12 Top Vegan Iron Sources If you are a vegan, what is the first argument you hear from meat-eating advocates? Well the sarcastic ones might say something about plants having feelings too, but the most popular rebuttal usually has something to do with iron. And yes iron is an essential mineral because it contributes to the production of blood cells. However, anemia is not something to be taken lightly. So here’s the 411 on iron: how much you need, where you can get it, and tips to maximize its absorption. Love This? Thanks for subscribing! Iron Requirements The Food and Nutrition Board at the Institute of Medicine recommends the following: Infants and children • Younger than 6 months: 0.27 milligrams per day (mg/day) • 7 months to 1 year: 11 mg/day • 1 to 3 years: 7 mg/day • 4 to 8 years: 10 mg/day Males • 9 to 13 years: 8 mg/day • 14 to 18 years: 11 mg/day • Age 19 and older: 8 mg/day Females • 9 to 13 years: 8 mg/day • 14 to 18 years: 15 mg/day • 19 to 50 years: 18 mg/day • 51 and older: 8 mg/day
» A Guide to Eating a Plant-Based Diet Post written by Leo Babauta. If I could make a single dietary recommendation to people looking to get healthier, it would be to move to a plant-based diet. Eating plants has been the best change I’ve made in my diet — and I’ve made a bunch of them, from intermittent fasting to low-carb experiments to eating 6 meals a day to eating almost all protein to eliminating sugar (all at various times). Plants have made me slimmer, healthier, stronger, more energetic — and have increased my life expectancy (more on all this below). Of course, the diet is simple, but moving away from the Standard American Diet to a plant-based one isn’t always so simple for most people. Changing your diet can be difficult, but in this guide I’ll share a bit about how to change, talk a bit about why, and what you might eat. What’s a Plant-Based Diet? The simple answer, of course, is that you eat plants. Why Should I Change? There are a few important reasons to eat plants: Health. How to Change Slowly cut out meat. A: No.
I Can't Believe It's Vegan Being vegan doesn't mean you have to eat wheatgrass and alfalfa sprouts. Most grocery stores carry an array of great-tasting vegan options. Many products, including fantastic faux franks, veggie burgers, chicken-free chicken patties, flavored soy milks, nondairy ice creams, and other sensational soy-based snacks, are marketed to vegetarians and vegans. There's also an abundance of chips, dips, cookies, candies, frozen pies, soups, and other mouth-watering items by mainstream food manufacturers that are also vegan. Take a stroll through your local grocery store, check some ingredients, and you'll see what we mean. Click here for a printable version of the list Breakfast | Beverages | Snacks | Condiments | Baked Goods | Refrigerated and Frozen foods | Baking | Staples Breakfast (Dry)
9 Super-Healthy, Vegetarian Protein Sources <br/><a href=" US News</a> | <a href=" Business News</a> Copy According to the United Nations, the meat industry produces more greenhouse gases than the world's plane, train, and automobile fleets combined. It's not just good for the planet, it's healthier for you, too. The idea that protein only comes from meat is a myth. Beans and Lentils Protein Content: beans, 12 to 14 g per cup cooked; lentils, 18 g per cup cooked Beans and lentils are the cheapest source of protein out there. To avoid bisphenol A, or BPA, a hormone-disrupting chemical, found in metal canned foods, buy Eden Organics brand (the company uses cans without BPA in their liners), look for frozen beans, or buy dried ones and cook them accordingly. Throw a Party to Inspire Healthy Eating Nuts and Seeds Almonds, walnuts, pecans, pistachios, cashews, and pine nuts are all good vegetarian protein sources.
EatingWell: 6 Foods to Eat If You're Skipping Meat By Kerri-Ann Jennings, M.S., R.D., Associate Editor, Nutrition for EatingWell Magazine I was a vegetarian for most of my college years, but I was not yet a nutrition major (that came in grad school). My diet in those days consisted of lots of bread, cheese, yogurt and fruit. Not surprisingly, I gained weight and became iron-deficient. Now years later and pounds lighter, I still favor a meatless diet (although not exclusively). Must-Read: 4 Ways to Go Meatless I also know that meatless eating can deliver a lot of health benefits, without sacrificing flavor. Want to Try Going Meatless for a Month? All that said, having a balanced diet (meatless or not) is key to proper nutrition, so include these veggie foods in your diet to get critical nutrients your body needs. Don’t Miss: The Vegetarian Kitchen: Must-Have Pantry Basics What to Eat: Beans Key Nutrient You Get: Protein More Vegetarian Sources of Protein: Nuts and seeds, soy, eggs and dairy What to Eat: Dark leafy greens What to Eat: Walnuts
8 Vegetarian Athletes Martina Navratilova She has been a vegetarian for many years. Her record is one of the most impressive in professional sports. She won 18 Grand Slam titles, 31 Grand Slam women’s doubles titles, and 10 Grand Slam mixed doubles titles. She even won a Wimbledon doubles title at the age of forty-six. Phil Mickelson A three-time Master’s champion, and one of the best in the game of golf, recently he turned vegetarian in order to help combat a condition he has been suffering from called psoriatic arthritis. Carl Lewis One of the most celebrated Olympians and most decorated track and field athletes in history. Joe Namath He won a Super Bowl and was a fan favorite NFL quarterback. Mac Danzig A vegan mixed martial arts fighter who says not eating meat doesn’t hurt his performance at all. Prince Fielder A professional baseball player who stopped eating meat, he says going vegetarian made him feel better and more energetic. Brendan Brazier Robert Cheeke Related Links
10 Protein-Packed Plants The continuing debate over how much protein the average person needs has done little to change our hunger for it. And who can blame us? Protein is one of the basic building blocks of life. When most people think of protein though, images of cheese, eggs and a leg of lamb pop into their head. Plant-based foods are free from cholesterol, tend to be high in fiber, and are often alkalizing to the body. You may have heard the ongoing debate about “complete” or “incomplete” protein and “food combining”, but be wary; these topics are steeped in misinformation and myth. The term “complete protein” refers to foods that have all nine essential amino acids present in the correct proportion for our bodies to build protein with. Our bodies are brilliant, and every food that goes into your system must be broken apart and its nutrients absorbed. *More is not necessarily better when it comes to protein. Pumpkin Seeds9 grams of protein in one ounce Pumpkin Seed Nutrients and What They Do: Love This?
7 Easy Vegan Recipes to Get You Through Your First Week of Veganism" It can be a bit intimidating to go vegan all at once. What do I eat? I mean I know what I can't eat, but how do I put it all into a recipe? How can I make sure that my vegan meals are balanced and that my family will eat them as well? More and more people are at least cutting back on their meat consumption because it vastly reduces your eco-impact. Also, consider joining a CSA. This vegan recipe guide can be used as a vegan starter kit or as a means to detox the body for a week and maybe drop a few pounds. 1. Paella is the quintessential Spanish dish traditionally made with tons of seafood. Method 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 2. The creamy, fatty texture of the avocado works incredibly well with the sour tart flavor of the grapefruit in this. Ingredients: ½ avocado 1 small or ½ medium sized grapefruit 2 tbsp scallions, chopped ¼ cup cucumber, cut into fourths and then chopped 1 tsp toasted sesame seeds juice of 1 lemon 2 tsp organic soy sauce black pepper to taste 1. 2. 3. Source: VegWeb Directions
See, This Is Why People Hate Vegans I hate passive aggression, so I love passiveaggressivenotes.com. It's been one of my favorite time-wasting sites for years now. My friend Linda sent me a link to this recent installment, in which a self-righteous vegan leaves her omnivorous roommate a (not so passive aggressive) note, making ridiculous impositions. In case you can't make it through the whole thing, here are a couple quotations: "I can no longer tolerate seeing meat, eggs, dairy, honey, or any other products from animals in our kitchen or anywhere else in the apartment. "You could at the very least eat these things away from me, like when you're out of the house. As a vegan, I am embarrassed by things like this. The appalled reactions in the comments section reflect the damage done. I don't want people to hate vegans.
Top seven vegan sources of protein (NaturalNews) Like most people who have a higher health conscious, most vegans and vegetarians have a story about how they came to the decision to live their particular lifestyle. No matter your reasons, one of the challenges for non-meat eaters is making sure they get enough protein every day. But its not as big a deal as many think. Protein is an essential nutrient that plays a key role in how our bodies function. It's a great time to be a vegan. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. There are lots of cookbooks and websites with meal plans and inventive recipes, including many on how to make traditional dishes substituted with vegan ingredients. Other topics often discussed regarding vegan diets include whether or not vegans need more iron or iodine. Whether its a long term lifestyle or a diet for cleansing, eating vegan can be enjoyable and rewarding. Sources for this article include: