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Adapting meals to be plant-based

Vegan or vegetarian Thanksgiving, Friendsgiving holiday celebration. Flat-lay of friends eating at Thanksgiving Day table with pumpkin pie, roasted vegetables, fruit and rose wine, top view

Adapting meals to be plant-based

Featured Author: Asha Wheeldon

Hi everyone, I’m Asha Wheeldon, the founder of Kula Kitchen and co-host of Chop It Up. We focus on creating plant-based food to nourish and empower our community. Many of the meals and flavours are inspired by food I grew up enjoying with my family in East Africa and Toronto. We are driven by community through collaborations with other food producers and local partners.

Today, for the Vancouver Humane Society’s PlantUniversity Platform, I’m going to share some tips on how to get creative in your own kitchen and help you adapt traditionally non-plant-based recipes to be plant-based. 

If you’re interested in learning more after watching this video, you can find great resources on VHS’s PlantUniversity Platform and subscribe to get involved in VHS’s work to help animals, people and the planet.

I remember the first couple of months during my transition to PB diet. The first dishes I was looking to recreate were some of my favourite childhood dishes that were mostly my mother’s, such as stews, sauces and baked goods. Over time I came to terms with the fact that what I create will not be the same, the texture and flavour will not be the exact copy of the “original” recipe. I found myself enjoying the process and the outcome of the dishes, I would share with my friends and family who also loved them.  

I want to share some of the things I think about and steps I take when I’m trying to adapt a recipe that is not traditionally plant-based, to be plant-based:

I think about what I want the food to taste like, the texture and flavour:

  •  Some of the more versatile alternatives are tempeh, textured vegetable protein; they come in granules, slices, curls and cubes. Coconut milk for yogurt, nutritional yeast for cheese. For the most part, you can use the same seasoning with a few adjustments. 
  • Mushrooms like oyster and king oyster mushrooms are a great alternative for  fish. 

Small adjustments go a long way:

  • One of the great eye-opening moments I had was realizing that most of the foods I loved were mostly plant-based, all I had to do was remove or replace 1-2 ingredients. For example…Sukuma wiki is sautéed collards or cabbage prepared with meat protein and enjoyed with chapati or ugali, a corn based porridge. I often add soy or mushroom to make it plant-based. It’s still one of my favourite meals.

I have my favourite ingredients available:

  • Some of them include: lentils, collards, and black eyed peas.
  • Before I learned about some of the meat alternatives like soy,  I would cook with ingredients I was familiar with and love. This made for a comfortable experience. I cook with lentils and black eyed peas often, you can find them in most grocery stores, they have lots of protein and fibre. 

Seasoning is gold; I like to keep stocked with various spices in my pantry. 

One of the most important things to me about food and recipes, are the flavours! I love foods that are rich in flavour so the first steps includes stocking up on my favourite spices and adding some new options (I may have and continue to go overboard sometimes).

I have a few suggestions that can help you with getting the perfect flavours for your dishes: 

I found that if you keep to the original seasoning which is often already plant-based, you can still maintain the original taste of the dish.

Some of my favourite spices and herbs are:

  • Cayenne, Turmeric, Berbere, cumin, curry powder, cardamom, cinnamon. 
  • A tip: I often blend the spices to create different flavours. For example, if I am preparing a rice dish, the spices would be on the lighter side and not as spicy. For stews I can go all in and sometimes add in some of the sweeter spices like cardamom. 

What’s great about blends is you can use your staples to expand your seasoning options. This also applies to marinades when incorporating spices and sauces.

I’m going to show you how to make one of my favourite and super simple spice blends:

You take 1 tablespoon of cinnamon, cardamom, turmeric, cumin, chili and cloves and mix. There you have it – a simple spice blend you can use on your next dish like rice pilau!

Herbs, Limes and lemon are always a good idea:

  • You can enhance nutritional impact with citrus for greens, many leafy green vegetables like collards and kale are great iron source and they activate with adding citrus.
  • I find herbs like cilantro provide that fresh and elevated flavour. Add fresh as garnish or cook with your meals like rice pilau, and stew.

I have a couple favourite dishes at Kula Kitchen. One of them is our portobello curry bowl with black eyed peas, mushrooms, collards, and carrots and served over rice pilau. This dish is warming and a perfect meal on colder days.

I also love our nourished bowl with tofu and mushroom scramble, black eyed peas, collards, and roasted sweet potatoes. This is a perfect dish for breakfast and lunch. They are available to order on our website, KulaKitchen.ca, along with our packaged plant-based meats, stews, curry, and sauces.

I would encourage anyone starting their plant-based journey to be more intentional and meet yourself where you are at, try not to be hard on yourself. Nothing is perfect, you will slip up, make mistakes, and create a completely different dish and that’s ok! What happens next is an abundance of ideas, creativity, and fun. Lots of Fun! 

For this reason, I think it’s also important that we support each other during our journey. As a vegan, if you know someone who is trying to introduce more plants in their lives, support them where they are at. Also recognize each person has different identities, stories, and viewpoints. I think it’s important that we encourage each other; let’s meet each other wherever we are and have more meaningful discussions that are free of judgement and exclusion. I have witnessed family and friends through their journey, who have shared how  they were inspired by the encouragement and judgement free discussions, the food and support. It really does take community support for better outcomes for animals, humans and the planet.

I hope this has inspired you to get cooking and to get creative in the kitchen. And remember, always be gentle on yourself and others in this plant-based journey.

To stay connected you can find us online at www.kulakitchen.ca,  ChopItUp.ca and Kula Kitchen and ChopItUpyvr on Facebook, Instagram, and Kula Foods on LinkedIn. We offer weekly delivery and pick up services that include offerings from our community. You can also find our products at our local partners spaces in BC. We love hosting events like our collective cooking classes to get folks together over food, and keep in touch to find out about events in the Vancouver Area.

If you’ve found this helpful, please consider sharing it! Don’t forget to subscribe to Vancouver Humane Society’s PlantUniversity Platform to stay updated on new content and to get involved in their work.

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Eating habits pose a problem for fish

A tuna swimming in the ocean with more tuna in the background

Eating habits pose a problem for fish

A tuna swimming in the ocean with more tuna in the background

You’ve probably heard somewhere that goldfish have only a three-second memory.

Like so many of the “facts” about fish that have been widely accepted for decades, it’s not true. It’s also symbolic of the many misconceptions humans have about the estimated 3.5 trillion fish with whom we share the planet.

It turns out fish can not only remember things; they can plan, use tools, socialize and play. They are far more intelligent than previously thought and, more importantly, they are sentient. They can experience feelings such as fear, frustration, comfort and enjoyment. They can feel pain.

Sadly, these complex and misunderstood animals are in trouble; and our society’s appetite for fish and other animal-based food products is largely to blame.

This World Oceans Day, let’s explore some of the ways fish are harmed by eating habits—and what we can do about it.

Skip to section:

Fish farming

Industrial fishing

Agricultural runoff

How you can help

Alternatives to eating fish

Fish farming

A fish farm in British Columbia

Fish farming, also known as aquaculture, has been referred to as the factory farms of the sea. That’s because farm-raised fish are kept in crowded conditions without enrichment where they cannot engage in their natural behaviours.

Fish raised in fish farms are subjected to intense stress that leaves them vulnerable to disease. To prevent disease, fish farms depend heavily on antibiotics, which can contribute to drug-resistant infections in humans.

Farmed fish aren’t the only ones who suffer due to aquaculture, though. Naturally carnivorous fish like salmon, halibut, and tuna are typically fed diets made with fish meal and fish oils. The antibiotics and waste from fish farms can seep into the surrounding water, impacting the local ecosystem. Fish farms can spread disease to wild fish. Most First Nations in B.C. oppose open net fish farming, citing the harms they cause to wild fish populations.

Farmed fish account for about 20% of Canada’s seafood production.

Content warning

The following video contains graphic scenes depicting the inhumane conditions and slaughter of farmed fish.

Industrial fishing

Fish caught in a net from a commercial fishing boat

To meet the world’s growing demand for fish, the commercial fishing industry uses methods that result in massive losses of marine life. Methods include:

  • Bottom trawling: a large net with heavy weights is dragged across the seafloor, scooping up everything in its path and damaging sensitive marine habitats.
  • Longlining: Boats use lines that can extend for up to 50 miles, with thousands of baited hooks branching off from the main line.  

It has been estimated that between 0.79 and 2.3 trillion fish are caught globally from the wild each year (2007-2016). According to the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), more than 34 per cent of fish in the world’s marine fisheries were classified as overfished and nearly 90 per cent of the world’s so-called marine fish stocks are now fully exploited, overexploited or depleted.

An estimated 80 fish species have gone extinct in recent centuries and more than 3000 are threatened with extinction.

Industrial fishing methods also result in bycatch, the unintentional capture of non-target species such as dolphins, sea turtles and diving birds. Animals unintentionally caught in nets often die by suffocation, starvation, or drowning.

Agricultural runoff

An animal agriculture feedlot seen from above

The animal agriculture industry is a major source of ocean pollution. Manure from animals raised for food and pesticides used to grow animal feed can make their way into our earth’s waterways with each rainfall.

Agricultural runoff can lead to the overgrowth of algae, which then decomposes and depletes the water of oxygen. Fish, who cannot survive in oxygen-depleted water, either die or move elsewhere to compete for increasingly scarce territory and resources.

In 2017, the meat industry was criticized for causing what is now considered the world’s second-largest ocean dead zone in the Gulf of Mexico.

How you can help fish

School of fish underwater

By shifting to a plant-based diet, you can directly save about 348 fish lives each year! This includes fish who are caught or farmed for eating and those used as feed for farmed fish. Eating more plant-based foods also decreases the demand for industrial land animal agriculture and fish farms, two major contributors of ocean pollution that harm wild fish and other marine life.

Alternatives to eating fish

PlantUniversity’s Recipe Library has plenty of tasty meals and snacks, including plant-based versions of fish foods!

Try this tasty Chickpea Salad Sandwich for some quick and easy lunches, or use this clever Vegan “Fish” Sauce in a mouth-watering Pad Thai!

You can also take the Plant-Based Pledge to receive free weekly recipes straight to your inbox. Each week you’ll receive a unique and delicious recipe, like this Sticky Garlic Vegan “Salmon”, just in time for Meatless Monday.

Recipe library

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Plant-based popularity seems ever-growing

Plant-based popularity seems ever-growing

Plant-based eating has moved into the mainstream in recent years, as demonstrated by a 2018 national survey conducted by Dalhousie University which found British Columbia is leading the dietary revolution. The survey found that nearly 40 per cent of British Columbians 35 and under say they follow a vegan or vegetarian diet.

In North America, a growing number of schools, hospitals, food service providers, businesses and municipalities are recognizing and acting on the collective impact of our food choices, and as a result are embracing the plant-based movement.

Find plant-based businesses near you

At least 16 U.S. cities and counties have included meat-reduction efforts in their climate change mitigation strategies. For example, Santa Monica, California’s climate action plan commits the municipality to reducing meat and dairy purchases by 15% and Portland, Oregon’s climate action plan commits to increasing institutional purchases of healthy, climate-friendly food at public meetings, events, and in government facilities. 

Also in the U.S., Chartwells and Morrison Health Care committed to shifting 20% of menu offerings to plant-based by 2020; the University of Guelph in Ontario is working to replace 20% of meat protein with plant-based proteins; and Western University in Ontario is aiming for 55% of menu options to be based on plant proteins.

Metro Vancouver has seen amazing progress in recent months. In November 2021, citing a report from the Vancouver Humane Society, the City of Vancouver unanimously passed a motion to shift 20% of animal-based purchasing to plant-based. The District of North Vancouver passed another plant-forward motion in March citing the same report.

Amaga Food, a North Vancouver food service provider for several secondary schools, has also committed to transitioning 20% of menu offerings to plant-based. To date, 16 secondary and post-secondary schools throughout Metro Vancouver have also worked to increase their plant-based offerings through initiatives like Meatless Monday.

Share the plant-based movement!

Find tools and tips to advocate for more plant-based options in your area here.

Advocacy tools & tips

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Go plant-based for the planet

Go plant-based for the planet

Read on to learn how animal agriculture impacts our environment, and how a plant-based diet can help.

Climate change

Water pollution

Air pollution

Species loss

Antibiotic resistance

Use of valuable resources

Climate Change.

The rise of intensive farmed animal production (factory farming) is causing major environmental damage around the world.

Scientists behind one of the most comprehensive analyses to date of the environmental impact of food production have argued that avoiding meat and dairy products is the best way to reduce your environmental impact on the planet. In fact, research suggests that shifting Western diets to plant-based eating patterns has the potential to reduce food-related greenhouse gas emissions by up to 70 percent.

The UN projects an increase in global meat consumption of 76% by 2050, including a doubling in the consumption of poultry, as well as a 69% increase in beef and a 42% increase in pork consumption. This means that the problems listed below can only get worse, as the animal agriculture sector grows to meet demand.

The animal agriculture industry contributes to greenhouse gas emissions in a number of ways, including:

  • Deforestation caused by expansion of pastures and land for feed crops
  • Burning fossil fuel to produce fertilizers used in feed production
  • Maintaining industrial animal production facilities
  • Transporting feed and processing and transporting animal products
  • Methane release from the breakdown of fertilizers and from manure
  • Methane release from enteric fermentation (produced by animals)

A study by the Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy (IATP) and the NGO Grain found that, together, the world’s top five meat and dairy corporations are now responsible for more annual greenhouse gas emissions than fossil fuel companies Exxon, Shell or BP. The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) has therefore stated that:

The livestock sector emerges as one of the top two or three most significant contributors to the most serious environmental problems, at every scale from local to global.

Water Pollution.

Globally, agriculture is the largest source of water pollution – and the animal agriculture sector is a major contributor.  A 2018 report by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the UN (FAO) and the International Water Management Institute (IWMI) found that:

…the intensification of livestock production — world livestock numbers have more than tripled since 1970 — has seen a new class of pollutants emerge: antibiotics, vaccines and hormonal growth promoters that travel from farms through water into ecosystems and our drinking water. At the same time, water pollution by organic matter from livestock farming is now significantly more widespread than organic pollution from urban areas.

The meat and animal agriculture industry has also been blamed for ocean “dead zones” in which marine life has been killed off by toxic agricultural run-off that pours into rivers emptying into coastal waters.

Air Pollution.

Aside from greenhouse gases, animal agriculture produces significant air pollution. Research shows animal agriculture operations are a source of numerous airborne contaminants including gases, odours, dust, and microorganisms. It has been estimated that a 50 percent reduction in agricultural ammonia emissions worldwide could prevent more than 200,000 deaths per year across 59 countries.

Species Loss.

The Worldwide Fund for Nature (WWF) published a report in 2017, stating that: “biodiversity is disappearing at an astonishing rate due to the food we eat and the feed we supply our livestock industry…” According to the report, 60 percent of all biodiversity loss across the planet can be traced back to farmed animal production. 

Another study states:

The consumption of animal-sourced food products by humans is one of the most powerful negative forces affecting the conservation of terrestrial ecosystems and biological diversity. Livestock production is the single largest driver of habitat loss, and both livestock and feedstock production are increasing in developing tropical countries where the majority of biological diversity resides.

Antibiotic Resistance.

According to the Centres for Disease Control (CDC), antibiotic resistance is one of the most urgent threats to the public health. Antibiotic resistance occurs when bacteria develop the ability to defeat the drugs designed to kill them. Most antibiotics are fed to farm animals, which can create antibiotic-resistant “superbugs” that infect humans. A 2015 study concluded that:

Demand for animal protein for human consumption is rising globally at an unprecedented rate. Modern animal production practices are associated with regular use of antimicrobials, potentially increasing selection pressure on bacteria to become resistant.

Another study on the issue said: “one solution to reduce antimicrobial consumption in animal production may be to promote low-animal-protein diets.”

Use of valuable resources.

According to the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), 26% of the planet’s ice-free land is used for farmed animal grazing and 33% of croplands are used for farmed animal feed production. The FAO says:

The livestock sector is one of the key drivers of land-use change. Each year, 13 billion hectares of forest area are lost due to land conversion for agricultural uses as pastures or cropland, for both food and livestock feed crop production.

Beef production alone uses about three fifths of global farmland but yields less than 5% of the world’s protein, according to a report by the Worldwatch Institute, which also states:

Meat production also consumes a lot of water. Agriculture uses about 70 percent of the world’s available freshwater, and one third of that is used to grow the grain fed to livestock.

Indeed, it takes 15,000 litres of water to produce a kilogram of beef, which is far more than is required by a number of staple foods, such as rice (3,400 liters per kg) or potatoes (255 litres).

Take action today!

Take quick action for animals on Earth Day! The Vancouver Humane Society is supporting Animal Justice Academy and calling on the federal government to transition federal food services and catering toward more plant-based options by December 2022. From now until April 22, 2022, add your voice in the social media storm.

Use the buttons below to quickly tweet your support:

Animal ag is a leading driver of deforestation, desertification, GHG, loss of biodiversity, water consumption & pollution, land degradation. Transition toward more plant-based options in federal food services by Dec 2022. #EarthDay
@s_guilbeault @jyduclos @Carolyn_Bennett
Production of meat worldwide causes twice the pollution of production of plant-based foods. Transition toward more plant-based options in federal food services by Dec 2022. #IPCC #EarthDay
@JustinTrudeau @mclaudebibeau @FilomenaTassi

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More cafes increasing plant-based milk options

A Starbucks cup on a table with a blurred-out cafe in the background

More cafes increasing plant-based milk options

As the demand for plant-based foods is increasing, more cafes are responding by shifting menus.

Why are cafes shifting toward plant-based options?

A global collective of 11,000 scientists recently declared a climate emergency and pointed to six critical steps to addressing the situation. Included in the six recommendations was the assertion that “eating mostly plant-based foods while reducing the global consumption of animal products, especially ruminant livestock, can improve human health and significantly lower greenhouse gas emissions.”

Institutions that offer food service can help make it easier for consumers to access plant-based options by prioritizing those items on daily menus. One useful and effective strategy includes making the default menu option plant-based, effectively making the climate-friendly, healthy and humane option the easiest choice for consumers, while still allowing the consumer the ability to modify the default option if they so choose.

Tips on going dairy-free

Chain cafes are shifting their menus

By 2030, Starbucks is aiming for a 50 percent reduction in its carbon emissions, water withdrawal and waste sent to landfills. “Alternative milks will be a big part of the solution,” said Starbucks CEO, Kevin Johnson. “The consumer-demand curve is already shifting.”

Johnson says the company will encourage consumers to choose plant-based milk made from coconuts, almond, soy or oats, which all have a smaller environmental footprint than dairy products. In North America, 15 to 20 percent of Starbucks customers already opt for plant-based milk options.

However, the company has not yet moved to remove the additional $0.80 charge from its plant-based milk options in North America. This is a necessary next step to truly encourage a more sustainable, environmentally-friendly and animal-friendly shift.

The company’s announcement comes after an environmental assessment determined that dairy products are the largest source of carbon dioxide emissions across its operations and supply chain.

The move to prioritize plant-based milk is part of Starbucks’ updated sustainability plan, which includes a pledge to “expanding plant-based options, migrating toward a more environmentally friendly menu.” The company is currently exploring new plant-based beverages and breakfast menu items.

The coffee giant’s expanded sustainability plan and focus on plant-based foods reflects the growing need to address our food system’s contribution to climate change, the global biodiversity crisis and the high demand for meat that drives factory farming.

Tim Hortons is also recognizing the importance of offering more plant-based milk options.

As a response, Tim Hortons introduced almond milk at locations across Canada in 2020, oat milk in 2021 and soy milk at select locations. According to Tim Hortons, research shows that customers who request plant-based milks prefer almond over any other types.  

Independent cafes are leading the way

A hand holds a pink beverage in a glass mug from the top floor overlooking Kind Cafe, Vancouver.

Many smaller cafes are joining or leading this plant-based movement. One in particular is Kind Café, located on Main Street in Vancouver. This locally owned, 100% plant-based and zero-waste cafe offers a number of plant-based milk options, including a variety of nut milks.

This is an excellent example of a cafe that offers plant-based milk as their default option.

Looking to find more plant-based cafes? Visit PlantUniversity’s Animal-free shopping & eating guide!

Find local plant-based businesses

Interested in learning more tips for expanding plant-based menu options at your school, workplace, business or in your community? Get in touch with us!

Tips for helping students and their parents embrace plant-based meals

School kids eating healthy food together. Happy children sitting at table with packed lunch boxes. Back to school concept. Boy and girl treat each other fruits.

Tips for helping students and their parents embrace plant-based meals

Featured Author: Ryan McKee

Replacing animal-products with plants in our diets can improve our health greatly. This is one of the many reasons why it is so important to start introducing children to plant-based meals from an early age.  

Elemeno is a Vancouver-based meal delivery service that prepares plant-based lunches for school children. Launched in the Spring of 2021, the aim is to make healthier kids lunches available to Vancouver parents. In the following paragraphs, founder Ryan McKee addresses common concerns and also offers tips that can help parents and students embrace a plant-based diet.

This plant-based approach is unique in the market and a response to the upward trend toward meat and dairy reduction. But I wondered if it would meet the desires of parents and their evolving concerns on what their children eat.

After surveying more than 200 local parents I learned that parents are increasingly reading labels, shopping local and sticking to ingredients they know. They are attuned to allergies and other sensitivities that their child may be experiencing and they are willing to modify their family’s diet to accommodate.

So while parents are focusing more and more on healthy ingredients, there is still apprehension in regards to plant-based food. Long held beliefs around meat and dairy products have created uncertainty and questions about plant-based eating. When we launched our plant-based lunch program in the Fall of 2021, we faced a lot of questions and concerns.

To address these concerns, we turned the dial up on education. We focused less on challenging parents’ views and more on weaving into their beliefs.

Common concern: My child is used to animal-based meals.

We acknowledge that dairy products such as milk, yogurt and cheese tend to be dominant at breakfast time. Meat is often the ‘hero’ or main dish at dinnertime as well, so plants tend to take on a secondary role at those times. This means they can often be foregone or ignored, which reduces the amount of vital nutrients a child consumes. To combat this, our lunch menu brings balance into the daily diet, loading kids up with vitamins, minerals and fiber they may not have otherwise gotten. This approach really resonated with parents, creating a more collaborative and supportive relationship. This approach also helped bridge the gap between parents that felt a vegan or vegetarian diet wasn’t for them.

Common concern: A plant-based lifestyle just isn’t for my family.

Our intention was not to convert families into a certain lifestyle, but rather to be a simple and positive aspect of their weekly routine. We can all agree that we need more plants in our diet, so if we can show them how to do so simply and successfully, then we’re playing our part in raising healthy kids.

To build off this, we send parents a daily ‘fun fact’ that plants offer protein, calcium, iron, B-12 and other essential nutrients, that softly helped to dispel notions otherwise.

Common concern: My child is a picky eater!

We uncovered another benefit of the program: that we’re actively enhancing children’s palettes and tastes. Just as children develop skills in school around communication, social, fine motor, etc., we can play a role in broadening the range of foods they eat. It brings us nothing but joy to hear a parent tell us their child had never tried a curry dish or tasted a mushroom before – and yet, now they love it!

Common concern: My child isn’t a fan of change.

Of course, this adoption of new foods doesn’t come instantly. This was another key concern for parents. Virtually all parents we surveyed felt their child is the pickiest eater on the planet. If there was a scale from 1-10 with 10 being extremely picky, 99% of parents would rate their child no lower than an 8!

While this level of pickiness does present a challenge, at least it’s not unique! To combat this, we ask parents to give us a month to allow for their children to get used to the food. We try to pair new dishes, such as shakshuka, with more familiar sides like muffins and veggie sticks. And we know that peer influence – seeing their friends eating it – goes a long way as well.

This approach has proved successful, but we have also made mistakes, learned and adapted along the way. For example, we found strong reluctance to processed vegan food. Despite the vegan industry taking great steps over the last few years around this, there is still a lack of knowledge around some of the ingredients, the processes to make it and the flavour profile. Ultimately, we decided to focus on ingredients parents can find in the grocery store, made from scratch. As we say, save the lab coats for science class!

We’re still very early in our journey (keep your eye out for Elemeno products to show up on store shelves!) but taking a collaborative approach with parents has built a foundation of trust and loyalty. As we start to move into other schools around the lower mainland, we’re excited to change the game on kids lunches and build healthy habits at the earliest stages.

For more information, visit Elemeno.co.

Don’t forget to subscribe to Vancouver Humane Society’s PlantUniversity Platform to stay updated on new content and to get involved in their work.

Go plant-based for your health

Go plant-based for your health

A growing body of scientific studies contrast health outcomes of meat-inclusive and plant-based diets.

Risks to health from meat-inclusive diets

In 2016, the Mayo Clinic published a review of large-scale studies involving more than 1.5 million people that found higher mortality rates for those who eat meat, particularly red or processed meat, on a daily basis.

The authors recommended that “physicians should encourage patients to limit animal products when possible, and substitute red meat and processed red meat with plant-based foods.”

In 2017, a study published in the British Medical Journal found “increased risks of all cause mortality and death due to nine different causes associated with both processed and unprocessed red meat…”.

The World Cancer Research Fund and the American Institute for Cancer Research have stated: “There is strong evidence that consumption of either red or processed meat are both causes of colorectal cancer.”

In 2015, The World Health Organization classified the consumption of red meat as “probably carcinogenic to humans” and processed meat as “carcinogenic to humans.”

In 2012, a study by the Harvard School of Public Health found that “a daily serving of red meat no larger than a deck of cards increased the risk of adult-onset diabetes by 19 percent.”

A 2018 study published in the International Journal of Epidemiology, found that people who consumed large amounts of meat protein experienced a 60-percent increase in cardiovascular disease (CVD), while people who consumed large amounts of protein from nuts and seeds experienced a 40-percent reduction in CVD.

plant-based dishes in compostable containers

Health benefits of plant-based diets

A plant-based diet, free of animal products, can be healthy at any stage of life – from children to teens, older adults and pregnant or nursing mothers. For example, there are so many plant-based foods that naturally contain calcium or are fortified with it. These include dark leafy greens like kale, collard greens, and spinach, as well as broccoli, oranges, almonds, fortified non-dairy milks and yogurts, and tofu that has been made with calcium.

A 2016 Oxford University study found that a global switch to diets that rely less on meat and more on fruit and vegetables could save up to 8 million lives by 2050.

A number of studies have found that plant-based diets are associated with health benefits, including reduced symptoms of arthritis and reduced blood sugar and cholesterol.

More recently, five studies presented at a 2018 nutrition conference found that eating healthy, primarily vegetarian foods is associated with lower risk of chronic diseases, weight gain and death.

Canada’s revised Food Guide recommends that Canadians shift their consumption to more plant-based foods, including suggestions to incorporate plant-based proteins more often. The Food Guide also acknowledges that many of the well-studied healthy eating patterns from areas of the world where people statistically live the longest include mostly plant-based foods. 

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Go plant-based for the animals

Milking cows by automatic industrial milking rotary system in modern diary farm.

Go plant-based for the animals

The growing consumption of animal products has led to the expansion of factory farms.

Farmed animals are among the most directly impacted by human activity, with more than 830 million land animals raised and killed for food in Canada in 2019.

Mass consumer demand for of animal products has led to the rise of the industrial animal agriculture system, characterized by enormous numbers of animals confined in cramped, barren and unnatural conditions.

Animals are typically kept in cages or stalls that severely limit their ability to behave naturally and socially. It is also common practice to separate mothers from their young much earlier than would naturally occur. 

On-farm practices, including painful procedures without the use of pain control; rough handling and the use of electric prods; untimely or no treatment of injury and disease; and inhumane methods of euthanasia all pose serious farmed animal welfare concerns.

Practices and conditions surrounding the transport, auction and slaughter processes are also incredibly stressful for animals. Every year in Canada, approximately 14 million animals suffer injuries and 1.6 million die during transport journeys that are often long-distance and in extreme weather conditions. At slaughterhouses, thousands of animals are killed per day, resulting in a fast-paced, dangerous environment for both the animals and the workers.

Conditions in farms are often hidden from the public, denying consumers informed consent when they choose which products to purchase at the grocery store. There are a few legal protections for humane treatment of farmed animals, but these are often rarely enforced. Instead, so-called “Ag-Gag” laws punish those who expose cruelty on industrial farms with prison sentences, as recently took place in British Columbia.

Chickens

“Broiler” chickens, raised for meat, make up the vast majority of the animals killed for food in Canada. Of the 830 million farmed animals killed in 2019 in Canada, more than 747 million were broiler chickens.

Chicken farms vary in size, with an average of 36,000 birds kept in huge indoor sheds, eating and sleeping in their own waste for their entire lives. These chickens have been genetically modified by breeding for such rapid weight gain that they develop painfully weakened bones from rapid weight gain, which also causes heart attacks, skeletal disorders and lameness (inability to walk). In 1950 it took 84 days for a broiler to reach market weight. Today it takes 38 to 40 days.

Pigs

More than 21 million pigs were killed for meat in 2019 in Canada. Pig farms vary in size, with some housing upwards of 5,000 animals.

Most farms keep pigs confined indoors in individual stalls or group pens. While the Canadian standards require pigs to have enrichment, farmers have argued that pigs being near each other is enrichment enough. The majority of pigs are not provided materials for bedding or nest-building; behaviours that are hard-wired. As a result, they experience daily frustration and stress. Stress from overcrowding and boredom can create aggression, so most pigs have their tails cut off to prevent tail-biting.

The majority of farmers use gestation stalls to house mated female pigs used for breeding which involves brutal techniques of artificial insemination. These stalls provide only enough room for a pig to stand or lie down, but not enough to turn around. When the pig is expected to give birth, they are moved to a farrowing crate, which is similar in size to the gestation crate, but is equipped with a separate section for the piglets and a guardrail to prevent them from being accidentally crushed under their mother.

Typically, piglets are abruptly weaned between 14-28 days old, which is much earlier than natural and is stressful for the mom and piglets. The piglets are moved into group pens, while the mother is moved back into the breeding area to start the breeding cycle over. If a piglet is deformed, the legal method of euthanasia considered acceptable is blunt force trauma. As with kids (baby goats) and lambs, the animal is swung full speed against a wall, or tools such as hammers or pipes are used to bludgeon them.

Egg-laying hens

The average egg farm has over 22,000 hens, but larger farms can have more than 400,000 hens. The majority of egg-laying hens are kept confined in cages or crowded together in barns that are rarely cleaned and with air permeated by caustic ammonia. While one may think “free-range” eggs are better, free-range is legally defined as “access to the outdoors,” and barns are often so crowded that almost none of the hens will discover the small cat-sized door they have access to. In such densely populated barns, feather-plucking becomes a problem. It is common to see completely feather-bare hens sent to slaughter, having lived their entire lives being picked on by other hens.

Shortly after hatching, hen chicks undergo a painful ‘de-beaking’ procedure that involves removing part of the beak with a blade or laser, with no requirement for the use of pain medication.

In nature, hens live up to 10 years. Genetic selection has resulted in today’s egg-laying hens laying approximately 340 eggs per year – a much higher rate than is natural. After two to three years, the hen’s bodily resources are so depleted that their egg production decreases and they are sent to slaughter for food as they are no longer profitable. In 2019, nearly 34 million egg-laying hens were slaughtered for this reason in Canada. This does not include the number of male chicks that are killed after hatching, as they are of no use to the egg industry and are not the fast-growing breed used in the broiler (meat) chicken industry. They are killed by a chopper or boiling water.

Hens naturally go through a time where they stop laying, called moulting, each year. All commercial egg producers, including those misleadingly labelled as organic or free-range, either send the hens to slaughter as soon as this time arrives or they ‘force-moult’ the birds by starving them to shorten the period. If they force-moult, the farmers send the hens to slaughter after the second year because their bones are too brittle at this point from the egg laying.

Beef & dairy cattle:

More than 3 million beef and dairy cattle were killed in 2019 in Canada.

Castration and horn removal are routinely performed on cattle raised for beef. These are painful procedures that are often performed on cattle raised for beef without the use of pain medication. Transport is a stressful process for cattle, yet beef cattle are typically transported several times in their lives before being slaughtered.

It is common for calves to be sent to industrial feedlots in order to be quickly fattened up prior to slaughter. It’s there that beef cattle are often abruptly moved off a pasture diet to an unnatural high-grain based diet, which can lead to serious digestive issues.

In the dairy industry, cows are forcefully and painfully inseminated with long instruments. Calves are separated from their mothers shortly after being born, a standard industry practice that is distressing for both mother and calf. Calves tend to be confined in individual pens or hutches, with female calves later joining the milking herd, while male calves are raised for veal or are sent to auction at approximately one week old to be raised for beef. Some male calves are casually discarded in a pile and left to die, calling desperately for their distressed mothers.

Around 73% of dairy farms in Canada keep their milking herd in tie-stall housing, where they are tethered to their individual stall and unable to move around freely or engage in natural behaviours. Free-stall housing presents its own welfare challenges, including increased rates of lameness (difficulty walking). Contrary to the images used in dairy-product marketing, most cows are denied access to pasture and are kept indoors, where more time spent on concrete floors and unnatural surfaces can increase the likelihood of lameness. In British Columbia, where free-stall housing is more common, research found that on average, more than 25% of the province’s high-producing cows are clinically lame.

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Cambridge University cuts emissions with less meat & more plant-based foods

Cambridge University cuts emissions with less meat & more plant-based foods

Back in 2016, Cambridge University made the decision to remove beef and lamb from its campus menus and offer more plant-based dishes in an effort to reduce its food-related emissions.

Cambridge pointed to the fact that producing beef and lamb emits 250 times more greenhouse gases per gram of protein than legumes (lentils, chickpeas, beans) and that one meal with beef or lamb has the same footprint as eight months of chickpea-based meals. They also highlighted that plant-based foods require less water and land than animal-based foods.

The school has since reported that the decision, which was part of its Sustainable Food Policy, has been effective in reducing emissions per kilogram of food purchased by 33 per cent and land use per kilogram of food purchased by 28 per cent. The move cut the school’s overall emissions by 10.5 per cent, while simultaneously increasing sales and profit.

“It is hard to imagine any other interventions that could yield such dramatic benefits in so short a span of time,” said Andrew Balmford, professor of Conservation Science at the University of Cambridge.

In addition to swapping out red meat options for more plant-based dishes, the school focused on making plant-based dishes appealing and accessible. Cambridge’s catering team took part in plant-based cooking classes and visited restaurants with plant-based menus for inspiration. Managers received training on marketing for sustainability rather than for profit.

Meanwhile, dishes added to the menu were strategically placed in the cafeteria to highlight them and encourage customers to choose them over meat-based options.

When it came to the labelling of dishes, staff focused on the ingredients rather than identifying dishes as specifically “veg” or “vegan”. They hoped this would create universal appeal and that customers would focus on the deliciousness of the dish.

Some of the most popular plant-based dishes include Swedish style vegballs with mash and creamy mustard sauce, smoky Moroccan chickpea stew with saffron infused couscous, and a sweet potato burger.

The success of this decision by Cambridge University serves as an inspiring example for other post-secondary schools and institutions that offer food service. It also comes at a crucial time; a growing body of research concludes that a significant reduction in global meat consumption is essential for addressing climate change, the global biodiversity crisis and the high demand for meat that drives the cruel factory farming system.

Interested in introducing or expanding plant-based menu options at your school, workplace, business or in your community? Get in touch!

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Plant-based winter desserts for your humane holiday

Plant-based winter desserts for your humane holiday

Food is a highlight for many families celebrating holidays, and especially during the December holiday season. Now, with so many plant-based recipe variations for your favourite holiday dessert, it is easier than ever to have a plant-based holiday season. Here are a few of our favourite plant-based holiday recipes. Try one (or a couple) the next holiday season!

Apple crumble tart:

Baking with apples is always so delicious – and makes your home smell amazing too! This recipe is filled with decadent ingredients like pecans, maple syrup and holiday spices like cinnamon and nutmeg. In the link below, there is also a handy video you can follow along that shows you how to make the tart.

Tip: Using a food processor is recommended for making the crust.

Get the recipe

Sugar cookies:

For some, sugar cookies are a classic holiday cookie – they are simple, yummy and melt in your mouth. This holiday, try out a new plant-based version of this classic. Bonus: These cookies are also gluten free and grain free.

Tip: Use festive cookie cutters!

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Blintzes:

Surprise your guests this season with these tofu filled blintzes! They are sure to be a crowd pleaser.

Tip: For a healthier blintz, this recipe suggests to leave out sautéing at the end. Mix it up by replacing the blueberries with strawberries, peaches, mango, or your favourite fruit.

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Rugelach:

You can whip this recipe up in under 30 minutes! Instead of making your own pastry, this recipe suggests looking for a puff pastry in your grocery store – many are plant-based! This will save you a lot of time this holiday season and we guarantee, it will still be delicious.

Tip: These can be stored in the freezer for up to 2 months in an airtight container.

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Sweet potato pie:

One word: Yum. This pie is mouthwatering, oh-so-flavorful, with a thick consistency because of delicious coconut cream. If you are feeling adventurous, try making your own pie crust too (find a recipe for a plant-based pie crust in the link below).

Tip: Read about some of the nutritional benefits of eating sweet potatoes in the recipe link!

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Mochi:

These sweet red bean filled mochi are deliciously sweet and chewy. This recipe makes 8 mochi for you to share over the holiday season.

Tip: Want more intense flavor? This recipe suggests using molasses instead of brown sugar to make the dough. Yum!

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Nanaimo bars:

A B.C. fav, you cannot go wrong with serving Nanaimo bars over the holidays, especially these plant-based and gluten-free ones! Everyone will be asking you what the delicious filling is made with! Check out the recipe to see what the secret filling ingredient is.

What makes these bars even better? This recipe includes no powdered or white sugar!

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Looking for more delicious plant-based recipes?

Go to our recipe library!

Check out PlantUniversity’s original recipe library for more delicious plant-based meal and snack ideas.

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