Vegetarian diet good for kidneys

A new study has suggested that sticking to a vegetarian diet can help kidney disease patients avoid accumulating toxic levels of phosphorous in their bodies.

Kidney disease patients must limit their phosphorous intake, as high levels of the mineral can lead to heart disease and death.

While medical guidelines recommend low phosphorus diets for patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD), phosphorus content is not listed on food labels.

Sharon Moe (Indiana University School of Medicine and Roudebush Veterans' Affairs Medical Center) and her colleagues studied the effects of vegetarian and meat-based diets on phosphorous levels in nine patients with CKD.

Patients followed a vegetarian or meat-based diet for one week, followed by the opposite diet two-to four- weeks later. Blood and urine tests were performed at the end of each week on both diets.

Despite equivalent protein and phosphorus concentrations in the two diets, patients had lower blood phosphorus levels and decreased phosphorus excretion in the urine when they were on the vegetarian diet compared with the meat-based diet.

The authors concluded that their study demonstrates that the source of protein in the diet has a significant effect on phosphorus levels in patients with CKD.

The study appeared in a recent issue of the Clinical Journal of the American Society Nephrology (CJASN).

TOI

Eggless Challah Bread

Angel Flinn

This is one of my favorite bread recipes for any time of year, but if you’re visiting family for the Jewish holidays (or hosting a vegan at the family meal), hopefully this recipe will be helpful for your Hanukkah spread.

Traditional Challah bread is made with eggs from chickens, but this vegan recipe creates a soft, delicious bread that is highly enjoyable, while also being egg-free.

If you have a breadmaker, you can prepare the dough in the machine, then remove it for the braiding and baking (see directions below). You can also add a cup of golden raisins or sultanas to the dough just before shaping.

Eggless Challah Bread
yields 1 loaf (or 2 small loaves)


2 tsp. active dry yeast
1/4 cup warm water
2 Tbsp. sweetener
2 1/2 tsp. powdered egg replacer mixed with 1 cup water
2 tsp. sea salt
1/4 cup oil
4 1/2 cups whole wheat pastry flour, sifted

Topping
2 Tbsp. poppy seeds (optional)
To make dough with a bread maker, do so according to your machine’s directions. The water should go in first and the yeast last to keep it dry. Begin here at step 4.

1.  Dissolve yeast with sweetener in warm water (not hot) and let sit for at least 15 minutes in a warm place until yeast bubbles and is doubled in size.
2.  Mix egg replacer with water in a bowl and add risen yeast along with sea salt and oil. Add flour slowly to the wet mixture and mix together well. Place on a floured board and knead for 10 minutes, adding flour as needed. Dough should be smooth and elastic yet not sticky. Cover and let rise for 1 1/2 hours, then punch down.
3.  Divide the dough into thirds making three equal ropes. Pinch together at one end and braid together. Pinch at the other end to secure the braid. Let rise until doubled in size (about 45 minutes). Brush lightly with oil and sprinkle poppy seeds on top.
4.  Bake in a pre-heated oven at 350° for 25 minutes until golden-brown.
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This information has been reproduced from Incredibly Delicious: Recipes for a New Paradigm by Gentle World, which includes over 500 recipes and all sorts of tips to help make the transition to veganism easy and delicious.


Gentle World is a non-profit educational organization, whose core purpose is to help build a more peaceful society, by educating the public about the reasons for being vegan, the benefits of vegan living, and how to go about making such a transition. Visit www.GentleWorld.org for more information.