July 2003 - Nutrition Tip

As a Lacto vegetarian (eats dairy) and sometimes Lacto-Ovo (dairy and eggs), I like to eat products from animals that I know have been treated well and not pumped with antibiotics and hormones. I have found a certification that can help you if this is your concerns too. Look for the symbol UEP on egg cartons. This stands for United Egg Producers. It is a certification that means the farm that produced the eggs has met independent guidelines for protecting the comfort, health, and safety of the chickens that laid them. This includes providing them with fresh feed and water, constant air ventilation and regular health checks.  If you’re teetering on becoming a vegetarian, read John Robbins books Diet for a New America, and May All Be Fed. He is a Robbins from the Baskin Robbins family. In the first one he describes the horrific conditions of most chicken and beef farms, and the second is about how much land is used for animal farming and how many more people could be fed if grains and other crops were grown in its space. Interesting concepts and stories. It converted me over 10 years ago.