Speech Story by Natalee Cooper

On March 31, 2010 in room 245 of the University of Georgia’s Miller Learning Center a small gathering of students dedicated to the welfare of animals listened with keen interest as Peer Nutrition Educators Priya Patel and Brittany Cox spoke about the alternative for healthy vegan and vegetarian diets and what it means for those who choose that lifestyle, particularly the reduction in the risk for cancer, cardiovascular diseases, obesity, gastrointestinal disorders and diabetes. All of the guests in attendance belong to UGA’s organization Speak Out for Species, an animal advocacy group dedicated to defending animals from cruelty and exploitation.

Peer Nutrition Educators Patel and Cox joined the University of Georgia’s Peer Nutrition Educator Program in the summer of 2010. Like many of the other speeches they’ve conducted since joining, their speech to SOS members focuses on the aspects most vital to a healthy and balanced lifestyle but it is tailored to those who call themselves vegetarian or vegan. SOS faculty advisor Eric Griffin said of their guest speakers, “I think it’s important not only for people to see that being vegetarian and vegan is a healthy option but to also be informed as to how to manage those diets properly and that is why we asked Brittany and Priya here today.”

Cox and Patel’s speech begins with a question not all too unfamiliar to vegetarians and vegans, “How many of you are routinely asked ‘Where do you get your protein?’ Or ‘Don’t you worry about calcium deficiency?’?” Fifteen out of fifteen hands vigorously shoot up, accompanied by eye-rolling and chuckles. “Sadly this is not surprising. We want to help equip you with the correct information about your diets so you can dispel these myths” Patel remarks.

Cox and Patel do address the fact that meatless diets result in the loss of certain vital vitamins and minerals such as vitamin B12, which is almost exclusively found in animal products, but they also explore the alternative means for acquiring those things necessary to a balanced diet. Cox emphasizes, “There are things such as protein and calcium which can be obtained in healthy amounts from sources such as plants but other vitamins and minerals such as B12 and iron can prove more difficult but it is not impossible to find these in sources other than animal products.”

An important fact that the Nutrition Educators relay is that when certain food pairs are consumed together, they will contain the same amino acids, protein, and vitamins found in animals. Patel illustrates this point, “For example, eating beans and rice together will make a complete protein…another item that is not required to be paired with other food sources is nutritional yeast, commonly labeled as Vegetarian Support Formula, which is a source of B12.”Cox and Patel also revealed tips about ways to maintain a diverse meatless diet that will supplement all one’s nutritional needs. Some of those things include eating spaghetti squash instead of refined pasta, consuming whole grains for fiber, eating squash instead of potatoes, and eating lots of leafy green vegetables for calcium.

For more helpful information Cox and Patel suggest sites such as veganhealth.org, vegweb.com, or vegetariantimes.com. To those UGA students who utilize the meal plan they also emphasized contacting Food Services dietitian Katherine Ingerson for any questions about vegetarian and vegan friendly foods included in the meal plan. Another tip Cox and Patel give is to buy local. Patel says, “It is important to support sustainable resources. You can do this by going to the Athens Farmers Market at Bishop Park on Saturdays, the International Farmers Market in Doraville, or by dining at local restaurants that you know buy local.”

SOS co-president Suzie Fatkin says she’s impressed with the wealth of information Cox and Patel have to offer students but she is discouraged by UGA’s lack of vegetarian and vegan dining options. Fatkin explains,” That’s one thing I was really hoping to discuss with our Peer Nutrition Educators, that talking about balanced nutrition isn’t enough. There needs to be a bigger push for vegan and vegetarian options in the university system and unfortunately UGA keeps dropping the ball.”