Hi

I am a newbie. I am trying to become vegetarian. I have cut down on meat a lot (the only time I eat it now is at tea time (6pm ish) and I only eat a small amount then to bulk up my meal (otherwise I would end up snacking on chocolate) I try not to have any during the day, although I have occasionally, found it difficult to think of what to eat and have wound up eating chicken.

I have initially started to increase the amount of veggies I eat and have sampled new foods that I hadn't eaten before (different types of beans for example) but I can't eat beans every day or I'll have a serious windy problem!

Speaking of which, I took a trip to Windy City last night after eating Quorn (Mycoprotein) My stomach bloated and it hurt (not to extremes but I was completely uncomfortable with it all night and it was enough to put me off eating the stuff ever again)

I've read other people post the same kind of experiences with regard to soy products.

Is this typical of this kind of food? If so, what else can I eat?

I really would like to cut out meat altogether but not if soy/mycoprotein is going to cause me pain and bloatedness like last night.

Any ideas?

Thanks

Helen

Hey Doll,
Shame that you had this expirience, i love Quorn! But any way theres Tofu and Soya too- Tofu can be quite yummy if it's the good stuf. There are also protine in eggs (unless you're quitting them?), Avacados, Lentils, beans and pulses also- i use carbs ans pulses to bulk up my meals. Try snacking on grapes etc or low fat yogurt- oh who ami kidding- you NEED chocolate. Hope that helps :pibo:

I would suggest trying to different stuff. If you live in an area that vegetarian restaraunts, try the various faux-meat products they may offer. Other than that, just try different stuff: tofu, tempeh, seitan (wheat protein), textured soy protein, and the Boca/Gardenburger/Morning Star/Tofurkey/etc variety of products.
Good luck
and
Cheers

Just to be sure we're clear... Quorn is soy-free, so if you had a problem with Quorn, it does NOT mean you have a soy problem. Your post was a little unclear on that. (PS: I love Quorn.)

I don't think it's typical. There are some people here who say they have a problem with soy, but my impression is they're a minority. I have a slight problem with just certain products. For example, if I eat Morningstar Farms Burger Crumbles, it gives me some poo issues, but it doesn't make me violently ill or anything. I can eat pretty much anything else with no trouble.

While you're experimenting with new foods, it might be a good idea to keep a journal so you can keep track of which brands and products you like/don't like and which make you sick. Hopefully it won't be very many.

It is entirely possible that you are allergic to Quorn. There are many food allergies that exist: dairy, peanuts, soy, corn, wheat, etc. Many cases have appeared where people report being allergic to Quorn products as well. You are not alone and I wouldn't be surprised if this is exactly what you're experience. Do an internet search for "quorn allergy" and you'll find more.

If you find you are allergic to quorn that does not imply that you are allergic to the other foods I listed. They are all independent of one another. So I suggest you look for alternative meat-free products that do not contain quorn.

As several here have mentioned, for the record, Quorn is is a brand-name for a mycoprotein product. It is not made of soy. It also is not made of CORN - It does tend to bother some people, but then so do other things - soy, wheat, dairy - just keep experimenting 'till you find what works for you....

I think the idea of keeping a food diary is great - you don't have to eat beans every day but if you continue to eat reasonable amounts every few days or so, your body WILL get used to the extra fiber too.

I eat a legume of some sort at least once a day, sometimes twice, (garbanzos, lentils, refried, chili, bean salad, etc...) and have little problem with gas unless I eat something really unusual, or eat way more than I should, (yeah, I know, TMI) anyway - good luck, and keep hanging in there, you'll get used to it....

Thanks folks

I understand mycoprotein and soy are different things and having a problem wih one doesn't necessarily mean I'll have a problem with the other. I hav eaten Linda McCartney vegetarian sausages (they are made with rehydrated textured wheat protein) and I am fine with them, in fact, I really like them, so that's good.

I just asked about soy because I had read posts from people saying it gave them bad gas/stomach problems.

The thing with me is, if something upsets my stomach, I'm very reluctant to eat it again.

I will definately keep a food diary. My mum suggested eating just ONE new food at a time and not a whole plate full of new food, otherwise I won't know which one is the culprit.

Thanks again everyone!

Helen

My mum suggested eating just ONE new food at a time and not a whole plate full of new food, otherwise I won't know which one is the culprit
Also a very good suggestion, particulary if you're the kind of person who tends to be sensitive to a lot of things.

i've never tried quorn since it isn't vegan and i like the health is wealth chicken free patties. well, they're okay. i usually have them w/ spaghetti sauce on nice bread.

i have tried to post a website that has info about a lot of people getting sick from quorn but it says i cant post a url if you do a yahoo search on quorn a whole list of stuff comes up about people getting sick

I <3 Quorn. I wouldn't get too freaked out, any major change in diet will probably cause a bit of tummy ickyness. I'd give it another try.

The thing with me is, if something upsets my stomach, I'm very reluctant to eat it again.


I think this is a good policy. Most people avoid foods they are allergic/intolerant to. Why would you want to give yourself a stomach ache? I say if your body doesn't agree with the food, then don't eat it.

quorn is a protein, and many allergies are towards proteins. It's a fungus,a bit like mushrooms, so many people who have intolerances to mushrooms may experience a quorn allergy.

There have been calls in the US to ban quorn since a few people are allergic to it, but it looks as though you may be one of those people, so i'd say that it may be an idea to avoid it.

Soya-based foods are completely different, so you'll probably be fine with them.

quorn is a protein, and many allergies are towards proteins. It's a fungus,a bit like mushrooms

Although Quorn is a fungus it is not closely related to the mushroom. It is closer to molds, which are also fungi.

I heard this somewhere (I think on these boards). "Quorn is about as close to a mushroom as humans are to jellyfish."

I eat a lot of soy products, but that Quorn **** has always made me queasy. I would just avoid that. How do you prep your soy / tofu usually?

Thanks you. I won't be eating Quorn again. And it seems I'm not the only one!

I haven't tried soy or tofu products yet... but I will do soon!

I'll report back when I have tried them.

Helen

Posted this in another quorn thread - CSPI has received numerous complaints about people having allergic reactions to quorn. It's not vegan so I've never tried it but it sounds pretty nasty:

http://www.cspinet.org/quorn/

Quorn is the brand name of meat substitutes that are made from a vat-grown fungus. Some people have dangerous allergic reactions to the fungus and suffer nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and occasionally hives or difficulty breathing. Some people react the first time they eat Quorn, while some react only after building up a sensitivity.

Medical studies have proven that Quorn's fungal ingredient is an allergen, but the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and the United Kingdom's Food Standards Agency still allow its sale. The Center for Science in the Public Interest, a non-profit food-safety organization based in Washington, D.C., has heard from more than 600 consumers in Europe and the United States who have suffered reactions to Quorn.

Despite what some of the manufacturer's (Marlow Foods) marketing materials indicate, the fungus used in Quorn is only distantly related to mushrooms, truffles, or morels. While all are members of the fungus kingdom, Quorn is made from a less appetizing fungus (or mold) called Fusarium venenatum.

CSPI urges consumers to avoid Quorn and urges natural-foods retailers like Whole Foods not to sell this product that is dangerous to sensitive individuals. Consumers who have experienced adverse reactions to Quorn may report them here.

I love how people get so worked up about Quorn being made from fungus. :rolleyes:

I love how people get so worked up about Quorn being made from fungus. :rolleyes:

Well I've heard it's actually closer taxonomically to Athletes Foot than it is to corn. :spew:

All edible fungi are taxonomically closer to athlete's foot than to corn. Big deal. But then I guess I'm just open-minded that way. So I guess you wouldn't eat ustilago, aka corn smut, either. That's considered a delicacy in Mexico, and is a traditional remedy for smooth muscle cramps as well.

I love quorn it tastes good.
I would eat anything icky but then again if it tastes good who wouldnt?

CSPI urges consumers to avoid Quorn and urges natural-foods retailers like Whole Foods not to sell this product that is dangerous to sensitive individuals. Consumers who have experienced adverse reactions to Quorn may report them here.

Should they also urge retailers not to sell peanuts? Dairy products?

Regarding CSPI - I believe they are scare mongers with their own agenda. Their campaign on getting Quorn banned in the U.S. was a dismal failure. The FDA could find nothing wrong with Quorn! Quorn got it's start in England where vegetarians made it extremely popular, and eat it in vast quantities to this day. I have no problem eating fungus - which mushrooms are.

I really enjoy Quorn, and am very grateful that it's around, but anyone can develop an allergy to anything in life. But I'm thinking, what else did you eat with your Quorn? If you ate a lot of fibrous vegetables or grains, they could have been the problem instead, making you gassy, etc. Just a thought!

Should they also urge retailers not to sell peanuts? Dairy products?
That's what I'm saying!

What about latex comdoms? Latex gloves? Peanuts? Tree-nuts? Flowers?

Please. Things are allergens to some people, that doesn't at all mean that they shouldn't be sold.

PS-to the OP, try getting tofu at a chinese/Japanese/Thai resturant. :lick:. That is the best stuff.

I agree about the scaremongering. People are allergic to different things. I'm allergic to cats, should I start a campaign to ban cats from my town?

And I love Quorn, especially the tenders.