Guest guest Posted April 10, 2006 Report Share Posted April 10, 2006 Wow, what a great QOTW, PT! It seems there are a lot of transitional and new vegetarians/vegans on this list, as well as people who are trying to accommodate an omnivorous family by serving things vegetarian or vegan that they won't turn their noses up on. (How's that for an awkward sentence?) I think the biggest misconception of people transitioning to vegetarianism is that our diet is composed primarily of vegetables (e.g., lettuce, carrots, celery, onions, etc.). Some newbies start out eating this way and can't figure out why they feel weak and hungry all the time. Many non-vegetarians can't fathom how we survive as vegetarians for this reason. The foundation foods vegetarians and vegans eat are legumes and (hopefully whole) grains, and not vegetables and fruits. Dr. John McDougall explains all of this very well in his many books and on his website. Most vegetarians and vegans eat no more fruits and vegetables than do nonvegetarians eating healthy diets. If you think about what most of us vegetarians eat, it fits. We eat a lot of soy, either as tofu, tempeh, etc., or in analogs. We also eat a lot of beans and other legumes. We eat even more grains (bread, rice, pasta, cereal, etc.) and other starches such as potatoes. (It's interesting to note that when the Irish were introduced to potatoes from the " new world, " their numbers grew greatly due to the high nutrition provided by the nearly all potato diet. It was only when the potatoes were blighted did mass starvation occur.) We supplement our diet with an abundance of vegetables and fruits, but they aren't the main component of most of our diets. For one reason, we need the energy complex carbohydrates provide, and, while we need far less protein than recommended by the U.S. health agency, we do need more than can be had from fruits and greens, etc. alone. (I know some people might disagree with this, but for most of us, this is true, as we've found out from experience.) So my advice to new vegetarians is to not neglect the legumes and grains in your diet. (Or high-protein grains and nuts if you cannot tolerate legumes.) They will help you feel satisfied and give you the nutrients you need to maintain a healthy body. And I think, if you check the feral files, you'll find many quick, easy, and delicious recipes to help you incorporate these nutrients in your diet. An added plus: nearly all nonvegetarians adore them, especially children, and often prefer them to veggies. Most of them don't have a " season, " so they're suitable all year long. Sherry in Oregon At 09:12 AM 4/10/2006, you wrote: >The QOTW [question of the week] for April 9th-15th is: > >What advice to you have for someone just starting a >vegetarian diet? >Tell us all something you have learned on your vegetarian >path that has made it easier for you. If you are really quite >new to vegetarianism, and don't think you have any sage >wisdom to share, just tell us one interesting thing you have >discovered since becoming a vegetarian. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted April 10, 2006 Report Share Posted April 10, 2006 That was a wonderful post and reply to the weekly question, Sherry. i enjoyed reading it and i also agree. i hadn't really thought of vegetarianism like that, but you are right... we do eat a mostly plant-based diet, but is a far cry from being " grass-eaters " : consuming only veggies & fruits; at least in my case [lacto-ovo veg]. Complex carbs are a very important part of a healthy protein complete diet. Oh, and before i forget, this weekly group question is one suggested to me from Susie a while back. She came up with a bunch that i saved in a file. If anyone has ideas for good group questions please email me offlist. i would LOVE to gather them for use in the future and when i use them i will be sure to credit your imaginative ideas. TIA! email: patchouli_troll or: -owner ~ pt ~ Truth never damages a cause that is just. ~ Mohandas Karamchand [Mahatma] Gandhi (1869-1948) ~~~*~~~*~~~> , Sherry Rose <sherry wrote: > > Wow, what a great QOTW, PT! It seems there are a lot of transitional > and new vegetarians/vegans on this list, as well as people who are > trying to accommodate an omnivorous family by serving things > vegetarian or vegan that they won't turn their noses up on. (How's > that for an awkward sentence?) > > I think the biggest misconception of people transitioning to > vegetarianism is that our diet is composed primarily of vegetables > (e.g., lettuce, carrots, celery, onions, etc.). Some newbies start > out eating this way and can't figure out why they feel weak and > hungry all the time. Many non-vegetarians can't fathom how we > survive as vegetarians for this reason. > > The foundation foods vegetarians and vegans eat are legumes and > (hopefully whole) grains, and not vegetables and fruits. Dr. John > McDougall explains all of this very well in his many books and on his > website. Most vegetarians and vegans eat no more fruits and > vegetables than do nonvegetarians eating healthy diets. If you think > about what most of us vegetarians eat, it fits. We eat a lot of soy, > either as tofu, tempeh, etc., or in analogs. We also eat a lot of > beans and other legumes. We eat even more grains (bread, rice, > pasta, cereal, etc.) and other starches such as potatoes. (It's > interesting to note that when the Irish were introduced to potatoes > from the " new world, " their numbers grew greatly due to the high > nutrition provided by the nearly all potato diet. It was only when > the potatoes were blighted did mass starvation occur.) We supplement > our diet with an abundance of vegetables and fruits, but they aren't > the main component of most of our diets. For one reason, we need the > energy complex carbohydrates provide, and, while we need far less > protein than recommended by the U.S. health agency, we do need more > than can be had from fruits and greens, etc. alone. (I know some > people might disagree with this, but for most of us, this is true, as > we've found out from experience.) > > So my advice to new vegetarians is to not neglect the legumes and > grains in your diet. (Or high-protein grains and nuts if you cannot > tolerate legumes.) They will help you feel satisfied and give you > the nutrients you need to maintain a healthy body. And I think, if > you check the feral files, you'll find many quick, easy, and > delicious recipes to help you incorporate these nutrients in your > diet. An added plus: nearly all nonvegetarians adore them, > especially children, and often prefer them to veggies. Most of them > don't have a " season, " so they're suitable all year long. > > Sherry in Oregon Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted April 10, 2006 Report Share Posted April 10, 2006 --- ~ PT ~ <patchouli_troll wrote: The QOTW [question of the week] for April 9th-15th is: What advice to you have for someone just starting a vegetarian diet? Tell us all something you have learned on your vegetarian path that has made it easier for you. If you are really quite new to vegetarianism, and don't think you have any sage wisdom to share, just tell us one interesting thing you have discovered since becoming a vegetarian. Basically - avioid processed foods and aim for whole foods. That way you can't be tricked If that isn't possible... I joined every group, forum ect. I could to gather as much information quickly as I could. When I first when vegetarian I didn't know ANYTHING about the things like geletain, rennent and things hidden in foods. I found out when another veg pointed it out to me. That is when I decided I needed to learn. Information is our friend. ~Mel " Sweet songs the youth, the wise; the meaning of all wisdom...to believe in the good in man " --Legend Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted April 11, 2006 Report Share Posted April 11, 2006 One book that I found really helpful in my early days as a vegetarian was Diet for a Small Planet by Frances Moore Lappe and the associated Recipes for a Small Planet by Ellen Buchman Ewald. Prior to reading these my diet was appalling and comprised meat and 2 veg dishes without the meat. These books and the ideas behind them opened up new horizons and even though I haven't used the books themselves for many years, I think that the concepts of combining complementary foods to produce a healthier diet and more complete protein still inform the way I eat. (NB This is not the same as Food Combining, which is a different concept altogether) Christie , " ~ PT ~ " <patchouli_troll wrote: > > The QOTW [question of the week] for April 9th-15th is: > > What advice to you have for someone just starting a > vegetarian diet? > Tell us all something you have learned on your vegetarian > path that has made it easier for you. If you are really quite > new to vegetarianism, and don't think you have any sage > wisdom to share, just tell us one interesting thing you have > discovered since becoming a vegetarian. > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted April 11, 2006 Report Share Posted April 11, 2006 Christie, this was one of my first books, too. I don't have it any more, but I used many, many recipes from it when I started out veg in the early '80's. One thing new users of this book should know is that Lappe's theory of combining incomplete proteins to form complete proteins was debunked several years later. She explained a few years ago, I think on an 20th anniversary reissue of her first book, that she deliberately erred on the conservative side with this, and that she now knows it isn't necessary. The prevailing theory at the time was that one must combine two incomplete proteins at the same meal (e.g., rice and beans) in order to form complete protein and be healthy. It is now known that this is not necessary. If one eats a balanced diet throughout the day, one can maintain health even with no animal products at all. There's a great article on vegan protein and the myth of protein combining at: http://www.vrg.org/nutrition/protein.htm So, while the recipes in this book are great, getting enough protein in a vegetarian or vegan diet isn't nearly as complicated as we are led to believe. Sherry At 07:16 AM 4/11/2006, you wrote: >One book that I found really helpful in my early days as a vegetarian >was Diet for a Small Planet by Frances Moore Lappe and the associated >Recipes for a Small Planet by Ellen Buchman Ewald. Prior to reading >these my diet was appalling and comprised meat and 2 veg dishes >without the meat. These books and the ideas behind them opened up new >horizons and even though I haven't used the books themselves for many >years, I think that the concepts of combining complementary foods to >produce a healthier diet and more complete protein still inform the >way I eat. (NB This is not the same as Food Combining, which is a >different concept altogether) >Christie > > , " ~ PT ~ " ><patchouli_troll wrote: > > > > The QOTW [question of the week] for April 9th-15th is: > > > > What advice to you have for someone just starting a > > vegetarian diet? > > Tell us all something you have learned on your vegetarian > > path that has made it easier for you. If you are really quite > > new to vegetarianism, and don't think you have any sage > > wisdom to share, just tell us one interesting thing you have > > discovered since becoming a vegetarian. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted April 11, 2006 Report Share Posted April 11, 2006 I think this is true, Sherry, and perhaps it is more a question of those kind of combinations really suiting the way I like to eat which Food Combining certainly didn't. I do believe that people are obsessed with eating protein and generally eat far too much of it (can you tell I'm not a candidate for an Atkins type diet, LOL.) It has surprised me how much tofu and unmeat products people seem to eat. I think perhaps the " American diet " (if such a thing exists, she said, generalising wildly) tends to involve eating a lot more protein than I have ever been used to, although perhaps that may be more to do with my having grown up in post-war Britain where rationing had had an impact on the way that people of my mother's generation learned to cook. Generally I find that if I listen to my body I can tell what I need - if I eat too much protein I start to feel heavy and sluggish and if I don't eat enough I feel really spacey and ungrounded. Christie , Sherry Rose <sherry wrote: > > Christie, this was one of my first books, too. I don't have it any > more, but I used many, many recipes from it when I started out veg in > the early '80's. > > One thing new users of this book should know is that Lappe's theory > of combining incomplete proteins to form complete proteins was > debunked several years later. She explained a few years ago, I think > on an 20th anniversary reissue of her first book, that she > deliberately erred on the conservative side with this, and that she > now knows it isn't necessary. The prevailing theory at the time was > that one must combine two incomplete proteins at the same meal (e.g., > rice and beans) in order to form complete protein and be healthy. It > is now known that this is not necessary. If one eats a balanced diet > throughout the day, one can maintain health even with no animal > products at all. There's a great article on vegan protein and the > myth of protein combining at: > > http://www.vrg.org/nutrition/protein.htm > > So, while the recipes in this book are great, getting enough protein > in a vegetarian or vegan diet isn't nearly as complicated as we are > led to believe. > > Sherry Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted April 11, 2006 Report Share Posted April 11, 2006 The things I have discovered are is how much easier it is to eat healthy. And vegetables are not the enemy, I know that doesn't sound to prolific but thats me.I still consider myself new cause i learn something new everyday.Don't be afraid to ask questions, the only stupid question is the one never asked. Its hard to discribe myself I think its called a Pesco-Vegetarian because I eat fish and cheese, (working on both tho) my doctors says i need the protein and something else you get from fish for my blood. I'm an ex very heavy person (covers face) about 300 lbs. 7 years ago I desided i needed a change and stopped eating red meat chicken or pork, very little sugar and all the other unhealthy foods, and more veggies and tofu well I lost weight quickly. I had more energy. I sleep better. I haven't looked back. I eat 3 to 4 meals a day and feel wonderful. I am 128 lbs now and have maintained that for 5 1/2 years. thats even with gaining 40 lbs with each baby, in those 5 1/2 years . I ate very healthy when expecting and my kids eat mostly everything i do, except the really spicy things. But they try it. They have never had any kind of meat and they are healthy and happy. Sorry I got long winded there. Hugs all AJ What advice to you have for someone just starting a vegetarian diet? Tell us all something you have learned on your vegetarian path that has made it easier for you. If you are really quite new to vegetarianism, and don't think you have any sage wisdom to share, just tell us one interesting thing you have discovered since becoming a vegetarian. > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted April 11, 2006 Report Share Posted April 11, 2006 No change in weight since I'm of a small frame but I do have more energy, catch less colds, blood pressure is lower and I take 1/2 the BP med., cholesterol is in the normal range now, and I had old age acne (never had it as a teen but it appeared later in life)lol and it's gone. I'm I recommend it to everyone and just think it took 20 years or more to make my decision. Sissy -- In , " AJ " <coolcook wrote: >> > What advice to you have for someone just starting a > vegetarian diet? > Tell us all something you have learned on your vegetarian > path that has made it easier for you. If you are really quite > new to vegetarianism, and don't think you have any sage > wisdom to share, just tell us one interesting thing you have > discovered since becoming a vegetarian. > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted April 11, 2006 Report Share Posted April 11, 2006 --Yeah I agree I have more energy also and hardly ever get colds. you just feel better all over cheryl - In , " pepepukpetunia " <pepepukpetunia wrote: > > No change in weight since I'm of a small frame but I do have more > energy, catch less colds, blood pressure is lower and I take 1/2 the BP > med., cholesterol is in the normal range now, and I had old age acne > (never had it as a teen but it appeared later in life)lol and it's gone. > I'm I recommend it to everyone and just think it took 20 years or more > to make my decision. > Sissy > > > -- In , " AJ " <coolcook@> wrote: > >> > > What advice to you have for someone just starting a > > vegetarian diet? > > Tell us all something you have learned on your vegetarian > > path that has made it easier for you. If you are really quite > > new to vegetarianism, and don't think you have any sage > > wisdom to share, just tell us one interesting thing you have > > discovered since becoming a vegetarian. > > > > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You are posting as a guest. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.