[Persephone]

I just finished watching Super Size Me, Food Inc., and King Corn. Now I'm 100% sure that I need to become a vegetarian to support a more environmentally sustainable and healthy world. But, I really don't know how to do it in a healthy way given that I can't eat any of the protein substitutes most vegetarians I know use. I've tried just eating spaghetti with vegetables in olive oil or tomato sauce, but it makes me sick (diarrhea). If I add a little chicken to it, my body seems to be able to digest the pasta better.

So, does anyone have any idea of what I can use to substitute meat given my inability to eat soy, nuts, beans, and rice? I'm also lactose intolerant and allergic to citrus, peaches, and melons if that makes a difference.

Thanks in advance for your help!

 

[penny79]

I wouldn't say it's a substitute for meat, but any healthy diet should include dark green leafy vegetables.

 

[silva]

You're also gluten intolerant? You didn't mention that, but you say pasta made you sick. I've never heard of meat helping with that.

Have you actually been tested, or are you going by experience? I mean, lots of people say beans give them real bad digestive issues, but sometimes it's just getting used to more fiber, or learning to cook them in different ways. Ex., kombu (a sea veg) added to cooking liquid has helped many with gas. Sometimes just presoaking and rinsing helps.

How about fermented soy? Tempeh? Many with soy allergies can eat it if fermented.

I think we need we more info before suggestions.

There are many (like Penny79!) who avoid those foods regardless!

A whole food well rounded diet can incorporate enough protein.

 

[jason1977]

Quote:

Originally Posted by penny79

I wouldn't say it's a substitute for meat, but any healthy diet should include dark green leafy vegetables.

I second that! Bok Choy & Broccoli sprouts are excellent, as are spinach & kale.

Have you considered something like a protein shake? Perhaps a vegan version of Boost or Ensure? (not sure what it would be, not terribly familiar w. brands but I'm sure it wold be loaded w. protein & vitamins & minerals)

Perhaps something from GNC? Try a GNC or maybe go to a specialty food store like Earth Fare or Whole Foods or whichever store specializes in organic / veg'n / vegan foods & goods & ask. If ya gimme a minute, I'll do some digging.

 

[jason1977]

http://www.savvyvegetarian.com/blog/advice/wanna-be-vegetarian-allergic-to-nuts-soy

Beans, lentils and whole grains would be your main sources of protein if you want to be egg and dairy free. Otherwise you could include those.

Seitan (or wheat gluten) is another possibility. You can make your own but it's also readily available in stores right next to the tofu.

Is it just tree nuts that you're allergic to, or peanuts too? Can you eat seeds, such as sunflower, pumpkin, sesame and flax? If so, that expands your protein sources. For instance, you can eat hummus!

here's a list of 20 other common vegan foods and their protein content:

1. Beans (white) - 19g per cooked cup

2. Lentils - 18g per cooked cup

3. Polenta - 17g per cup

4. Chickpeas - 12g per cup

5. Whole wheat spaghetti - 14g per 2 cooked cups

6. Beans (kidney) - 15g per cooked cup

7. Brown Rice - 16g per cup, uncooked

8. Bagel (average) - 9g

9. Peanuts - 9g per 1/4 cup

10. Almonds - 6g per oz

11. Oatmeal - 8g per cup

12. Whole wheat wrap, small - 8g per wrap

13. Peanut Butter - 8g per 2 Tablespoons

14. Wheat Bread - 5 to 18g per two slices

15. Veggie Burger - 5g to 24g per patty

16. Grapenuts - 12g per cup

17. Peas - 5g per cooked cup

18. Spinach - 5g per cooked cup

19. Broccoli - 4g per cup

20. Wheat Gluten (to make seitan) - 49g per 1/4 cup (or 5g per tablespoon)

~that's a good link & a good place to get started.

EDIT: lol, I was way off w. the protein shakes....

 

[Persephone]

Wow! Thanks for all the quick replies everyone.

With regards to the question of true allergy or intolerance, I'm intolerant. Although, the intolerance is pretty severe and mimics a true allergy: with nuts and citrus, for example, the skin in and around my mouth becomes quite irritated, my tongue swells, and I'll have three days of alternating constipation and diarrhea--twice I've had cramping so bad that I nearly called an ambulance because I was having trouble breathing. With rice--all kinds--my skin breaks out and I get these stomach cramps that are so bad that the doctor put me on anti-spastic colon meds. Within 15 minutes of eating anything containing soy (soy sauce, tofu, soy oil, soybeans, soy milk, soy lecithin, etc.--I've tried them all! I used to live in Asia!) I start sneezing, then my eyes get puffy, my stomach swells, my nose gets stuffy and I get a headache, I start sweating, get drowsy and then my throat gets tight. Twice, I've gone to the ENT for a steroid to open up my breathing passage. It's scary, but all three allergy tests I've had in the last two years have come back negative. The doctors have refused to give me an EPI pen and suggested I just stay away from stuff that makes me sick. So... I basically eat chicken with pasta or potatoes and some vegetables. I tend to avoid breads since they usually contain either butter, lard (I'm also intolerant of pork), or some form of soy as a preservative.

As for beans, lentils, peanuts, and seeds--no, I can't eat them. I like them a lot, and used to eat them a lot when I was younger. But, they've been making me sick for the last 12 years. I keep trying--you know, just eating them once every few months after skipping a couple of years...trying to tolerate small amounts--but, no matter what, I keep getting sick and the reaction is getting stronger with time. With nuts and cheeses, it's gotten so bad that my stomach starts to turn just from smelling them!

I don't know why the meatless pasta makes me sick. My father has the same problem.

I do eat a lot of broccoli and kale, so it's good to know that those are good for protein! I like spinach, too, but I've been a bit leery of it lately as I've had some stomach pain associated with it as well over the past couple of years.

Thanks for all of the suggestions so far! If you have more, please keep posting. Thanks!

 

[penny79]

geez, that's rough. *hugs*

 

[jason1977]

wow. Maybe those Ensure or Boost shakes are worth a shot? As a supplement along w. whatever else you can eat? There's plenty of protein in them as well as vitamins & minerals. Have you checked out a specialty food store? GNC? i'd give those a whirl. There's something for everyone at either place.

 

[runnerveggie]

See a dietitian. Your restrictions are very severe, and you are certainly in danger of a nutrient deficiency if you attempt to become vegetarian without planning things ahead of time.

Hope this works out for you, but if it's not possible without compromising your health, figure out what you can do for animals in other ways--volunteer at a shelter or farm sanctuary or find other ways to advocate for animals. This is not a perfect world we live in, so just do what you can.

 

[Irizary]

I think it's possible to be a healthy vegan with those limitations. There's a lot of dogma about diet, but nutrition research is notoriously fickle. Consider looking at the some of the books and articles by Dr. McDougall. He thinks that starches can provide plenty of protein on a vegan diet, no need for beans or nuts.

http://www.drmcdougall.com/misc/2007nl/apr/protein.htm

Quote:

People who are worried about getting sufficient protein will sometimes ask me if they can still follow the McDougall Diet if they do not like beans. From the chart above, you will notice that any single starch or vegetable will provide in excess of our needs for total protein and essential amino acids-thus there is no reason to rely on beans or make any efforts to food combine different plant foods to improve on Nature's own marvelous creations.

Potatoes Alone Suffice

Many populations, for example people in rural Poland and Russia at the turn of the 19th century, have lived in very good health doing extremely hard work with the white potato serving as their primary source of nutrition. One landmark experiment carried out in 1925 on two healthy adults, a man 25 years old and a woman 28 years old had them live on a diet primarily of white potatoes for 6 months. (A few additional items of little nutritional value except for empty calories-pure fats, a few fruits, coffee, and tea-were added to their diet.)11 The report stated, "They did not tire of the uniform potato diet and there was no craving for change." Even though they were both physically active (especially the man) they were described as, "…in good health on a diet in which the nitrogen (protein) was practically solely derived from the potato."

The potato is such a great source of nutrition that it can supply all of the essential protein and amino acids for young children in times of food shortage. Eleven Peruvian children, ages 8 months to 35 months, recovering from malnutrition, were fed diets where all of the protein and 75% of the calories came from potatoes. (Soybean-cottonseed oils and pure simple sugars, neither of which contains protein, vitamins, or minerals, provided some of the extra calories.)12 Researchers found that this simple potato diet provided all the protein and essential amino acids to meet the needs of growing and small children.

He has a new book out called The Starch Solution too.

http://www.amazon.com/The-Starch-Solution-Regain-Health/dp/1609613937

Can you have peas? Quinoa?

 

[runnerveggie]

I'm particularly concerned about a source of lysine: http://veganhealth.org/articles/protein#lys It's not something most of use have to worry about because we eat legumes. Seeing a dietitian is definitely a must.

Also, do you see an MD for your food allergies/intolerances? I am concerned that your symptoms may actually not be food related, especially since you seem to continue to have problems even on your strict diet. It seems popular among quackish alternative praticioners to blame everything on food.

 

[Persephone]

@ Penny: Thanks for the hug!

 

[Persephone]

@ Runner Veggie: Thanks for the article. I read the whole thing...barely! It was rather overwhelming to think about all the calculations and possibilities for statistical errors. Mostly, though, it reinforced my concern that it will be difficult for me to get a good nutritional balance on a vegan diet. I'm already a poor eater as an omnivore; I would need to plan very carefully a vegan diet. Not only would I have to carefully plan WHAT I would eat, but WHEN. My current work makes it difficult to eat 5-6 times a day, as would seem ideal to get in enough servings of vegetables to add up to the proteins found in meats. Also, if I can't with so many intolerances, I would be eating pretty much the same protein sources all the time (some quinoa, kale, and oatmeal) all the time, which would get boring. And, I'd have to be very careful not to skip any gym time because the extra food intake could cause me to gain weight.

I've been to more doctors than I can count regarding my food intolerances. I have had multiple blood tests, test of fecal matter and urine, a gastroscopy, and even a colonoscopy (against the doctor's recommendation since I'm fairly young) but none have showed anything. I was prescribed anti-spasm medication based on the sound of my intestines through the stethoscope, the swelling of my stomach and the pulsations that could be felt. But, I haven't needed it since I stopped eating rice. And, whereas I used to sleep 10 hours a day, I now only sleep 6 and my memory and alertness levels have returned to what they were when I was a kid. Not eating any soy or dairy has made it possible for me to breathe through my nose--something I'd never done before! My skin and nails look better, although still not as good as I would like, but most importantly I have more energy than I've ever had.

I do worry that I don't have enough nutrients, but when I asked one doctor if I could have a vitamin imbalance that was the cause of my digestion problems, he said there was no way to test that. Now that I'm living in a new place, though, maybe I can find a doctor who knows of one... Has anyone here ever had one? Are they very expensive? Would that be something a dietician would know more about since the doctors I've seen so far have not?

 

[Irizary]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Persephone

@ Runner Veggie: Thanks for the article. I read the whole thing...barely! It was rather overwhelming to think about all the calculations and possibilities for statistical errors. Mostly, though, it reinforced my concern that it will be difficult for me to get a good nutritional balance on a vegan diet.

Well you should read the article I posted too. Nutritional recommendations often do not agree

 

[Persephone]

Hi, Irizarry! I'm sorry if I made you feel ignored!

I did read your article, but it was so short that I wasn't quite sure what to make of it. To be honest, I'm very skeptical that any diet of a single food is a healthy one. It seems that variety gives one a better chance of hitting all the nutrition marks. Moreover, the study cited was of an extremely small sample size, nearly 100 years ago. I don't know how reliable of a conclusion can be drawn from it. I'd have to do a lot more research on the potato diet, and the entire field of nutrition, before I would feel comfortable making an attempt to form an intelligent opinion about it, let alone try it.

 

[Irizary]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Persephone

Hi, Irizarry! I'm sorry if I made you feel ignored!

I did read your article, but it was so short that I wasn't quite sure what to make of it.

Thanks Click on the link - it's not a short article, I just pulled out a section of it. He explains protein recommendations more thoroughly in the article. I've read something by Colin Campbell (who wrote The China Study) that I think supports this. Nutrition research is not an exact science. You'll have to do what you feel comfortable with, but I wouldn't necessarily assume that you can't be vegan if you want to

You might look at hemp protein too?

 

[Persephone]

Sorry! I only saw the link to his book when I was skimming it earlier. I'll take a look at the longer article now. Thanks!

 

[Rhys]

I second quinoa! It rocks! Can make it sweet for breakfast or savory for lunch/dinner.

 

[runnerveggie]

Test for a "vitamin imbalance"? Sounds like quackery to me. If you mean a vitamin or mineral deficiency, I'm sure it's possible with your limited diet, and that is why I recommended seeing a dietitian (registered dietitian in the US), as they are the only ones qualified to give detailed diet advice.

 

[Persephone]

Yes, that's what I meant: a vitamin/nutrient deficiency. Now that I'm in the US, I will look into finding a dietician. I don't know why I didn't think of it earlier. Thanks!

I'm planning to buy some quinoa this weekend and I'm looking into the hemp as well. Still working on reading up on the potatoes.

In the meantime, I'm enjoying all my favorite foods... I don't want to go completely vegetarian until I figure out how to reconfigure my life: where to shop conveniently, which foods need to be organic, the budget, when I'll have to time to cook (I don't right now), how long the foods last in the fridge, how many times of day I'll need to eat and all that... Also, if it wouldn't be easier to get started after the holiday season, so I can get some sort of pattern established before I begin traveling and having to figure out my meals in other people's houses...

Lots to think about! I'm glad this support group exists.