Author Topic: Plant Based Nutrition--Vegan  (Read 22499 times)

payitoff

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Re: Plant Based Nutrition--Vegan
« Reply #50 on: January 28, 2014, 03:02:40 PM »
thanks for the recipe links! have you guys been going to trader joe's for some of your meals?  one reason i have to admit that made this option more realistic was some vegan restaurant near us, they make tofu taste like anything! it is so good, and i dont feel bloated after.

Metta

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Re: Plant Based Nutrition--Vegan
« Reply #51 on: March 10, 2014, 07:52:02 AM »
It's really nice to see so many veg*ns here! I've been a vegetarian for about 39 years and mostly vegan for about 29 (which lets you know that I'm old for early retirement -- age 52).

When I became a vegetarian there were very few processed vegetarian foods and meat analogs (just the Loma Linda products, soy milk, and tofu) so I learned to make what we needed. But the vegetarian revolution which brought us commercial products occurred simultaneously with our own income improvement so for a long time I bought gourmet vegetarian prepared foods (with the concomitant lifestyle cost inflation). I'm back to my own roots again and making our vegan proteins and fake cheeses and trying to reduce our food budget as I anticipate retirement and moving on to a new chapter in my life in about 2.5 years. I enjoy cooking (and eating!) but time is much harder to come by right now to make the truly elaborate items. So simple eating is where we are at right now.

I became a veg after reading Diet for a Small Planet as a young teen and being gifted with that book along with sprouting supplies. The idea that what I ate hurt other people who could not find enough to eat hurt my young soul and was my reason for becoming vegetarian.

I've been attracted to the Voluntary Simplicity movement for many years and some of our practices mirror those environmental practices. Some do not and we've drifted from our ideals. But we are moving back to them now. Progress, not perfection.
« Last Edit: March 10, 2014, 08:08:19 AM by Carolyn »

mariejm

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Re: Plant Based Nutrition--Vegan
« Reply #52 on: May 02, 2014, 08:48:10 AM »
I’ve been eating vegetarian-vegan for 7 years. I noticed major health increases amazingly, especially after I dropped dairy and meat. Over time I learned to add in more satisfying foods like root vegetables and less damaging foods like vegetable oils and tofu. My senses seemed to have really increased their ability to feel and see the world around me. Mustache articles woke me up to the mindset of our abundance and due to my sensitivy my body can feel it every day.

For people interested in vegan-vegetarian, I love to recommend Indian cookbooks because the meals are satisfying, flavorful, and varied. You can always do less spices in the beginning as you find what you like. I recommend the Vegan Indian Cooking by Anupy Singla for easy and quick veggies. I use a rice cooker for my basmati rice (1.5 cups water to 1cup rice) it takes no time. As a vegan I would avoid all tofu and soy recommendations and substitute more root veggies and coconut cream or coconut milk.

For a nutrition resource I recommend Timeless Secrets of Health and Rejuvenation by Andreas Moritz. This information is dense as he explains nuances about running the body clean with food water daylight and sleep. I receieved major health and energy increases after following his advice. From my experience I recommend center your diet on easy digested grains (white basmati rice, soaked and cooked grains: oats, spelt, kamut, millet) and I recommend several pounds of cooked fresh organic/local vegetables with requisite fats and salt. 3 square meals of this diet is satisfying. Drink water separate from meals.

I feel inspired by people starting out in the nutrition information, it took me many years to master it. I really enjoy sharing my tips and techniques to people starting out. Anyone with questions is welcome to private message and I can do my best to answer.

Diet: I eat 1.5lbs of cooked fresh veggies daily. 2 dried cups of grains. Organic lemons (T) as lemonade with raw honey, green tea in the morning replaces coffee. Grains are basmati rice (Indian Grocer $1/lb) or spelt chapati. Mung beans 2x per month, my protein stores are fine. Butter (T) is my primary fat as it is easiest for me to digest. Cconut oil (T) sesame oil (Vitacost) and olive oil (T Greek Kalamata) for variety.10-20 grams fat per meal. Enough salt

Vegetables: Sweet potatoes/ yams = satisfying nutritious and cheap (T). Steam, roast, or boil in a risotto. 1 tsp ginger and 1 tbs red onion as flavor. Coconut sugar as sweetness (T). Cumin and curry powder as spices. Redmond Real Salt (Vitacost) or the Premier Research Pink Salt (Naturally Healthy Concepts) as salt

I have a nutrition background and it is the Mustache family that gave me so much insight into money (personal finance was always confusing and never appeared clear). Happy to share nutrition knowledge for anyone in the beginning stages of changing how to eat.


*T = Trader Joes

NinetyFour

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Re: Plant Based Nutrition--Vegan
« Reply #53 on: May 02, 2014, 08:55:27 AM »
I’ve been eating vegetarian-vegan for 7 years. I noticed major health increases amazingly, especially after I dropped dairy and meat. Over time I learned to add in more satisfying foods like root vegetables and less damaging foods like vegetable oils and tofu. My senses seemed to have really increased their ability to feel and see the world around me. Mustache articles woke me up to the mindset of our abundance and due to my sensitivy my body can feel it every day.

For people interested in vegan-vegetarian, I love to recommend Indian cookbooks because the meals are satisfying, flavorful, and varied. You can always do less spices in the beginning as you find what you like. I recommend the Vegan Indian Cooking by Anupy Singla for easy and quick veggies. I use a rice cooker for my basmati rice (1.5 cups water to 1cup rice) it takes no time. As a vegan I would avoid all tofu and soy recommendations and substitute more root veggies and coconut cream or coconut milk.

For a nutrition resource I recommend Timeless Secrets of Health and Rejuvenation by Andreas Moritz. This information is dense as he explains nuances about running the body clean with food water daylight and sleep. I receieved major health and energy increases after following his advice. From my experience I recommend center your diet on easy digested grains (white basmati rice, soaked and cooked grains: oats, spelt, kamut, millet) and I recommend several pounds of cooked fresh organic/local vegetables with requisite fats and salt. 3 square meals of this diet is satisfying. Drink water separate from meals.

I feel inspired by people starting out in the nutrition information, it took me many years to master it. I really enjoy sharing my tips and techniques to people starting out. Anyone with questions is welcome to private message and I can do my best to answer.

Diet: I eat 1.5lbs of cooked fresh veggies daily. 2 dried cups of grains. Organic lemons (T) as lemonade with raw honey, green tea in the morning replaces coffee. Grains are basmati rice (Indian Grocer $1/lb) or spelt chapati. Mung beans 2x per month, my protein stores are fine. Butter (T) is my primary fat as it is easiest for me to digest. Cconut oil (T) sesame oil (Vitacost) and olive oil (T Greek Kalamata) for variety.10-20 grams fat per meal. Enough salt

Vegetables: Sweet potatoes/ yams = satisfying nutritious and cheap (T). Steam, roast, or boil in a risotto. 1 tsp ginger and 1 tbs red onion as flavor. Coconut sugar as sweetness (T). Cumin and curry powder as spices. Redmond Real Salt (Vitacost) or the Premier Research Pink Salt (Naturally Healthy Concepts) as salt

I have a nutrition background and it is the Mustache family that gave me so much insight into money (personal finance was always confusing and never appeared clear). Happy to share nutrition knowledge for anyone in the beginning stages of changing how to eat.


*T = Trader Joes

Thanks for sharing all that, mariejm!  Very interesting.  I am a huge fan of kamut.  Love that stuff.

Curious--why do you avoid tofu?

Also curious--why do you prefer white rice to brown rice?  I actually used to consume lots of rice before I discovered quinoa and kamut.  I haven't had rice in years now, but I'm still curious about your choice of white over brown.

Thanks!

DanielleS

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Re: Plant Based Nutrition--Vegan
« Reply #54 on: May 05, 2014, 09:32:44 AM »
I've been a vegetarian for 26 years and a vegan for one!!!

I started following Dr McDougall's vegan plan. I love the way I feel on it. It's similar to Esselstyn with no oil, but it's more to my liking with more starches (potatoes, sweet potatoes, whole grains, etc., less nuts). In reality all the plans (McDougall, Esselstyn, Engine 2 etc.) are very similar.

My husband was a vegetarian when I met him as well, and we both went vegan at the same time, so that certainly helps immensely.

A no-added-oil meal for me does not include tons of avocados, olives, etc. All whole foods have some fat in them so there's no need to force the consumption of fat. For instance, oatmeal has something like 18% fat, and we have that most mornings for breakfast. I think we get between 10-25% fat daily, depending on the menu.

I love eating huge salads and tons of vegetables. However, the great thing about the McDougall plan is it's starch-based, meaning the satiety comes from whole starches and grains, so I'm never still hungry after a meal. I think some people have this vision of a vegan as having a lettuce leaf wrapped around a carrot.

One of the best things about the no-added-oil diet? Doing the dishes now is SO EASY! No oil and no cheese = dishes that practically clean themselves.

NinetyFour

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Re: Plant Based Nutrition--Vegan
« Reply #55 on: May 05, 2014, 09:46:09 AM »
I like Dean Ornish's Spectrum guidelines:

http://www.ornishspectrum.com/proven-program/nutrition/

He has food sorted into 5 groups, from most healthful to least.

If you scroll down the page, he also has his guidelines placed into a nice pyramid.

Sanne

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Re: Plant Based Nutrition--Vegan
« Reply #56 on: May 18, 2015, 07:51:02 AM »
Bit late, but another vegan here.

I live in the Netherlands and here it can be pretty cheap, if you don't buy the meat/cheese replacers, that's not necessary anyway imo. Vegetables, potatoes, rice, beans are pretty cheap so if you stick to whole foods (and also don't buy food that's already peeled/sliced/whatever) and make your own meals, it can be cheaper than meat based meals, definitely.

Some prices to compare because I'm curious to know from you as well (from the cheaper shop where I buy groceries) ;)

Apples, 1 kilo: €0.69
Tomatoes: 1 kilo: €1
Potatoes, 5 kilo: €2.15 (sometimes for €1)
Avocado: €0.89
Cucumber: €0.49
Bananas, 1 kilo: €1.29

big_slacker

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Re: Plant Based Nutrition--Vegan
« Reply #57 on: May 18, 2015, 08:28:06 AM »
Another one here. I don't consider myself in the vegan club but yes I eat 99% plant based whole foods and yes I do give a shit about the planet and gross mistreatment of animals.

I've been eating this way for 3? years or so, although I never really ate a bunch of dairy being lactose intolerant. I did used to eat over a pound of meat a day thinking I needed the protein as a lifelong lifter/amateur athlete.

I've done many diet experiments over the years so it wasn't SO crazy for me to try this. I got convinced by a number of sources at once. A buddy at work was doing it with his wife, and I got introduced online to Rich Roll, Frank Medrano and Mac Danzig all in the same period. I figured what the hell, those guys are athletes and it seems to work for them.

I initially phased out red meat first, then chicken and was just eating a little fish. Went on a work trip (I always buy my own food) and just tried that 2 week period without meat. Never really had any muscle loss or performance drops like I was scared of, looking back that's pretty hilarious. So I just kept it up.

Wifey does eat dairy and occasional meat but at the most the meat around the house is a bag of beef jerky.

In terms of cost like everyone else it's what you make of it. Our food costs were quite high when we just bought everything organic without regard to what is on sale. These days it's a lot of rice 'n beans, brown rice pasta, big tubs of organic greens and costco frozen fruit for smoothies, oatmeal from costco and so on. Actually cheaper than when I was meat eating so heavily.

iknowiyam

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Re: Plant Based Nutrition--Vegan
« Reply #58 on: May 18, 2015, 08:53:29 AM »
Apples, 1 kilo: €0.69
Tomatoes: 1 kilo: €1
Potatoes, 5 kilo: €2.15 (sometimes for €1)
Avocado: €0.89
Cucumber: €0.49
Bananas, 1 kilo: €1.29

Cheap apples! I generally pay $0.60-$1.00 per pound for apples when they are in season. Your potatoes are cheap too!

Oh, and yes, I am a vegetarian now for 16 years! I agree with Sanne processed meat substitutes are not really necessary, although I do get them sometimes.
« Last Edit: May 18, 2015, 08:55:18 AM by iknowiyam »

EAL

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Re: Plant Based Nutrition--Vegan
« Reply #59 on: May 18, 2015, 09:03:24 AM »
I have been vegetarian for almost 11 years and within those 11 years, I've been vegan for about 4 years.  It started out because I was grossed out by meat and that's the main reason I continue to not eat meat. I become vegan after reading The China Study and other literature about the benefits of a vegan diet.  I also see the ethical reasons behind it as well as the environmental reasons. Meat eating in the numbers our society eats is not sustainable. I truly believe that there will come a point when we have eaten most of our animal food resources and only the most wealthy will be able to afford meat. 

From a financial perspective, I do notice the difference when I buy groceries for my husband. My husband is a big meat eater and when he is gone (he's in the army) our groceries bill drops more than 75% This is not simply because its one less person but because the meat he buys adds up. Sometimes when I buy it at the grocery store I cringe at how much it costs.  Also, dairy is very expensive. When I'm not buying meat and dairy the difference in the grocery bill is huge. 

Squirrel away

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Re: Plant Based Nutrition--Vegan
« Reply #60 on: May 18, 2015, 09:11:57 AM »
I've been vegan for nine years and I think a vegan diet can be as cheap or expensive as you want it to be. I live in England near London so there are quite a few great veg restaurants here but since cutting down on our spending I haven't been to eat out as much.

I'm not really bothered by the health benefits as I think it is possible to be healthy and eat meat and dairy so my decision was purely ethical.

Vegan foods like lentils, beans, rice, pasta, bread, porridge (oats) and frozen veggies are all fairly cheap and healthy if you want to cut down your grocery bill.:) You can make any number of dishes with these ingredients.

Mesmoiselle

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Re: Plant Based Nutrition--Vegan
« Reply #61 on: May 18, 2015, 09:24:49 AM »
I'm curious. How many here would consider themselves vegan/vegetarian whose diet is plant centered?

I know MMM is not a vegetarian by any means, but it seems to me eating a WFPB whole foods plant based diet not only is healthy, but a huge step in saving money.

For those of you who don't follow a plant centered diet, I ask you to please not respond to this post. I'd like to hear just from those who eat a WFPB diet, perhaps how they came upon that way of eating and how it saves them money.

Thank you.

I went vegetarian almost 7 years ago, vegan 3.5 years ago. The choice to go vegan was 70/30 ethics/health. After removing eggs from my diet, with no weight loss, my blood pressure returned to normal within two weeks. So that really encouraged me when  first began.

Depending on how frugal I'm trying to be... I have managed to be as low as $90/per person/per month. Lately, it has been more like $250/per person/per month. I want to get it down to $150/per person/per month but it is hard to do if you want to involve FRESH fruits and FRESH vegetables. In the case of cilantro, parseley, lettuces, you can absolutely save money with a garden. I buy a lot of veggies frozen because the fresh ones are always too crazy expensive. I restrict myself too 99c/lb vegetables or less.

 I have done some research on local prices and the bare minimum to meet nutritional requirements with caloriecount.com

One can get down to $45/per person/per month just like Jacob from ERE seems to. It's a very restrictive grocery list, in my opinion, one that tempts me little as someone who loves ethnic food.

Pinto beans
Potatoes
Carrots
Onions
Cabbage
Canola Oil
Pasta
Tomato cans
Peanut Butter
Bananas at 29c/lb
Chili powder
Garlic Powder
Salt

There may be 1-3 more items on that list that I can't recall. But that is cheap eating while maintaining the necessary micro nutrients . If you had a well stocked pantry to start off with, of various spices, there i s a lot you can do with that list.

Spaghetti, pad thai (would need soy sauce and sugar), roasted cabbage and potatoes, refried beans from scratch that you could top your potatoes with, chili pinto bean soup.

purplepear

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Re: Plant Based Nutrition--Vegan
« Reply #62 on: May 18, 2015, 10:07:36 AM »
I've been vegetarian for almost 4 years now. I flirt with veganism every once in a while, and I'm trying to move to a casual vegan diet (i.e. If there's butter on something at a restaurant, I won't freak out. But I'll cook vegan at home). My reasons are 70/30 ethics/health. I try to follow a plant-based diet and avoid any processed foods.

Cutting out dairy made a huge difference in my grocery budget. I try to buy produce when it's in season and on sale, freezing the extra if needed. I stock up on dry protein sources like bulk nuts, beans, lentils, etc.

Eating out vegetarian is almost always cheaper (although eating out is always expensive compared to cooking).

FrugalShrew

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Re: Plant Based Nutrition--Vegan
« Reply #63 on: May 18, 2015, 10:11:46 AM »
Some of the keys to keeping a vegetarian diet cheap that I have found are:

1) basing meals around nutritious & filling ingredients that are also cheap (rice, beans, and vegetable oil are my three staples; I rotate in other grains, other oils, and nuts in smaller amounts),
2) avoiding processed foods as much as possible,
3) learning how to cook, which makes achieving 1 and 2 an adventure in gastronomic delight instead of deprivation,
4) avoiding recipes with a lot of ingredients that are expensive/I don't have, and
5) finding sources for affordable produce -- for me, that generally means a combination of farmers markets and a solid produce market.

Like everything else, cultivating a vegetarian diet that is cheap, healthy, varied, and delicious can be difficult in the beginning stages, especially if you are trying to do it all at once. I have made many mistakes over the last few years while learning how to cook, but it has been so worth it. When I realized that I actually preferred my own cooking to 99% of restaurant food because it *tasted better* (not just for financial and/or health reasons), I was astounded. In part, this is because I can cater to my own preferences. Whether you're vegetarian or not, learning how to cook is so rewarding!


Davin

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Re: Plant Based Nutrition--Vegan
« Reply #64 on: May 18, 2015, 03:27:42 PM »
Some of the keys to keeping a vegetarian diet cheap that I have found are:

1) basing meals around nutritious & filling ingredients that are also cheap (rice, beans, and vegetable oil are my three staples; I rotate in other grains, other oils, and nuts in smaller amounts),
2) avoiding processed foods as much as possible,
3) learning how to cook, which makes achieving 1 and 2 an adventure in gastronomic delight instead of deprivation,
4) avoiding recipes with a lot of ingredients that are expensive/I don't have, and
5) finding sources for affordable produce -- for me, that generally means a combination of farmers markets and a solid produce market.

Like everything else, cultivating a vegetarian diet that is cheap, healthy, varied, and delicious can be difficult in the beginning stages, especially if you are trying to do it all at once. I have made many mistakes over the last few years while learning how to cook, but it has been so worth it. When I realized that I actually preferred my own cooking to 99% of restaurant food because it *tasted better* (not just for financial and/or health reasons), I was astounded. In part, this is because I can cater to my own preferences. Whether you're vegetarian or not, learning how to cook is so rewarding!

This is more or less what we do too, having switched a few months ago from vegetarian to a PBWF diet. Now we don't even want to go out to eat, since my S.O. makes the food we like better than just about anyone we could pay to do it for us. The fact that it is healthier and cheaper is almost a bonus, although that is why we originally got into it.

purplepear

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Re: Plant Based Nutrition--Vegan
« Reply #65 on: May 18, 2015, 03:54:45 PM »
Some of the keys to keeping a vegetarian diet cheap that I have found are:

1) basing meals around nutritious & filling ingredients that are also cheap (rice, beans, and vegetable oil are my three staples; I rotate in other grains, other oils, and nuts in smaller amounts),
2) avoiding processed foods as much as possible,
3) learning how to cook, which makes achieving 1 and 2 an adventure in gastronomic delight instead of deprivation,
4) avoiding recipes with a lot of ingredients that are expensive/I don't have, and
5) finding sources for affordable produce -- for me, that generally means a combination of farmers markets and a solid produce market.

Like everything else, cultivating a vegetarian diet that is cheap, healthy, varied, and delicious can be difficult in the beginning stages, especially if you are trying to do it all at once. I have made many mistakes over the last few years while learning how to cook, but it has been so worth it. When I realized that I actually preferred my own cooking to 99% of restaurant food because it *tasted better* (not just for financial and/or health reasons), I was astounded. In part, this is because I can cater to my own preferences. Whether you're vegetarian or not, learning how to cook is so rewarding!

This is more or less what we do too, having switched a few months ago from vegetarian to a PBWF diet. Now we don't even want to go out to eat, since my S.O. makes the food we like better than just about anyone we could pay to do it for us. The fact that it is healthier and cheaper is almost a bonus, although that is why we originally got into it.

I hate eating out and realizing that I could've cooked a better meal. I usually try to restrict my eating out to cuisines I haven't mastered yet (Indian, Thai, really really good pizza, etc). I refuse to pay $12 to eat a veggie burger or some other dish I could've made at home cheaper & healthier.

NinetyFour

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Re: Plant Based Nutrition--Vegan
« Reply #66 on: July 30, 2015, 01:56:49 PM »
I really enjoyed reading these comments.  Makes me hungry for REAL food!  Thanks for sharing your ideas and experiences!

genesismachine

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Re: Plant Based Nutrition--Vegan
« Reply #67 on: July 30, 2015, 10:17:48 PM »
I've been vegetarian now for 12 years, and vegan for 4. When I first started, it was 100% for the animals, and at the time, the common belief was that you were hurting your health, but I did it anyways. Now, in a strange way, the research has begun to surface showing it's actually healthier.

Anyways, you can eat crap or good, or cheap or expensive. But I will say this, there is no food you could eat that's as bad as a double cheeseburger. You will never eat any cholesterol (by definition, vegan foods do not have cholesterol) and have almost no trans fat whatsoever (only found in hydrogenated oils, no other vegan food).

I think there is a beautiful simplicity to it all. Life does become simpler. I realized a year ago that there was no point to refrigerating food anymore. You would never eat milk left outside for 2 days, but an apple? Vegetables can be left outside for as long as weeks depending on what it is. In the same way, most food (chopped up and cooked vegetables basically) really doesn't need refrigeration if you eat it in less than 2-3 days (use your judgement). I now make dinner, leave it in the pot, eat from it whenever and just pack lunches from it the next morning or the day after. That saves me the time/effort of transferring it between various containers, having to wash the containers, etc... This whole refrigeration thing is really a big simplifier in food prep/storage. You also pretty much don't have to worry about bacteria on cutting boards/contamination/etc...

I'm sure that saves us money. Food waste is definitely down drastically, but I'm less OCD about cleaning and refrigerating and all that. So it's a win-win. On the food waste front, I used to toss Broccoli all the time since it goes bad or wilts so quickly. Now I buy frozen. Some canned/frozen foods are the cheaper way to go, especially if food waste is an issue.
« Last Edit: July 31, 2015, 07:10:29 AM by genesismachine »

bauhauss

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Re: Plant Based Nutrition--Vegan
« Reply #68 on: October 29, 2015, 09:27:08 PM »
Not vegan nor vegetarian, but I cut red beef at ~6 months. I'm trying it for ethics purpose, but it's not easy, because I love meat. I'm still in pouldry and fish.
« Last Edit: October 29, 2015, 09:29:04 PM by bauhauss »

DanielleS

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Re: Plant Based Nutrition--Vegan
« Reply #69 on: October 30, 2015, 05:22:31 PM »
My husband and I have been WFPB for 3.5 years. We've had great health and lost weight. We follow the Dr. McDougall starch-based diet. It's great, lots of rice, potatoes, sweet potatoes, corn, whole wheat bread, vegetables (I'm a certified veg-o-holic), fruits, a little dessert :)

I had tried to go vegan (was a vegetarian for a looonnnnggg time) but could never stop being starving all the time until I found Dr. McDougall's plan. Basing each meal on starches keeps me full. I still eat a lot of food but I don't have that "I've been eating vegetables all day and I still feel like I'm going to faint from hunger" feeling.

It's a great way to keep costs down, as you said. No matter where in the world we travel, we can always find some whole starches to eat, plus some great local fruits and vegetables. Plus, cooking and eating without oil makes doing the dishes so easy.

IMO if you don't have a plan to deal with the overabundance of bad food in this modern society, there's pretty much two ways you can end up: 1. half-dead from exercising or 2. overweight. I'm so happy I was researching vegan diets and found Dr. McDougall's website those 3.5 years ago. I am not sure how I ended up there, just searching through WFPB information on the internet. I also watched Forks Over Knives at that point. I feel a lot of gratitude for all the free information John and Mary McD. provide, plus the research of T. Colin Campbell and Caldwell Esselstyn.

The_path_less_taken

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Re: Plant Based Nutrition--Vegan
« Reply #70 on: October 30, 2015, 08:02:49 PM »
I would be generally okay with home laid eggs from a cruelty or environmental standpoint, but dude.  My neighbors have chickens and they are truly free range and run all over the place.  I have seen them do things such as eat cat food, which is probably made from other chickens...




Heh heh...you have no idea. Remember the Velociraptors in Jurassic Park? Big chickens.

They'll eat live mice, dead anything, and even peck at each other if they're in a pissy mood: they killed one rooster by picking at the pretty feathers on his butt and when the feathers were gone they kept picking.

You know those disgusting potato bugs? Chickens will eat 'em. Ick.

(sorry, forgot I was on the vegan thread) I prob get 80% of my food from veggie sourcing, but I do eat wild fish. And every now and then, chicken.

(not mine though: they have names)

alleykat

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Re: Plant Based Nutrition--Vegan
« Reply #71 on: October 31, 2015, 07:30:39 AM »
I went mostly vegetarian/vegan almost two years ago. I don't know if I have seen a savings really but I never keep track anyway. I did it for ethical reasons. After seeing If Slaughter Houses Had Glass Walls and Earthlings I was pretty much done. I didn't realize animals were treated with such cruelty. How heartbreaking.  I really am trying to go vegan but I am still having eggs and cheese, baked goods etc.   However, as far as savings, it really just comes down to what you buy.  I don't know that I have noticed a savings after switching over.

KCalla

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Re: Plant Based Nutrition--Vegan
« Reply #72 on: October 31, 2015, 10:41:59 AM »
Lots of great tips on these posts.  We are primarily plant based, what some call "flexitarian".  We did it for the health advantages, which have been significant.  Esselstyn (both Dr. (the Dad) and Rip (the son) have great books and recipes.  Ornish was an early inspiration.  McDougall has wonderful books and website with great forum. 
We supplement with B12 during long stretches without any fish.  There are SO many online resources for recipes and ideas.  The two i would most highly recommend for health related WFPB interests are:  Fatfreevegan.com (every recipe I've tried under the "Susan's Blog" heading has been fabulous) and HappyHealthyLongLife.com (particularly the facebook page which is really a treasure trove of food and health related current research).
A fun Facebook page is Plant-Fueled Trucker.
We love to cook, and we enjoy both more simple, straightforward cooking and complex creations.  Cooking is one of our hobbies, so we are not frugal with related "toys"s or cookbooks.  None of the toys are necessary to cook and eat this way, but we love our high speed blender, food processor (great thrift store find on that!), Instant Pot electric pressure cookers, etc. 
Isa Chandra Moskowitz (already mentioned above: Post Punk Kitchen and Skye Michael Conroy have been lifechanging guides to making our own vegan sausage. 
Miyoko Schinner has gotten us started on the homemade cultured vegan cheese path.  Conroy also has cheese recipes as does the HappyHealthyLongLife facebook page.
Because we do this for health reasons, we minimize our use of oils/fats (even though these can be plant based)
For those of us who are not self identified as vegan, it is often easier to communicate using the term as an adjective (I usually follow a vegan diet).  I don't want to  irritate  vegans (as a self descriptive noun) or inaccurately describe my choices by referring to myself as a vegan when, like a poster above, I do not avoid leather or honey nor do I have a personal problem meat, eggs or dairy as diet choices.  I appreciate the original poster's us of whole food, plant based for its inclusivity.
For us, it is a fun and creative way to cook and has had significant health benefits.  There was a learning curve, but it wasn't hard, just different.