Everything you need off a vegan/vegetarian diet?

[deadfingers]

Alright so although I would have never thought of it, I think I'm slowly turning into a vegetarian or even a vegan. My question is, do you really need anything from animals? I know there are a ton of people that say "well you need protein from meat", which from what I've read, the best protein sources come from plants. So anyone here a vegan/vegetarian that can chime in? I think this is probably the cleanest way to eat, and I've been eating plenty of veggies and fruits lately and I find myself not wanting to eat much meat. So I'd like to hear some things from vegans/vegetarians. I'm not really one of those "don't kill animals" types, I just think it's probably better overall to avoid animal products.

[zawarudo]

I don't think it's proper to say that the best proteins come from plants. Plants provide incomplete proteins, while many animal products provide complete proteins.

I think vegetarian BBing is doable without too much hassle. There are still plenty of foods you can eat, eg eggs, cottage cheese to give you your protein.

Problem I see with veg/vegan eating is that a lot of veg protein sources are saddled with carbs too - not that it's a bad thing, but it might make it trickier to hit your macros.

So in short, I think it's doable, but not worth the extra hassle and planning, at least not for me.

[Ms_Doodikins]

vegan would mean no egg, cottage cheese, whey/casein protein.

**but it is definitely doable, but will take some time to get used to learning how to feed yourself properly without having to think too much*** but i think this is true for even nonveg bb's who are just learning how to eat clean (does that make sense)

beans, lentils, almonds, tofu/tempeh, and legumes will be your best friend!

Plants will give you all the nutrients/amino acids your diet needs so do not worry about that (though a good multi is always good, along with a flaxseed oil too)

just be sure you incorporate enough of them in your diet and are not only relying on breads/grains/beans/nuts/fruit for your food-->load up on the spinach, broccoli, sprouts, and collards

[cell technical]

My question is, do you really need anything from animals?

Some nutrients in animal products that are hard/impossible to find from plant sources:

-Vitamin B12
-Zinc
-Calcium (if on a vegan diet)
-Preformed omega-3 fatty acids (EPA and DHA)
-Preformed Vitamin A (if on a vegan diet)
-Heme Iron
-Amino acids that are easiest to get from meat
-Vitamin D (if on a vegan diet)
-Protein from animal products tends to have much higher biological value than protein from plant products.

A properly planned vegetarian/vegan diet with supplementation and fortified foods can provide all of these nutrients for you no problem, but you seem to be under the impression that there are no valuable nutrients found in animal products, which is not the case.

from what I've read, the best protein sources come from plants.

What have you read to make you believe that?

I'm not really one of those "don't kill animals" types, I just think it's probably better overall to avoid animal products.

Out of curiosity...why?

[BullGod]

Some nutrients in animal products that are hard/impossible to find from plant sources:

-Vitamin B12
-Zinc
-Calcium (if on a vegan diet)
-Preformed omega-3 fatty acids (EPA and DHA)
-Preformed Vitamin A (if on a vegan diet)
-Heme Iron
-Amino acids that are easiest to get from meat
-Vitamin D (if on a vegan diet)
-Protein from animal products tends to have much higher biological value than protein from plant products.

A properly planned vegetarian/vegan diet with supplementation and fortified foods can provide all of these nutrients for you no problem, but you seem to be under the impression that there are no valuable nutrients found in animal products, which is not the case.



What have you read to make you believe that?



Out of curiosity...why?

Vitamin B12---Seaweeds such as dulse and nori
-Zinc-****ake mushrooms, seaweed, chives, spirulina,

-Calcium (if on a vegan diet)-Kale, lambs quarters, collard greens, mustard greens, chives, garlic, spinach

-Preformed omega-3 fatty acids (EPA and DHA)-ok preformed..take a fish or krill oil tab...or just lots of flax oil..which will convert..and yes, I know..It takes alot more to convert yadda, yadda...

-Preformed Vitamin A (if on a vegan diet)Beta carotine will convert just fine and is even better as the body will only convert what it needs and no more, not true with A.
-Heme Iron-ok...your right with "heme"...however non heme works just fine.
http://www.vrg.org/nutrition/iron.htm

-Amino acids that are easiest to get from meat--ok well when you throw in "that are easiest to get from meat"...well of course that changes the question...you can get plenty of protein from non animal sources. Eating raw does even better because enzymes are made up of amino acids. You can also add rice protein. And you can if you want use whey isolate if you want, even though it comes from dairy I dare someone to come take away my vegan membership card.

-Vitamin D (if on a vegan diet)...ummm the sun....mushrooms, potatos
-Protein from animal products tends to have much higher biological value than protein from plant products.

Though I think some will debate about the "best" protein sources coming from plants or animals...I do think the best protein IS from meat......but most vegans are vegans for other reasons...such as meat causing a very acidic state in the body which leads to a whole host of problems. I am not a vegan because I think it is better protien but because I believe it is better for my health. Bodybuilding and veganism don't exactly go together..not alot of huge vegans.

[bp16]

Alright so although I would have never thought of it, I think I'm slowly turning into a vegetarian or even a vegan. My question is, do you really need anything from animals? I know there are a ton of people that say "well you need protein from meat", which from what I've read, the best protein sources come from plants. So anyone here a vegan/vegetarian that can chime in? I think this is probably the cleanest way to eat, and I've been eating plenty of veggies and fruits lately and I find myself not wanting to eat much meat. So I'd like to hear some things from vegans/vegetarians. I'm not really one of those "don't kill animals" types, I just think it's probably better overall to avoid animal products.

If you are doing this just to eat clean, I don't think that makes much sense. Vegans have to supplement to avoid severe deficiencies in things like B12. Fatty fishes (especially wild caught) are extremely healthy. Meat has plenty of nutrients and if you are going for clean eating, grass fed beef is pretty awesome. Contains a lot of nutrients and better omega 3 : 6 ratios.

[MikeD4386]

I support your being a vergatrian, i think it;s definately doable, and i wish you luck, but Animal proteins are definately WAAAAAAAAAAAAAY better than vegetable proteins. Mostly, because the fact the vegetables don't actually contain protein.

[deadfingers]

Vitamin B12---Seaweeds such as dulse and nori
-Zinc-****ake mushrooms, seaweed, chives, spirulina,

-Calcium (if on a vegan diet)-Kale, lambs quarters, collard greens, mustard greens, chives, garlic, spinach

-Preformed omega-3 fatty acids (EPA and DHA)-ok preformed..take a fish or krill oil tab...or just lots of flax oil..which will convert..and yes, I know..It takes alot more to convert yadda, yadda...

-Preformed Vitamin A (if on a vegan diet)Beta carotine will convert just fine and is even better as the body will only convert what it needs and no more, not true with A.
-Heme Iron-ok...your right with "heme"...however non heme works just fine.
http://www.vrg.org/nutrition/iron.htm

-Amino acids that are easiest to get from meat--ok well when you throw in "that are easiest to get from meat"...well of course that changes the question...you can get plenty of protein from non animal sources. Eating raw does even better because enzymes are made up of amino acids. You can also add rice protein. And you can if you want use whey isolate if you want, even though it comes from dairy I dare someone to come take away my vegan membership card.

-Vitamin D (if on a vegan diet)...ummm the sun....mushrooms, potatos
-Protein from animal products tends to have much higher biological value than protein from plant products.

Though I think some will debate about the "best" protein sources coming from plants or animals...I do think the best protein IS from meat......but most vegans are vegans for other reasons...such as meat causing a very acidic state in the body which leads to a whole host of problems. I am not a vegan because I think it is better protien but because I believe it is better for my health. Bodybuilding and veganism don't exactly go together..not alot of huge vegans.

Thanks, this is what I was looking for. I'm not looking to get huge, I just want to eat clean and look good for the most part. That's my reason for eating this way. Eating meat causes acidity while eating mostly veggies will give you the alkaline type. Anyways I'm not opposed to eating meat, but I think I'd probably stop eating so much of it, just when I really want it. I do eat sushi regularly, although I don't crave it much so I'll probably go twice a week to get my dose of fish oil and some meaty protein.

[veganmuscle_]

The only thing you need as a vegan is a save bioactive Vitamin B12 Source (BTW: Seaweeds is not a save bioactive Vitamin B12 Source!).

"This position paper reviews the current scientific data related to key nutrients for vegetarians, including protein, iron, zinc, calcium, vitamin D, riboflavin, vitamin B-12, vitamin A, n-3 fatty acids and iodine. A vegetarian, including vegan, diet can meet current recommendations for all of these nutrients."


http://www.eatright.org/cps/rde/xchg...3_ENU_HTML.htm

[Dr. Horse]

-Preformed omega-3 fatty acids (EPA and DHA)-ok preformed..take a fish or krill oil tab...

Where do you get your vegan fish or krill oil?

[Opies]

Plausible, but very, very, very far from optimal.

[pink378]

you might enjoy
http://www.veganbodybuilding.com

[daYDreAmErX]

I used to eat a lot of meat but for several reasons now I can go a few days without it and I don't even see a difference. My macros for today are 141g protein, 227g carbs and 76g fat... similar to what I get if I eat meat so at the end of the day, it's all the same for me...

[SDC77]

X2 what Daydreamer said. I went from eating about 12oz of chicken a day to about 12oz every 4 days. The bulk of my protein comes from egg whites, nuts and grains.

There is no need to eat "complete proteins" constantly. If you are eating a diet with lots of variety, the incomplete proteins will be completed.

[deadfingers]

Thanks all, actually I'm eating a more Japanese style diet. My diet will be mostly soba noodles, rice, grilled chicken and veggies. I just won't eat as much meat as I used to, I don't really crave it much so.

[IronCitGrl]

I was vegetarian for almost three years and i was also the heaviest I have ever been in my life. I probably didn't do the vegetarian thing correctly but it really overcomplicated trying to eat healthy. I find that getting the right amount of protein always includes eating too many carbs and fat ie. beans, quinoa, cheese and I started eating too much soy protein. I still ate eggs but got sick of them really fast. If you think you can eat a clean vegetarian or vegan diet and do so properly without being overwhelmed or bored then go for it.

[Shubbard1821]

read "The China Study." It takes all about that. Its something I think all people, not just bbers, should read. talks a great deal about vegan diet and why it is good, if you have all the right tools.

[lancs_hotpot]

You will struggle to put a great amount of muscle on on a vegan diet thats for sure.

[deadfingers]

I'm not really into building huge muscle, I just want to be fairly lean with some decent muscle. I'm not vegan nor a vegetarian, but I'm just trying to see if eating mostly non-animal products makes that much of a difference.

[grapemaster]

Hrrmm... I've tried going vegan and couldn't cope... I eat "mostly" vegetarian but will throw in meat when I can, usually on the weekend or something. I feel better when I eat this way. I try to eat fish and red meat once a week in my meals. I avoid all processed meats (ham/sausages/etc.) I try to find balance and not be dogmatic about it. I think I have found a healthy medium between ethics and being a human. It is also much cheaper this way... asian food ftw.

[deadfingers]

Hrrmm... I've tried going vegan and couldn't cope... I eat "mostly" vegetarian but will throw in meat when I can, usually on the weekend or something. I feel better when I eat this way. I try to eat fish and red meat once a week in my meals. I avoid all processed meats (ham/sausages/etc.) I try to find balance and not be dogmatic about it. I think I have found a healthy medium between ethics and being a human. It is also much cheaper this way... asian food ftw.

I love Asian food, seeing as how I'm in Japan I figure I'll just spend my money going out to some good places around here. Most places around here are actually quite healthy, I've found a good soba noodle restaurant around here that has plenty of healthy food freshly made. So I'll probably eat there often, and keep plenty of fruits and maybe even some nuts around.

[ugpdfw]

Thanks all, actually I'm eating a more Japanese style diet. My diet will be mostly soba noodles, rice, grilled chicken and veggies. I just won't eat as much meat as I used to, I don't really crave it much so.

I was a veggie for about 8 years. At first I didnt do alot of research in what to eat. Before doing so I ate meat all day every meal, dated a veggie and being dumb went veggie myself. I lost alot of weight the first few months since I didnt know what I should eat. That was my fault for not being aware. After a long time, I started to eat meat again, after the first few weeks of my stomach hurting due to eating meat again. I now still eat alot of it.

* point being * I enjoyed it a veggie and a meat eater. If you want it, it can be done.

[alrotolo]

I think it would be a bit easier for a woman to have a vegan diet than a man because of protein intake. I was vegetarian, but in the last few months turned to vegan because i was having trouble digesting dairy products. All of my protein was coming from dairy products (whey, casein, cottage cheese etc.) I am very happy with the changes i have seen in my body since the switch. Those final few pounds of excess fat are finally coming off and I am no longer bloated and tired feeling after I eat a meal. My energy has also increased and I have been doing much better and making great increases in weight lifting. It is definately possible. Keep track of your food in a log. Eat every 3 hours. I eat tofu, veggie burgers (Amy's Bistro burgers are awesome), soy protein powder, lite soy milk (Silk brand), quinoa, lentils, beans etc for protein. I weigh 122 lbs and try to get 105 grams of protein per day. Its definately doable!

[dude57]

Bodybuilding.com has started bodygroups.
Join this great new group for people that want to be veggie and fit!

http://groups.bodybuilding.com/veggies_united

We can support each other along the way with recipes, veg supplements, resources, and more.

[Nobylspoon]

B12 is the only thing a vegan on a well balanced diet needs to be concerned with and this is not something that is produced by animals it is a bacteria found in their stomachs that they get from the dirt.

At one time B12 was easy to get from plants but because of all the pesticides and chemicals used most vegans take a synthetic suppliment. You can still get B12 by eating unwashed organic veggies and fruits but I will stick to the suppliment, I don't like to eat dirty food lol.

I still take a veggie multivitamin just incase but that has been a habit of mine before I became a vegan.

As far as protein goes nearly everything you eat contains proteins, some alot more than others. An added bonus is that plant based proteins do not pull calcium from your body to process, a big reason osteoperosis is a big concern for omnis.

If you want a really tasty high protein meal make a chickpea cutlet (baked not fried to reduce fat intake). Chickpeas + Wheat gluten (protein from wheat) are the main ingredients so the dish is loaded with protein. It surprisingly taste alot like chicken fried steak.

http://www.chow.com/recipes/11364