Vegetarians Unite...And Make Delicious, Economical And Nutritious Food

[FarmerChick]

LOL

No one wants to be told what we eat is bad.......there are tons of diet info out there.

If you are a meat eater, have at it cause it will not kill you. Simple fact.

If you are a veggie person it will not kill you either. Simple fact.


It is everything "in between" with a zillion other life factors that kill us literally.


I think it is perfectly natural to enjoy meat and natural to not enjoy meat.
Whatever floats your boat.....but everyone saying "their choice of diet" is perfect and best---nope. There isn't one because all other life factors come into play.

 

[DianeB]

Right now, I am trying to follow a nutrient rich diet. Eating only foods that are high in nutrients and low in calories. After reading Jeff Yeager's book a year ago about $1 per pound diet - he is a big cheapskate and I am sure a few of you have heard of him, I am trying to reduce cost and be healthier. The jist of the diet is to buy foods that cost about a dollar a pound. These foods are generally whole foods like vegetables, grains, beans, yogurt, etc. Rarely is candy or chips this cheap.

The problem with this is that I find myself cooking simple meals off the top of my head or switching things in and out of recipes. I promise I will try to post some recipes, soon.

I also hope to look better and weighless. (They rarely discuss how nutrients effect your looks in diet books and shows.) BTW, has anyone ever watched You Are What You Eat on BBC America. She has a lot a good point but is a little OCD and rude.

I just bought some potatoes, sweet potatoes, squash (for 47 cents a pound), some apples and pears. Already have beans, rice and seasonings. Wonder what I could make? Also, I should be getting seeds to plant a winter garden. I love cool season crops. That is if my hens don't get to them first. I just gave them a lecture, but I think they are still discussing how to destory my garden.

Oh, is anyone interested in vegetarian food pyramids and nutrient planning. I was thinking of post ing some for general reference. They are very helpful for those just starting out planning vegetarian or flexterian meals.

 

[DrakeMaiden]

Ok, so how do nutrients affect one's looks?

One thing to keep in mind is that our nation's crops do not have the same level of nutrients that they once did, since the soil has been depleted. I think raising your own food, if you know what you are doing, yields more nutritious foods.

 

[dragonlaurel]

Omega 3 and other fatty acids are the same way. I have to remind people that they are manufactured in in the growing tissue of plants and only plants. Leafy greens, many types of sea weeds and oily seeds have them. I do not need to eat fish.

Which seaweeds would be good for Omega 3? I like seaweed so I may as well get more that way.
I checked out the vegetarian food pyramid before. Posting it's a good idea.
Thought about doing more meal planning but was lazy. I made a good compromise by buying a bunch of different fruits and veggies, keeping the grain stuff around, some eggs and cheese. Then just putting it together in whatever appealed at the moment. If you don't have junk around- you don't eat it. Everything was healthy foods so I couldn't go too far wrong.
Then I got married. He wants convenience foods and isn't vegetarian. We split the food budget into 3 sections- his, mine and staples we both eat. Still trying to make it work. We sort of agree about breakfast, so I try to make omelettes so he'll get more veggies.

Your skin cells are being constantly made so they reflect what's going on in your body pretty quickly. Plenty of nutrients gives the body the supplies to do the job right. Dehydration or too many toxins, will show too, but wont look good.
I decided to do a high fiber diet for a month once and got compliments on my skin almost every day. I worked in a health food store and they were all asking what I was using on my skin. NADA. I was showering, a little eyeliner and lipstuff and out the door. Whole grains, lots of fresh veggies, fruits, and between 1/2 to a gallon of water a day. My skin loved it. I also dropped weight.

 

[DrakeMaiden]

Thanks for the reply, Dragonlaurel. Yes, I have always believed that how you take care of yourself shows up more than what you put on yourself. LOL

 

[DianeB]

Ok, so how do nutrients affect one's looks?

One thing to keep in mind is that our nation's crops do not have the same level of nutrients that they once did, since the soil has been depleted. I think raising your own food, if you know what you are doing, yields more nutritious foods.

Vitamin E, A, C and Zinc are nessecary for healthy skin. Vitamin C is a must for creating collogen. Without collegen your face sags. (Also don't smoke. This also destroys collogen.) Zinc prevents acne and dry skin. Vitamin A is nessecary for healthy cells. Vitamin A, C and E are antioxidents that prevent cell damage. This means fresher looking skin and less wrinkles over time.

Boron, B Vitamins and Vitamin C are essential for healthy gums and heart.

As for crops not having the same levels of nutirents as in the past, their is no scientific evidence to back this up. Countless studies have shown that nutrients in US crops are roughly the same as in the past. Lacking minerals in soils is a problem for countries like China, Russia and some in South America. This is not from nutrient depletion. The parent material of these soils are intially lacking in certain minerals. That is why those who depend on legumes and grains in these areas have severe magnesium, boron and zinc deficencies.

Same for organic crops. Their is only ancedotal at best evidence that they have anymore nutritional value than convential foods.

So just enjoy fruits and vegetables.

 

[DrakeMaiden]

Um . . . ok, but I have seen tables with nutrient values listed for various crops during different time periods . . . are you saying that was just made up? I should see if I can find it again.

Traditional agricultural practices only replace N-P-K, not trace minerals to soils. That is why some nutrients are said to be in decline.

Otherwise, your discussion of how various vitamins and minerals affect skin health makes sense to me.

 

[DrakeMaiden]

Well, this isn't exactly what I found before, but here is a MEN article that talks about nutrient decline in our foods.

 

[DianeB]

I just wanted to point out that US soils are far, far better than soils in other parts of the world. Even if we were losing trace minerals, the effect would not show up for quite some time. Our soils are deep, young, still retain a fare amount of hummus and minerals.

Unfortunately, people in poor countries have two marks against them. Their soils are much older and the parent material was not that great to begin with. Also most people are forced to live on marginal lands that are even worse than those used to grow cash crops. If you ever get a chance to see tropical soils, it is obvious how depleted it is.

When I was in West Africa, the dirt was red from rust, hard a rock, blew everywhere and dyed the everything red. It was obvious that there was little or no hummus, was only high in only a few minerals and seemed better for making bricks than growing food. A few villages and farms did have some nice, dark, sweet smelling earth, but not many. Unfortunately, quite a bit of the produce eaten came from small urban plots that were literally fertilized by garbage, animal waste or sewage slug. You had to know were to shop to get those grown in the country or clean conditions.

P.S. Don't you wonder how they can figure out either way. Our knowledge of nutrients and technology is so much better now. Isn't like comparing apples to oranges? Perhaps, there is no exact way of knowing.

 

[DrakeMaiden]

Well, actually there are crops grown in the US that are fertilized with sewage sluge too. And our sewage is probably more toxic . . . lots of medications and solvents and cleaners and such going down the drains here.

Do you mean that other countries have farmed their soils for longer? Because it seems to me that their soil is no older than ours.

You are making a lot of generalizations. US soils are not all the same . . . they vary by region. Trace mineral content may be good in some areas but are not just fine in others. And calcium and magnesium and such are highly likely to leach out with rain, at least in my area. They need to be replaced regularly.