ERIN - Confessions of a wannabe vegan

[Guest guest]

Hello there, Erin

 

I have a comment on the soy topic, but first: Welcome to our group (although I

see that

you have been been made welcome by Marie, one of our moderators, while I've been

away

and have been chatting with other members too. Great!) I do hope you enjoy the

group.

We love to chat, and to exchange recipes and food information, menu ideas, etc.,

and to

solve various problems connected with the vegetarian lifestyle. And sometimes we

just like

to chat! LOL We're pretty informal here, and although the group is themed

towards hot and

spicy vegetarian food, we welcome recipes of all kinds (as long as they're

vegetarian), so

you might like to look through our Files for those! If there's anything you

can't find, just

let us know and someone probably knows a recipe for it or has an idea

 

Now about soy. You recently wrote:

 

> I merely

> wondered if anyone else has faced health problems since adopting the

> vegetarian diet, and what people generally link about the link between

> soy and health problems. Soy is a pretty controversial food!

 

Okay, first about the controversy - that's a hot one, because so much of the

research that

has been done to show that soy is 'bad' for us has been funded by and

popularized by the

dairy industry and others (non-veg protein producers) - therefore much of it is

pretty

suspect. Otoh, some people do have a problem with soy just as some have a

problem with

other foodstuffs. And most of us do better without an overload of processed food

of any

kind. We are all different, and various hereditary and cultural factors get in

the way of any

usefulness in exchanging information on what does and doesn't suit each one of

us - not

to mention differing medical problems and physical makeup.

 

If you think you may have a problem with soy, then I'd like to make a suggestion

- not a

very radical one really - that you try cutting it out of your diet for a few

weeks. Substitute

beans or lentils for tofu or soy faux me*t products OR use seitan (which is from

gluten)

and has a great texture. (I'd add something called 'Quorn' but that isn't vegan,

and you say

you are now following a vegan diet and I can't in all conscience try to steer

you away from

that.) As for dairy, you could do without the soy cheez for this short time,

and use rice or

almond milk (there are others too) instead of soy milk. Then see how you feel.

You may

find no difference whatsoever, then you will probably have to look elsewhere for

the cause

of your malaise. But you might find it does the trick. Then you will be like

quite a few

vegetarians and vegans who either don't like to use soy or just don't trust it,

for whatever

reason, and can keep on without it altogether. It's just an idea.

 

For myself, I use soy - but not much and not often (although I do confess to

pigging out

on a new brand of vegan cheez some weeks ago LOL). A package of tofu, for

example, will

almost always do three or four times for my dh and myself - and we certainly

don't have

anything with soy more than a couple of times a week unless the circumstances

are

unusual. Some weeks go by without using it at all, unless you count a little

tamari or miso

to flavour a soup or a sauce.

 

Before a very dear member reminds me of the uses of the faux me*ts I will say

this in their

defence: some of them are very tasty and all of them, if liked, are a very

handly product

under some circumstances: veggieburgers and soydogs at a barbecue, faux deli

me*ts for

a quick luncheon sandwich or picnic fare (likewise soy cheez), and the marinated

chikken

cutlets as an example of something that can be smothered in a sauce of your

choice and

added to a potato and salad for a quick but pleasing meal. AND, as has been

discussed

before on this group, faux me*ts are a lifesaver for stuffing into casseroles,

soups and

stews (as well as the above items mentioned) for people who are in transition

from an

omnivore to a vegetarian diet. It lets one feel, well, 'normal' - you know?

But they are

processed, have things in them that are hard to pronounce, and shouldn't be

eaten in the

same quantities that omnivores eat, er, the 'real' thing. We generally stick to

tofu, as

stated, tempeh (which is a fermented Indonesian invention and is delicious), and

various

kinds of miso for soups and sauces, etc., and those, as I have said, not often.

 

A tip: Whenever I need a boost in energy I go mad over eating greens - all kinds

of greens

- in smoothies (with bananas and berries), in soups, steamed, or raw. Works like

a charm!

 

Okay, I've gone on too long

 

Welcome, again! Write in often and enjoy the group.

 

Love and hugs, Pat (Group Owner)