Dietary Protein and Vegans

November 7, 2007 by randomguru

Whenever I get to reading some interesting books, it usually turns out to be some book about diet or lifestyle. And not fiction or some great novel or murder mystery, or even a tale of espionage.

Recently I rediscovered a book in my library of books called “Becoming Vegan”. It was basically the book that caught my interest about becoming Vegan in the first place. And it’s a well-thought-out book that presents a lot of facts and data, and statistics about the Vegan Diet. The book is co-authored by Brenda Davis (Chair fo the Vegetarian Nutrition Dietetic Practice Group of the American Dietetic Assocation) and Vesanto Melina (Coordinator of the vegetarian section of the Manual of Clinical Dietetics, a joint project of the American Dietetic Association and Dieticians of Canada). Okay, that was a mouthful (no pun intended).

So, the main impetus for starting this entry about Veganism is that I personally quit being Vegan around the start of this year. But now I’m back to being a Vegan because I believe it is the healthier lifestyle for me, personally. And throughout most of 2007 as a meateater again, I enjoyed all those dishes that I grew up on as a meateater and child who wasn’t so discriminate about the foods I was eating. But also, here’s what I personally experienced.

1. My weight went up by 25 plus lbs.

2. I looked fat and couldn’t fit into a lot of my clothes.

3. My complexion looked tired and I looked older.

4. I physically didn’t feel well and was tired a lot.

5. I had various digestive problems, mainly constipation.

Now what were some good things about going back to a meat diet?

1. I admit the food was sinfully tasty.

2. I could eat whatever was available to me at parties and gigs.

3. People didn’t tease or question me being a Vegan.

4. I ate what pretty much everyone else around me ate, so I felt I fitted in.

5. Did I say the food was tasty? Um, sure it was. Of course.

. . . .

The main dilemma (I think) about being a Vegan, is that one is always “tested” or “challenged” by someone out there. So, being Vegan takes great commitment and “balls” because most people out there are meateaters and by simply being a Vegan it’s like one is challenging meateaters out there. But, in reality, a Vegan is just trying to live out his/her own lifestyle choices.

Anyway, I confess that I’m a weak Vegan. Because I’m constantly surrounded by a family of meateaters who keep insisting that my Vegan diet is unhealthy. That I lack protein.

By the way, Olympic Gold Medalist Carl Lewis’ video on youtube is very inspiring:

. . . .

The book “Becoming Vegan” proves that a “healthy” Vegan diet does provide enough protein for humans to exist on. As a matter of fact, Tofu alone provides the essential 9 amino acids that humans need in order to build protein in the body. There are 22 amino acids that the body needs for protein development. There are 9 essential amino acids that the body needs from food sources, while the remaining 13 the body can produce by itself.

Protein is built in the essential body fluids between the cellular level and the intestinal tract, and as long as all 22 amino acids are present, then there shouldn’t be a problem. Any food entering the body is broken down and digested, absorbed by the body and assembled from amino acids to proteins.

Anyway, it seems that enough protein can come from plant-based foods that would satisfy human needs.

And I must realize that skeptics and challengers will always come out of the woodwork. But I shouldn’t really be concerned with them. I just need to follow my own path and do my own research because there are a lot of successful Vegans out there.

There is a list of famous vegans that should be a major source of inspiration.

I think in my own personal life, family members and colleagues tend to be my harshest critics and have criticized me for being a Vegan. Saying that my diet is unhealthy and that I need more protein from meat. And it’s interesting, the book “Becoming Vegan” has a chapter on how to deal with the challengers called “Vegan Diplomacy”. So even that’s covered. I will have to read that chapter until I memorize it.

Anyway, this entry could be alternatively titled, “Back To Being Vegan”. And right now it feels really great going back. I just have to be even more committed about it because it seems the benefits outweigh the efforts put into it.

And if there’s absolutely nothing of for me to eat at the next birthday party?

I must firmly hold my ground, and be gracious without insulting the host or hostess… and say, “no thank you”.

Well, it’ll be tough but that is the lifestyle.

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Filed under: Vegan
Tagged: Books

Comments

5 Responses to “Dietary Protein and Vegans”

tokyorose on November 7th, 2007 2:07 pm

i know opinions are divided on this but, personally, i don’t think there’s anything unhealthy about a (balanced!) vegan diet. though one way to make your diet a little less restrictive while still getting maximum health benefits is to include fish (depending of course on your reasons for being a vegan). natural fish oils are a bomb of healthy nutrients…

right, that’s enough nutrition talk from me. time to go back into retirement…^ -
randomguru on November 7th, 2007 2:30 pm

you are so correct, though. and when i was a non-vegan i ate plenty of fish to take advantage of the fish oils. i’m reading more and more that flaxseeds contain the same omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids, which would be a good alternate for vegans.
tokyorose on November 8th, 2007 2:18 am

true. if you’re determined to stick to a vegan diet, flax seeds are a great source of omegas…
randomguru on November 8th, 2007 6:56 am

thanks. :o)

i was reading some info online about the fact that vegans can get B12 from one of three sources: 1. vitamin supplements. 2. fortified foods like soy milk. and 3. flaxseeds.

i’ve taken the supplements and fortified foods, but never really got into the flaxseeds. well, i might’ve had bread with flaxseeds, but i need to look for ways to get flaxseeds. ;o)
SOG knives on July 18th, 2008 4:25 pm

SOG knives…

Interesting ideas… I wonder how the Hollywood media would portray this?…