More reasons to eat green

“Tween and teen girls are the most likely group to become vegetarians, and a recent study linking early consumption of red meat and breast cancer may give girls yet another reason to go veggie. The Harvard University Medical School study of over 90,000 women found that the more red meat the women consumed in their 20s, 30s and 40s, the greater their risk for developing breast cancer fueled by hormones in the next 12 years. The correlation is likely due to growth hormones fed to animals as well as natural hormones in meat, or to substances produced by high-heat cooking processes that may be linked to cancers.

“If your girl is contemplating a veggie or vegan switch, check out the March/April 2007 issue of Daughters for hints to keep her healthy at the same time that she’s honing cooking skills. And as our experts advise, have her help cook up veggie meals for the family, with the help of this classic kid’s cookbook or other offerings at your favorite library or bookstore.” (www.daughters.org)