The Great Dairy Debate

I've never been much of a milk drinker so giving it up wasn't a big sacrifice. Cheese, however, is another story. I love cheese. I mean really love it. But after doing some research on the treatment of dairy cows I've decided that if I'm to make a difference at all and try to make some changes to how these animals are treated, I needed to give up cheese too, along with yogurt and ice cream.


According to GoVeg, "The 9 million cows living on dairy farms in the United States spend most of their lives in large sheds or on feces-caked mud lots, where disease is rampant. Cows raised for their milk are repeatedly impregnated. Their babies are taken away so that humans can drink the milk intended for the calves. When their exhausted bodies can no longer provide enough milk, they are sent to slaughter and ground up for hamburgers."


The life expectancy of dairy cows is 4 to 5 years, only 1/5 of the normal life expectancy of a cow. They are continually impregnated with their calves being taken away from them when they are only a day old. The calves are the ones that should be nursing on their mother's milk, not humans. After birthing, dairy cows can lactate (produce milk) for up to 10 months, at which time they are impregnated again and the process starts all over again. As far as the babies go, female calves are either slaughtered or raised to be dairy cows and males calves are most often raised as veal. They are chained up in tiny stalls so that they cannot move around, keeping their flesh tender and they remain there for up to 4 months, being fed a milk substitute that is designed to make them gain up to 2 pounds per day and that is purposefully low in iron. This is in order to keep them anemic resulting in pale flesh.


Then there is the environment to take into consideration. Cows - both dairy and beef - contribute to over 18% of the world's carbon dioxide; more greenhouse gases than cars, planes and all other forms of transportation combined. In California alone, cows excrete more than 18 million gallons of manure daily, polluting rivers, streams and groundwater. 


There are many reasons to decide to give up dairy. Whether it is for environmental reasons, because of allergies, to avoid unnecessary hormones or to take your stand against animal cruelty, the decision is up to you. But there are alternatives out there and lots of them. Soy milk, ice cream, yogurt and cheese are delicious (just be sure it is non-GMO), rice milk and almond milk are also very good. My personal favourite is Blue Diamond Almond Milk (particularly the chocolate!). 


As far as cheese, I thought it would be very difficult to give up but then I discovered Daiya Cheese products. Shredded flavours in cheddar, mozzarella and pepperjack, this "cheese" has the taste and texture of real cheese - it even melts like real cheese - yet without the fat and cholesterol of dairy cheese. 


When it comes to ice cream and yogurt, there are several dairy-free alternatives on the market. My favourite ice cream alternative is So Good. It is rich, creamy and absolutely delicious! And for yogurt, my preference is Olympic brand. Their "soyogurt" comes in a variety of flavours.


If you are concerned with your dairy intake, the treatment of the cows and other animals that provide us with dairy or the toll it takes on the environment, think about some non-dairy options the next time you visit the supermarket.

Is it a coincidence that gelatin rhymes with skeleton?

When I was little my parents used to take us to a Chinese buffet restaurant a couple of times a year. The food was great but our favourite part was dessert where they had little bowls of Jell-O that were cut up into cubes. Oh how fun it was to watch those little squares jiggle and roll off the spoon. Jell-O was such a fun food but as a child I had no idea what it was made from and why would I? Unfortunately, now that I do know, it is on my list of foods I do not eat.

Gelatin comes from collagen which is derived from the tendons, ligaments, bones, skin and connective tissues of animals, most often cows and pigs. These body parts are loaded into chopping machines and cut up into small pieces. They are washed, cleaned and then roasted for about half an hour. After this, they are soaked in vats of acid or alkali for five days before being boiled to extract the gelatinous liquid. Depending on the use of the gelatin, there are food colourings, sweeteners or flavourings added after this process.

As someone who chooses not to consume animals, it is sometimes difficult to determine what foods and products contain animal by-products. Gelatin is used in many foods and products, not just Jell-O. It can be found in marshmallows, yogurt, gummy candy, jelly beans, jam, cereal, pop-tarts, vitamins, make-up and nail polish remover, as well as hundreds of other products.

If you would like to eliminate gelatin from your diet, look for products that contain the ingredients carrageenan, agar-agar, arrowroot, guar gum or xanthan gum, as these are used as thickening agents instead of gelatin.

My personal favourite yogurt comes from Olympic - all of their products are delicious and they are easily found in most grocery stores. They can be a little bit more expensive than other yogurts, but the taste is far superior and the fact that you aren't eating animal skin makes it worth the extra few cents. A recent new discovery is Presidents Choice Greek Yogurt with Honey - it is lower in sugar, has no fat and is very high in protein. Unfortunately it is so good that I could eat the entire container in one sitting! And for those with kids that can't go camping without having S'mores, you can find gelatin free marshmallows at Dandies Air-Puffed Vegan Marshmallows, Original Vanilla, 10 oz. Bag

I don't think any of us would choose to eat tendons and ligaments from an animal so why is it any different because it has been boiled down to form gelatin? A little research on the internet and reading of labels at the grocery store will help you be more aware of what you are eating and feeding your family.