Author Topic: Go Whole Food Plant-Based (WFPD) Diet in 2018  (Read 66455 times)

Malaysia41

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Re: Go Plant-Based (Vegan) Diet in January 2018
« Reply #50 on: January 16, 2018, 04:18:24 PM »
I'm curious what are people's opinion on honey?

I get not wanting traditional commercial honey but is this something that can be ethically sourced from a local farmer? There are a few local beekeepers that sell their honey that seem very willing to do private tours and talk about their operations and DH used to work for one back in Home State and I know I can get the details on his operations.

If it is something that can legitimately be ethically done what questions should I be asking? What should I be looking for?

I use very little honey, I still have the small container I bought a year or so ago so this isn't a big deal but I'm curious about other vegan's opinions

Honey is one of the weird categories. My understanding is that commercial honey is problematic because it crowds out diverse species of bees, there’s quite a bit of fraud with honey being cut with, for example, rice syrup, and then there’s the whole thing where we’re taking their food. Ethically for animal welfare, it’s not clear cut to me.

I personally don’t eat honey. where I live now, I only have access to grocery store honey so that’s an easy choice. Near our home base in the states, our friends maintain a colony - possibly like you describe.. I taste their honey when I visit. But I don’t consume much. I’ve cut out added sugar from my diet anyway, so I don’t have a desire to eat much honey, even honey I think is ethical.

That probably doesn’t help much though. I think strictly speaking, most vegans would say no to honey. But it doesn’t seem as ethically a cut n dry case like dairy, for example.

Bendigirl

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Re: Go Plant-Based (Vegan) Diet in January 2018
« Reply #51 on: January 16, 2018, 08:08:28 PM »
local butcher who ethically sources meat.

What does this mean?

I was wondering the same thing.

Ethically sourced meat is meat that is sourced from animals raised in a traditional manner, where animals can maintain their natural behaviour ...grazing, free range, hormone and antibiotic free.  I know, I am still eating animals, not cool by a vegan standard, but I know the farms they come from, they are darn near in my backyard.  I pay a premium and it’s worth it.  I eat very little meat and have many vegan meals (thanks to my grown son who is an amazing cook and shares his recipes).

Please don’t bite....

Malaysia41

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Re: Go Plant-Based (Vegan) Diet in January 2018
« Reply #52 on: January 16, 2018, 11:06:11 PM »
local butcher who ethically sources meat.

What does this mean?

I was wondering the same thing.

Ethically sourced meat is meat that is sourced from animals raised in a traditional manner, where animals can maintain their natural behaviour ...grazing, free range, hormone and antibiotic free.  I know, I am still eating animals, not cool by a vegan standard, but I know the farms they come from, they are darn near in my backyard.  I pay a premium and it’s worth it.  I eat very little meat and have many vegan meals (thanks to my grown son who is an amazing cook and shares his recipes).

Please don’t bite....

For me personally, if you are NOT participating in the industrial factory farming supply chain, you are miles ahead of people blindly eating a Standard Western Diet (SWD).

Usually, when people cite ethical farming as a justification for continuing to eat meat, they seem to then make the completely incorrect assumption that most meat comes from nice places. When in truth,  the fact that local natural farms exist is no justification for eating a Wendy’s double cheeseburger.

If people making this argument looked into the stats from USDA ( I can link the study later -  something like ‘transformation of US livestock ‘), they’d see that almost all meat in the us market - like 96% of pig meat for example- is from industrial farms. So the fact that ‘nice’ farms exist is really no justification at all. And to me, this line of argument is obtuse and made in bad faith. It's irritating to say the least.

Of course I'm not talking about you here - as you don’t buy grocery store or restaurant animal products.

There’s still the issue of consuming food that requires a victim. No getting around that. But if all the SWD carnitas* in the world ate meat infrequently, and only of the kind you describe, the world would be a better place.

So I can’t bite you too hard.

Edit: ha ha autocorrect turned ‘carnists’ Into carnitas. I’m keeping that.

Edit #2:

relevant chart of pig population across various farm sizes

The USDA report I referred to earlier in my comment.

« Last Edit: January 17, 2018, 10:17:06 AM by Malaysia41 »

Malaysia41

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Re: Go Plant-Based (Vegan) Diet in January 2018
« Reply #53 on: January 17, 2018, 04:14:13 AM »
For the lazy, here are some screenshots of graphs about our meat animal supply:

Broiler (meat) chickens: (From the USDA Livestock Transformation report)


Cattle for meat: (From the USDA Livestock Transformation report)


Pigs:  (from reddit post 'Why everyone knows a nice little farm where things aren't so bad, but eats factory farmed meat'):


And lastly, antibiotic use for pigs - just cuz it's alarming:  (From the USDA Livestock Transformation report)

Duchess of Stratosphear

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Re: Go Plant-Based (Vegan) Diet in January 2018
« Reply #54 on: January 17, 2018, 07:46:38 AM »
I was just skimming through "What to Eat" by Marion Nestle last night and she lists data on how many cows, pigs, chickens there are in the U.S. and it's shocking! She also brings up some of the other issues like antibiotics, etc. There are a lot of reasons to quit eating other critters.

I went WFPB after I got to hear T. Colin Campbell speak a few years ago, but I've been thinking of transitioning to actual veganism this year because while most of my meals are extremely healthy and usually vegan, there's always that non-vegan treat (sticky buns, cookies, I could go on) that sneaks into my diet and keeps me 10-15 lbs overweight. I think the only way to beat is it quit it. However, I am baking non-vegan muffins right now, so I guess I have a ways to go on this.

I think folks who cut way back on meat but don't want to go vegan are still to be applauded. It still reduces the demand for animal products which is a good trend. This is a nice, civil thread. Thanks everybody!

Last thing: have you checked out the vegan section of Budget Bytes? Some pretty yummy looking and easy vegan recipes there. https://www.budgetbytes.com/category/recipes/vegetarian/vegan/

meadow lark

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Re: Go Plant-Based (Vegan) Diet in January 2018
« Reply #55 on: January 19, 2018, 02:26:04 PM »
I think we are all doing the best we can, and that is as good as it gets.  And man, it would be so easy for someone to look at my life and pick apart all the less than optimal things I do.
I am glad others here seem to have the same attitude here.  There are some actions that are right vs wrong, but, except for possibly?  IDK an incredibly small amount, there are no right vs wrong people.

I eat honey.  I don't have a good argument for it, and that may change, but I haven't been convinced.  Although - the amount I eat is really, really small and infrequent, because I try not to eat sugar and I don't love the taste.

kaleidoscopicalkris

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Re: Go Plant-Based (Vegan) Diet in January 2018
« Reply #56 on: January 19, 2018, 04:20:53 PM »
I'm curious what are people's opinion on honey?

I get not wanting traditional commercial honey but is this something that can be ethically sourced from a local farmer? There are a few local beekeepers that sell their honey that seem very willing to do private tours and talk about their operations and DH used to work for one back in Home State and I know I can get the details on his operations.

If it is something that can legitimately be ethically done what questions should I be asking? What should I be looking for?

I use very little honey, I still have the small container I bought a year or so ago so this isn't a big deal but I'm curious about other vegan's opinions

Honey is one of the weird categories. My understanding is that commercial honey is problematic because it crowds out diverse species of bees, there’s quite a bit of fraud with honey being cut with, for example, rice syrup, and then there’s the whole thing where we’re taking their food. Ethically for animal welfare, it’s not clear cut to me.

I personally don’t eat honey. where I live now, I only have access to grocery store honey so that’s an easy choice. Near our home base in the states, our friends maintain a colony - possibly like you describe.. I taste their honey when I visit. But I don’t consume much. I’ve cut out added sugar from my diet anyway, so I don’t have a desire to eat much honey, even honey I think is ethical.

That probably doesn’t help much though. I think strictly speaking, most vegans would say no to honey. But it doesn’t seem as ethically a cut n dry case like dairy, for example.

My wife and I both went vegan just under two years ago, but we both still use locally sourced honey. I have a specific supplier who works with local beekeepers across the Phoenix valley and sells the honey by location for people who want it for allergies. For me, buying local honey really alleviates the ethical issue of it, especially in such a heavily populated area as Phoenix where there isn't a lot of space for wild colonies. While captive colonies aren't the best, they are the next best thing in this case.

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Re: Go Plant-Based (Vegan) Diet in January 2018
« Reply #57 on: January 19, 2018, 05:45:45 PM »
Here's a few more websites for folks looking for recipe ideas:

https://chocolatecoveredkatie.com/ If you have a sweet tooth and don't plan to give it up, she has some great recipes! Also a decent amount that require no oil (I try not to use it when I cook) or can sub it with nut butter. My absolute favorite that I've made several dozen times is her blondies... the secret ingredient is chickpeas (no flour at all!) but no one that I've fed them to has ever guessed. My (non-vegan) friends request them often. https://chocolatecoveredkatie.com/2011/05/18/chocolate-chip-blondies-and-theyre-good-for-you/

http://thevegan8.com/ Also a favorite for both quality and simplicity (8 ingredients or less). This week I made her "cheesy mexican tortilla bake" and it turned out delicious (and it was easy)! I just finished the leftovers tonight and I found myself wishing there were more. http://thevegan8.com/2017/06/26/vegan-cheesy-mexican-tortilla-bake/

Malaysia41

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Re: Go Plant-Based (Vegan) Diet in January 2018
« Reply #58 on: January 20, 2018, 12:25:39 AM »
Thanks for the recipe link SCUBAstache,

I also recommend the Happy Pear.  Here's an example of a carbonara recipe I plan to make:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X_qUHFx-jCI

Also the honey discussion kaleidoscopical, meadow lark and aerynlee.  It's yet another topic where I think willful research, as opposed to willful ignorance, can only improve our choices, and the impact those choices make. 

steveo

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Re: Go Plant-Based (Vegan) Diet in January 2018
« Reply #59 on: January 20, 2018, 03:27:21 AM »
I just saw this thread but I've been doing this in January. I have failed already but it's minor. I bought a burrito bowl and it had some cheese sprinkled on it.

One thing I'm really struggling with though is creating tasty meals. It's really hard.

Malaysia41

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Re: Go Plant-Based (Vegan) Diet in January 2018
« Reply #60 on: January 20, 2018, 04:17:45 AM »
Here's a few more websites for folks looking for recipe ideas:

https://chocolatecoveredkatie.com/ If you have a sweet tooth and don't plan to give it up, she has some great recipes! Also a decent amount that require no oil (I try not to use it when I cook) or can sub it with nut butter. My absolute favorite that I've made several dozen times is her blondies... the secret ingredient is chickpeas (no flour at all!) but no one that I've fed them to has ever guessed. My (non-vegan) friends request them often. https://chocolatecoveredkatie.com/2011/05/18/chocolate-chip-blondies-and-theyre-good-for-you/

http://thevegan8.com/ Also a favorite for both quality and simplicity (8 ingredients or less). This week I made her "cheesy mexican tortilla bake" and it turned out delicious (and it was easy)! I just finished the leftovers tonight and I found myself wishing there were more. http://thevegan8.com/2017/06/26/vegan-cheesy-mexican-tortilla-bake/

We made the chocolate chip blondies this morning. I used a bit less sugar than the recipe called for.  Usually we don't bake sweets, but I thought I'd give it a shot. 

I forgot to take a picture before we dug in, but here's a picture of the remains...



Thanks again for the suggestion SCUBAstache.
« Last Edit: January 20, 2018, 04:35:45 AM by Malaysia41 »

Malaysia41

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Re: Go Plant-Based (Vegan) Diet in January 2018
« Reply #61 on: January 20, 2018, 04:25:39 AM »
I just saw this thread but I've been doing this in January. I have failed already but it's minor. I bought a burrito bowl and it had some cheese sprinkled on it.

One thing I'm really struggling with though is creating tasty meals. It's really hard.

One thing that helps me is remembering to soak a lot o beans every other day, then cook them up with a ton of spices and veggies. Then we eat the leftovers for a couple days. Cuban black bean soup (use allspice and cloves), split pea soup (use a dash of liquid smoke and smoked paprika). Or, if you don't want to soak, a big batch of Ethiopian lentils as mesir wat.

All of these dishes are easy, full of nutrition, and can last for days.

It's all about learning one recipe at a time, and pulling it into regular rotation.

But then again, almost all of everything we eat is home-cooked. If you eat outside of the home a lot, that can be challenging.

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Re: Go Plant-Based (Vegan) Diet in January 2018
« Reply #62 on: January 20, 2018, 09:21:17 AM »
I'm so glad you liked the blondies! I confess I usually double the recipe because we like them so much... that way it makes a full 9x13 pan's worth! And all the ingredients still (barely) fit in my food processor so it's still super easy to make. Though the sugar is a bit of an indulgence, I feel a lot less guilty about eating these than most other desserts!
« Last Edit: January 21, 2018, 09:30:45 AM by SCUBAstache »

steveo

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Re: Go Plant-Based (Vegan) Diet in January 2018
« Reply #63 on: January 21, 2018, 12:34:32 AM »
I just saw this thread but I've been doing this in January. I have failed already but it's minor. I bought a burrito bowl and it had some cheese sprinkled on it.

One thing I'm really struggling with though is creating tasty meals. It's really hard.

One thing that helps me is remembering to soak a lot o beans every other day, then cook them up with a ton of spices and veggies. Then we eat the leftovers for a couple days. Cuban black bean soup (use allspice and cloves), split pea soup (use a dash of liquid smoke and smoked paprika). Or, if you don't want to soak, a big batch of Ethiopian lentils as mesir wat.

All of these dishes are easy, full of nutrition, and can last for days.

It's all about learning one recipe at a time, and pulling it into regular rotation.

But then again, almost all of everything we eat is home-cooked. If you eat outside of the home a lot, that can be challenging.

Thank You.

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Re: Go Plant-Based (Vegan) Diet in January 2018
« Reply #64 on: January 21, 2018, 01:31:11 PM »
I just saw this thread but I've been doing this in January. I have failed already but it's minor. I bought a burrito bowl and it had some cheese sprinkled on it.

One thing I'm really struggling with though is creating tasty meals. It's really hard.

One thing that helps me is remembering to soak a lot o beans every other day, then cook them up with a ton of spices and veggies. Then we eat the leftovers for a couple days. Cuban black bean soup (use allspice and cloves), split pea soup (use a dash of liquid smoke and smoked paprika). Or, if you don't want to soak, a big batch of Ethiopian lentils as mesir wat.

All of these dishes are easy, full of nutrition, and can last for days.

It's all about learning one recipe at a time, and pulling it into regular rotation.

But then again, almost all of everything we eat is home-cooked. If you eat outside of the home a lot, that can be challenging.

Thank You.

One thing I do is create a meal plan on the weekend, and do my major shopping trip then, too. I have a 21-day rotation that I add or subtract meals from as I get cravings or get sick of them. We eat 99% of our food at home, so it did take me awhile to pull together enough different recipes.

This is an example week:

Sunday:   Chickpea potato salad;      Lentil basil squash curry
Monday:   Moroccan Black Eyed Peas & pancakes;   Thai Tempeh Salad
Tuesday:   Kale salad with ginger tahini & tofu;   Lentil spaghetti
Wednesday:   Blackeyed pea pasta;    falafel salad
Thursday:   Orca bean soup;   Tempeh meatloaf cupcakes
Friday:   Teriyaki seitan tacos;   Brownie granola
Saturday:   Chickpea flat bread;   Red Lentil Dal
Sunday:   Anna's Black-Eyed Peas;   Quinoa Avocado Salad Jar
Monday:   Tempeh Taco Salad;   Seitan Roast

We usually have two big meals per day, and then snack on fruits and veges.

Serendip

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Re: Go Plant-Based (Vegan) Diet in January 2018
« Reply #65 on: January 21, 2018, 07:09:23 PM »
Here's a few more websites for folks looking for recipe ideas:

https://chocolatecoveredkatie.com/ If you have a sweet tooth and don't plan to give it up, she has some great recipes! Also a decent amount that require no oil (I try not to use it when I cook) or can sub it with nut butter. My absolute favorite that I've made several dozen times is her blondies... the secret ingredient is chickpeas (no flour at all!) but no one that I've fed them to has ever guessed. My (non-vegan) friends request them often. https://chocolatecoveredkatie.com/2011/05/18/chocolate-chip-blondies-and-theyre-good-for-you/

http://thevegan8.com/ Also a favorite for both quality and simplicity (8 ingredients or less). This week I made her "cheesy mexican tortilla bake" and it turned out delicious (and it was easy)! I just finished the leftovers tonight and I found myself wishing there were more. http://thevegan8.com/2017/06/26/vegan-cheesy-mexican-tortilla-bake/

thanks--Love all the recommendations for different sites--it is so helpful!


meadow lark

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Re: Go Plant-Based (Vegan) Diet in January 2018
« Reply #66 on: January 21, 2018, 07:12:39 PM »
I want to eat at your house!  Mine is a lot simpler.  Basically oatmeal and fruit every morning, cook a pot of beans and veggies (right now I have red beans and rice with sweet potato). Then I fill in around that with a salad, or veggies, or whole grain toast with PB and fruit on top (my fav I see apple slices or raisins.  That will cover about 5 days.

I think I am going to try making 'refrigerator chia jam' tomorrow.  I normally just place sliced fruit on my sandwiches, but I am gonna get fancy.  I think I will Blend up some thawed blueberries and some chia seeds and cinnamon and see how they taste on PB toast.  It guess if they aren't sweet enough I will add a couple dates.  I don't know if I should cook it or not.  I'll probably try it.

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Re: Go Plant-Based (Vegan) Diet in January 2018
« Reply #67 on: January 21, 2018, 08:56:44 PM »
We have been doing WFPB for several months (for the most part - we do have cheat meals when socializing).  We are doing it for health reasons.  My husbands blood work has improved and his blood pressure is better.  My biggest benefit has been that my joint pain has disappeared.  I was having constant pain in my elbows and knees.  It has completely disappeared.

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Re: Go Plant-Based (Vegan) Diet in January 2018
« Reply #68 on: January 23, 2018, 12:08:38 PM »
Well, I thought I'd been ok about paying closer attention to choosing foods with no animal products, but...

I picked up a bag of chips at work to go with my Curried Chickpea Salad (from Oh She Glows cookbook, though looks like it's reproduced here: http://thetaste.ie/wp/curried-chickpea-salad-recipe-from-oh-she-glows/). Apparently this brand of salt and vinegar chips contains both lactose and buttermilk?!? I never even thought to check before, and I only read the ingredients after I already consumed the small bag.

Oh well, lesson learned. :) I'd guess some versions of salt and vinegar chips might be vegan? Obviously not a health food or whole food plant based- but I do enjoy chips as an occasional indulgence. I'll have to choose a better flavor next time.

Hirondelle

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Re: Go Plant-Based (Vegan) Diet in January 2018
« Reply #69 on: January 23, 2018, 12:40:23 PM »
That recipe looks delicious! I see I have most of the ingredients already at home, so may look into trying it later this week.

Why would salt/vinegar chips NOT be vegan? It totally doesn't make sense it contains lactose/buttermilk. Sure, it might add to the flavor or durability, but it doesn't seem essential to me?

My vegan attempts haven't been very succesful yet unfortunately. Friday turned into nacho night and I spent the weekend at my parents who don't believe in "less meat is good for you/the world", let alone veganism. I did manage to not eat any meat there, which is an accomplishment an sich. Plus I've got my brother on board for one meat-free day a week.
Other failures were the chocolate milk we made at work today, the nutella I bought (OOPS) to make my favorite Indonesian snack and the fact that I still have quite a lot of eggs to finish - but they were bought before I committed to the challenge.

The successes? I've consistently been eating soy yoghurt and haven't used any animal products for home-cooked dinners in about a week. I think I'll try to finish all non-vegan products (except for the nutella - that's just too much in one week!) in my house this week and start the challenge again in February.

Recipe wise this was the first ever vegan recipe I tried (without realizing it was vegan!) and I've made it many times for all my friends. It actually fits with almost every allergy or restriction (no gluten, no lactose, vegan, no peanuts and the cashews are optional). It's in Dutch but Google Translate will do a proper job: http://www.smulweb.nl/recepten/1399028/Romige-wortelcurry#recipe_bottom_1399028

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Hirondelle

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Re: Go Plant-Based (Vegan) Diet in January 2018
« Reply #71 on: January 23, 2018, 11:27:32 PM »
If you need recipe ideas, check out this thread - https://forum.mrmoneymustache.com/off-topic/what-vegetarianvegan-food-are-you-eating-right-now/550/?topicseen

Thanks!

I think my problem right now is mostly unawareness. It's easy to avoid meat/fish/dairy products, but for me it's harder to avoid products that are not directly animal related (in my brain), like nutella or coffee with milk, even if there's plenty of alternatives.

I did make some vegan friends in town though and apparently there's a lot of good vegan restaurant options in this city! Will be trying out one next month (very unmustachian).

steveo

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Re: Go Plant-Based (Vegan) Diet in January 2018
« Reply #72 on: January 28, 2018, 08:19:23 PM »
I'm improving my recipes but one thing I've had to do is use more oil. I was moving away from this but it simply didn't work. That doesn't mean that I use too much oil but I use it because it makes food taste better.

I have an issue now that I'd like some advice on. People seem to be told that eating meat is healthy and that we need to eat meat. I've changed to eating more plant based because I'm 100% convinced the scientific evidence is clearly stating plant based diets are healthy. My wife for instance just went to the doctor who told her that she has to eat some meat. How do you guys handle this ?

Hirondelle

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Re: Go Plant-Based (Vegan) Diet in January 2018
« Reply #73 on: January 29, 2018, 02:32:46 AM »

I have an issue now that I'd like some advice on. People seem to be told that eating meat is healthy and that we need to eat meat. I've changed to eating more plant based because I'm 100% convinced the scientific evidence is clearly stating plant based diets are healthy. My wife for instance just went to the doctor who told her that she has to eat some meat. How do you guys handle this ?

Why did the doctor say she has to eat more meat? Probably there's some vitamin or nutrient she's deficient in? Figure out what particular nutrients he was talking about (B12, Iron, Protein, could be anything) and try to find other ways to increase intake without adding extra meat to your diet.

Malaysia41

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Re: Go Plant-Based (Vegan) Diet in January 2018
« Reply #74 on: January 29, 2018, 04:28:29 AM »

I have an issue now that I'd like some advice on. People seem to be told that eating meat is healthy and that we need to eat meat. I've changed to eating more plant based because I'm 100% convinced the scientific evidence is clearly stating plant based diets are healthy. My wife for instance just went to the doctor who told her that she has to eat some meat. How do you guys handle this ?

Why did the doctor say she has to eat more meat? Probably there's some vitamin or nutrient she's deficient in? Figure out what particular nutrients he was talking about (B12, Iron, Protein, could be anything) and try to find other ways to increase intake without adding extra meat to your diet.

I agree with Hirondelle - the thing to do is ask the doctor what specific nutrients are lacking.  Medical doctors in the US receive very little nutrition training - we're talking like 10-20 hours. While they're often happy to tell you how to eat, they often have no clue themselves beyond the same old conventional 'wisdoms' we all hear. 

My understanding at this point, is that the medical evidence is very convincing that at least 95% of your calories should come from veggies, fruits, funghi, grains and legumes - aka 'plants' in the everyday language.   0% should come from dairy, and maybe 5% could come from animal sources, eggs probably being your best bet*.

But in the case of your doctor, I'd just start asking open ended questions like, "what specific nutrients are you concerned about/ you think are missing?" then ask, "what other nutrients" and "what else" etc. You'll find out real quick whether your doctor knows much about nutrition.

Lately, I've been listening to Dr. Garth Davis. He's totally vegan, but he concedes that if 5% of your diet (but no more than 5%) comes from animal products - preferably eggs - then you're going to avoid a lot of the chronic disease that come with eating say, 20% of your calories or more from animal products. But no dairy. None. Given the sum of everything I've learned so far, I've developed the most antipathy toward dairy out of all animal products. But that's just my opinion, man.

*regarding eggs: take care to not eat egg yolk with anything that has saturated fat because saturated fat is like a key that tells your body to dump all 200-300mg of cholesterol contained in the yolk, straight into your bloodstream.  Acting together, the sat fats and excess cholesterol build plaques and cause lots of problems. 
« Last Edit: January 29, 2018, 04:36:24 AM by Malaysia41 »

Malaysia41

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Re: Go Plant-Based (Vegan) Diet in January 2018
« Reply #75 on: January 29, 2018, 04:34:25 AM »
So - we're in the home stretch of Veganuary.  How are you all doing? Have you learned anything new? Experienced any key insights? Found that your body feels different in some way after nearly 30 days of eating only plant-based foods? Plan on making any of the changes permanent?

One thing I did this month was to relax my total ban on sugar and processed food. And my choco cereal addiction came back in full swing. Oops.  As a result, I've put on about 5 lbs. holy shit.  I've returned to the total ban.

Here's the plate of green yummy stuff my husband whipped up for us a few hours ago:

.  Mmmmm.... kale, beets, avocado.

So - how are you feeling as we approach the end of the month?  What changes will you continue through into February and/or beyond?

steveo

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Re: Go Plant-Based (Vegan) Diet in January 2018
« Reply #76 on: January 29, 2018, 04:41:05 AM »

I have an issue now that I'd like some advice on. People seem to be told that eating meat is healthy and that we need to eat meat. I've changed to eating more plant based because I'm 100% convinced the scientific evidence is clearly stating plant based diets are healthy. My wife for instance just went to the doctor who told her that she has to eat some meat. How do you guys handle this ?

Why did the doctor say she has to eat more meat? Probably there's some vitamin or nutrient she's deficient in? Figure out what particular nutrients he was talking about (B12, Iron, Protein, could be anything) and try to find other ways to increase intake without adding extra meat to your diet.

It was honestly just general advice. Basically everyone has to eat meat or they aren't healthy. There was no deficiency in anything or anything tested.

Hirondelle

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Re: Go Plant-Based (Vegan) Diet in January 2018
« Reply #77 on: January 29, 2018, 05:09:07 AM »

I have an issue now that I'd like some advice on. People seem to be told that eating meat is healthy and that we need to eat meat. I've changed to eating more plant based because I'm 100% convinced the scientific evidence is clearly stating plant based diets are healthy. My wife for instance just went to the doctor who told her that she has to eat some meat. How do you guys handle this ?

Why did the doctor say she has to eat more meat? Probably there's some vitamin or nutrient she's deficient in? Figure out what particular nutrients he was talking about (B12, Iron, Protein, could be anything) and try to find other ways to increase intake without adding extra meat to your diet.

It was honestly just general advice. Basically everyone has to eat meat or they aren't healthy. There was no deficiency in anything or anything tested.

In that case I'd say, just ignore...

Malaysia41

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Re: Go Plant-Based (Vegan) Diet in January 2018
« Reply #78 on: January 31, 2018, 09:23:07 AM »
It's Veganuary 31st!  What are you all eating?  How did the month go?  Please share! 

A few things for me:

I learned how to make freaking rad chickpea 'blondies' (thanks SCUBAstache). I even made them twice!  But maybe it's time to let up on 'em a bit.

I let myself eat more processed foods and added sugars than I'd been having in the months leading up to Veganuary.  (I've a terrible weakness for granola cereal with dark choco nibs and almond milk as in I can't just have one bowl).  What happened? Gained 3-5 lbs. So now I'm back to WFPB.  We've banished that cereal from the home.

It's not just that I put on a few lbs. Just that small amount of processed foods made me feel - IDK how to describe - maybe a little more sluggish? I just didn't feel as good as when I'm really sticking truly with whole foods.  (Vegan Wine counts as whole foods by the way - just want to clarify).

Blondies will be a few and far between special treat.

My afternoon snack. Homemade hummus and raw broccoli on wasa bread. Dreary day and daffodils:


A loaf of banana bread I made this afternoon since we had a few rotters going:


So - stand and report. How'd it go? What are your plans for Feb 1 +?
« Last Edit: January 31, 2018, 09:42:18 AM by Malaysia41 »

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Re: Go Plant-Based (Vegan) Diet in January 2018
« Reply #79 on: January 31, 2018, 09:43:53 AM »
The month went very well in our household but I've been on a chocolate tear for the last 2 weeks. Will have to pull back a bit on that.

I found a brussel sprout recipe that has me eating them like they are going out of style (basically cooked with cumin seeds, corinader seeds, sesame, yum)
and my partner is still eating yogourt but he is happy with the oat milk so it's helping with cutting down on that.

Our friend has a shop with a fantastic vegan ramen and it's becoming very normalized to be able to find great vegan options in our town--there is a growing demand which is amazing.

As for what we are eating: I made a peanut curry last week and have frozen batches of soup/chili.  I have been roasting veg and then it's so much easier to grab that as a snack when I am hungry. Also, I just soak bean every few days and then find recipes to use them with--today will find one for kidney beans..any recommendations?
 :)

Still doing heaps of berries, fruit, seeds and granola for breakfast, or overnight oats.





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Re: Go Plant-Based (Vegan) Diet in January 2018
« Reply #80 on: January 31, 2018, 09:51:42 AM »
I'm in.

I spent the last 2 years on a low carb high fat/protein diet (I did lose 60 lbs, so that was a huge plus).  Started reading/studying Nutritionfacts.org and Dr Greger's work and was finally persuaded my diet was very unhealthy.  Began eating Vegan this year, and love it.  Not sure yet if I'll be able to give up seafood 100% permanently, but I think my diet is now 10 times better than it was.
« Last Edit: January 31, 2018, 09:53:16 AM by dustinst22 »

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Re: Go Plant-Based (Vegan) Diet in January 2018
« Reply #81 on: January 31, 2018, 09:53:58 AM »
I'm improving my recipes but one thing I've had to do is use more oil. I was moving away from this but it simply didn't work. That doesn't mean that I use too much oil but I use it because it makes food taste better.

I have an issue now that I'd like some advice on. People seem to be told that eating meat is healthy and that we need to eat meat. I've changed to eating more plant based because I'm 100% convinced the scientific evidence is clearly stating plant based diets are healthy. My wife for instance just went to the doctor who told her that she has to eat some meat. How do you guys handle this ?

There is no scientific or medical evidence that we "need" meat.  It's a fallacy that has been passed on through the generations, largely because of the marketing of big ag.

As long as you are aware that you need to getting enough protein, B12, etc. it's not a big deal.  If you aren't, then you are at risk of developing anemia.  I take a multivitamin every day, and rotate between an additional B12 and iron supplement every few days.  Even that is probably overkill.

Both my parents went through med school.  They said dietary training/learning was a joke...as in less than 1% of their overall training.  My doc I go to now knows I'm vegan and literally had no concerns.

https://www.thedavisclinic.com/dr-garth-davis.html

^Here is Dr. Garth Davis.  He wrote a book about our society's obsession with protein and why we worry way too much (unnecessarily) about it.  You could check out his website, book, etc. if you want an MD's opinion on it.

Malaysia41

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Re: Go Plant-Based (Vegan) Diet in January 2018
« Reply #82 on: January 31, 2018, 10:07:58 AM »
I'm in.

I spent the last 2 years on a low carb high fat/protein diet (I did lose 60 lbs, so that was a huge plus).  Started reading/studying Nutritionfacts.org and Dr Greger's work and was finally persuaded my diet was very unhealthy.  Began eating Vegan this year, and love it.  Not sure yet if I'll be able to give up seafood 100% permanently, but I think my diet is now 10 times better than it was.

I'm pretty committed to being vegan for all the reasons (health, ethics, environment), but there's one 'meat' I'll eat if and when I find myself in a seaside town that's known for its seafood. That 'meat' is bivalves - e.g. clams. Here's why:

HEALTH: Bivalves are loaded with B12 and iron.  Being low on the trophic energy pyramid, they aren't contaminated with heavy metals and other pollutants to the degree that fish are. 

ETHICS: It's doubtful there's any sentience in a clam.  There's no central nervous system. This is where I personally draw my vegan line ethically.

ENVIRONMENT: Bivalves aren't endangered, farming them doesn't damage their surroundings, and as far as I know, are generally a sustainable food (if you're not transporting them half way around the world). 

I'm writing all of this because you say you're not sure if you want to give up seafood.  IMO, clams pass all three vegan tests - health, ethics, and environment.  So you can still eat your seafood and be hitting any of the criteria for vegan diet.

Gary Yourofsky, or other super-mega-ethical vegan activists would disagree of course. And you may disagree too.  But I thought I'd share my thinking here, since seafood is your remaining item you want to eat.

Good luck dustinst22.  Here's to  the planet, the animals, and your health!
« Last Edit: January 31, 2018, 10:10:58 AM by Malaysia41 »

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Re: Go Plant-Based (Vegan) Diet in January 2018
« Reply #83 on: January 31, 2018, 12:34:35 PM »
My reflection on the month:

I haven't even been close to eating vegan, but I've made some steps and raised my own awareness. I haven't eaten any meat for the whole month except for one shared pizza (friend insisted on ham) and a small piece of a wrap (didn't know there was meat in it). I've had fish three times. That's one non-vegetarian meal a week, so not too bad. Planning to cut the meat out completely and leave a little fish in there.

Regarding dairy I've made bigger steps. Rediscovered soy yoghurt. Did eat a lot of eggs but finished them this week and will try to not buy any new. I do still consume a lot of dairy that's used in processed products like cakes and cookies and coffees. Need to cut out those foods as a whole actually as they're not healthy regardless of veganism.

Wondering how you guys think of "vegatarian meat"? I wanted to make a typical local dish this week that isn't "complete" without the meat part and I substituted using a vegetarian alternative (they were on sale, yay!). I know they're rather highly processed foods and this one wasn't fully vegan (some eggwhite powder), but I think they're a good replacement in dishes where you'd miss the meat and a good way to get some B12 and iron :)

DanTheYogi

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Re: Go Plant-Based (Vegan) Diet in January 2018
« Reply #84 on: January 31, 2018, 01:33:49 PM »
I am brand new to MMM (and being more conscious of my finances in general) but I have been vegan/WFPB for closed to 2 years.  Glad to see this thread on the board!

I am very passionate about this subject and have spent a lot of time researching it and tweaking my lifestyle.  One of my goals, once I am out of debt and am closer to financial independence, is to go back to school to study nutrition in depth.

I am pretty adherent to the lifestyle - all the food in my house is unprocessed whole plant foods.  In-fact, the only exception, which is the only food in my house with a food label and more than 1 ingredient, is almond milk.  The only time I eat oil or sugar is if I am out of town and would starve otherwise (I never eat animal products).  All this to say, I have the diet down pat.  I love how I feel eating this way and couldn't imagine going back to any other lifestyle.

If anyone has questions, feel free to ask!  I love talking about this stuff, but don't get the option to much IRL.
« Last Edit: January 31, 2018, 01:43:33 PM by DanTheYogi »

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Re: Go Plant-Based (Vegan) Diet in January 2018
« Reply #85 on: January 31, 2018, 02:31:20 PM »


If anyone has questions, feel free to ask!  I love talking about this stuff, but don't get the option to much IRL.

Do you use any supplements?  Thoughts on Omega 3 EPA from Algae?  B12 supplement?

Anyone here do any fasting?   This is another area that I've been experimenting with (I currently do 2-3 18-24 hour fasts a week).

Thanks

Malaysia41

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Re: Go Plant-Based (Vegan) Diet in January 2018
« Reply #86 on: February 01, 2018, 01:43:34 AM »
My reflection on the month:

I haven't even been close to eating vegan, but I've made some steps and raised my own awareness. I haven't eaten any meat for the whole month except for one shared pizza (friend insisted on ham) and a small piece of a wrap (didn't know there was meat in it). I've had fish three times. That's one non-vegetarian meal a week, so not too bad. Planning to cut the meat out completely and leave a little fish in there.

Regarding dairy I've made bigger steps. Rediscovered soy yoghurt. Did eat a lot of eggs but finished them this week and will try to not buy any new. I do still consume a lot of dairy that's used in processed products like cakes and cookies and coffees. Need to cut out those foods as a whole actually as they're not healthy regardless of veganism.

Wondering how you guys think of "vegatarian meat"? I wanted to make a typical local dish this week that isn't "complete" without the meat part and I substituted using a vegetarian alternative (they were on sale, yay!). I know they're rather highly processed foods and this one wasn't fully vegan (some eggwhite powder), but I think they're a good replacement in dishes where you'd miss the meat and a good way to get some B12 and iron :)

Nice work Hirondelle.  Soy yogurt is so good. If it's unflavored with no added sugar,you can add lemon juice, salt, and minced garlic to make a nice aioli / sour cream sauce for anything from potatoes to cuban black bean soup.  Discovering a basic minimally processed soy yogurt seriously improved many of our meals from breakfast through dinner.

My personal take on replacement products such as imitation soy protein meats and imitation cheeses is that I'd rather go without them. A. They're unhealthy and 2. You can usually find a decent whole food plant based substitute. That said, I was amazed by the Beyond Burger when I was visiting my folks in the states. If I lived there, I'd probably mack down on one of those big-baddies once a month or so. Just for the sheer delight of eating a juicy burger with all the fixins.

For B12 and iron. I'm not too concerned about getting B12 from food. I take a supplement 1x per week and my B12 levels were on the high end when I got a blood test 3 months into eating a fully vegan diet. For iron, I'm cautious about supplementing because I know that too much iron can cause problems. Using cronometer showed me that I get plenty of iron from eating a wide variety of plant based foods even when I'm not intentionally trying to maximize iron intake. It just happens.

Thanks for sharing your thoughts, and I hope you continue making positive progress regarding what you eat. Any plans for #Februdairy?
« Last Edit: February 01, 2018, 02:13:26 AM by Malaysia41 »

Malaysia41

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Re: Go Plant-Based (Vegan) Diet in January 2018
« Reply #87 on: February 01, 2018, 02:16:59 AM »
I am brand new to MMM (and being more conscious of my finances in general) but I have been vegan/WFPB for closed to 2 years.  Glad to see this thread on the board!

I am very passionate about this subject and have spent a lot of time researching it and tweaking my lifestyle.  One of my goals, once I am out of debt and am closer to financial independence, is to go back to school to study nutrition in depth.

I am pretty adherent to the lifestyle - all the food in my house is unprocessed whole plant foods.  In-fact, the only exception, which is the only food in my house with a food label and more than 1 ingredient, is almond milk.  The only time I eat oil or sugar is if I am out of town and would starve otherwise (I never eat animal products).  All this to say, I have the diet down pat.  I love how I feel eating this way and couldn't imagine going back to any other lifestyle.

If anyone has questions, feel free to ask!  I love talking about this stuff, but don't get the option to much IRL.

Welcome to MMM DanTheYogi.  This is a special community.  I'm on and off here, but whenever I return, I re-discover what drew me to the MMM forums in the first place: the thoughtful dialogue, the gentle encouragement, and yes, the 'I'm punching you in the face right now but only because you need to be punched in the face right now" comments. 

It was because of this forum that I was able to formulate a plan for FIRE, and then have the confidence to go through with it. That was - wow - 4 yrs ago?  Seems like yesterday.

I have a question: What was your transition like - from going from (I assume) standard western diet to whole food plant based?


Hirondelle

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Re: Go Plant-Based (Vegan) Diet in January 2018
« Reply #88 on: February 01, 2018, 05:51:07 AM »

Nice work Hirondelle.  Soy yogurt is so good. If it's unflavored with no added sugar,you can add lemon juice, salt, and minced garlic to make a nice aioli / sour cream sauce for anything from potatoes to cuban black bean soup.  Discovering a basic minimally processed soy yogurt seriously improved many of our meals from breakfast through dinner.


That sounds amazing! I'm putting it on my to-try list. I was thinking about making aioli sauce for some potato dish lately but thought I couldn't as I didn't have any yoghurt - but I actually had soy yoghurt in the fridge! Looking forward to the next time it's on sale. This week there's a discount on almond milk, yum!

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Re: Go Plant-Based (Vegan) Diet in January 2018
« Reply #89 on: February 01, 2018, 07:58:05 AM »
DanTheYogi I have been lurking, but I am curious what your typical day looks like, menu-wise.

Pre-kids, we ate 75% vegan, just because we preferred those options.  Now, we have some picky kids.  My son will eat beans with a LOT of "woe is me I have to eat beans" drama, and my daughter loves beans, but only with cheese sprinkled in excess.  Lunch boxes are a huge issue.  My son will eat almost any sandwich, so I have some good options for him.  Daughter hates bread of any kind.  Pasta salad is the only vegan dish they will both eat.  They will both eat hardboiled eggs, but beyond that they normally get a small portion of meat.  I'm open to ideas from other parents on how to slowly open them up to different cold food options for lunch.  They VERY begrudgingly will eat a small portion of nuts, but now that I'm thinking about it they both like guac (with chips)

They are old enough that they will just not eat rather than eat something they don't like, so "just pack it anyway" is not an option.  They are home alone for about 30 minutes each afternoon, so that would only result in them eating weird stuff when they get home to combat hunger.

DanTheYogi

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Re: Go Plant-Based (Vegan) Diet in January 2018
« Reply #90 on: February 01, 2018, 09:30:21 AM »


If anyone has questions, feel free to ask!  I love talking about this stuff, but don't get the option to much IRL.

Do you use any supplements?  Thoughts on Omega 3 EPA from Algae?  B12 supplement?

Anyone here do any fasting?   This is another area that I've been experimenting with (I currently do 2-3 18-24 hour fasts a week).

Thanks

The only supplement I use is B12.  Based on what I know to date, I do not believe there is any reason to supplement anything else unless someone is showing signs of deficiency, and then even if they are, they should consult a medical professional and get tested to be sure it is an actual deficiency and not some other issue.  In-general, I think people focus far too much on under-nutrition.  Nobody is dying from deficiencies in 1st world countries.  OTOH, millions are dying from dietary excess.

There are some cases where people may need to supplement Vitamin D, though too much may actually cause the exact problems it is usually trying to prevent:

https://www.express.co.uk/life-style/health/911792/vitamin-d-deficiency-supplement-hypercalcaemia-skin-cancer

I see no reason to take Omega-3's.  For a thorough and in-depth explanation of why, I recommend this video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g4TNhU3HR3o&t=2482s

I have skipped to the relevant portion of the lecture, though I highly recommend watching the whole thing.  It is loaded with useful information.

I have experimented with water-only fasting!  I did it for 4 days and it was rather uneventful, though that is to be expected for someone that eats the type of diet that I do.  However, for someone that is seriously ill and follows a SAD diet, a water-only fast can literally be life saving.  There are some good books on fasting - "fasting and eating for health" by Joel Fuhrman and "The Pleasure Trap" by Alan Goldhammer and Doug Lisle.  I have also heard good things about "The Longevity Diet" by Valter Longo, though I haven't read it myself.


Welcome to MMM DanTheYogi.  This is a special community.  I'm on and off here, but whenever I return, I re-discover what drew me to the MMM forums in the first place: the thoughtful dialogue, the gentle encouragement, and yes, the 'I'm punching you in the face right now but only because you need to be punched in the face right now" comments. 

It was because of this forum that I was able to formulate a plan for FIRE, and then have the confidence to go through with it. That was - wow - 4 yrs ago?  Seems like yesterday.

I have a question: What was your transition like - from going from (I assume) standard western diet to whole food plant based?




I have really had 2 "transitions."

My first one, May 2016, from meat/dairy/eggs every meal to vegan overnight, actually wasn't that eventful.  Even though I was an omnivore, I was already avoiding processed foods mostly, and ate plenty of veggies and whole grains.  I felt lighter, but didn't notice a huge change.  I was also still eating added oils and sugars at the time.

However, this past fall I developed an auto-immune disorder (IBS).  I ended up going on an elimination diet.  I completely cut out all processed grains (even whole pasta and bread), oil, sugar, and even herbs and spices.  I was eating nothing but intact whole grains, fruits, well cooked veggies, and some beans.  The results were remarkable.  It was truly a "spiritual awakening" of sorts - for one, I eliminated my IBS symptoms.  What I wasn't expecting - my skin cleared up, my "seasonal" allergies that I have had since I was a child have vanished, and my anxiety plummeted.  I wake up every day feeling completely and totally refreshed, have loads of energy and live a very active and fulfilling lifestyle.  I sometimes get giddy just thinking about it - I feel lucky having stumbled upon this way of eating, and knowing that I am setting myself up for decades of a healthy, disease-free life.

This is what has me so excited about FI/RE - I am not in a great situation financially right now.  I have loads of student debt (you can see the details in my case study).  However, even if I can't FI/RE until 40, I know that I will still have many, many healthy years ahead of me to enjoy a nearly stress-free lifestyle.  It seems hard to believe, but despite how good I feel now, things are only going to get better.  :)

DanTheYogi

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Re: Go Plant-Based (Vegan) Diet in January 2018
« Reply #91 on: February 01, 2018, 09:58:33 AM »
DanTheYogi I have been lurking, but I am curious what your typical day looks like, menu-wise.

Pre-kids, we ate 75% vegan, just because we preferred those options.  Now, we have some picky kids.  My son will eat beans with a LOT of "woe is me I have to eat beans" drama, and my daughter loves beans, but only with cheese sprinkled in excess.  Lunch boxes are a huge issue.  My son will eat almost any sandwich, so I have some good options for him.  Daughter hates bread of any kind.  Pasta salad is the only vegan dish they will both eat.  They will both eat hardboiled eggs, but beyond that they normally get a small portion of meat.  I'm open to ideas from other parents on how to slowly open them up to different cold food options for lunch.  They VERY begrudgingly will eat a small portion of nuts, but now that I'm thinking about it they both like guac (with chips)

They are old enough that they will just not eat rather than eat something they don't like, so "just pack it anyway" is not an option.  They are home alone for about 30 minutes each afternoon, so that would only result in them eating weird stuff when they get home to combat hunger.

I am a single 24 year old, so I can't help you with kids.  Though there are some good resources out there!

My menu is incredibly simple.  It keeps my stomach happy, I love the food, and I feel good eating it.

It is also very mustachian.  I buy giant bulk bags of beans and all types of whole grains, as well as bulk potatoes and frozen fruit/veg.  The bulk grains/beans/potatoes come out to cents per serving.

I eat the same "outline" of foods pretty much every day, just rotating different veg/grains, etc.  I rarely eat out.

Breakfast:
2.5 cups cooked oats (either rolled, steel cut, or whole groats)
1 cup fruit (blueberries lately, but also cherries, mango)
1 sliced banana
2 TBSP raisins (sometimes)
2 TBSP nuts/seeds (sometimes)

Lunch:
1.5 cup cooked whole grain (quinoa, brown rice, millet, buckwheat)
1 cup cubed potatoes (sweet or regular)
1 cup frozen veg mix (my primary veg mix is a 5.5 pound bag of frozen veg from Costco that contains peas/carrots/corn/green beans)
.5 cup beans (black, pinto, etc)

Dinner:  (usually the same as lunch but more food...  I eat a lot :))
2 cups cooked whole grain
1 - 1.5 cup cubed potatoes
1 cup frozen veg mix
1 cup beans
a HUGE heaping pile of greens, quickly steamed in my instant pot (kale or spinach usually)

I cook my foods in bulk to have enough for 4-5 days at a time.  I got an Instant Pot for Christmas, and now I couldn't imagine living without it.  I quite literally cook all my food in it.  From batches of grains, to batches of beans, to potatoes, to veg.  It is used anywhere from 1-3 times per day.

I usually eat about 6 hours apart. So say 6am, 12pm, 6pm.  My meals are extremely satiating, very low in calorie density, high in nutrient density, very fast, very cheap, and I really do love the food.  It is quite amazing how quickly your taste buds adapt once you stop overloading it with SOS (sugar, oil, salt).  I could easily sit down to a pound of steamed kale plain and go to town like it's a dessert.

imadandylion

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Re: Go Plant-Based (Vegan) Diet in January 2018
« Reply #92 on: February 01, 2018, 01:59:58 PM »
On the topic of supplements, I generally agree, but I think if you're taking a "normal" amount of supplements (as in, not overdoing it/going overboard/overcompensating) it couldn't "hurt" to have your bases covered, although you should get a snapshot of your vitamin/nutrient levels, if you can.

I recently got my blood test results and they came out normal, thankfully, except Vitamin D levels are still a little low, despite taking a daily liquid supplement.

Vegetarian meat -  I don't really like these that much, to be honest. When my partner and I first went vegan, we bought a few of these to try them out. I thought I liked them, but it was just a matter of a couple weeks where I decided it wasn't for me. They tasted good at first, but now I really don't like the idea of them (thinking specifically about Beyond Meat strips, Gardein, etc.).  The Beyond Meat burger version that most closely resembles meat was pretty good, and I don't think I would mind that, but I haven't been hankering to get it or anything.  Plus, it's much more inexpensive to eat less processed/whole plant proteins, like quinoa, beans, etc.  I can handle seitan as a meat substitute and have made that a few times because my partner loves it. It's also very inexpensive and easy to make.  If anyone wants to try, this is the recipe I used:
http://www.thatwasvegan.com/2012/01/30/my-favorite-chicken-style-seitan-recipe/

Mostly, I prefer tempeh and tofu if I want to buy something "meat-y" for convenience. Also, mushrooms are amazing if you are looking for something "meaty" - although I don't really think of them in that way, some people think their texture is "meaty." (Same with eggplant.)

Since other people are sharing food/recipe ideas, I also tried this snickerdoodle cookie recipe a couple times and I love it:
https://avirtualvegan.com/perfect-vegan-snickerdoodles/

DanTheYogi

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Re: Go Plant-Based (Vegan) Diet in January 2018
« Reply #93 on: February 01, 2018, 02:10:43 PM »
On the topic of supplements, I generally agree, but I think if you're taking a "normal" amount of supplements (as in, not overdoing it/going overboard/overcompensating) it couldn't "hurt" to have your bases covered, although you should get a snapshot of your vitamin/nutrient levels, if you can.



I understand your line of thinking, but I disagree with the bolded.

Supplements are not food.  While there may be some occassional medical instances where they are beneficial, they are usually useless (read: a waste of money and NOT mustachian) or even worse, harmful.

The supplement industry is completely unregulated.  Many independent labs have tested various different popular brands of supplements only to find that what the company claimed was in the supplement, was a mixture of different substances and sometimes didn't even contain any of the supposed product.

In many cases, our bodies are not equipped to handle substances in their isolated forms.  It is impossible to overdose on a vitamin/mineral when you get it from foods (EDIT: with a few exceptions, like heme iron).  OTOH, many supplements carry overdose risks, and some are linked to increased risks of chronic disease and all-cause mortality.

I am not saying that supplements are evil and you should never take them.  However, the thinking "just to be on the safe side", is misguided, IMO.

Dr. McDougall has a great newsletter on the exact subject:

https://www.drmcdougall.com/misc/2010nl/may/vitamins.htm

Another great read I would recommend that delves even deeper into the same topic is "Whole" by Colin Campbell.


On another note, I will share a recipe as well:

http://www.straightupfood.com/blog/2011/01/29/oatmeal-lemon-pancakes/

These are easily the best pancakes I have ever had.  Making them has become a Sunday morning ritual for me.  I have some pictures that I will upload when I get home.
« Last Edit: February 01, 2018, 02:12:55 PM by DanTheYogi »

imadandylion

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Re: Go Plant-Based (Vegan) Diet in January 2018
« Reply #94 on: February 01, 2018, 02:26:22 PM »
I think you might be looking to argue against things you feel strongly about, yet I haven't asserted any of those things you're mentioning... Like I said, I agree with you. I take Vitamin B12 and Vitamin D3 as my only supplements. I never stated anything about people needing over-supplementation (I wrote about the opposite, shortly), buying a multivitamin, nor would I ever try to assert supplements as a replacement for food. I understand both lines of thinking. I'm in the middle.  If someone is vegan, I advise education and supplementing with what is difficult to get (B12) and what can be, for some people, difficult to absorb (Vitamin D).  These are two commonly recommended supplements for vegans, which is only what I am referring to now and in my last post about supplements.  Sorry if that wasn't clear. Those points in the article you linked are great and valid for anyone who supplements for anything else, but it's not what I'm talking about. Like I said, my post is for the context of vegan and very specific supplements.

Edited for typo.
« Last Edit: February 01, 2018, 02:28:06 PM by imadandylion »

nessness

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Re: Go Plant-Based (Vegan) Diet in January 2018
« Reply #95 on: February 01, 2018, 03:09:53 PM »
Great thread. I haven't made the full transition to veganism yet but I've been trying to substantially reduce my intake of animal products. I'm down to about 3 servings a week of dairy or eggs and poultry/seafood maybe once a month.

Does anyone here have young kids? I have an almost 1-year-old and a 3-year-old, and I've struggled with how much animal products to allow them to eat. While in I believe it's possible in theory for toddlers to get all necessary nutrients from a vegan diet, in practice it seems difficult, and is complicated by the fact that they're in full-time daycare. Currently they eat whatever is served as daycare (which generally includes chicken or beef about 3 times a week) and eat what we eat at home, although I do buy cow's milk for them. The baby still nurses a couple times a day but I'd like to wean her in the next few months.

Malaysia41

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Re: Go Plant-Based (Vegan) Diet in January 2018
« Reply #96 on: February 01, 2018, 11:46:45 PM »
Great thread. I haven't made the full transition to veganism yet but I've been trying to substantially reduce my intake of animal products. I'm down to about 3 servings a week of dairy or eggs and poultry/seafood maybe once a month.

Does anyone here have young kids? I have an almost 1-year-old and a 3-year-old, and I've struggled with how much animal products to allow them to eat. While in I believe it's possible in theory for toddlers to get all necessary nutrients from a vegan diet, in practice it seems difficult, and is complicated by the fact that they're in full-time daycare. Currently they eat whatever is served as daycare (which generally includes chicken or beef about 3 times a week) and eat what we eat at home, although I do buy cow's milk for them. The baby still nurses a couple times a day but I'd like to wean her in the next few months.

My son is 12 and is totally vegan. He's fine.

My take is that if you're able to get a high dose 1x per week B12 supplement into your kids, are somehow making sure they're getting adequate vitamin D (esp in winter), (pretty much the whole discussion betwixt imadandylion and dantheyogi on bottom of page 2 of this thread), and are eating a wide variety of whole food plant based foods at home, they should be okay. 

That said, I'd test their blood levels every few months early on to make sure you're not missing anything.

Regarding cow's milk: I'd be cautious. There's some evidence that cows milk consumption in early childhood can trigger Type 1 diabetes. Plus it comes with baggage: saturated fat, hormones, sugars.  Studies are of course mixed on the diabetes link, but there's some evidence that it's the particular kind of casein present in normal dairy cows that's a problem. The casein in cows from other countries seems to not be a problem:

https://nutritionfacts.org/video/does-bovine-insulin-in-milk-trigger-type-1-diabetes/

Whether it triggers T1 diabetes or not, given the baggage I listed, I don't know of any reason why a person should favor cow's milk over say, almond milk or soy milk, rice milk or hazelnut milk, oat milk or split pea based milk like Ripple. Well, there could be allergies, but given the variety of options it would be hard to imagine at least one couldn't work. Another objection could be too many additives or processing, but again, there are so many options, if you do your homework, you can probably find a minimally processed plant based milk that works for your kids. 

Plus, I don't know if your motivations have anything to do with ethics, but the life of a dairy cow is brutal. Here's a video - but keep in mind it's snarky and punchy-in-the-facey and may come off as vegan propaganda if you're disinclined to believe the dairy industry is problematic. So if that's the case, I'd nudge you toward doing your research. As I did my own research, I couldn't find any credible evidence to debunk the claims Erin Janus makes. These are all, AFAIK, industry standard practices and in fact, necessary requirements of generating milk.

Are there particular reasons for giving your kids cow's milk? Genuinely curious (even as obviously you have clear evidence I've every reason to oppose the consumption of dairy milk :) ). Don't worry, I won't bite.
« Last Edit: February 02, 2018, 01:00:42 AM by Malaysia41 »

nessness

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Re: Go Plant-Based (Vegan) Diet in January 2018
« Reply #97 on: February 02, 2018, 06:29:07 AM »
@Malaysia41  primarily for the fat, which is important for toddler brain development. I'm sure the 3-year-old would be fine without it (and she chooses almond or flax milk as often as not), but I'm not really sure how else for the baby to get enough fat once I wean her. She doesn't like avocado and can't eat whole nuts or nut butters yet due to choking hazards, though I guess I could add more nuts to smoothies and stuff. I've only just started researching this stuff and will research further.

DanTheYogi

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Re: Go Plant-Based (Vegan) Diet in January 2018
« Reply #98 on: February 02, 2018, 08:17:07 AM »
I think you might be looking to argue against things you feel strongly about, yet I haven't asserted any of those things you're mentioning... Like I said, I agree with you. I take Vitamin B12 and Vitamin D3 as my only supplements. I never stated anything about people needing over-supplementation (I wrote about the opposite, shortly), buying a multivitamin, nor would I ever try to assert supplements as a replacement for food. I understand both lines of thinking. I'm in the middle.  If someone is vegan, I advise education and supplementing with what is difficult to get (B12) and what can be, for some people, difficult to absorb (Vitamin D).  These are two commonly recommended supplements for vegans, which is only what I am referring to now and in my last post about supplements.  Sorry if that wasn't clear. Those points in the article you linked are great and valid for anyone who supplements for anything else, but it's not what I'm talking about. Like I said, my post is for the context of vegan and very specific supplements.

Edited for typo.


Hmmm, this wasn't what I took from your post, but no worries then!  I do stand by my assertion that there is no reason to supplement vitamin D unless you have discussed it with a medical professional and established a clear medical deficiency, as well as weighed the pros and cons of supplementation.

@Malaysia41  primarily for the fat, which is important for toddler brain development. I'm sure the 3-year-old would be fine without it (and she chooses almond or flax milk as often as not), but I'm not really sure how else for the baby to get enough fat once I wean her. She doesn't like avocado and can't eat whole nuts or nut butters yet due to choking hazards, though I guess I could add more nuts to smoothies and stuff. I've only just started researching this stuff and will research further.

Hi nessness

I linked this video earlier up thread, but I'm going to share it with you again.  It is long, but it is also one of the most thorough/in-depth lectures I have seen on fats/essential fats/oil/nuts, etc.  It certainly gave me a new perspective on how much fat is actually necessary in any person's diet, regardless of what stage in the life cycle they are in.

https://youtu.be/g4TNhU3HR3o

nessness

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Re: Go Plant-Based (Vegan) Diet in January 2018
« Reply #99 on: February 02, 2018, 09:38:15 AM »
Thanks @DanTheYogi , I'll try to get to it this weekend.

 

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