ALTHOUGH HEALTH-conscious consumers represent just a small segment of the population, they are generally well-heeled. That makes them a very lucrative market.

	Movements advocating "slow food" and other modes of alternative eating are gaining ground. [photo courtesy of PETA]

Multinational firms have thus lost no time setting up subsidiaries or funding companies devoted to producing products alternately labeled as “low-fat,” “low-sodium,” “vegan,” or “nonmeat.” It’s a development that has pleased some consumers who want to eat healthy but don’t want to sweat too much trying to find stuff their doctors would approve of. But not all alternative food activists see it positively.

PETA’s Baker at least allows that change will have to come by embracing the mainstream. As one who cares about the suffering of animals and the end to eating meat the most, he says that the vegetarian and vegan options that companies now offer — whether forced by economics or by society — is saving animals’ lives, probably more than he can ever do in his lifetime.

“I really believe that over the last 20 years, people are not relaxing more, not spending more time cooking at home, eating more packaged foods, eating more at fast-food restaurants,” he says.

“So I really don’t believe that the trend is gonna reverse. There’s going to be more of these. It’s not one I have the ability to stop or fight.”

Baker’s advice therefore is to support veggie burger at Burger King, as well as similar vegan alternatives as these are huge steps in the right direction.’“If we don’t and they get rid of it,” he says, “they’ll never have one again.”

	Markets selling organic and other health food are sprouting all over Metro Manila. [photo by Alecks P. Pabico]

But slow foodies like Luna like to make an exception. “We feel that processed food is processed food, which still doesn’t respond to the issue of fast life,” she insists. “And when you investigate who owns these companies, you go back to the same corporations that fund research on GMOs (genetically modified organisms) and their commercialization.”

A case in point is the Hain Pure Food Co. owned by Hain Celestial Group Inc. whose brands (Arrowhead Mills, Bearitos, Breadshop, Celestial Seasonings, Earth’s Best Baby Food, Garden of Eatin, Health Valley, Imagine Foods, Terra Chips, Westbrae, Millina’s, Mountain Sun, Shari Ann’s, Walnut Acres) make up about half of the products sold in health food stores. One of its principal stockholders is the biotechnology company Monsanto. Hain also has a tie-up with multinational food and agriculture giant Cargill to develop’“enhanced foods” for the health-conscious.

“If you have a political conviction on slow food, you won’t buy these brands because your money goes to Monsanto,” says Luna. “If only for health reasons, then probably you would. But you just can’t separate the personal from the political. The health of the person is tied up to the health of the planet.”

For Gutierrez who says she’s not into converting people, the little things that the likes of Burger King are doing is a straightforward business signal that they’re accommodating consumers’ needs. “It’s not being pretentious,” she says. “It has to earn. It’s a business.”

What is important, she says, is for individuals to try to carve out a lifestyle that’s sustainable and stick to it. Gutierrez says, “It’s not enough that you’re not doing anything wrong or hurting anyone. No. By not acting and making some difference, you’re actually agreeing to a culture that doesn’t sustain life — the lives of people, animals, the environment, and of future generations.”

Where to Buy Organics

Organic Market Greenbelt, Makati open Tuesdays, Fridays and Saturdays from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. Alabang Town Square, Muntinlupa open Thursdays from 7 a.m. to 12 noon

Rustan's Supermarket Rockwell and Makati branches

Organic Producers along Katipunan Avenue (near Miriam College Gate 2) open Tuesdays and Thursdays

Healthy Options Rustan's Supermarket, Ayala Avenue (near Glorietta) with branches in SM Megamall, SM City North Edsa, Greenbelt Mall, SM City Manila, Shangri-la Plaza, Festival Supermall, SM Bicutan, SM Pampanga and Cebu

Market One Lung Center, Quezon Avenue, Quezon City open Sundays

Palawan Organic and K-Organics 97 Maginhawa Street, U.P. Village, Quezon City

Vegetarian Places

CAFÉS and RESTAURANTS

Balai Vege Food G/F FAF Building, 123 Visayas Avenue, Quezon City Tel. 4553509

Bodhi Madison Square, Ortigas Avenue corner Madison Street, Ortigas with outlets at SM Cubao, Tutuban Center, SM City North Edsa, SM Megamall, SM South Mall, SM City Manila and del Monte and Banawe Streets offers vegan versions of Filipino dishes, including vegan chicharon

Chimara Neo-Vegan Café Greenbelt 3, Ayala Center, Makati Tel. 7575652 sells soy ice cream

Daily Veggie N' Café 540 Banawe cor. Calamba Streets, Quezon City Tel. 7118209

Greens Café and Restaurant Scout Tuazon cor. Scout Castor Streets, Quezon City Tel. 4102440

Happy Veggie Health Food Gilmore Street cor. Aurora Boulevard, Quezon City Tel. 7233854

Jagad Yoga 1026 Pasay Road, Makati Tel. 7527271

Karma Free Food Vegetarian Center Rooftop Garden, 4/F Maharlika Bldg., Baguio City

Likha Diwa sa Gulod C.P. Garcia Street, Krus na Ligas, Quezon City Tel. 9255522

Manila Sanitarium Hospital Cafeteria 45 Donada Street, Pasay City Tel. 5259191

Mother Sachi Vegetarian Restaurant 1182 Chino Roces Ave., Makati City Tel. 8978232 8908324

Oh My Gulay Caterers 7A Embassy Terrace Homes, Quezon City Tel. 9323856

Quan Yin Chay 821 Masangay Street, Sta. Cruz, Manila Tel. 2433356

Satya's Vegetarian Junction 2/F Llanar Bldg., 77 Xavierville Avenue, Quezon City Tel. 4266363 sells homemade soy "mayonnaise" and offers mock tuna spread

FAST FOOD

Piazzo's with branches in Greenbelt and Glorietta offers soy gelato available in four flavors — coffee, chocolate, vanilla and strawberry

Tater's Glorietta also offers soy gelato

Burger King sells veggie burger (not listed on menu, order without mayonnaise and cheese)

Seattle's Best sells soy milk and soy latte

Starbucks sells soy milk and soy latte

Meat Substitutes

Meat Magic available at Manila Sanitarium Hospital Cafeteria and Quan Yin Chay

Country Vegefoods meat-free products include Ve-G-Sausage, Ve-G-Tapa and Ve-G-Franks available at Rustan's