Comments on: Vegetarians for a month http://kennsarah.net/2008/01/06/vegetarians-for-a-month/ “...and every time she sneezes, I believe it's love... ” Mon, 26 Sep 2011 04:37:50 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Sarah P http://kennsarah.net/2008/01/06/vegetarians-for-a-month/comment-page-1/#comment-3997 Sarah P Fri, 18 Jan 2008 02:52:29 +0000 http://kennsarah.net/2008/01/06/vegetarians-for-a-month/#comment-3997 Sarah, Hey there. Somehow we've followed suit and Russ has been cooking us veggie since we got home from NJ. Thanks for the info about the protein. I've been wondering about that... I really like the term you used "opportunistic omnivore". If anyone asks about my eating habits that's what I'd like to call myself. Oh...and we've also noticed that we're spending less on groceries despite allowing for stuff like soy milk and 2 kinds of tofu and other treats to make up for giving up meat. Sarah,

Hey there. Somehow we’ve followed suit and Russ has been cooking us veggie since we got home from NJ.

Thanks for the info about the protein. I’ve been wondering about that…

I really like the term you used “opportunistic omnivore”. If anyone asks about my eating habits that’s what I’d like to call myself.

Oh…and we’ve also noticed that we’re spending less on groceries despite allowing for stuff like soy milk and 2 kinds of tofu and other treats to make up for giving up meat.

]]> By: Sarah http://kennsarah.net/2008/01/06/vegetarians-for-a-month/comment-page-1/#comment-3984 Sarah Thu, 10 Jan 2008 19:25:42 +0000 http://kennsarah.net/2008/01/06/vegetarians-for-a-month/#comment-3984 Kay: Thanks for your encouragement and comments. We buy free range, organic milk and eggs most of the time. While I know that even these definitions are questionable, it is about as close as we can come to farm fresh here in the city. I'm well aware of the steps commonly taken in butchering. Any PETA video can fill you in on those. I am also aware that these steps are meant to produce a humane death. Mass-production and greed are two huge barriers in achieving that goal. As a veterinary technician, I saw many, many cows, horses and other animals die during medical intervention that was meant to save them. Most of those deaths were not nearly as humane as a quick butchering would have been. Mike: Lack of suffiicient protein in a vegetarian diet is a common myth. Most Westerners consume about double their needs. This is not limited to meat-eaters. Over-consumption of protein is far more common a problem than under-consumption. It is true that meat contains more protein, per pound, than any plant. However, it doesn't necessarily follow that you won't be able to get enough protein from a vegetarian, or even Vegan, diet. Nuts, legumes, soy, dairy and eggs all contain more than sufficient amounts of protein (most nuts that don't come in a snack can are not salted, and natural peanut butter isn't either-try it: fresh ground peanuts are tastier than Skippy) It is also interesting to note that the most popular form of protein supplement for body builders and athletes is whey, a milk-derived protein. Out of curiosity, I logged how much protein I ate yesterday. From your equation, I need 46g. Additionally, I need somewhere between 11-25g more since I am still nursing. Thats 57-71g. I ate: Halvah bar: 3g Mini pita + hummus: 8g Falafel sandwich: 15g Carrots: 0g Chocolate chip cookie: 1g Rice crackers: 3g Baked ziti: 45g Thats 75g, more than sufficient for even a nursing mother. I'm more concerned about my iron intake. I need to focus on more greens for that one, but I take a multi-vitamin to round out my poor eating habits. A good website for further info is: http://www.pcrm.org/health/veginfo/protein.html Thanks for keeping the conversation going!! Kay: Thanks for your encouragement and comments. We buy free range, organic milk and eggs most of the time. While I know that even these definitions are questionable, it is about as close as we can come to farm fresh here in the city. I’m well aware of the steps commonly taken in butchering. Any PETA video can fill you in on those. I am also aware that these steps are meant to produce a humane death. Mass-production and greed are two huge barriers in achieving that goal. As a veterinary technician, I saw many, many cows, horses and other animals die during medical intervention that was meant to save them. Most of those deaths were not nearly as humane as a quick butchering would have been.

Mike: Lack of suffiicient protein in a vegetarian diet is a common myth. Most Westerners consume about double their needs. This is not limited to meat-eaters. Over-consumption of protein is far more common a problem than under-consumption. It is true that meat contains more protein, per pound, than any plant. However, it doesn’t necessarily follow that you won’t be able to get enough protein from a vegetarian, or even Vegan, diet. Nuts, legumes, soy, dairy and eggs all contain more than sufficient amounts of protein (most nuts that don’t come in a snack can are not salted, and natural peanut butter isn’t either-try it: fresh ground peanuts are tastier than Skippy) It is also interesting to note that the most popular form of protein supplement for body builders and athletes is whey, a milk-derived protein.
Out of curiosity, I logged how much protein I ate yesterday. From your equation, I need 46g. Additionally, I need somewhere between 11-25g more since I am still nursing. Thats 57-71g.
I ate:

Halvah bar: 3g
Mini pita + hummus: 8g
Falafel sandwich: 15g
Carrots: 0g
Chocolate chip cookie: 1g
Rice crackers: 3g
Baked ziti: 45g

Thats 75g, more than sufficient for even a nursing mother. I’m more concerned about my iron intake. I need to focus on more greens for that one, but I take a multi-vitamin to round out my poor eating habits.

A good website for further info is:

http://www.pcrm.org/health/veginfo/protein.html

Thanks for keeping the conversation going!!

]]> By: Mike Bond http://kennsarah.net/2008/01/06/vegetarians-for-a-month/comment-page-1/#comment-3983 Mike Bond Thu, 10 Jan 2008 17:05:36 +0000 http://kennsarah.net/2008/01/06/vegetarians-for-a-month/#comment-3983 "realize the nutritional good your doing for yourself and too the fact that no animal had to die for you to eat." when you look at protein, i have serious concerns about vegetarian diets. Lets forget about the animals for this discussion and talk strictly health. Protein is essential, people should consume at least .3g and no more than .45g of protein per pound that they weigh each day. Looking at this website: http://www.indoorclimbing.com/Protein_Foods.html This first acceptible source of protein on the vegie side is Tofu and then Egg Yoke. (I dropped down that far because cheese and nuts are very restricted on high blood pressure diets, which a lot of americans deal with). 8oz of lean beef, however, is just fine and provides double the amount of protein. Obviously, it is completely possible to get all the protein you need from a veggie diet. I just remain skeptical as to how much healthier it really is for you. Sure, peanut butter has almost as much protein as lean steak, but, it also has high values of sodium and fat that the steak doesn't. “realize the nutritional good your doing for yourself and too the fact that no animal had to die for you to eat.”

when you look at protein, i have serious concerns about vegetarian diets. Lets forget about the animals for this discussion and talk strictly health.

Protein is essential, people should consume at least .3g and no more than .45g of protein per pound that they weigh each day.

Looking at this website: http://www.indoorclimbing.com/Protein_Foods.html

This first acceptible source of protein on the vegie side is Tofu and then Egg Yoke. (I dropped down that far because cheese and nuts are very restricted on high blood pressure diets, which a lot of americans deal with).

8oz of lean beef, however, is just fine and provides double the amount of protein.

Obviously, it is completely possible to get all the protein you need from a veggie diet. I just remain skeptical as to how much healthier it really is for you. Sure, peanut butter has almost as much protein as lean steak, but, it also has high values of sodium and fat that the steak doesn’t.

]]> By: Kay Doyle http://kennsarah.net/2008/01/06/vegetarians-for-a-month/comment-page-1/#comment-3979 Kay Doyle Wed, 09 Jan 2008 02:28:03 +0000 http://kennsarah.net/2008/01/06/vegetarians-for-a-month/#comment-3979 I praise you for being a vegetarian for a month. You are doing both yourself and the innocent animals a kindness! Keep in mind, for most people, becoming a vegetarian takes time but once established it's a real reward. My husband and I have been vegetarians for thirty years due to ethics. Next we would like to become vegans which means giving up eggs and dairy which is really hard to do especially where we live. But, I have come to let myself realize, that dairy and eggs cause millions of animals to suffer. We do purchase farm fresh eggs from down the road. Try some, the're very good and better for you than store bought, besides, the chickens don't live lives in battery cages. Corporate factory farms are incredibly inhumane. And, too, dairy cows, they are confined to concrete, not grassy pasture land. When their milk production time is up, they are shipped out, stunned in slaughter houses and hung upside down from one rear leg to bleed out. Often times, stunning doesn't work. These once large lovely productive creatures are rendered in minutes to feed the masses. My hope for you and Ken is that you realize the nutritional good your doing for yourself and too the fact that no animal had to die for you to eat. By the way, two good books are The Garden of Vegan and How It All Vegan. Thank you for time! Kay I praise you for being a vegetarian for a month. You are doing both yourself and the innocent animals a kindness! Keep in mind, for most people, becoming a vegetarian takes time but once established it’s a real reward.
My husband and I have been vegetarians for thirty years due to ethics.
Next we would like to become vegans which means giving up eggs and dairy which is really hard to do especially where we live. But, I have come to let myself realize, that dairy and eggs cause millions of animals to suffer.
We do purchase farm fresh eggs from down the road. Try some, the’re very good and better for you than store bought, besides, the chickens don’t live lives in battery cages. Corporate factory farms are incredibly inhumane. And, too, dairy cows, they are confined to concrete, not grassy pasture land. When their milk production time is up, they are shipped out, stunned in slaughter houses and hung upside down from one rear leg to bleed out. Often times, stunning doesn’t work. These once large lovely productive creatures are rendered in minutes to feed the masses.
My hope for you and Ken is that you realize the nutritional good your doing for yourself and too the fact that no animal had to die for you to eat. By the way, two good books are The Garden of Vegan and How It All Vegan. Thank you for time! Kay

]]> By: Sarah http://kennsarah.net/2008/01/06/vegetarians-for-a-month/comment-page-1/#comment-3978 Sarah Mon, 07 Jan 2008 14:30:35 +0000 http://kennsarah.net/2008/01/06/vegetarians-for-a-month/#comment-3978 Annie-Thanks for the tip! Jenny- I completely agree. Whenever I cook food, I always eat better. Quick food=eating more for me! Mike- This is all meals. The economics can obviously be tweaked either way, but think .79 cent cans of beans or bags of lentils, whole grains at 2.99/lb, eggs at 1.99 per dozen or fresh spinach, greens, chard, etc. at 1.99/lb. It depends on where you shop, but I am never able purchase meat at those prices, let alone meat I would feel comfortable eating. ~Sarah Annie-Thanks for the tip!

Jenny- I completely agree. Whenever I cook food, I always eat better. Quick food=eating more for me!

Mike- This is all meals. The economics can obviously be tweaked either way, but think .79 cent cans of beans or bags of lentils, whole grains at 2.99/lb, eggs at 1.99 per dozen or fresh spinach, greens, chard, etc. at 1.99/lb. It depends on where you shop, but I am never able purchase meat at those prices, let alone meat I would feel comfortable eating.

~Sarah

]]> By: Mike Bond http://kennsarah.net/2008/01/06/vegetarians-for-a-month/comment-page-1/#comment-3976 Mike Bond Mon, 07 Jan 2008 03:58:33 +0000 http://kennsarah.net/2008/01/06/vegetarians-for-a-month/#comment-3976 Is this limited to just meals at home or are you guys going vegetarian for all meals, everywhere? How is it more economical? Fresh veggies and fruits typically cost more than meat. At least, around here. Is this limited to just meals at home or are you guys going vegetarian for all meals, everywhere?

How is it more economical? Fresh veggies and fruits typically cost more than meat. At least, around here.

]]> By: jenny http://kennsarah.net/2008/01/06/vegetarians-for-a-month/comment-page-1/#comment-3975 jenny Mon, 07 Jan 2008 00:50:32 +0000 http://kennsarah.net/2008/01/06/vegetarians-for-a-month/#comment-3975 Hey, Sarah, One more thing I found interesting when I read the book "YOU: On a Diet" by Dr. Oz (not that you should be on a diet, but just read on...). He wrote that people who interact with their food more (meaning in preparation, and decision making), will eat healthier in general. It's one thought towards the "eating the easiest quick food is not the best". Also, if you want to try a good soup, I have a recipe from his book to share sometime....cabbage and red peppers....yum! Hey, Sarah,
One more thing I found interesting when I read the book “YOU: On a Diet” by Dr. Oz (not that you should be on a diet, but just read on…). He wrote that people who interact with their food more (meaning in preparation, and decision making), will eat healthier in general. It’s one thought towards the “eating the easiest quick food is not the best”.
Also, if you want to try a good soup, I have a recipe from his book to share sometime….cabbage and red peppers….yum!

]]> By: annie http://kennsarah.net/2008/01/06/vegetarians-for-a-month/comment-page-1/#comment-3974 annie Mon, 07 Jan 2008 00:45:33 +0000 http://kennsarah.net/2008/01/06/vegetarians-for-a-month/#comment-3974 check out Kalyustan's on the NW corner of 28th & Park--has every spice & condiment imaginable! check out Kalyustan’s on the NW corner of 28th & Park–has every spice & condiment imaginable!

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