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A vegan is one who refrains from eating all animal products,
this means no meat, fish, poultry, dairy or eggs.
Many people turn to being a vegan for three main reasons:
ethical, environmental concerns and health benefits.
Ethical -
Many vegans feel that it is wrong to
unnecessarily kill and consume animals. They also
point out that, in Western societies today, the animal
product industries are not only cruel, but wasteful and
totally needless. People don't really need to eat animal
products to live, and many vegans feel that we should
be caretakers, rather than tyrants, over the rest of the
world's creatures.
Environmental Concerns -
Animal product industries have
been extreemly wasteful of the worlds limited resources.
Many vegans are very concerned about the lack of
conservation and preservation inherent in the production
of animal foods and goods. They believe that, as intelligent
citizens of the planet, to forego animal products is their
responsibility.
Health Benefits -
Numerous health benefits are enjoyed by
vegans, including significantly lower incidences of strokes,
heart disease, osteoporosis, most forms of cancer, diabetes,
hypoglycemia, constipation, hemorrhoids, diverticulosis, o
besity, and asthma - all of which are major illnesses found
in affluent societies.
Vegan Protein Sources
Plant foods contain the very same eight amino acids as
animal foods do, only in differing amounts. As long as
you are getting enough calories from a healthy diet, plant
foods can give you all the amino acids you need, by
themselves or in combination with one another.
Here is a list of foods that contain all of the essential amino
acids, meaning they complete proteins:
Grains - Brown rice, oats (cereals - oatmeal, granola, etc.)
millet, corn, barley, bulghur, wheat (including whole wheat
bread, pastas, cereals, flour, etc.)
Legumes - Green peas, lentils, chick peas, alfalfa sprouts,
mung beans, and beans of all kinds (kidney, lima, aduki,
navy beans, soy beans and products made from them; e.g.,
tofu, textured vegetable protein granules [Textured Soy
Protein], tempeh, soy milks), peanuts, etc.
Greens - Broccoli, collards, spinach, etc.
Nuts and Seeds - Almonds, cashews, walnuts, filberts,
pistachios, pecans, macadamias and nut butters made
from these. Sunflower seeds, sesame seeds (including
tahini butter made from ground sesame seeds), pumpkin
seeds, etc.
Combining protein foods increases the protein absorption
by about 30%, and thus variety is always the best strategy.
Bellow are classic vegan high protein combinations.
These combinations are meant to replace meat and dairy
products. Two ample helpings of any of the following
combinations average 15 to 35 grams of high quality
protein.
Corn Tacos with Pinto Beans
Oat Bran Muffins with Soymilk
Brown Rice with Green Peas and Tofu
Tempeh Burgers on Whole Wheat Bun
Whole Grain Bread with Peanut Butter and Jelly
Tofu Yogurt with Walnuts
Tofu Cutlets with Green Beans Almondine
Sunflower Pate & Sprouts on Pita
Meatless (textured soy protein) Loaf with Tahini Dressing
Noodles with Sesame Seeds
Oatmeal with Sunflower Seeds
Brown Rice with Almonds & Cashews
Avacdo, Sprouts & Almond Butter on Whole Wheat Bread
Corn or Wheat Flakes w/ Chopped Almonds & Filberts
Chickpea Hummus (made w/Sesame Seed Butter) on Pita
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