Also known as tofu. Pressed soya milk curds, used widely in vegan and Asian cooking. Can be fresh or long life. Also available in a smooth silken form for blending.

Milky liquid obtained from soya beans, used as an alternative to dairy milks. Sold in long-life or refrigerated cartons, from health food stores or large supermarkets. May be sweetened or unsweetened, sometimes flavoured with vanilla, and sometimes fortified with calcium and other nutrients.

A legume, which is an excellent, inexpensive vegan source of protein and iron. Soybeans are used to make a number of vegetarian and vegan substitutions for meat, dairy and eggs.

Many glucose units linked together into long chains. Examples of foods containing starch include vegetables (e.g., potatoes, carrots), grains (e.g., brown rice, oats, wheat, barley, corn), and legumes (beans and peas; e.g., kidney beans, garbanzo beans, lentils, split peas).

A sterol is any of a class of solid cyclic alcohols, found in both plants (e.g., campesterol, stigmasterol, beta-sitosterol) and animals (e.g., cholesterol).

The calorie-free, carb-free, low-glycemic?sugar alternative?that comes from the South American stevia plant doesn?t spike blood sugar, making it safe for diabetics. Find it as a powder or liquid in the dietary supplements aisle. The FDA also recently approved it as a food additive, but you may still need to look for it in the supplements section of your natural products store.

See Sterol.

Animal suet is made from the hard fat found around the kidneys of sheep and cattle. Vegetable suet is widely available as an alternative.

Sugar alcohols, sometimes called polyols, are a class of carbohydrates that are more slowly or incompletely absorbed by the human digestive system than sugars. Common sugar alcohols include sorbitol, mannitol, maltitol, and xylitol. Sugar alcohols contribute less Calories to the diet than most other types of carbohydrates, but may cause digestive discomfort.

Composed of one unit (a monosaccharide, such as glucose or fructose) or two joined units (a disaccharide, such as lactose or sucrose). Sugars include those occurring naturally in foods and beverages, those added to foods and beverages during processing and preparation, and those consumed separately. (See?Added sugars.)

One of many common food additives, these sulfur based preservatives prevent discoloration and black spots in food like baked goods, beer, canned fruits and vegetables, condiments, dried fruit, jams, molasses, pickled foods, potato chips, shrimp, frozen soup mixes, tea, trail mix, vegetable juice, and wine. Sulfites can destroy food?s vitamin B1 and cause sensitivities, allergic reactions, and headaches. If you may have sensitivities, avoid foods with labels listing sulfur dioxide, potassium bisulfite, potassium metabisulfite, sodium sulfite, sodium bisulfite, and sodium metabisulfite, opting instead for sulfite-free, or unsulfured versions.

In 2003, California-based physician Steven Pratt, M.D. popularized the term "superfood" with his diet based on 14 foods with the most proven health benefits and least negative properties, like sodium and saturated fats. Though there are no set standards or legal definitions for the term, the list of phytonutrient powerhouses is growing, including citrus, dark green vegetables, olive oil, olives, tomatoes, blueberries, pomegranate, cranberries, acai, green tea, shiitake mushrooms, flaxseed, whole grains, pumpkin, yogurt, soy, walnuts, and garlic. Proven health benefits of superfoods include protecting against heart disease, high blood pressure, stroke, and cancer.

Some vitamins in nutritional supplements, such as D3, are not suitable for vegans as they are derived from animal sources.

Farmers can reduce long-term negative affects of their practices by following an integrated plant and animal production system that satisfies human needs, enhancing environmental and societal quality and efficiently using resources, according to the?USDA. However, the USDA does not regulate the term at this time. Because organic farming prohibits toxic and synthetic pesticides or fertilizers, organic practices are better for the environment and generally more sustainable than conventional.

Fish, that have been caught or farmed sustainably, include Pacific halibut, Dungeness crab, farmed mussels, and wild-caught Alaskan salmon. Steer clear of Chilean sea bass, farmed Atlantic salmon, sharks, imported farmed or wild-caught shrimp, imported swordfish, red snapper, and imported bluefin tuna, many of which are not only endangered but also predators filled mercury and other contaminants. For a complete, up-to-date list go to Monterey Bay Aquarium's Seafood Watch list and look for the Marine Stewardship Council's seal on seafood products.