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Vegetarian & such

Animal-based protein is the most bioavailable and optimal for humans and protein is one of the most important macro-nutrients. Eggs are a fantastic source of protein if you're not able to stomach all meat including poultry and seafood (SOURCE). Soy and soy by-products like tofu aren't a very viable or healthy source of protein, unfortunately. (SOURCE) Another alternative would be a protein powder/supplement found in most healthfood stores.
 
Hi sweetie, good to hear from you. I have a friend who's wife is Japanese and he calls tofu 'sofa cushion.' Can you eat seafood? I used to love it, but after a possible encounter with a bad prawn, even the thought of anything fishy makes me ill.
How about cheese? I'm thinking the Indian paneer variety which is quite robust on the cooking front. X
 
Been wondering the same as I am apparently a vegetarian now. I'm repulsed by meat anymore.
All I have to contribute: overuse of B12 shots. I'm supposed to do them monthly, and I sometimes do them weekly. I admitted it to my GI and he said no problem. B12 supplementation is imperative if ya don't eat meat.
 
This is a comprehensive report on land use, water use, environmental impact etc
http://www.ajcn.org/content/89/5/1699S.full

The conclusions are that a vegetarian diet is far more sustainable for the planet (though not sustainable enough if population continues to grow out of control). Adequate nutrients can easily be obtained from a strictly vegetarian diet. Meat protein is a complete protein source. That means it contains all essential amino acids. Vegetarian protein requires combining foods to get all the essential amino acids. Both sources provide adequate protein.
Studies show that it is a healthier way to eat (American cancer council and many others.)
Unfortunately people tend to advocate strongly for their particular dietary preferences, and are not swayed by any amount of facts.

If you choose to live on a vegetarian diet it is important to learn food combination. There are some excellent 'vegetarian burgers' which are loaded with iron,B12, and lots of complete protein. If you eat dairy, cheese is also complete protein, as are eggs. When talking about soy (and fermented soy products) there is a lot of rubbish written about it. It is the processed and denuded products that are to be avoided. As always, the unprocessed or fermented whole bean sources are the best.

Good luck.
 
'Sup forum.

I've recently acquired a total hate of meat, due to a strange episode involving a vacuum, a lightsaber, and three gallons of elephant birthing agent, and really don't think I can muster the courage to indulge in flesh anymore. But, seeing as veggies and I sometimes disagree, and I need moar protein, I need advice. Tofu is disgusting. It tastes like shoes, and has the consistency of congealed vomit. I heard that tempeh is harder, and therefore not as disgusting, but I cannot find it anywhere near where I live. What do?

Secondly, I recently read an article talking about how vegetarianism actually destroys too much land for farming, and that it really kills just as many, if not moar, animals by displacement. What is the solution? Maybe sometime, I'll link to the website, but right nao, I'm far too lazy. First to reply gets 10 points, and I'll ship them the half-cooked tofu I tried to mix into a stir-fry, but left out!
I like whey protein myself, although I know it isn't vegetarian as it is a by-product of cow's milk. It is easy to digest and really helps when you feel weak.

And seriously, a vacuum, a lightsaber, and three gallons of elephant birthing agent-WHAT is going on at your house???:lol:
 
I'm vegetarian, and my biggest sources of protein are probably still animal-based as I have yogurt pretty frequently. Have you tried quinoa? It's a complete protein source in itself, which is pretty cool. I also have nut butters (peanut and almond) and almond milk.
 
Have you tried quinoa? It's a complete protein source in itself, which is pretty cool. I also have nut butters (peanut and almond) and almond milk.
Ooh, I forgot about this one. Quinoa is actually in the same vegetable family as spinach and apart from being a source of 9 essential amino acids, it contains manganese, magnesium, iron, copper and phosphorus. Not to mention it's delicious when simmered with some apple slices and a sprinkle of cinnamon!
 
What kind of shots are they? And where do you get them? Are they expensive?
They were prescribed by my GI, I get a little vial and needles for about $10 at my pharmacy and inject them myself. They are mega easy, especially if you are already doing your own Humira injections and whatnot. My GI prescribes it to all it's Crohn's patients since we need it whether or not we eat meat. Just ask David how he feels about B12 supplementation! :lol:
 
All good questions.
Food is comprised of proteins, carbohydrates, fats, vitamins and minerals.
It may seem a pain, but tracking the content of these in the food you eat is actually very useful! Knowing your daily requirements completes the picture.
Replacing meat means replacing the protein, iron and B12 in the meat. The fats in meat don't need to be considered (as there will be plenty of much healthier fats obtained elsewhere), and there is no carbohydrate content of concern. A good daily multi-vitamin can help replace the iron and B12 from meat to begin with. If you know the protein content of the replacement foods you are using (cheese,eggs,nuts, wholegrains, legumes...etc) then you can proceed with confidence. A decent steak has about 30-40g of protein. You need about 60g of protein per day. One egg has 6g, a piece of hard cheese about 10g , yoghurt about 10g, 2 tablespoons of peanut butter about 8g, glass of milk 8g, beans and peas about 8g, etc etc. By the way, tofu needs marinating before cooking (satay, curry sauce, honey/soy marinades and great!) A half cup of Tofu has 20g protein.
It's pretty easy to get all you need if you are careful, and it becomes second nature after a while. It is really valuable to learn about what is in the food you eat.
The consideration with this disease is what you can tolerate digesting... if you need to supplement with ensure or boost then do so. We are lucky in that there are so many easy to find meat replacements at the supermarket these days - finding ones that suit your taste is trial and error.
Anyone deciding to eat vegetarian really does need to take care to learn about food content, and to eat a variety of food combinations.
All the best, whatever you decide.
 
Never had quinoa. Didn't know that it was a good source of protein. Any recommendations for preparation? I kinda like yogurt, though admittedly, I really hate when there are solids in my liquids. Yogurt with berries creeps me out.
You can cook it just like rice -- it works well in a rice cooker, too. I don't usually put too many spices in mine, but it goes well with cumin.
 
Animal-based protein is the most bioavailable and optimal for humans and protein is one of the most important macro-nutrients.
Any source to back up that animals are one of the most important macro-nutrients? Does that include the lips and a**holes (aka hot-dogs)? Horses, dogs, cats, squirrels, possum?

Did you know there is protein in fruits and vegetables, and in fact, if you ate enough fruits and vegetables ONLY, with no meat products, you would be getting 100% of your protein requirements.

So not sure where you dug up the animal thing.

http://www.tbd.com/articles/2011/07...ponsible-medicine-erects-billboard-64206.html

http://www.13.waisays.com/protein.htm
 
Been wondering the same as I am apparently a vegetarian now. I'm repulsed by meat anymore.
All I have to contribute: overuse of B12 shots. I'm supposed to do them monthly, and I sometimes do them weekly. I admitted it to my GI and he said no problem. B12 supplementation is imperative if ya don't eat meat.
B12 is not imperative if you don't eat meat.

B12 is actually required by people who do eat meat.

B12 deficiency is not limited to vegetarians, it's quite common in meat eaters as well.

In fact, there is no deficiency that ONLY vegetarians get.

Vegetarian is also a very broad brush. Some people are eating a healthy vegetarian diet rich in fruits and vegetables, some a not very healthy vegetarian diet based on oils and nuts as a large part of their caloric source.
 

rygon

Moderator
reading Wiki I think B12 is needed for everyone
Vitamin B12, vitamin B12 or vitamin B-12, also called cobalamin, is a water-soluble vitamin with a key role in the normal functioning of the brain and nervous system, and for the formation of blood. It is one of the eight B vitamins. It is normally involved in the metabolism of every cell of the human body, especially affecting DNA synthesis and regulation, but also fatty acid synthesis and energy production
Sounds like eggs and cheese are high in B12 So i guess if you eat a lot of those you may ok(milk and yoghurt have quite a bit as well). There are quite a few fortified foods on the market as well which should help

But as crohns sometimes affects the absorbtion of B12 its worth getting it checked out
 
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