The vegan and vegetarian thread!

[rollin_stoned]

Hello, fellow Bluelighters! I tried searching for a similar thread, but I couldn't find anything. Mods, if there's already an existing one, just point me in the right direction.

Although I choose a vegan lifestyle for both health and ethical reasons, I have plenty of friends who choose it solely because of the health benefits. Aside from my the ethics of this particular lifestyle, I strongly believe that everyone should at least adapt to a vegetarian lifestyle. The amount of growth hormones and antibiotics in animal food products is horrendous and does more bad than good to our bodies. The amount of protein that an average meat-eater consumes on a daily basis is double (and sometimes triple!) the recommended amount. More protein is NOT good! Protein is hard on the kidneys and can lead to renal failure. I forget exactly the science of it, but the calcium from cow and goat milk combined with eating such high amounts of protein from meat is ironically the cause of osteoporosis. When looking at a table of a country's ranking in the amount of milk drank on average compared to the rates of osteoporosis, they are both in the same rank with the U.S. being the worst.

This is a GREAT video of all of the health risks that come along with eating meat. (Only minor graphic content. It's not bad compared to a lot of the videos since it was a presentation at a school.)

I just think it would be good to have a thread on this topic because it is extremely healthy living. We can use this as a way to share awesome recipes, share success stories, weight loss pictures, health tips (sources of certain vitamins, fitness related), ask questions about which foods contain animal products and which don't and we can even provide support for those transitioning since it can be somewhat difficult within the first month.

I hope this thread gains some attention, let me know what you all think!

 

[ebola?]

The amount of protein that an average meat-eater consumes on a daily basis is double (and sometimes triple!) the recommended amount.

The RDA is set as a minimal level of intake to avoid exacerbation of health risks, not an optimal level of intake.

More protein is NOT good! Protein is hard on the kidneys and can lead to renal failure.

From what I've read, the level of protein intake necessary to cause deleterious consequences is quite high, near body-building levels.
...
I was a vegan for 6 years purely out of ethical concerns, but it led to taking on a healthier diet overall, if anything just because it led me to approach my food-intake as a self-conscious project. I'm not just lacto-ovo vegetarian because...overuse of pot made it impossible to ignore that cheese is delicious.

ebola

 

[rollin_stoned]

Have you ever tried Daiya cheese? It's absolutely delicious, and it actually melts! It doesn't just get slightly softer, It truly melts like real cheese!

Anyway, I'm sure a lot of people are eating near body-building levels of protein. It seems people include meat into every single thing that they eat. Not to mention the non-meat sources of protein that they're incorporating into their diets. Good for you for at least maintaining a lacto-ovo vegetarian diet though! Aside from the protein problem, meat is just generally bad for your health especially red meat. Have you ever seen Forks Over Knives?

 

[llama112]

I think you're looking for this thread:
http://www.bluelight.ru/vb/threads/548807-Any-vegans-in-the-house


I'm a vegetarian but I eat very few animal products (dairy, eggs, etc.) but I'm not a strict vegan for sure. Just trying to eat like 75-80% vegan. I've been a vegetarian for almost two years now, for ethical reasons. I still think veggie burgers and whatnot are delicious but I would not eat a real burger for sure!!!
Daiya cheese is so good :D

I tofu

 

[Mysterie]

i just switched to vegetarian a month ago and the changes are already kind of significant, i feel hungry less often as if the food is more sustaining, i recover faster from intense exercise, lighter and happier.

also i dont feel like im missing out on meat at all, vegetarian dishes are so yum, i want to try a portobello burger with sweet potato chips at the new burger store in town

 

[Foreigner]

There are pre-existing threads on this, but I'm cool with starting a new one for 2013.

My diet is predominantly vegetarian. I eat meat once or twice a week, as I've noticed I maintain better health that way. I've read that the sulphur-containing amino acids in the vegetarian diet tend to be lacking, which could account for why eating meat occasionally is enough to fortify me. Plus the iron and B12 content, I suppose. I also tend to eat it more in the winter, while in the summer I'm almost exclusively vegetarian. Since I started injecting B12 weekly I don't seem to have any red meat cravings either.

My dairy intake remains consistent, aside from milk which I hardly ever drink now. High fat yogurt, keifur, and butter are staples. I'll put some cheese on pasta if I'm having it, but my cheese intake has also declined naturally. I didn't decide to cut out milk and cheese, I've just had little interest in them for some reason.

 

[ebola?]

Have you ever tried Daiya cheese? It's absolutely delicious, and it actually melts! It doesn't just get slightly softer, It truly melts like real cheese!

Daiya cheese is delicious. My one problem with it is that its nutritional profile is nothing like cheese, the latter containing high concentrations of highly bioavailable protein. As I am currently riding my bike at a vigorous pace ~14 hours a week (training for a longer ride / trying to burn off some of that munchie-induced weight-gain), I really do need meals that are centered around protein.

BUUUT, now that I'm taking a break from pot and thus have my gustatory hedonistic impulses in check, I might just switch to an overall vegan diet come next shopping trip. BUUUT, I'm likely to move to Korea (where it's simply not practical to take on vegetarianism) at the end of this summer, so none of this matters much.

meat is just generally bad for your health especially red meat

Honestly, I think that dietary science is in its infancy and has not yet made any definitive conclusions. I also think that the statistical research linking consumption of red meat is rife with confounds. It's likely that consumption of processed meat (particular those high in fat and laden with nitrate preservatives) and lifestyle correlates of high red meat consumption accounts for the vast majority of the statistical association between consumption of red meat and heart disease.

ebola

 

[username13]

Not a vegan or veg. Just lived with one for many years now i cant cook meat anymore.

 

[Ninae]

Proud Vegetarianian since I was 18. I'm just not capable of all the denial and dissociation that goes into eating meat while at the same time loving animals, like most humans do (and lo and behold if you wake up this sleeping monster inside them - they won't thank you, that's fore sure.). It's one of those things everyone needs to find their way to on their own.

 

[Nately's Whore]

I was vegan for 3 solid years until the grim shackles of poverty lured me back into a life of cheap food.

I'm not proud, just prefer honest, pure food. (Nothing wrong with being proud mind you.)

I'm trying to get into a more macro-biotic approach. I'm not really big into foods in general - I'd happily liquify all raw foods and imbibe when the watch dings for sustenance if I could - but that's not in the cards right now.

Here's an interesting question -


...If I've been bitten by an eyelash viper - and HAVE antivenom on hand and a cursory knowledge on how to use it - is it still vegan to use seeing as it's 'milked' from snakes?

Urgent replies welcome I have about 6 minutes before I lose 3 fingers.

:D

Honestly, I think that dietary science is in its infancy and has not yet made any definitive conclusions. I also think that the statistical research linking consumption of red meat is rife with confounds. It's likely that consumption of processed meat (particular those high in fat and laden with nitrate preservatives) and lifestyle correlates of high red meat consumption accounts for the vast majority of the statistical association between consumption of red meat and heart disease.

I've done quite a bit of reading on the subject and as long as you're not overconsuming red meat there should be no problem. The human organism is supposed to have about a deck-of-cards sized piece of meat per diem if memory serves, regardless of type.

Dairy is the main concern here. Statistically good fish would be far better than HGH beef (assuming there's no mercury poisoning) but either cases are FAR better than continueing dairy products.

Maybe organic goat milk would be the only thing I'd wager to still be okay - sparingly though. My 2c

 

[Mysterie]

goat milk is gooooood

 

[Nately's Whore]

Cheese too! And goats are cute!

 

[pmz]

Have you ever tried Daiya cheese? It's absolutely delicious, and it actually melts! It doesn't just get slightly softer, It truly melts like real cheese!

Anyway, I'm sure a lot of people are eating near body-building levels of protein. It seems people include meat into every single thing that they eat. Not to mention the non-meat sources of protein that they're incorporating into their diets. Good for you for at least maintaining a lacto-ovo vegetarian diet though! Aside from the protein problem, meat is just generally bad for your health especially red meat. Have you ever seen Forks Over Knives?

chedder Daiya is the shit!!

But that into vegetarian chili and you got yourself one heck of a meal

 

[pmz]

goat milk is gooooood

almond milk!

 

[Nately's Whore]

Rat milk.

 

[Mysterie]

almond milk would be a better ideal than goats milk i think, just like anything good its a bit labour intensive to make your own

and if you buy it, it wouldnt be half as good + expensive if you got good almond milk

 

[borega]

iam a vegi. for 4 years now. I have overall been in good health but (!) have noticed, that esp. with recreational drug use (stimulants mostly), there is the need for some additional subs.! I have noticed that i have had a B12 deficit. the effects of taking a Vit. B komplex (a good one) helped me and my mood as well as overall energy a huge amount!
In Addition i started to take Omega 3 (linseed oil) as I dont eat any fish. resulst have to be seen but i guess it cant be bad for me!
I have some problem with Iron. I dont like nuts to much and while having no real problems myself, my gf (we have the same diet) has had so severe problems with Iron/mg/calcium and D3 that here Doc. literally freaked out and perscribed some subs. and tried to talk here back to eating meat!

What do you guys sub? anything special? Do you have problems of any kind?

Regards

 

[Maya]

I am not a vegetarian but I love vegetables. My favorites vegetable is OKRA or what is commonly called "lady fingers."




Okra is a popular vegetable in the Philippines and it is commonly used in Filipino dishes. I love eating OKRA on its own with vinegar and shrimp paste. Okra is high in fiber, vitamin C and Folate and is also a good source of calcium and potassium.

 

[SilverFeniks]

I've always been on the underweight side of the scale, but years of drug/alcohol abuse & a lack of exercise the past several years have me me concerned about my health, and it is hard to live with the hypocracy of meat consumption. Though I absolutely cannot live without dairy .. milk, yogurt, cheese, sour cream, these are a few of my favorite things...

I was raised in a meat-friendly home, but I've longed to be a vegetarian for many years. I don't dine on swine or
beef (except the rare burger...) but my love of chicken & turkey (and some fish) combined with my complete lack of imagination in meal preperation has made it impossible to stick with a vegetarian diet for long.

I eat a good share of fruits & veggies, but they tend to be the same ones as I am always weary / lazy in expanding my diet. Plus there are a lot that I just can't stand to eat. There is a good Summer Farmer's Market in my city.

Any suggestions on beginner vegetarianism? I dine on pretty basic foods, and my dinners are mostly mexican/italian based.
I should probably get some vegetarian cook books .. and a blender.
A girlfriend or roommate would help too

 

[dragonix]

I used to tell people I was vegan for health reasons but since I am not putting my face to these words I can be more honest than if I was hah now I am vegetarian loss the edge to stay vegan and even if ethical vegans wanna give me a hard time they are free to I am not violating the spiritual teachings i volunteered to follow by eating vegetarian would like to be vegan one day won't ever happen if I don't get sober cannot stay true to my values I neglect and abandon while altering my brain into the twilight zone end rant thanks



If I had to encourage or entice someone rather to try it would be I find it is delicious I am not hurting on satisfying options and to experience the health benefits but I also understand to each their own and just because say Native Americans eat meat doesn't mean I don't find their spirituality beautiful and respect them