Hi all, I've been "veggie" since the start of the year after falling very sick in India. My stomach is only now returning to "normal" and I still struggle to eat some foods. Meat and animal fats were and still are a problem, but I feel better for not eating them (mentally and physically) so don't see the point in trying to "get used to them again" as my family puts it. Anyway, I digress... I have a couple of questions that I would appreciate some advice with. Not just as a vegetarian but also for my general health and well-being: 1) Can you eat to many dairy products? I eat a lot of eggs (organic and from a local farm where the chickens run free and are well cared for) and drink lots of skimmed milk. I also eat organic natural yoguart and do enjoy cheese. All in all this seems to be a lot of dairy products to me. How does it compare to others on the board? 2) I've finally found a local chinese supermarket that sells mung beans, tofu and various lentils. Does anyone know what to do with the beans and lentils? I'm a good cook and keen to experiment so a few suggestions to get me started would be greatly appreciated. That's all for now, thanks! I'm just trying to make sure I get a balanced diet (don't substitute meat sandwiches with cheese every day for example) and some more interesting ideas as I've just about run out. Many thanks in advance.
namaste brother, I am actually planning a trip to india, for the second time, In the next 12 months. tell me how you got sick? I left there with some runs from to much water but not to bad. I was lucky. here's some of my ideas to your questions: #1) As u probably found in india that there is never to much dairy. they use it for everything. I also love dairy. now eggs I do not eat becouse of the putrification of the substance. Just as meat putrifies in the body, so does eggs. Although if I was living three thousand years ago I would probably not be concerned with what I was putting into my body becouse I would be alot closer to nature than any of us could be now in this modern world.
too much dairy is bad for you. mung beans and lentils are cooked and eaten with rice. good protein, but to get full protein without eating meat you must eat beans, lentils, rices, soy, nuts, and seeds.
dairy and eggs have high fat levels, so be smart with them if you stay lacto-ovo (a veggie who eats teggs/ milk products) mung beans are great sprouted, lentils are OK, but I love Eithiopian style lentils more, and dals (remember those from India? the "bean" dish on the side of everything?) basic lentil stuff: http://www.cs.cmu.edu/People/mjw/recipes/vegetables/vegetarian/lentil-coll.html wat stew: http://www.justbeanrecipes.com/bea-0061614.html dal/ dhal/ dall http://fitdv.recipezaar.com/8629
Any dairy is too much dairy. C'mon man, you're not weaned off the breast by now? Don't listen to the dairy industries "calcium" bit. 2/3 c of spinach has more calcium than a whole cup of milk. Leafy greens will give you all the calcium you need.
Eggs and dairy products are high in fat and cholesterol, so definitely don't over-do it. Mung beans are the beans used to make the bean sprouts you see in the store. I sprout my own because they stay fresher way longer. You can also cook them, but I've never tried them that way. Lentils are wonderful. You can use them to make soups, curries and dals. You can make a "meat" loaf with them. They are quite easy to cook, they cook a lot faster than beans and they have a nice flavor. I love lentils. Vegweb.com has tons of veggie recipes, including lots of recipes for lentils. When cooking with tofu, don't forget to drain and press the tofu before working with it. After pressing, if you freeze the tofu, you get an entirely different texture. Tofu is incredibly versitile, and can be used for everything from egg-free breakfast scramble to stir-fry and jambalaya to pumpkin pie and "cheese" cake.
Thanks everyone, some good tips and some great links, I'm especially looking forward to trying the lentil chilli and scrambled tofu on toast (breakfast tomorrow...?) Mike - I got sick with Giardia from drinking water near to a glacier. Just not near enough for there to be no cattle grazing and sh*tting in the stream. D'oh! It really knocked me out, but it was the antibiotics that really killed my stomach lining. They weren't picky about taking the good out with the bad. I don't normally take pills, and this is why, but in this instance I came close to being hospitalised, in India, so the pills won! I had a great time though and can't wait to get back.
Well, tried the "scrambled tofu" on toast for breakfast yesterday. Great! Did a stir fry with it the other night too, which was also great. So I'm becoming a tofu fan! I haven't been back to the chinese supermarket yet but I'll be getting some mung beans and lentils when I do. Thanks all, my "veggie" menu has had a boost ) and my dairy intake is WAY down already. No more eggs for breakfast and cheese sandwiches for lunch evry day! Well, maybe as a treat now and again.
Way to go, Or! Here's another simple but awesome recipe... beans, boiled (5-10 mins max) olive oil (raw! never cook with it unless you want to die horribly ) soy sauce balsamic vinegar That stuff is deeelicious. I just had some for lunch... mung/lentil/chickpeas. The beans themselves have a great flavor once you train your tastebuds, so use the oil/soysauce/vinegar sparingly. As for dairy... dump it if possible. Whatever you do, never eat egg yolks. That's a one-way ticket to a clogged artery. Cholesterol builds in the arteries, and there's no way of getting rid of it once it's there. No amount of exercise, drugs or raw oats will help you if you gum up your ticker. Otherwise, it sounds like you'll be just fine. Good luck
Thanks spaceduck, I fear that I have had one too many eggs over the last few years. I guess that if I can't reverse that then at least I've stopped before it's too late... (here's hoping) Thanks for the recipe tip, I'll try that. I bought a food tub today so that I can take salads/lentils etc for lunch too. Why should you never cook with olive oil though (were you serious)?
omg... someone finally took me seriously! This is so new. *fumbles for notes* I guess I oughta explain myself then Eggs/Cholesterol... You sound like a healthy chap, so I wouldn't sweat it. Not every drop of cholesterol goes straight into your bloodstream. Most of it gets processed normally. But over time, little bits slip can thru, and once it's in your blood, it's there to stay. Sorta like... you can eat sand, and it'll pass thru you... but if you keep eating it, little bits will get deposited in your appendix, and it'll never come out (until your appendix does). Cooking w/ olive oil... Raw olive oil is great. But when it's heated to 350 degrees or more, all the anti-oxidants (the good stuff) get converted into PAHs (nasty stuff). PAH = polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons... same stuff that's in tar, asphalt & cigarettes... causes cancer. All cooking oils behave the same way, I think. Don't worry, you're not going to die from any of this stuff (yet ); it's just good to think about when you're planning a healthy lifestyle. Best of luck!
LOL, I am pretty healthy and actually my cholestral was low when I last had it checked. I do (did) like eggs though and you did give me a bit of a scare ) I didn't take the olive oil thing seriously but was curious to know what your thinkinng was. And reading it I must say, I didn't know that! It's a good job that I only cook with it upto 248 degrees then. I'm new to the forum so I guess that I should have done my research too - and read some of your other posts )
