Nodoji, lots of good info in this thread. Have you weighed in on alcohol yet? It would be nice to see some examples of what you eat on a typical day. It may encourage others to try it, if they see it is not strictly oatmeal for breakfast, grapefruit for lunch and broccoli for supper. Also, how has your weight changed as a result of your dietary change?
While I am a carnivore, it's been painfully obvious that the contributions in this thread from the veggie-eaters are more logical & well-supported than those from the other side. :eek: R
same here,i've reduced the meat and increased the veggies while reading this,i've probably lost 10 lbs in last 6 or 7 weeks and i haven't lost any energy,which I always believed was the trade off,meat meant strength,endurance
I've been plant-based for a while now. My last physical was April, and my cholesterol has gone from over 200 to under 150. The doctor says that all of my levels for everything in the blood test are unbelievably good, and the best part is my weight has gone from 192 (very much overweight for my size) to 168. Actually, the best part is the way I feel - more energy, allergies have disappeared, and a few other things of note. I am not militant about trying to convert people, but for those interested I encourage them to try it for a few months and evaluate the results for themselves. Good luck.
I avoid alcohol because it's refined sugar and also I need to conserve my brain cells for the focus required in day trading Some typical breakfasts are a 700-calorie smoothie with a LOT of berries in it; large bowl of oatmeal with a diced apple, flax seed or walnuts, berries, dates, cinnamon; French toast with berry compote; pancakes; leftover veggie pizza; tofu-based omelette with toast and hash browns. Typical lunches/dinners are huge salad with beans or grains; pasta salad; sandwiches; enchiladas; burritos; lasagne; pizzas; seitan "meat" loaf; soups/stews with sprouted grain breads; wraps; burgers; mushroom stroganoff. Plus anything you want for side dishes - salads, pilafs, roasted, steamed or raw vegetables, fruits, whatever. My diet is way more varied than the standard American diet of meat and potatoes and some tiny salad drenched in fat, or processed junk food/fast food. Out of the thousands of foods available at any given point in time, I'm only avoiding a tiny fraction of them: meat, (including fish), eggs, dairy, and refined foods. Just because the majority of people are accustomed (or possibly addicted) to these few groups of foods, doesn't mean they're rich in nutrients or necessary for good health. It also doesn't mean they're not downright dangerous. Not all that long ago cigarettes were very popular and recommended by physicians. For 4th of July dinner we're having seitan meatloaf (it's so good the omnivorous youth hanging around here begged me to make it), grilled veggie kabobs, mashed potatoes and gravy, salads, fresh fruit, and berry cobbler. Also, my weight dropped 20% off its highs and has remained there ever since.
Vegans oversimply, misconstrue the research, quote their gurus/authority figures as gospel. The one thing they don't do is look at the science. http://www.ajcn.org/content/80/5/11...73ca170d14ecfee59c789406&keytype2=tf_ipsecsha In the recent Estrogen Replacement and Atherosclerosis Trial, researchers found that the more sat fat the women ate the less progression of atherosclerosis they had. In fact, those in the highest quartile of sat fat intake showed NO progression. Carbohydrate intake was positively associated with progression (p=.001) as was polyunsaturates (p=.04). And this just isn't one study or an anomaly. A recent meta-analysis of 21 prospective epidemiological studies found no correlation overall: http://www.ajcn.org/content/early/2010/01/13/ajcn.2009.27725.abstract
You seem to make a distinction between refined sugars and naturally-occurring fructose. Is it because the (smoothie) is nutrient-dense? A 700-calorie smoothie is likely to be 50% calories in fructose. Yes, it is nutritionally-dense, but packed with sugar. Excluding the vitamins and minerals and you just ate 3 Snickers bars. I realize the comparison seems like a stretch, but that's an assault on your pancreas.