new book, Gristle, filled with essays by those with a passion for food, animals and the environment.

People know you primarily for your music. Why was it important for you to do a project like “Gristle”?

I was raised by activists. My parents and the people in my family brought me up with the idea that the only way to lead a good and productive life was to be a voice for causes and issues that you find important. I’ve been involved with animal rights movement for about 25 years, and I found that when I talked to people, most of my friends weren’t aware of the ramifications and consequences of animal production. The idea behind the book was to make it as factual and revealing as possible.

In reading the book, the environmental issues struck me hard. As a consumer, it makes me feel overwhelmed. Can the individual decisions we make every day really have any impact?

Clearly, one individual’s choices aren’t going to have that much impact, but it’s the cumulative weight of all of our choices. If you and I become vegans, the global consequences aren’t going to be that much. But if we can get a few hundred million people to become a little more aware and cut back on their animal consumption, the consequences will be great.

Read the entire interview with Moby at Oregon Live.

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Life and Style hears that Madonna is a fan of BabyCakes bakery.

The magazine recently featured an article, Cupcakes Stars Love, and listed the Material Girl as liking the vanilla cupcake with lemon frosting.

Wonder if Madonna requested bundles of these desserts to make her Sticky and Sweet tour even sweeter.

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The Travel Channel recently featured veggie burgers in its Burger Paradise show.

According to the clip, the first official veggie burger was created in London in the 80s.

A southern California restaurant that only serves veggie burgers was featured.

“Vegetarians and vegans love their burgers just as much as meat-eaters. Packed with fresh vegetable, bean, rice and soy ingredients, each veggie patty is jam-packed with flavor. Established in 1977, The Spot has been a fixture in the Hermosa Beach community ever since. Who are the biggest customers? According to owner Tonya Beaudet, carnivores come in flocks to sample the veggie burger’s unique flavor.”

“The Spot” in Hermosa offers a twist to the traditional deep fried french fry side–a scoop of wholesome brown rice instead.

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Natalie Portman was spotted taking a walk around Abbot Kinney in Venice Beach this weekend with a friend.

According to Just Jared, the two had stopped for a meal at J’s Kitchen, a vegan and macrobiotic restaurant.

The actress has been a longtime vegetarian and became vegan last year after reading Jonathan Safran Foer‘s book, Eating Animals.

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Aimee Teegarden calls herself a vegetarian “heading towards vegan.”

Although Mother Nature Network didn’t give more details about Teegarden’s vegan journey (is there a set date, ingredients to eliminate at certain steps?), one could make the assumption that the Friday Night Lights actress is making small changes in her life so she can one day live comfortably and healthy as a vegan versus making drastic changes like focusing on eliminating products instead of adding new ones.

Or maybe she’s having second thoughts about what goes on in the dairy industry, but still hasn’t found the right cheese substitute to satisfy those insane moo cravings.

If you’re an “almost vegan,” what non-vegan products are you hoping to give up?

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Bob Harper is throwing down the gauntlet.

The Biggest Loser coach is asking his Twitter followers to be as vegan as they possibly can be.

“Your Challenge today is to go the next 24 hours, starting now eliminating ALL animal products. Good for your heart AND the environment!!”

There are so many great tasting foods that aren’t meat, dairy or poultry.

Plus, there’s plenty of faux substitutes for those who like their beef and cheese.

The 24 hour challenge can easily be extended to 24 days, 24 weeks, 24 months and forever!

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Kathy Freston had a chat with Dr. Dean Ornish, best known for his diet and lifestyle approach to treating  on protein, healthy body weight and weight loss.

Here are a few highlights:

On the dangers of animal protein:
DO: Diets that are high in animal protein are usually high in saturated fat, which promotes both heart disease and cancer. A recent study reviewed by Dr. Steven A. Smith in The New England Journal of Medicine found that high-protein, low-carbohydrate diets accelerate atherosclerosis (blockage in arteries) through mechanisms other than traditional risk factors such as changes in cholesterol and triglycerides.

Should you count calories or fat?
DO: In my experience, if you eat predominantly a whole foods, plant-based diet that is naturally high in fiber and low in fat and in refined carbohydrates, and if you eat it mindfully, you don’t have to count anything to lose weight. You feel full before you consume too many calories.

What are those good carbs again?
DO: Good carbs are whole foods. These include fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes, nuts, and soy products in their natural, unrefined, unprocessed forms.

Because these good carbs are unrefined, they are naturally high in fiber as well. The fiber fills you up before you eat too much. For example, it’s hard to get too many calories from eating apples or whole grains, because apples are naturally low in calories and high in fiber, which causes you to feel full before you consume too many calories.

Read more at the HuffingtonPost.

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