| While I applaud the efforts of the fast food | | | | Express employee to prepare an exclusively |
| industry in attempting to provide vegetarian and | | | | vegetarian plate - NO MEAT OR |
| more healthful alternatives to the crap they | | | | MEAT-BYPRODUCTS WHATSOEVER, i.e. |
| already sell on a daily basis, I have to point out | | | | vegetable-fried rice, Chow Mein, steamed |
| shortcomings and defects in their attempts to | | | | vegetables, and to my utter shock, the employee |
| provide vegetarian and healthy alternatives that | | | | honestly told me that NOTHING at Panda Express |
| sabotage or defeat the whole purpose of | | | | was vegetarian. Absolutely nothing! I said, "Even |
| attempting to provide healthier and meat-less | | | | the vegetable-fried rice, noodles, and steamed |
| (vegetarian) products. | | | | vegetables?" He said "That's right, Sir!" With a |
| Is health or the wellbeing of the American people | | | | discombobulated look on my face, the employee |
| the main objective in selling vegetarian products | | | | then told me that Panda Express pours chicken |
| or is it financial gain? Unfortunately for all the | | | | juice on all of its items. So now I'm thinking about |
| people who want to believe the fast food | | | | the time when time compelled me to get |
| industry is coming around and becoming more | | | | something on the go and I got what I thought |
| health conscious, the fast food industry's | | | | was completely vegetarian from Panda Express. |
| objective in selling vegetarian items such as the | | | | And of course, I've heard similar accounts from |
| veggie burger is strictly commercial, at least right | | | | my good Vegan comrades as well. So if you want |
| now or presently. | | | | to know a thing, ask. And by all means, don't |
| Why? Because until the vegetarian items are | | | | presume. |
| completely lacking animal byproducts, the | | | | If you think those vegetarian corn dogs at Hot |
| promoting and selling of vegetarian items is to | | | | Dog On-A-Stick are vegetarian, think again! They |
| deceive fast food consumers into believing that | | | | contain egg whites (in the bread batter). |
| they have a choice in eating meatless or healthier | | | | I also used to eat the vegetarian burritos at Baha |
| items and products, which just isn't true | | | | Fresh Mexican Grill. I started getting headaches. |
| . | | | | Why? White flour tortillas cooked on the same grill |
| Take McDonald's, Burger King, and the Habit for | | | | as the slaughtered flesh (meat). So what did I do |
| example. They all sell a veggie burger. But that | | | | to cure the problem? I Left those burritos alone |
| veggie burger patty (if the patty itself is not | | | | and I have been fine ever since. |
| entirely vegetable based) is cooked in ANIMAL | | | | I remember my early vegan days of 1997 and |
| LARD number one, and number two, cooked on | | | | 1998 and thinking I was not eating any animal |
| the same grill that meat (DEAD ANIMAL FLESH) | | | | parts or byproducts whatsoever only to discover |
| is cooked on. | | | | that those black beans I was eating from El Pollo |
| All meat contains parasites and worms, and the | | | | Loco contained chunks of chicken. One day while |
| ugliest ones that you could ever see with the | | | | eating these black beans, I noticed a strange |
| human eyes. I know this personally as I have | | | | substance in them. When I picked the substance |
| done the personal research (and have been | | | | up and closely analyzed it, I was disgusted to be |
| presented research from Doctah B, Bro. Tarik, | | | | holding a piece of chicken in my hand. Boy did I |
| and others in the Los Angeles area) and have the | | | | feel nauseated at this revelation and discovery. I |
| nauseating photographs to show you. TOTALLY | | | | had to let those beans go no matter how good |
| GROSS! | | | | they tasted. I refuse to let taste disillusion me into |
| Some people thought they were avoiding animal | | | | a state of poor health and into an early grave. |
| byproducts by only eating French fries from the | | | | Vegetarian does not mean vegan! Vegan means |
| fast food restaurant, not knowing that most fast | | | | "completely animal free, including dairy products |
| food restaurants such as McDonald's were | | | | and eggs," whereas vegetarian means "meat-free |
| cooking their fries in vegetable oil mixed with beef | | | | but not dairy/eggs-free." A vegetarian burrito at a |
| juice. That's right! McDonald's add beef juice to its | | | | fast food restaurant may contain cheese and |
| cooking oil for flavor, in addition to spraying the | | | | sour cream (congealed cow snot or mucus). |
| fires with a sugar solution, freezing them and | | | | Some veggie burger patties may also contain |
| shipping them off to McDonald's franchises, and | | | | cheese. Cheese is from an animal so how can it |
| after cooking the sugar sprayed fries in beef juice | | | | be animal free? While many health conscious folks |
| (oil), sodium chloride (salt) is added and you have | | | | and would be vegans enjoy Boca Burgers, some |
| one of the most addictive products in America - | | | | brands contain egg whites and cheese, so start |
| McDonald's French fries! | | | | reading the ingredient list on the box. |
| Take Subway for example, a place I used to eat | | | | So although McDonald's now has a veggie burger, |
| at often in my early vegan days and while I was | | | | just know that its veggie burger is cooked in beef |
| in the Corporate world. I had my places to eat at | | | | oil, in addition to the fact that the veggie burger is |
| and menus to choose from. However, eating out | | | | centered between two white, refined grain buns, |
| was the exception to the rule and not the rule, as | | | | conventionally grown iceberg lettuce (the worst |
| I normally prepared my own lunch. But Subway | | | | lettuce to eat and the most nutritionally deficient |
| was right across the street from my place of | | | | plant to eat) and genetically engineered tomatoes |
| employment and the food was much lighter than | | | | (if you want lettuce and tomatoes on your veggie |
| the stuff sold at the more general fast food | | | | burger). The same thing can be said of Burger |
| establishments. | | | | King and the Habit's veggie burgers. |
| However, as I became more spiritual and health | | | | However, if you're on the road or out and about |
| conscious, it started to bother me eating at | | | | in society and must make a choice to eat |
| establishments that served vegetarian products | | | | something that is not so insalubrious, it would be a |
| alongside with meat or flesh products. I used to | | | | good idea to experience around with a major fast |
| order the Veggie Max sub sandwich from | | | | food chain's veggie burger rather than give in to |
| Subway. But the soy based Veggie Max patty | | | | the traditional crap that has been served over the |
| was in a container or bin next to bacon (pig's | | | | years and that you always bought and ate. |
| back end). This was not a far distance for the | | | | However, it is better (and wiser) to seek out |
| microscopic parasites and worms to crawl from | | | | vegan restaurants before you actually hit the |
| the bacon bin to the veggie patty bin. Also, the | | | | town (if you're a health conscious individual or |
| veggie patty was cut in two with the same knife | | | | vegan). |
| used to cut meat with. You see, it really doesn't | | | | I know how difficult it is to be vegan (at first) and |
| matter if you're health conscious or vegan or | | | | to not have vegan eateries so easily and readily |
| vegetarian and the person preparing your food | | | | accessible, especially if you live in a small town. I'm |
| (or product) is not. To the fast food employee, | | | | thankful that the Greater Los Angeles area and |
| they're just preparing another product totally | | | | Southern California in general is loaded with vegan |
| oblivious to strict food sanitary preparation ethics | | | | spots around town to get something wholesome |
| and principles. | | | | and nutritious to eat. The same is true for other |
| Another thing to point out about the Subway | | | | big cities around the nation such as New York |
| Veggie Max sub or sandwich is that it was (1) | | | | City, Atlanta, San Diego, San Francisco-Oakland |
| cooked (actually, RADIATED) in a microwave | | | | Bay area, etc. |
| oven, (2) cooked or radiated in the same | | | | If you're having trouble locating vegan eateries |
| microwave oven as meat or flesh products (pork | | | | around the nation, contact Friends of Animals at |
| worms can't be killed in heat because of a | | | | or (203)656-1522 for a possible listing of vegan |
| heat-resistant shell that forms around the worm | | | | restaurants. |
| in very high temperatures, and the only substance | | | | If you're in the Greater Los Angeles area, you |
| that can penetrate or break open that shell is the | | | | may contact us at for a listing of vegan (and |
| hydrochloric acid of the human body). | | | | vegetarian) restaurants. |
| One day while out on the town with my children | | | | Eating healthy is a journey, discipline, and lifestyle |
| here in Glendale, California, my daughter wanted | | | | and does not come without challenges in the early |
| some noodles or Chow Mein and I think some | | | | stages. However, as you become more health |
| vegetable-fried rice or egg rolls from Panda | | | | conscious, you'll discover more healthy places to |
| Express, I really can't remember exactly the | | | | eat at while out on the town. |
| items, but I do remember asking the Panda | | | | Thank you for reading! PEACE, LOVE and LIGHT! |