Friday, March 11, 2022 9Brooklin Town Crier Many products are labeled "plant-based" but may still contain dairy or egg. There seems to be no legislation on using the term "plant-based" and, since being plant-based is a growing trend, using the wording on packaging may sell more products. Never believe the claims on the front of the box. To be safe, you need to read the label before buying a product marketed as plant-based. The label will tell you what's in the product while the ingredient list includes everything that's in it. These are listed in order by weight, with the heaviest ingredient first. You will also see a line that starts with "contains." This line will list common allergens like nuts, milk or soy. The following line starts with the words "may contain". This line tells you what the product may have come in contact with as it's processed in a factory where these ingredients are used in other foods. It's a warning for people with food allergies where even a trace amount could harm them. If you unintentionally eat something not plant-based, sweep it under the carpet. This happens to all of us at some point. Over the years, I've also made mistakes as product ingredients have changed. Check content You may also want to check the fat, sugar and chemical content. Foods high in fat and sugar are not healthy, coconut oil being one. It's about 90% saturated fat, which is higher than butter, beef, and even lard. So use it sparingly. Many vegan cheeses are made using coconut oil, which means they are not a healthy food. Eating in restaurants may pose a problem as many servers don't really know what plant-based means. Before I go to a restaurant, I'll check the menu and do some internet research. The Peta website (peta.org) is good for information on all things vegan. However, it's an American site so it doesn't provide local information. You can also check out happycow.net for local restaurants that are vegan friendly. Happy Cow also has a smartphone app for quick access to a list of vegan and vegetarian restaurants in your neighbourhood. I love it when I'm traveling. As well, many plant-based groups post their favourite meals on Facebook. You may also be surprised as to which items have animal products. For example, we were given a gift card to Swiss Chalet as my husband is not plant-based. I ordered a veggie burger (no bun), salad and side vegetables, as their burger buns have milk in them. More and more restaurants have plant-based menus so it is definitely getting easier. Plant-curious I recently heard the term plant curious, which suggests one might be experimenting with the plant- based lifestyle. Some people flip in and out of being vegan before making the decision. If you are plant-curious, you can get great recipes from blogs. Some Canadian bloggers I follow are: Oh She Glows, The Minimalist Baker and Dreanna Burton. They also have great cookbooks if you're like me and love to flip through cookbooks. Sheree's Hack: Sign up for newsletters from your favourite vegan bloggers. Not only will you receive new recipes, but you will also stay connected with other plant-based people. Read the label Plant-Based Eating by Sheree Nicholson A team of the Durham Shredders mountain bike club took part in the Crush Covid Ride for Mind virtual cycling challenge last weekend. The Shredders is a local club focused on developing youth cyclists and helping to get more kids on bikes. They gathered at their local training facility near Brooklin to ride as many collective hours as they could in 24 hrs. Some of the athletes were only able to stay for part of the ride because of other commitments. The Ride for Mind began in March of 2020 to support the frontline workers at Michael Garron Hospital dealing with the Covd surge. The 2021 Ride was for the mental health issues associated with the pandemic. Those two events raised over $675,000. This year's event featured 33 teams and 273 participants from across the GTA, including, of course, the Shredders. As of early this week, the event had already surpassed its goal of $200,000 by raising over $250,000. For the Shredders, starting at 6 pm on Friday and ending at 6 pm Saturday, the 21 participants rode for more than 75 hrs and raised over $2000. The riders ranged in age from 10 to 48. It was a great event to take part in, and is a cause that we can all appreciate. For more information, visit rideformind.ca and you can also add to donation by searching for the "Durham Shredders" team. Bike Club Raises Money North Whitby Sports Complex