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Vegetarianism
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Too
Many High Glycemic Index Foods Consumed
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Textured
and Hydrolised Vegetable Protein
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Tofu
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The
Schwarzbein Principle
Book
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Living Low Carb
Book
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We
Know the Arguments
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Organic
Meats
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Where
to Buy Organic Meats
Too
Many High Glycemic Index Foods Consumed
Let's discuss vegetarianism. Are we at P.I. Health Services
totally against it? No. Do we recommend it? No. Why? Because your good
health is our goal, and vegetarians often compromise their health by
consuming a lot of high glycemic
carbohydrates.
Like all of us, people who choose a vegetarian diet have
busy lives. Although we have good intentions, and try to eat sensibly,
we all know what it is like to arrive home from work tired from a long
day and be faced with the task of preparing a nourishing meal for our
families. Especially during the week, it is difficult to find the time
to cook from scratch and prepare well-planned meals. We find that a
simple salad, steamed vegetables and a piece of chicken, fish or
meat is the easiest.
For busy vegetarians, it is far too easy to reach for the
pasta or some pre-packaged meat substitute, which is generally made from
TVP (textured vegetable protein) and possibly its cousin HVP (hydrolysed
vegetable protein).
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Textured
and Hydrolised Vegetable Protein
HVP is a flavour enhancer that is sometimes used in
soups, broths, sauces, gravies, flavouring and spice blends, canned and
frozen vegetables, meats and poultry. It is known to cause migraine
headaches in some people (Canadian Medical Association - http://www.cma.ca/cmaj/vol-159/issue-1/0047tab1.htm).
TVP is a protein obtained from any vegetable, including
soybeans. The protein is broken down into amino acids by a chemical
process called acid hydrolysis. If you notice, on the really cheap
cans of tuna, many of them have TVP added to extend the tuna and
make you think you are getting a really good deal. You aren't! TVP, in
our opinion, is junk food.
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Tofu
But what about tofu you ask? We use it on occasion but not
as a rule. Here is a quote from Sally Fallon's book Nourishing
Traditions: The Cookbook that Challenges Politically Correct Nutrition
and the Diet Dictocrats, explaining why too much tofu is
detrimental. She is talking about soybeans and tofu in this quote.
"Soybeans are high in phytates and contain potent enzyme inhibitors
that are only deactivated by fermentation and not by ordinary cooking
methods. These inhibitors can lead to protein assimilation problems in
those who consume unfermented soy products frequently. Soybeans must not
be used like other legumes in soups and other dishes but only as
fermented products like miso, natto, and tempeh. It is also a mistake to
rely on tofu or bean curd as a protein food because of its high
phytate content. Those who wish to eat tofu would be wise to imitate the
Japanese who eat small amounts of tofu in fish broth and not as a
substitute for animal foods. Soy milk, often substituted for cow's milk,
also has a phytate content and can lead to mineral deficiencies.
Phytoestrogens found in soy foods, although touted as panaceas for heart
disease, cancer and osteoporosis, are potent endocrine disrupters as
well as goitrogens--substances that depress thyroid function."
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The
Schwarzbein Principle
Book
Dr. Diana
Schwarzbein (The Schwarzbein Principle: The Truth About Losing Weight, Being Healthy, and Feeling Younger
and The Schwarzbein Principle Vegetarian Cookbook)
suggests that, in order for vegetarians to eat a proper diet, they
emphasize tofu, seeds, legumes, nuts, and whole grains such as barley
and quinoa (we'll get to this soon). They should also incorporate essential
fats from avocado, olives and cold processed oils.
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We
agree with everything except the tofu. However, I can see her dilemma.
How can her patients get enough protein on a vegetarian diet without it?
Well, it takes a lot of careful planning, more than most are willing to
do. She also talks about the theory of putting together, for example,
rice and beans to get a complete protein, but comes to the conclusion
that the carbohydrate ratio far out weighs the protein.
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One cup brown rice = 5 grams of protein/46 grams of
carbohydrates
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One cup kidney beans = 15 gm protein/40 gm carbohydrates
So, as you can see, you end up with only 20 gm of protein
and 86 gm of carbohydrate.
Living
Low-Carb Book
Fran McCullough (Living
Low-Carb: The Complete Guide to Long Term Low-Carb Dieting)
states
that it is very difficult to eat a low glycemic diet as a vegetarian,
especially if you are vegan (no dairy, eggs or animal proteins). She
also says that there is a higher incidence of cancer in vegetarians, and
that female vegetarians have a higher rate of death from coronary heart
disease than meat eaters. (American Journal of Clinical Nutrition,
1970) This may have to do with deficiencies in carnitine, lysine,
taurine, B12, and omega 3 fats... and excesses in omega 6 fats. She concurs
with Sally Fallon regarding the problems with high soy diets and
adds that soy lowers good cholesterol (HDL) as well as the bad (LDL).
So, if you are vegetarian you may want to consider adding some fish or
chicken to your diet.
We
Know the Arguments
We know the arguments against eating meat very well as
Dr. Van Dueck and I have both been vegetarian. However, we
never felt well eating that way. I think perhaps part of the answer to
our issues around meat eating is to demand, from our meat markets and
supermarkets, meats that are organically raised under humane
circumstances.
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Organic
Meats
Organically raised chickens are readily available from
companies such as Maple Hills, Hills Foods and others. They are a little
more expensive of course, but if you aren't buying all that high
carbohydrate junk food, it should balance out. Organically raised beef
is available but is quite expensive. One alternative is lamb. They only eat grass so they are a much healthier choice. Another
choice would be fallow deer, which are raised on farms, and other
“game” animals, which are becoming more readily available.
Where
to Buy Organic Meats
For those of you living in Richmond, Heringer's meats often
have game available in the freezer. Just ask.
There is a company called Hills Foods that specializes
in game and organic meats. The company is located in Burnaby, B.C. and
can be reached at 604-421-3100 or http://www.hillsfoods.com. You can
order online!
In a few weeks, I will provide some recipes for game. Hey!
What about rabbit? I grew up eating lots of rabbit as my Dad raised
them. They were delicious and can be found in specialty meat stores and
at Hills Foods.
I
hope I haven't offended anyone here. If you are vegetarian and plan on
staying that way, all I can say is do your best. Try adding some quinoa
to your diet. It is higher in protein than most grains and lower in
carbohydrates.
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