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Not Enough Varieties, What Can I eat/use?

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238 views 3 replies 2 participants last post by  chueh  
#1 ·
I have lots of problems: pre-diabetic, high cholesterol, easily bloating, acid relux, digestion issue, etc...

My biggest dilemma as a vegetarian is: not really wanting processed foods/products. When I am eating with regular diet. I basically buy raw and unprocessed groceries and make foods from scratch.

On the other hand, most vegetarian foods are processed, even TOFU! I mostly eat soy bean related food, from it's baby stage edamame to dry soy bean products including tofu, which is the least processed, and to other soy processed foods.

I include hemp protein and sometimes the frozen plant based products from UnMeat, Impossible, BeYond Meat, Morning Star ...etc.

I usually have 2-3 eggs a day. However, due to my cholesterol level, it's not good to incorporate so many eggs.

I eat varieties of beans and legumes, despite of getting lot of gas easily. Nevertheless, considering nutrition value, I put up with the discomfort for my stomach.

Any suggestions. Thanks
 
#2 ·
First: you should probably talk with a dietician or other health care professional about the health issues you mention at the beginning.

I've been pre-diabetic- but that was because my sweet tooth had gotten out of control. I cut back on donuts, cinnamon buns, brownies, pie, etc, and now my HbA1c is back down to a healthy level. I personally don't think tofu is that "processed"; plain soaked cooked soybeans can be hard to digest, and processing usually makes them more digestible. My main problem with the other foods you mentioned (Impossible, Beyond, etc) is that they're too high in salt/sodium (as most convenience foods are). I haven't tried hemp protein, and don't know anything about it.

The eggs will definitely keep your cholesterol high if you're eating at least 2 a day- you'll want to cut back on them if you're not ready to give them up completely. I don't know how many eggs per week would be safe for you. You are eating a variety of vegetables and fruits, yes?
 
#3 ·
I was going to add that your diet doesn't seem to include much in the way of grains. But perhaps your tendency toward diabetes would make oats, wheat, rice, etc unhealthy to eat. I've looked into this, and whole grains- that is, cooked but unground wheat, oat, or rye "berries"- appear to have a lower glycemic index than foods made with their corresponding flours. Again, you'd have to discuss this with your doctor.
 
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#4 ·
Tom and Gobslon. Thank for your replies. They are very helpful.
Yes, Tom, I tend to eat little wheat (I only eat whole wheat if I do) and some brown rice cooked with different colored lentils and little whole barley, due to blood sugar problem. However, even with my avoiding consumption of high GI starchy foods or rice/grain/wheat, my blood sugar isn't improving (I've eaten healthy for a long time whole food wise and less processed foods). I don't touch sugary food. I LOVE sweets yet I make them myself with monkfruit to sweeten the desserts with 12/ whole wheat flour and 1/2 buckwheat flour. It's all because genetic issue. Eliminating fruits does help with only little blueberries and papayas.

I also agree with Tom that those ready to be warmed up products come with higher sodium and actually most of them with added sugar too, as well as other additives AND STARCHY AGENTS.

Gobslon, yes I include high fiber, probiotic, and prebiotic. I also eat varieties of fermented foods such as yogurt, kefir, sauerkraut, natto, koji marinated food...

Thus, i'm not really sure why i still feel bloating a lot. Anyway, please keep your suggestions coming. I really appreciate them.