| Why Vegan?
You may even be asking what IS vegan? Being vegan means making the lifestyle choice to not eat animals, or animal products which include meat, fish, dairy, eggs and other animal byproducts. Some vegans choose to not eat honey as well. Did you know that there are so many Portland vegans that our city has been named one of the most vegan friendly places in the U.S.? Whether you are from Portland, Oregon, or somewhere else you or someone you know has chosen a vegan lifestyle for a variety of reasons. Here are some of those reasons:
For Nutritional Reasons:
It has been well established that meat, eggs, and dairy all increase the risk of cardiovascular disease. In addition, some studies have indicated that eating casein, the protein found in dairy, not only directly increases the risk of developing cancer but also promotes tumor cell growth. There are also studies implicating dairy in the development of type one diabetes in children. Still other studies repeatedly implicate the western diet in the development of heart disease, obesity, type two diabetes, and cancer. One of the explanations given as to why this is so, is the observation that eating calorie rich concentrated protiens leave little room in the diet for enough whole grains, vegetables, fruits and legumes. So, it is not just what you are eating that can increase health risks but what you are not eating as well. Studies done in rural China where mostly whole grain rice and vegetables are eaten show a population where cancer, heart disease, diabetes, and obesity occur at much lower rates than where a “diet of affluence” is adopted which includes regular consumption of meat and dairy. If you are questioning why, if this information is available, it is not being widely shared with consumers, you may want to consider the magnitude of the meat and dairy industry and the strength of its lobbying power.
Being Green and Ending Hunger:
Eating vegan reduces your carbon footprint more than any single measure you could take. It helps preserve the earth’s resources and reduces global warming. Part of the reason for this is the amount of land, and vegetation grown on that land, that it takes to produce a single serving of meat. This same amount of land and vegetation on it could feed dozens of people instead of just one. It’s a much more direct process and one that does not destroy forests in the way that livestock farming does.
Other Reasons:
Some people are vegan out of concern for the way animals are treated in slaughterhouses and farms, or they simply feel that animals are our friends and we just don’t eat our friends. Others have religious or spiritual reasons for not eating animals and animal products. And still others have concerns regarding the safety of meat, eggs and dairy in our food supply at a time when stories about genetic engineering, mad cow disease, and salmonella regularly make the evening newscast.
Whatever reason you may have for eating vegan or not eating vegan you can be assured that Goodie Two Shoes Products are a much healthier alternative to traditional baked goods but taste like the quality treats you enjoy the most.
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Why Wholegrain and Wheat-free?
We are a completely wholegrain bakery. Why? Well even the USDA is now recommending three servings of whole grains daily. Whole grains contain so much more nutritional bang for your buck than white flour or other refined grains. When grains are stripped of the bran and germ they lose vitamins, proteins, omega acids, and healthy fiber. They also have a much higher glycemic index which means they promote a faster uptake of glucose into the bloodstream leading to that sleepy, fuzzy feeling that is followed by a more dramatic drop in blood glucose making you fatigued and hungry once again. In contrast whole grains have a much lower glycemic index providing a slower uptake of glucose into the blood stream and a much slower, more even drop in blood glucose levels afterwards. This is obviously better for all of us but in particular for those who have blood sugar problems like diabetes, or hypoglycemia, or for those who are trying to stabilize their blood sugar levels as part of a weight loss strategy. Goodie Two Shoes is committed to using only whole grains in our products so you never have to feel bad about eating them.
What about Wheat:
Wheat is one of the most commonly used grains in the western world. Because of the amount of exposure many people have developed wheat allergies. We are a completely wheat free bakery. Besides the allergy issue, having a variety of whole grains in your diet provides better overall nutrition and we are all for that.
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Other Ingredients
Goodie Two Shoes strives to make products that are as healthy as possible but still taste like a dessert. To that end all our ingredients are as unprocessed and nutritionally beneficial as we can make them.
Sugars:
With the exception of sugars used for decoration, we use only unprocessed and/or natural sugars like Agave nectar, Maple syrup, evaporated cane juice and in some cases honey.
Fats:
We do not use any saturated fats or Trans fats in our products. This means no butter, lard, or hydrogenated oils like shortening or margarine. We use canola oil which is a mono-saturated fat that helps protect the body from the effects of other unhealthy fats and does not raise unhealthy cholesterol. Although the claim to being “low fat” cannot be substantiated without a nutritional analysis, based on the amount of fat used in most recipes many of our products contain much less fat than what is usually called for in a traditional recipe.
Organic Ingredients:
We are to the extent possible an organic vegan bakery. Our products contain a high percentage of organic ingredients with all the main ingredients being organic. We use as many organic ingredients as possible in our products without making them cost prohibitive. We do this because we believe that organic foods are healthier in general and that organic farming as a practice is better for our communities and our planet.
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But do they Really Taste Good?
The simple answer is YES- they do! But find out for yourself. Our goal in creating these goodies is that they still actually taste like dessert. We have tasted other “healthy” baked goods that just did not taste like dessert as we know it, while other vegan baked goods we have tried taste good but could be classified as “vegan junk food”. At Goodie Two Shoes we are committed to striking that balance and creating healthy but oh so tasty goodies so that you really can have your cake and eat it too.
Still not convinced? Contact us today for a free sample within the Portland Metro area.
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