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Special Feature: The Truth About Chicken

Chickens are social animals: they communicate with each other by making different sounds, fight to protect their offspring and mourn the loss of a loved one. They also make affectionate pets!

However, these intelligent, sentient beings are victims of a growing food industry. 30 billion broiler chickens are slaughtered each year for food. The industry is growing worldwide but especially in India. India is one of the 5 top poultry producers in the world, along with China, Brazil, the EU and Mexico, with an industry growth rate of 13% per year. India produced  2.2 million metric tons of poultry last year.

Potential effects on health

The popularity of eating chicken may be linked to the belief that white meat is healthier than other types of meat. In fact, all meat is high in fat and cholesterol, which are not present at all in plant foods. Chickens are fed high levels of hormones and antibiotics and are often contaminated by bacteria. In a US study, harmful bacteria like salmonella and campylobacter were found in as much as 83% of chickens raised for food (Source). In India, chicken contains high amounts of mercury because of the fish meal they are fed.

Environmental effects

Poultry production is a major contributor to environmental degradation and pollution. Chicken excrement contaminates the air, soil and water with harmful bacteria, parasites, and toxic heavy metals like lead, mercury and arsenic (Source). Poultry production also uses vast water resources: it takes 3546 litres of water to produce 1 kg of chicken (Source).

Effects on animals

On factory farms, chickens are raised in cages in crowded conditions. The tips of their beaks are trimmed at a young age and without anaesthesia to prevent them from pecking each other. They live in their waste with no access to fresh air or natural light. Bred for breast meat, they are fed hormones so that they reach full-size by 6 weeks. By this stage, they can hardly support their weight on their feet.

It’s misleading to think that ‘free-range’ chickens are raised in more humane conditions. This is a term which is ambiguous in many countries and does not follow any criteria regarding access to the outdoors or the number of birds that can be kept in a determined space. To learn more, see this article.

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What you can do

Educate yourself and others about the facts of the chicken industry.
To learn more about the truth of poultry production, read this article and this article or watch this video on the factory farming of chickens in India., or visit a poultry farm and see the conditions for yourself.

Forward this newsletter to others you care about so that they can also learn about the facts.

Eat more plant-based foods.
Go vegetarian, or better try vegan. Plant foods are more energy efficient and also need less land and water resources compared to animal foods. They are better for health and the environment. Need some recipe ideas? Try the recipe below, or check the recipes section on the SHARAN website.

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Fact or Fiction?

Humans are natural herbivores.

TRUTH!

There is a false belief that since many people eat meat as well as plant foods, humans are omnivores and meat eating is therefore ‘natural’. Actually, our digestive system and anatomy are similar to those of other herbivores. Our teeth resemble those of horses and our intestines are four times the length of those of carnivores (who need to digest meat quickly). Also, we don’t have claws to attack our prey. To read about many other characteristics we share with other herbivores, see these links:
http://sharan-india.org/health/healthy-eating
http://www.earthsave.ca/articles/health/comparative.html

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Recipe

TOFU SCRAMBLE

Ingredients:
300 g firm tofu
3 cloves garlic, peeled and sliced thin (1-1/2 tablespoons)
3 tablespoons diced red bell pepper
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 teaspoon turmeric
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup minced onion
1/2 cup chopped mushrooms
1 tablespoon fresh chopped parsley

Method:
Drain the tofu and crumble it.

Sauté the garlic, onions and diced pepper with the olive oil in a medium sauté pan on medium heat, for about 2 minutes. Add mushrooms .

Stir in the crumbled tofu first, and then add turmeric, salt, pepper. Garnish with parsley.

For more exciting recipe ideas, visit the recipes page on the SHARAN website!

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News from SHARAN

SHARAN is conducting a 21-day residential Reversing Diabetes Program in conjunction with Our Native Village Soul Spa & Eco Resort near Bangalore from 16th May - 6th June 2010. This is open to anyone who is suffering from diabetes. Participants will learn how to control and reverse diabetes by following a low-fat, plant-based diet. This program is jointly funded by the organisers and will be free of cost for participants. For more information, see this page.

This special program follows the Reversing Diabetes Workshops held in Mumbai and Bangalore last month. Participants learned how to reduce or eliminate their need for medications, lose weight and improve cholesterol levels through simple, but powerful changes to their daily diet.

In March, Dr Nandita Shah presented two seminars in Bangalore called Reduce Your Carbon Footprint With Every Bite which explored how food choices impact on the environment. A seminar was also held in Mumbai on Farm Animals. It was designed to empower animal protectors with greater knowledge of the fundamental principles that link one's personal life-style choices to the wider movement of ahimsa.

For more information visit the events page on the SHARAN website. If you’re interested in hosting a workshop in your area or to keep informed of upcoming workshops and events, contact info@sharan-india.org

SHARAN Library Book Service

SHARAN is introducing a new library book service. Books on health, animal rights, ethics and ecology, and vegan cookbooks can be borrowed through the service (including all the books mentioned in this newsletter). Books will be dispatched by courier to anywhere in India. 

For more information on the library book service, see this page.


SHARAN is introducing 3 exciting and unique training programs for vegans or aspiring vegans who are enthusiastic about spreading the vegan message. This is a great chance to acquire valuable skills  and expertise in 3 different training areas: Health Workshop Instructor, Healthy Cooking Instructor and Vegan Business Entrepreneurship.

For more information, see this page.


SHARAN is also looking for volunteers who are interested in promoting a vegan lifestyle for the sake of people's health, the planet and animals. Can you help us in any way? Could you either help us financially to employ more staff or volunteer your own expertise?  We need help with data management, graphic design and advertising, design of SHARAN t-shirts and aprons, filmmaking and photography, administration, event management and much more.

Vegan potlucks are a great way to meet other vegans in your area and share experiences and recipes. For information on monthly vegan potlucks in Mumbai and Bangalore, visit this link.

Visit also the Vegan Bangalore and Mumbai Vegans blog.




Some of you may know that we promote Dr Will Tuttle's work related to the World Peace Diet. His book is in our libraries and we also disbribute his CD Living in Harmony With All Life. So we are happy to forward you a free gift that Dr Will Tuttle is giving to all our readers. The World Peace Diet Audiobook ($15 value) can be yours for free. Just download from this link.



Did you miss past issues of this newsletter? Have a look at the SHARAN newsletter archives.

Visit the SHARAN website regularly to read about the latest news and upcoming events.

Join the SHARAN India group on Facebook to find out about upcoming events, join in the discussion board and share experiences, and meet other like-minded people!

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What is SHARAN?

We are a non-profit organization with the goals of spreading holistic health awareness, and an ecologically sustainable compassionate lifestyle. We believe that all life on the planet is interconnected. By reconnecting we can heal ourselves and our earth.

Visit our website: www.sharan-india.org
Contact us: info@sharan-india.org

Copyright 2010 SHARAN