Blog Posts by OneGreenPlanet.Org

The Ultimate Guide to Plant-based Milks

Visit the original source at One Green Planet

If you have decided to ditch the dairy in your diet, your body will thank you. Between 30 and 50 million Americans are lactose intolerant, and the consumption of dairy products has been linked to everything from increased risk of ovarian and prostate cancers to ear infections and diabetes. Fortunately, plant-based milks provide a convenient and healthful alternative to cow's milk. And if you are currently making the transition to a dairy-free diet, you will find that going dairy-free has never been easier. Soy, almond, hemp, coconut, and rice milks, among others, are taking over the dairy case-and claiming supermarket aisles all their own. There are dozens of brands of plant-based milks and hundreds of options to choose from to meet everyone's individual tastes and nutritional needs. So how do you choose the best dairy-free milk for your diet? Read on to find out.

Taste

Due to the overwhelming selection of plant-based milks

Move Over, Canola: A Guide to Unusual Cooking Oils

Visit the original source at One Green Planet

You're about to make a salad, soup or stir-fry. Which bottle of oil do you reach for? If you're like most people, it's probably olive oil or a vegetable oil such as canola. That's ok - but there's a whole world of unique oils out there, so why not expand your repertoire?

A decade ago, supermarket shelves contained mostly oils derived from corn or soybeans. But as consumers learned about how oil affects their health, they started to demand products higher in monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats, rather than saturated fats. Today even some large grocery chains are stocking high-quality olive oils and nut oils. And if you venture online or to health food or gourmet stores for your oil shopping spree, you'll find a world of unusual and nutritious choices.

Here's a look at several off-the-beaten oils that might just deserve a place on your pantry shelf.

Macadamia Nut Oil. Open a bottle of macadamia nut oil and take a

6 Cruelty-Free Summer Family Activities

Visit the original source at One Green Planet

Skipping the zoos, circuses, aquariums, fishing trips and places where animals are treated as property does not mean your kids will be left without summertime activities and adventures. Here are a few fun activity ideas for this sunny season:

1. Gardening

Adults and kids of all ages alike will learn a lot from growing their own food. The experience is not only fascinating, but also very educational. Children's appreciation of food and nutrition grows the deeper they get their own hands into the process. You may be surprised to see how enthusiastically everyone rushes out to check on your garden's new developments each day!

2. Camping

What better way to enjoy nature than pitching a tent and sparking up the ol' campfire? It's a great opportunity to teach your young about respecting our planet and taking care of it. Plus, how nice is it to truly be unplugged for a few days? And don't forget family bonding while roasting

Why EVERYONE Should Consider Giving Up Meat

Visit the original source at One Green Planet

Can we, in fact, live healthy, vital lives without meat on our plates? It's a question that I have tried to answer for people in my 25 (plus) years as a vegan.

49% of American eat meat daily. 80% of Americans eat meat four or more times a week on average. That's a lot of meat; more than 200 pounds per person per year, to be exact. To give it up, even for a short time would be a challenge for most people. What would we eat?

More and more people want to know what's in the food they are eating, so we might as well begin with those burgers and steaks sizzling on the grill on these balmy summer nights. What, exactly is in the meat you are eating? Is there more to your burger than meets the eye? Sadly, the answer is yes.

Saturated Fat

The majority of meat production is now completely dominated by factory farms: 95% of pigs, 78% of cattle and 99.9% of chickens to be precise. In a majority of instances, animals are fed

Vegan Ties for a Compassionate Father's Day

Visit the original source at One Green Planet

Father's Day is almost here! You know what that means. Time to go tie shopping!

Unfortunately most ties are made of silk, and with several thousand silkworms steamed, boiled, or baked alive to make one pound of silk, the ethical, fashion-conscious man will want to steer clear of them. Killing the worms allows for the fibers of the cocoon to remain intact and undamaged (damage occurs upon emergence of the moth). Therefore, hundreds of lives are taken to create one scarf.

Even fabric labeled as "Peace" (or "Ahimsa") silk is not cruelty-free. While the moths are allowed to emerge from their cocoons, the millions of offspring of the moths are left to starve to death, used for fertilizer, or sold as food. Not to mention the fact that the moths used in silk production have been bred to the point of almost a non-life. They emerge from their cocoons, live for few hours (at most a few days) to mate and lay eggs, and then die. They

Free the bees

Visit the original source at One Green Planet

Do you own a cotton shirt? Ever have a cup of coffee? The farmers who produced the coffee and cotton couldn't have done it without bees. If you like apples, blueberries, nuts, squashes or peppers, thank a bee.

We've sweetened our cereals and snacks through the work of honeybees. Tomato growers and greenhouse managers have long put bumblebees to work. Ground-nesting miner bees (who often have the misfortune of being mistaken for more aggressive wasps) are ardent pollinators; and as they resist the plagues affecting imported honeybees, they too get put to use. In the interest of selling royal jelly, wax, and mead or honey wine, beekeepers disturb hives. In return for honey, they leave the bees with high-fructose corn syrup or cheap sugar. Some beekeepers smoke bees out in order to collect the goods, torch the colonies when winter arrives, or kill the queen when egg production wanes.

In freedom, queen bees pick their own spots.

We Must Stop Eating Our Oceans

Visit the original source at One Green Planet

"We must stop eating the oceans. Eating fish is, for all intents and purposes, an ecological crime." -Captain Paul Watson, Sea Sheppard

The planet may never recover from the environmental devastation wrought by commercial fishing. Once thought to hold an endless bounty, we are quickly learning that even our oceans are no match for human greed. Many fish species once considered infinitely numerous are in grave danger of being hunted to extinction. The ocean is not the "renewable resource" it was once thought to be and there are just too many people on earth for seafood to be a sustainable food source.

Billions of fish worldwide are killed for food every year. Unless current fishing rates are drastically reduced, scientists predict that every species of wild-caught seafood will collapse by the year 2050.[1] [2] Excessive fish depletion can widely be attributed to the duel culprits of advances in fishing technology and

Recipe: Peanut Butter Cookies

Visit the original source at One Green Planet

These simple, sweet and nutty cookies are not only vegan, but naturally gluten-free too - and there's no added fat. With only five simple ingredients, you'll be whipping up these toothsome temptations in no time at all - and seeing them disappear even faster than that. Who needs cholesterol-laden eggs and artery-clogging added fats to hold cookies together? These scrumptiously sweet morsels are powered by peanuts and tofu - hello, protein! Peanuts, a member of the legume family, are also a good source of iron. That's a nice bonus, but who are we kidding - the main draw here is the scrumptious taste and delightful crumb, and these cookies don't disappoint.

Peanut Butter Cookies

(vegan, gluten-free)

Ingredients:

• 1 cup peanut butter (just peanuts)
• 1/4 cup blended silken (or soft) tofu
• 3/4 cup golden sugar (scoop and level)
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt

Read the preparation