COMMON MISCONCEPTIONS OF A PLANT-BASED/VEGAN DIET

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 ISCONCEPTIONS:  Of a Plant-Based Diet

 

     

1. YOU NEED ANIMAL PRODUCTS FOR "COMPLETE" NUTRITION, such as complete proteins: FALSE (#13)

-Plants contain ALL of the nutrients we need for optimum health (including protein and all amino acids) as long as we’re eating a variety of plant foods in different

combinations

Exception: B12 has been eliminated out of our natural food system due to destruction of our soil and likely needs supplementation or addition of nutritional yeast BUT meat eaters are also lacking this nutrient


2. WE NEED ANIMAL PROTEIN TO BE HEALTHY: FALSE (#13)
* Plant- protein is actually healthier than animal protein

    -20% decrease in overall mortality, decreased CVD

    -More animal protein= increase mortality BUT Plant protein= DECREASE in mortality! (#23)

*Not only can you be strong, muscular, and energetic on a plant-based diet, you can Thrive and even increase your performance!

-There are many athletes out there such as tom brady, cam newton, Nate daiz (MMA fighter), alex caceres (ufc fighter), serena williams, arnold Schwarzenegger, just to name a few, that have had tremendous success in their sports while eating a plant-based diet.

Example:
- Low Protein, High Carb with High Fiber has been shown to be healthiest with reducing/controlling type II diabetes. High carb is around 60%.

* All of the protein we get from animals, they get from plants! Plants are the only producers of protein, so why don’t we get it straight from the source without all of the related chronic diseases animal proteins contribute to?


3. OUR BODIES REQUIRE ANIMAL PROTEIN TO BE STRONG AND GAIN MUSCLE: FALSE (#14, #15)

Example:
-Americans get about Double the amount of protein that we need
-Excessive protein is actually shown to have NEGATIVE impacts on our health
  Such as: increased mortality rate

4. WE ABASORB NUTRIENTS BETTER FROM ANIMAL FOODS VS PLANTS: FALSE

Example: (#16)
-You absorb 50% to 60% of the Calcium from green vegetables like kale, arugula and broccoli, roughly twice as much as the Calcium in comparison to dairy products whose absorption rate is about 30%

Sources:

13.  Plant Protein sufficiency and benefits

Plant Proteins: Assessing Their Nutritional Quality and Effects on Health and Physical Function - PMC (nih.gov)

14. High protein diets: negative effects

Protein Consumption Linked to Longevity | National Institutes of Health (NIH)

15. Animal protein and Plant protein on muscle strength

Animal Protein versus Plant Protein in Supporting Lean Mass and Muscle Strength: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials - PMC (nih.gov)

16. Calcium absorption

Calcium | The Nutrition Source | Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health

Golden Rules of Nutrition- Plant-based Centered: Carbs, Cooked vs Raw, Local, Organic, Supplements, Whole food, Variety

Golden Rules Of Nutrition:

Plant-Based Focused

1)  EAT PLANTS: AND YES Complex Carbs With FIBER!

2)  EAT AS LOCAL AS POSSIBLE

3) EAT RAW WHEN POSSIBLE AND SOME COOKED

4) EAT JUST ENOUGH TO KEEP YOU HEALTHY, Nothing More, Nothing Less

5) FOODS NOT SUPPLEMENTS

6) UNPROCESSED/WHOLE FORM

7) VARIETY IS KEY!!- Eat The Rainbow

1)  EAT PLANTS, AND YES CARBS WITH FIBER!

Plant-based eating is the most scientifically researched lifestyle to increase lifespan & decrease all-cause mortality rates & chronic diseases that plague the US today

Studies Show:

“A systematic review demonstrates evidence that a plant-based diet can significantly improve psychological well-being, quality of life, control of type ii diabetes measured by hbA1C and a number of physical characteristics (weight loss, fbg, total cholesterol, ldl cholesterol, triglycerides) in people with t2d”(#1)

 

Examples:

•      A plant-based diet has been shown effective at greatly improving and even Reversing type II diabetes and heart disease such as arteriosclerosis and high blood pressure, reducing strokes and heart attacks and overall mortality  (#1/#7)
•       Have been shown to reduce biometrics: weight, cholesterol, blood pressure, blood glucose, Etc (#1-#4, #7)
•        Plant-based diets have been shown to improve auto-immune diseases, hormone function, including thyroid function
•      Plant-based diets have been proven to decrease many cancer risks (#6)
•       Every 3% increase in calories from plant protein was found to reduce risk of death by 10% (#8)

v There is more long-term, life-time plant-based lifestyle research than any other diet by far

     Examples:

·       The China Study, Seventh-Adventist Studies, Mediterranean diet studies, Blue Zone Studies

•      The longest lived people/cultures ALL thrived on a largely plant based diet (roughly 90% or more) as those of the blue zones including the seventh day Advantest’s

v Plants are the only producers FIBER that is crucial to human health and digestion (#9)

v Healthy digestion, detox pathways, microbiome diversity, Cardiovascular , brain health, & much much more!

v Carbs as in complex carbohydrates and resistant starches: those in beans, legumes, potatoes, and whole grains are crucial to long-term health and longevity (#10)

     Examples:

·       Legumes have been shown to be the most important dietary predictor of survival in older people (#11)

·       Resistant starches in plants like potatoes and beans are being shown to be critical for gut health, microbiome diversity, longevity, and overall health. (#11)

v Complex Carbohydrates are our bodies preferred source of energy and most easily utilized.  (#17)

v Complex carbohydrates are packed with healthy fiber

v There’s no reason to worry about the sugars in complex carbs, the fiber paces the release of glucose, so it doesn’t go directly into the blood stream as does simple carbs and isolated sugars.

             -We NEED glucose in our bodies, but in the way as nature intended it, packaged with other nutrients, paced out in digestion, and utilized slowly, not isolate

SOURCES:

          1) Systamatic review: diabetes, overall well-being, CVD

(Effectiveness of plant-based diets in promoting well-being in the management of type 2 diabetes: a systematic review (bmj.com)

2) Plant-based diet and heart disease, high cholesterol, and obesity **

        The BROAD study: A randomised controlled trial using a whole food plant-based diet in the community for obesity,  ischaemic heart disease or diabetes | Nutrition &        Diabetes (nature.com)

           3) Weight, CV health

        A multicenter randomized controlled trial of a plant-based nutrition program to reduce body weight and cardiovascular risk in the corporate setting: the GEICO           study - PMC (nih.gov)

        4) General overview of benefits of plant-based diet

        The effects of plant-based diets on the body and the brain: a systematic review - PMC (nih.gov)

          5) Increased life expectancy

        Does low meat consumption increase life expectancy in humans? | The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition | Oxford Academic (oup.com)

          6) Prostate cancer

        Association of plant-based diet index with prostate cancer risk | The American   Journal of Clinical Nutrition | Oxford Academic (oup.com)

         7) Plant-based diet and diabetes

        New study reveals that healthy plant-based diets are associated with a lower risk          of developing diabetes -- ScienceDaily

         8)  Mortality Risk

          Eating more plant protein associated with lower risk of death « Kurzweil    (kurzweilai.net)

         9)  Fiber in plants

         (PDF) Fiber Plants: An Overview (researchgate.net)

         10)  Carbohydrates benefits and mortality

Dietary carbohydrate intake and mortality: a prospective cohort study and meta-analysis - The Lancet Public Health

11) Legumes and mortality of elderly

Legumes: the most important dietary predictor of survival in older people of different ethnicities - PubMed (nih.gov)

         12) Carbohydrate/Glucose as energy source

Sugar for the brain: the role of glucose in physiological and pathological brain function - PMC (nih.gov)

It's Been Too Long! Vegan Is In :)

WOW It's been about 5 years since I've been to my page, I'm still going vegetarian strong and absolutely loving it! I've been about 60% vegan as well but have been too intimidated to take the full plunge, but now is the time!! I am starting a 30 day full vegan trail to see if I'm ready to make this switch for life! I would love for you to join me and post your experiences!

Also, my new favorite documentary you HAVE to watch: "What The Health" (on Netflix)

Stuffed Bell Peppers!

Yummy Quinoa Stuffed Peppers Healthy and Easy!

Ingredients:
1/2 cup uncooked quinoa
1/2 chopped onion
1 can diced tomatoes
1 can corn
1 can tomato paste
1 can green chilis
Remains of the top of the pepper
1tbs of cumin
2tbs of garlic
1tbs Italian seasoning
salt and pepper to taste
4 bell peppers
1 hand full of Breadcrumbs

Preparation:
Start to cook the quinoa and then core bell peppers and save the excess top for the filling. Chop up onions and start sauteing with the excess pepper. After they become softer add in the corn, chili peppers, tomato paste, and diced tomatoes. When the quinoa is finished add to the mixture. Mix together well and stuff the peppers. Cook for 30 minutes and 5 minutes before they're done pull out and top with breadcrumbs!

My Top 8 Vegan/Vegetarian Products!

These are some of my favorite alternative products that I've found that taste like the real thing!

Morning Star "Hotdogs" and "Corndogs"- I literally will give these to my friends or family and they don't even know the difference.

Trader Joe's Chicken-less Mandarin Morsels (vegan version)- So freaking good! A little more like chicken nuggets though.

Yves Meat Crumbles (vegan)- These are amazing for tacos and burritos, they have good texture and flavor, just add taco seasoning and yum!

Morning Star Black Bean Burgers and Chick Pea Burgers- These are great for burger substitutes and are filled with flavor!

Yves Pepperoni Slices (vegan)- Best tasting brand along with texture that I've found. 

Daiya Cheddar Wedge (vegan)- Creamy and tastes like the American cheese slices.  I also like the shreds, which stretch, but I like the wedge better.

Vegenaise Garlic Mayo (vegan)- Tastes even better than real mayo and has a very similar texture! 

Quorn Turk'y Roast- I had this for Thanksgiving and I could not believe how similar the taste and texture was to real turkey....I actually prefer it over the real thing!! 

Common Assumption: We're meant to eat meat

Last night I got yet another common comment from someone after I had told them I was vegetarian and against the killing of animals, so I thought I'd post s a response to this one which is; "we're meant to eat meat, that's what we're built for"...I get this often and its not so true...when compared were actually built like herbivores not carnivores. We have longer intestines, have different amounts of stomach bile, shorter canines, and jaws that move side to side rather than just up and down. 

This is how I feel about it: CAN we eat and Process meat? Yes. obviously we can. BUT that doesn't mean we NEED to, or were BUILT to, or can process it Easily.

Other Links:

• More on How Our Bodies Made

• For the Men out There That Think You Have to Eat Meat to be Manly

• In-depth Information on This Topic as Well as Counter Arguments

• Article by Cardiologist William C. Roberts and Dr. Milton R. Mills, associate director of preventive medicine for the Washington, D.C.

Disclaimer: This is a personal blog, these are my opinions, I am not a doctor, nor a specialist. This is all information I've learned from multiple books, documentaries, and researching online.

What? These Contain Animal Products!?

Here are some things I was surprised to find out that contain and don't contain animal products:

Candies Commonly Containing Gelatin (Made by boiling skin, tendons, ligaments, and/or bones with water)
Peeps
Starburst
Candy Corn
Junior Mints
Mentos
Most Marshmallows
Most Jello
Pop Tarts (the frosting)
And many other gummy candies so read your labels!

Common Candies NOT Containing Animal Products-
Airheads Taffy 
Swedish Fish
Sweet Tarts
Twizzlers
Jolly Ranchers (lollipops and hard candy)
Laffy Taffy (some varieties)
Lemon heads
Mambas
Mike and Ike
Now and Later
Sour Patch Kids

Other Random Products Usually Containing Animal Products-
Worcestershire sauce (anchovy)
Some Tortillas (lard)
Most Cesear Dressings (anchovy)
Ding Dongs (beef fat)
BBQ Baked Lays(chicken fat)
Old El Paso Re-fried Beans (lard)
Velveeta Cheese (gelatin)
Many Cambells and Progresso Vegetable Soups

Surprising Products NOT Containing Animal Products-
BacO's Bacon Bits
Oreo's
Jello Instant Pudding (not the gelatin kind)

Feel free to add to the list...just make sure to check your labels!! :)

Vegan Awareness Weekend!

I came across this and thought it was pretty cool especially since it's in my town!!! Eugene Mayor, Kitty Piercy, has officially declared September 29 and 30 as Vegan Awareness Weekend in the City of Eugene Oregon.

Guiltless "junk food!"

Here are some of my favorite vegetarian/vegan friendly go-to recipes when I'm craving something bad for me that won't break my calorie bank!

My Guiltless "Chili" dog-
1 veggie hot dog (Morning Star 50cal)
1 slice of 100 calorie wheat bread slightly toasted (so its 50cal)
1/3 cup of vegetarian chili (about 65cal)
(I use a little vegan cheese like Daiya, or you can use a low-cal regular cheese, and onion on top)
Ends up only being around 170 calories verses around 450 and tastes like the real thing!

Guiltless Enchiladas-
Corn tortillas (Guerrero 40cal each)
Enchilada sauce (Old El Paso 20cal per 1/4c)
Filling-
black beans (50cal per 1/4c)

corn (30cal per 1/4c)

bell pepper (5cal per 1/8c)

onion (3cal per 1/8c)

Jalapenos (2cal per 1/8c)
Mix all with a little enchilada sauce, taco seasoning, cumin,
and salt and pepper to taste.
Top with enchilada sauce and black olives (25cal per 1/4c)
(you can add cheese if you want, I use vegan cheese if I do to make them healthier)
Ends up being around 130 calories per enchilada compared to around 250-300 calories!

Vegan Pizza-
Whole wheat pizza crust (about 100cal per slice)

-I buy dough and stretch myself
Tomato sauce of choice (around 45cal per 1/2c)

Vegan cheese  (90 cal per 1/4c)

-I suggest Daiya it stretches/melts well and I mix pepper jack with cheddar

Top With-

mushrooms (2cal per 1/8c)

bell peppers (5cal per 1/8c)

onions (3cal per 1/8c)

olives (25cal per 1/4c)

Ends up being around 215 calories per slice compared to a pepperoni pizza of around 300 calories! 

Vegan Quesadilla- 
Wheat Tortilla- Trader Joe's Brand brand 60cal
Daiya Cheese (cheddar wedge)- About 45cal 1/2 ounce
Bac-o-bits- 8cal per 1/2tbs
A couple dashes of Franks Hot Sauce and there's a delicious quesadillla for about 115 calories rather than 350! 
  

A Few Other Ideas- but not quite as Low-Cal : ) 

Vegan Mac and Cheese

Black Bean Burgers Topped With Guac.

Vegan Hot Wings

Vegan Fried Chicken