The A-Z of vegetarianism
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C is for...
Cacao (not cocoa): Small tropical evergreen tree from whose reddish brown pods chocolate and cocoa are prepared. Cacao is the increasingly trendy so-called raw chocolate which is regularly labelled as a “superfood” due to the amount of nutrients and minerals it contains.
Calamari: When squid is prepared for eating it is often re-named calamari, but no matter how they try to dress it up they can’t hide the fact that it’s still the flesh of a dead animal. It’s usually cut in rings and fried in a batter. Eeyuk!
Calcium: Boasting an atomic number of 20 (whatever that means!), this is the most abundant mineral in the human body with about 99% of it in the bones and teeth. Dairy products, leafy green vegetables, nuts and seeds (almonds, brazils, sesame seeds), tofu, and dried fruit are all good sources of calcium. Meat is a very poor source!
Calzonne: Folded pizza dough that encases a range of fillings.
Camembert: Ripened soft creamy cheese named after a village in Normandy but not normally suitable for veggies.
Campylobacter: Or “twisted bacteria”. This is widespread throughout farmed chickens and consistently recognised as one of the main causes of bacterial foodborne disease in many developed countries.
Cannelloni: Small sheets of rectangular shaped pasta rolled around a filling and usually served with a sauce. Literally means “large reeds”.
Canola: Cooking oil extracted from a variety of rapeseed.
Caper: Mediterranean shrub with edible flower buds that are often pickled and used in sauces. Also a term commonly used by criminals to describe heists and bank jobs.
Carbohydrate – Our main and most important source of energy, most of which is provided by plant foods. There are three main types: simple sugars, complex carbohydrates or starches, and dietary fibre.
Carnuba Wax: The hardest natural wax, currently only harvested in Brazil where it is derived from the leaves of the carnauba palm, usually in the form of hard flakes that range from pale yellow to golden brown in colour. It appears as an ingredient in many cosmetics formulas such as lipstick, lip balm, deodorant, various skin care preparations and sun creams as well as a finishing product in car waxes, shoe polish and even on some sweets and other foodstuffs.
Carob: An evergreen tree with edible sugary pods often used for animal and human food. Carob is naturally sweeter than cocoa, a fact recognised in the Mediterranean region where carob has been widely enjoyed for its nutritional benefits and natural sweetness for centuries. Carob does not contain caffeine.
Carrageen: Edible seaweed sometimes called Irish moss. Carrageenan is a carbohydrated extract from carrageen and better known to its friends as E407.
Carrot: Root vegetable or close friend of Catweazle.
Casein: A protein extracted from milk.
Cashmere: A hugely expensive fibre extracted from the underbelly of a breed of Himalayan goat (it's the animal's natural protection from the severe cold). It is usually obtained by combing each goat by hand during the moulting season. One goat yields only about 4oz of cashmere per year and on average, it takes the yield of three goats to make one sweater. About 85-90% of the world’s cashmere comes from China.
Catgut: Strong chord made from the dried intestines of sheep and other animals that was traditionally used for violins and harps. Fortunately most musical instruments produced today utilise steel or nylon strings.
Caviar: The processed and salted eggs of certain species of fish, most notably the sturgeon (black caviar) and salmon (red caviar). The fish must be killed to obtain the eggs. It is somewhat bizarrely marketed worldwide as a delicacy!
Chamois: Soft suede leather usually made from the skins of sheep and goats.
Chick peas: A member of the pulse family, high in protein (a whopping 16g per 200g) chick peas are also a helpful source of zinc, fibre and folate. Chick peas are used in some great veggie dishes including humous, falafel and curries.
Cholesterol: Present in all animal tissues but absent from plants! It is essential as a component of cell membranes but seeing as though our bodies can make their own cholesterol a dietary source is somewhat surprisingly not essential. There are two main types, low density lipoprotein (LDL, not to be confused with Lidl) and high density lipoprotein (HDL), sometimes also referred to as bad and good cholesterol! High blood cholesterol is linked with heart disease but it is the LDL type which causes the problems. HDL may actually help protect against the risk of heart disease.
Cloud Cuckoo Land: The place to find people who think eating meat is natural.
Cocoa (not cacao): The dried and partially fermented fatty seed of the cacao tree, also the name for a drink commonly known as hot chocolate but not to be confused with the coca plant which can be used to create cocaine.
Cochineal: A crimson substance, E120, made from crushed insects and predominantly used for colouring foodstuffs.
Cock-a-leekie: Soup traditionally made from fowl, usually chicken (that’ll be the “cock”), and leeks (suppose that’ll be the “leekie” bit) but vegetarian options are available.
Cod-liver oil: Exactly what it says on the tin, packet or bottle. Oil extracted from livers of dead cod and other related fish.
Codswallop: See Gordon Ramsey.
Consommé: Clear soup often, but not always, made from meat stock.
Cous Cous: Teeny weeny spherical granules, usually about 1mm in diameter, made by rolling and shaping moistened semolina wheat and then coating them with finely ground wheat flour. Traditionally served under vegetable stew but also regularly used as a side-dish. It can also be eaten alone flavoured or plain, warm or cold, and some hardy souls even claim to enjoy it as a dessert.
Crudités: Fancy name for raw vegetables which are usually served with dips.
Vitamin C: Also known as Ascorbic acid and essential for healthy skin, bones, teeth and gums, resistance to infection and wound healing, energy production and growth. Found in citrus fruits, broccoli, spinach, berries, peppers.
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