Advice requested for making transition

[aakashpradhan]

Hi everyone,

I am 34 years old and I have been a vegetarian most of my life. I started eating non-veg food 10 years ago.

If I do not eat meat for a while, I don't feel fulfilled from within. But again eating meat also makes me feel heavy and lethargic. Usually, I take 2 non-veg meals a week.

I am looking forward to being a vegetarian again.

So, I request you if you can help me by telling me what kind of food should I eat so that it makes me feel fulfilled.

I would highly appreciate your help.

 

[Emma JC]

welcome to the forum, Aakashpradhan

I would recommend that you eat lots of very tasty and spicy whole foods with lots of rice and potatoes and root vegetables and beans/lentils/peas as they are very filling and beneficial for you. Lots of greens and fruits and if you are active then don't be shy about the amount of food as you can eat lots of whole foods like vegetables and fruits and feel satisfied.

All the best with your choices and congrats for being aware and making the attempt.

Emma JC

 

[MoreGreens]

When you say that you don't feel fulfilled do you mean a physical hunger sort of emptiness or is it an emotional longing for meat dishes you enjoy?

If it's the first, I agree with @Emma JC, who gave you excellent advice. If it's the second, perhaps you can replicate those non-veg meals using plant sources like jackfruit, mushroom or cauliflower as well as the more common soy and seitan. I've found a lot of adapted recipes end up being more delicious than the originals.

Good luck and welcome!

 

[shyvas]

Hello & welcome.

 

[beancounter]

Welcome!

I personally went cold turkey with my trasition, and never looked back. But for most, a gradual transition is usually the most effective.

 

[Bitki]

Have you tried eating beans and lentils, they are quite filling. Maybe try going down to one meat meal a week. I am transitioning to a vegetarian lifestyle which is going well although I sometimes still eat fish. I find fish is a lot lighter than meat.

 

[KLS52]

When you say that you don't feel fulfilled do you mean a physical hunger sort of emptiness or is it an emotional longing for meat dishes you enjoy?

I was wondering the same thing.

 

[Mischief]

When I went vegetarian, I found that what I missed was the chewiness of meat. I ended up filling that need/desire with whole grain artisanal bread, grilled portobello mushrooms, textured vegetable protein chunks added to various dishes - things with a certain toughness and chewiness.

Could it be that it is this aspect of meat that you are missing?

 

[Nekodaiden]

Hi there.

I've never been a vegetarian, only a semi vegetarian, then took the plunge and went vegan late 2017
and have not looked back since. My anecdote should be thus considered in this light.

In the first few months I had some issues with feeling satisfied and with hunger. Not all the time,
sometimes. I quickly learned a couple of things:

1) I needed to up my calories

2) I needed to up my fiber/resistant starch

Calorie requirements vary based on one's baseline + the amount of physical activity one does.

Fiber, however, is necessary to help fill you up (as a vegan in particular). The reason for this
is that the gut microbiome changes with the food one ingests. Eat more fiber rich/resistant starch
rich foods, and the bacteria needed to process them in the gut increases, and they, in turn, help
you to feel satisfied.

Meat, dairy and eggs, however, are metabolized by a different set of bacteria, and when those
bacteria are fed, they produce similar (although somewhat less) feelings of satiation.

You've stated you want to be a Vegetarian, and as you're from India, I'm going to assume (correct
me if I'm wrong) that this will include things like dairy and eggs.

There is basic consideration you might want to consider in this matter. All flesh products,
including dairy and eggs, require flesh eating bacteria to eat. The flesh eating bacteria
and the fiber eating bacteria are antagonists - they do not reside in the same areas together,
and they do not get along well.

As a vegan, I never have a problem feeling satiated provided I'm getting enough of the 2
basics above, Calories and Fiber, and I typically get these from more whole foods
in the greater part of my diet, so I get vitamins, minerals and aminos to go along with
them.

As an aspiring to be vegetarian (eating eggs and dairy) this might be an issue for you in
the way you describe and other ways, in part from the fact that the two different types
of food one is looking to fill up require two different, antagonistic bacteria to digest.

 

[shyvas]

I was wondering the same thing.

I have understood it to be that the OP's hunger has not been satisfied.

@aakashpradhan I would make sure that there is a correct balance between protein, carbs and fat intake.What kind of meals did you eat when you were vegetarian ?

 

[Hog]

I would suggest that you get a couple of vegan mentors from PETA. They are very careful about matching someone up with your needs.

 

[LaurenMC]

HI,
I wrote a Medium article about the pros and cons of a vegan diet. Check it out here if that sounds interesting. Good luck on your decision!

Warm regards,
Lauren

 

[Emma JC]

HI,
I wrote a Medium article about the pros and cons of a vegan diet. Check it out here if that sounds interesting. Good luck on your decision!

Warm regards,
Lauren

welcome to the forum @LaurenMC and congrats on your decision to be vegan

I appreciate that you have a disclaimer, at the end of the article you linked above and yet I think you need to do a bit more research before putting out information that may be outdated or incorrect.

There is new information out about B12 and about DHA and I encourage you to check out Dr Klapper and some others latest videos and information.

Calcium deficiency? that is like asking... where do you get your protein? to a vegan. Fact 100 grams of sweet potatoes contain 30 mg calcium and 100 grams of chicken contains 15 mg of calcium. 100 grams of beans contain 61 mg and so on.... if a vegan is not getting enough calcium then you can be sure that their omni counterpart is getting even less and recommending a supplement when so much information about the downside of calcium supplements is available? example of article from hopkins

Amino acids.... I am no expert on this topic and yet I have read and listened to and watched other experts and I don't believe that your information on this topic is correct. Our bodies are amazing machines that are capable of making everything we need when we give it good fuel and don't torture it or other beings. Some of the largest mammals in the world eat only plants and a limited variety of them.

Thank you again for your desire to help educate others on the health benefits of veganism and yet by virtue of "publishing" there is a greater burden to ensure that the information presented isn't "drama" to make an article more interesting. There are definitely unhealthy vegans and yet is not because there isn't enough nutrition in plants, it is because of the plants we choose to eat. All Oreos and no potatoes? supplements aren't going to help...

Emma JC

 

[Hog]

@ Emma JC - You got some serious smarts between your ears. U A-OK w/ me.

I can tell where you get protein. It is sixteen, seventeen, eighteen, protein, nineteen.

====

There are always these new nutrients that they talk about. I can't say half of those big words. I gave up on nutrition. I take a multivitamin once a day and forget about it.

 

[LaurenMC]

welcome to the forum @LaurenMC and congrats on your decision to be vegan

I appreciate that you have a disclaimer, at the end of the article you linked above and yet I think you need to do a bit more research before putting out information that may be outdated or incorrect.

There is new information out about B12 and about DHA and I encourage you to check out Dr Klapper and some others latest videos and information.

Calcium deficiency? that is like asking... where do you get your protein? to a vegan. Fact 100 grams of sweet potatoes contain 30 mg calcium and 100 grams of chicken contains 15 mg of calcium. 100 grams of beans contain 61 mg and so on.... if a vegan is not getting enough calcium then you can be sure that their omni counterpart is getting even less and recommending a supplement when so much information about the downside of calcium supplements is available? example of article from hopkins

Amino acids.... I am no expert on this topic and yet I have read and listened to and watched other experts and I don't believe that your information on this topic is correct. Our bodies are amazing machines that are capable of making everything we need when we give it good fuel and don't torture it or other beings. Some of the largest mammals in the world eat only plants and a limited variety of them.

Thank you again for your desire to help educate others on the health benefits of veganism and yet by virtue of "publishing" there is a greater burden to ensure that the information presented isn't "drama" to make an article more interesting. There are definitely unhealthy vegans and yet is not because there isn't enough nutrition in plants, it is because of the plants we choose to eat. All Oreos and no potatoes? supplements aren't going to help...

Emma JC

Hi Emma! Great points. I'll take the information into consideration for sure! I'm still learning and thanks for this reply

 

[David3]

HI,
I wrote a Medium article about the pros and cons of a vegan diet. Check it out here if that sounds interesting. Good luck on your decision!

Warm regards,
Lauren

Hi Lauren,

I agree with Emma JC that you should edit your article, preferably with the help of a vegan Registered Dietitian.

In particular, this statement from your article is simply untrue:

"Thiѕ mаkеѕ it diffiсult fоr a реrѕоn with soy allergy to fоllоw a strict vеgаn diеt and iѕ оnе оf thе rеаѕоnѕ that mаnу сhооѕе a lеѕѕ ѕtriсt fоrm of thе diеt thаt аllоwѕ fоr fiѕh соnѕumрtiоn."

Lauren, for the first 20 years of my veganism, I almost never ate soy foods. Instead, I got my protein from legumes and whole grains. I rode my bicycle daily - my health and fitness were fine.
.

 

[David3]

HI,
I wrote a Medium article about the pros and cons of a vegan diet. Check it out here if that sounds interesting. Good luck on your decision!

Warm regards,
Lauren

Hi Lauren,

In your article, this statement is also inaccurate, and should be corrected:

"Soy iѕ thе оnlу complete рrоtеin in thе рlаnt wоrld."

Lauren - according to the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations, quinoa exceeds the recommendation for all eight essential amino acids:

Nutritional value- International Year of Quinoa 2013

And, according to "Today's Dietitian" - one of the largest publications for Registered Dietitians - dry peas contain all essential amino acids, in adequate quantities: https://www.todaysdietitian.com/newarchives/1216p32.shtml

Believe me, I understand 100% - you want to help people. However, if you're going to publicize nutrition information, it's very important that it be (1) substantiated by reputable nutrition organizations and/or (2) reviewed by a Registered Dietitian.
.

 

[Lou]

There are always these new nutrients that they talk about. I can't say half of those big words. I gave up on nutrition. I take a multivitamin once a day and forget about it.

Those "new nutrients" are not in a multivitamin.
I think the word you are looking for is Phytonutrients.
"phytonutrient-rich foods include colorful fruits and vegetables, legumes, nuts, tea, whole grains and many spices."

What Are Phytonutrients?

Phytonutrients are chemicals produced by plants. Plants use them to stay healthy, and people who eat phytonutrient-rich foods get health benefits as well.

www.livescience.com