Footnote citations for all information are available by request:
EarthSave@aol.com. They will be added to this page as soon as possible.

Included in this section is information, much of it verbatim, from the USDA’s position on health and nutrition. While the USDA holds no formal position on alternatives to meat and dairy products such as tofu, tempeh, seitan and soy milk, EarthSave International has documented research about such alternatives which complements the nutritional guidelines of the USDA. Please contact EarthSave for further documentation or information.

The major sources of calories in the American diet are carbohydrates and fats. Carbohydrates from vegetables, fruits and grain products such as breads, cereals, pastas and rice are an important part of a varied diet. Vegetables, fruits and grains are generally low in fat. They are emphasized because they are also good sources of complex carbohydrates, dietary fiber and other substances in food linked to good health.

Serving more foods containing complex carbohydrates can also help add fiber to the diet. Foods differ in the kinds of fiber they contain. Include a variety of fiber-rich foods such as whole-grain bread and cereals, fruits, vegetables and cooked dry beans, peas and lentils in your diet.

Tips to Add Vegetables, Fruits and Grains

Vegetables

• Eat vegetables higher in fiber such as cooked dry beans, broccoli, potatoes with skin and carrots.
• Try a three-bean salad, cole slaw or raw vegetable salad prepared with a lowfat dressing or marinade.
• Add green pepper, mushrooms and onions as pizza toppings or add spinach to lasagne.
• Serve fresh vegetable strips with lowfat tofu dip.
• Purchase or make vegetarian baked beans.
• Serve raw slices of carrots, celery and other vegetables as crunchy, nutritious snacks in place of high-fat chips. 

• Add fresh or dried fruits to canned foods.
• Eat fresh fruits higher in fiber such as those with edible skins -- apples, pears, nectarines, peaches -- and those with edible seeds -- berries, bananas.
• Serve whole or cut-up fruits instead of fruit juice.

• Make sandwiches with whole-wheat bagels or use slices of whole-wheat bread.
• Buy or make quick breads, muffins, crackers or cookies with whole grains or whole-grain flours.
• Offer whole-grain breads and cereals at breakfast and for snacks.
• Use rice, noodles, oats, cornmeal or bulgar in main dishes.
• Substitute whole-grain flour for part or all of the all-purpose flour used in recipes.
• Read ingredient labels to determine what is in the product. Ingredients are listed in order by weight, from the greatest to the least.

For most Americans, it is sensible to reduce daily intake of total fat, saturated fat and cholesterol. The Dietary Guidelines of the USDA suggest goals of 30 percent or less of total calories from fat and less than 10 percent of calories from saturated fat. Why? Populations like ours with diets high in fat have higher rates of obesity and of certain types of cancer. The higher levels of saturated fat and cholesterol in our diets are linked to our increased risk for heart disease. Of these two, saturated fat has a greater effect.

Current diets of many Americans are higher in fat and saturated fat than the Dietary Guidelines suggest. For example, fat provides an average of 35 to 37 percent of calories per day depending on the age and sex of children studied. Step-by-step changes in menus over time can achieve an average fat content of 30 percent or less of calories from fat.

Lowering the fat content also lowers the calories of the meal. Fat contains over twice the calories of the meal. Fat contains over twice the calories of an equal amount of protein or carbohydrate. When fat is lowered in the meal, other foods will need to be added to replace those calories lost from fat. Whole grains, vegetables and fruits are the best choices for adding calories when lowering the fat in meals.

Some fats in foods are easily identified, and these we call the visible fats. One hundred percent of their calories come from fat. Visible fats include butter, margarine, vegetable oils, salad dressings, cream, lard, and the solid fat portions of meat.

The hidden fats contained in other foods are less obvious. In general, foods that come from animals are naturally higher in fat than foods that come from plants. Animal products -- in particular red meats (beef, veal, pork, lamb), poultry, fish and shellfish, milk and milk products, and eggs -- contribute more than half of the total fat to the US diets. Most fruits, vegetables and grain products are naturally low in fat. The fat content of any food can be significantly increased by being cooked or prepared with added fat.

Three-fourths or more of the saturated fats in the US diet are found in animal products and some vegetable fats such as coconut, palm and palm kernel oil. Most all saturated fats are solid at room temperature. Some liquid oils are solidified by hydrogenation. Federal guidelines recommend that Americans get no more than 10 percent of their daily calories from saturated fat. Far too many Americans consume significantly more than 10 percent because of the amount of animal products they are eating. Saturated fat in turn raises cholesterol.

Cholesterol is a fat-like substance present in all animal foods. It is not found in plant foods. Both the lean and the fat of meat and the meat and skin of poultry contain cholesterol. In milk products, higher-fat products contain more cholesterol than lower-fat products. Egg yolks and organ meats are high in cholesterol. The human body produces all the cholesterol it needs.

Tips to Lower Fat, Saturated Fat and Cholesterol

Meat and Meat-free Alternatives

• Replace meat with cooked dry beans or canned beans.
• Serve bean-based entrees such as bean burritos, tacos and chili.
• Choose tofu, tempeh or seitan instead of meat.
• Use vegetable broth instead of beef or poultry broth.

• Steam, simmer or bake vegetables. For a change, stir fry them in a small amount of water or vegetable.
• Season vegetables with herbs and spices rather than with butter and margarine.
• Cook vegetables only until crisp to retain flavor and nutrients. This will reduce the need for added butter or margarine.
• Serve fruit for dessert in place of cookies, cakes, ice cream and pies.

• Replace higher fat grain products such as croissants, doughnuts and sweet rolls with lower fat grain products such as bagels, muffins, pita and pancakes.
• Serve jam, jelly or honey instead of butter or margarine on breads and rolls.
• Increase the variety of lower fat grain products such as noodles, brown rice, barley and bulgur.

• Replace whole milk in puddings, soups and baked products with skim, lowfat or soy milk.
• Substitute soy cheese for cheese.
• Offer lowfat, skim and soy milk to help decrease the fat content of meals.

Reading Labels for Fat and Saturated Fat

• Read the labels. Do not be misled by statements like "2% fat" which usually means 2% of the weight. In the case of milk, 2% fat translates to 35% of the total calories from fat and 22% as saturated fat.
• Multiply the number of fat grams by 9 to get the number of fat calories.
• Compare those fat calories to the total calories to get the proportion of fat. The guidelines say less than 30% of calories as fat