The benefits of plant based ingredients

Wanderlust 

We’ve all heard to avoid harmful chemicals when it comes to skincare—but what are the benefits of botanicals, and how can you include them in your daily routine?

It’s everywhere. The notion of swapping out toxic chemicals has permeated the entire consumer goods industry, ranging from beauty products to mattresses, and everything in between.

But with this increased awareness of what’s in the products we use every day, comes an even greater responsibility for consumers to be able to decipher the ingredient list on their labels. Many synthetic organic chemicals and their replacements are disguised within hard-to-pronounce words like “dibutyl phthalate” and “propylparaben”—and we’ve heard the advice to avoid the ingredients we don’t recognize. So what should we be looking for in our products?

Enter plant-based ingredients.

You’ve likely heard of plant-based botanicals, and it’s no secret that herbalism and nature-based products are trending. But it’s when we dig a little deeper and begin to uncover the benefits of plant-based ingredients that we’re able to begin to cultivate a holistic lifestyle that lasts. When we understand the “why” behind the choices we make, they become even more powerful.

Vegan GMO Burger That “Bleeds” Hits Hundreds of Fast Food Locations Including 'Organic' Ones

Greenmedinfo  September 20th 2018

From White Castle to 'Organic' Burger Joints like Bareburger, a bloody GMO burger is quickly gaining mass adoption. But is it as safe, healthy, and good for the planet as they claim? 

It’s no surprise that after $400 million dollars of funding, including contributions by notoriously pro-GMO power brokers like Bill Gates,¹ that Silicon valley startup Impossible Foods genetically modified ‘ground beef analogue product’ has gained mainstream market penetrance in over 400 White Castle burger joints throughout the U.S this month.² This is in addition to its already successful placement in Applebee’s, Bareburger, and Whalburgers, and other independent restaurants throughout the country.

Parents who restrict their children to a vegan diet could face a jail term if a controversial bill is passed by the Italian parliament.

10 August 2016 From the section Europe

Such parents, the draft bill claims, are imposing a diet "devoid of essential elements for [children's] healthy and balanced growth".

It has been proposed by Elvira Savino of the centre-right Forza Italia party.

It follows a number of high-profile Italian cases where malnourished children have been taken into care.

In four cases over the last 18 months, malnourished children were hospitalised in Italy after being fed a vegan diet.

However, dieticians such as the American Dietetic Association say vegan diets are suitable for children but advise that care needs to be taken to ensure children are receiving the full range of required nutrients - in particular vitamin B12.

Doctors speculated in some cases that the guardians of the hospitalised children may not have understood how to supplement a vegan diet to make it safe for children.

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What is veganism?

A vegan diet eliminates anything which originates from animals:

• No meat, fish, animal fats or gelatine
• No dairy products such as cow's milk, cheese, butter, yogurt, goat's or sheep's milk
• No eggs, nor foods containing eggs, such as most Quorn products
• No honey

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Ms Savino's proposed bill will be discussed by parliamentary committees before going to the chamber for debate - probably later this year, reports Reuters news agency.

Meanwhile, three rival bills are on the table - all aiming to make vegan and vegetarian options more commonplace in Italian canteens.

'Reckless and dangerous'

In the preamble of Ms Savino's bill (in Italian), she highlights the spreading belief in Italy of "substantial health benefits" provided by a vegetarian or vegan diet.

"There is no objection if the person making this choice is an informed adult. The problem arises when children are involved... The vegetarian or vegan diet is, in fact, deficient in zinc, iron, vitamin D, vitamin B12 and omega-3".

Her draft bill aims to "stigmatise the reckless and dangerous eating behaviour imposed by parents" who pursue a vegan diet, "to the detriment of minors".

Offenders would face up to a year in jail - rising to a maximum of four years where the child suffers illness or permanent injury and six years in the case of death.

While some nutrition experts have challenged the validity of the bill, other commentators have cautioned that its imprecise wording means it could be used to penalise a far greater range of parents than vegans or vegetarians - for instance, the parents of obese children.

Some say better public health education rather than punitive measures would be more effective at improving children's nutrition.       BBC