03/25/2009
A panel of SUNY Cortland faculty and staff members will discuss the vegetarian and vegan lifestyle choice on Wednesday, April 1, at the College. The presentation, "Go Veg!" begins at noon in the Corey Union Fireplace Lounge.
Sponsored by the Health Promotion Office and the Student Development Center, the talk is part of the Wellness Wednesday Series that features speakers, exhibits, workshops and other programs intended to help students adjust to college life.
Vegetarianism is the practice of a diet that prohibits meat, fish including shellfish and other sea animals, and poultry. The vegan diet is a form of vegetarianism that prohibits all animal products from the diet, including dairy products, eggs and honey.
The vegetarians on the panel will share the reasoning for the personal choices they have made. They will discuss where, on and off campus, to find and prepare tasty vegetarian and vegan foods that include nutrients a body needs.
The panel includes Esa Merson, an academic tutor for the Academic Support and Achievement Program; Jennifer Greene, an intern in the Counseling Center; Jeremy Zhe-Heimerman, coordinator in assistive technology and test administration services; and Louise Whittleton, a registered dietician with the Auxiliary Services Corporation, the College's food services provider.
"A vegetarian diet is a healthy choice that benefits people, animals, and most critically at this time, the environment," said Jennifer Greene, who will discuss the environmental impact of people's food choices. "The official handbook for the Live Earth concerts says that refusing meat is the single most effective thing you can do to reduce your carbon footprint."
Whittleton will speak about the nutritional adequacy and health benefits of this lifestyle. She is not a vegetarian but is a resource for students who may have questions about how to choose healthfully when following this lifestyle and assists in finding foods that fit their choice.
"It is always more challenging to follow a limiting diet in a mainstream eating environment," Whittleton said. "However, we are seeing an increase in the offering of at least one vegetarian entrée on many menus and an increase in the option of asking for some modifications in prepared-to-order food."
The College offers a vegetarian-only dining option on campus, The Veggie Patch. Located in the Dragon's Court, the dining concession features a selection of soups, sandwiches, casseroles, rice, vegetables, meatless burgers and salads. All other dining facilities on campus include vegetarian options as well, including bean burritos sold at the Campus Corner, pizza at Raquette Pizza and hummus sandwiches in the basement of Old Main.
"Students living off campus who do their own grocery shopping wouldn't have that problem," said Zhe-Heimerman, who will talk about simple and easy vegetarian cooking tips. "If students who do their own shopping are constrained by their budget, vegetarian protein sources -eggs, beans, tofu and nuts - are much cheaper than meat."
Another concern for people who are deciding to become vegetarians or vegans is a lack of nutrients in their diet, such as protein that is commonly found in meat products.
"You do have to be more conscious of what you eat," Zhe-Heimerman said. "When you eat meat, you just eat it a few times a day and never think about protein. If you don't eat meat, you consciously try to incorporate protein into every meal, just as you balance your diet by incorporating whole grains, healthy fats, fruit and vegetables into every meal."
Becoming a vegetarian or vegan makes you healthier, the panelists explain.
"I'm certainly aware that many Cortland students are conscious of their health and fitness," Zhe-Heimerman said. "There's overwhelming research that indicates you can improve your health by reducing the amount of meat you eat or eliminating it entirely. That should give you something to talk about if people question your choices."
For more information, contact Health Educator Cathy Smith of the Health Promotion Office in Van Hoesen Hall, Room B-1, or at (607) 753-2066 or catherine.smith@cortland.edu.