This past week, the American Dietetic Association (ADA) released a new position paper promoting vegetarian and vegan diets. If well-planned, the ADA has concluded that these diets can be healthful and nutritious for people of all ages, and can help prevent and treat heart disease, cancer, obesity and diabetes. 

But we already knew that, didn't we? Notwithstanding, pats on the back from the ADA from a choice of diet is rather like that scene in Top Gun where Commander "Viper" Metcalf offers to fly with Maverick. We all knew he had the right stuff despite the bravado and pluck, but getting cred from the big boys never hurt anyone. 

In the spirit of barbecue season, this week also saw the ADA release a mini-primer on the nutrition of veggie dogs and burgers. Despite their being crammed full of fibre and vitamins and going easy on cholesterol and bad fats, here's a couple of things to keep in mind before partaking: 

-Veggie dogs and burgers tend to contain more sodium than their meaty colleagues. Make sure you check the labels and ensure they contain less than 300 milligrams of sodium per serving. 

-Veggie barbecue eats tend to contain less protein, but still can account for almost 25% of the recommended daily protein intake. Keep it in mind when planning the rest of the day's menu. 

Unfortunately, I don't have a 1980's movie reference that would properly parallel these particular findings. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. 

Check out the rest of the report here.