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MyFitnessPal Community

Eating too many carbs as a vegetarian

JTmom2015

Hi, MFP friends!
I am curious to see how many vegetarians have an issue with going way over on carbs! I live off of brown rice/lentil and bean combos to get the protein I need. I'm looking to increase my amount of complete proteins without going over board on the carbs. Increase the amount of beans while decreasing the grains would work, but just wanted to get some ideas if anyone has any. Thanks!

Replies

punkuate

I'm a veggie and have similar issues. I am happy enough if I keep my carbs to less than 50% these days. I always end up having some sort of meat substitute (Quorn or similar) or eggs for protein but protein shakes work well too. Fat is easy if you eat dairy.

vfit10

Protein shakes -- eggs

capricorn2721

Tofu, kale and peas all have protein as does peanut butter. If you eat any dairy (ovo-lacto veg) it is much easier to get all your protein. We just started veg eating a couple of months ago and had the same concern. You are right though, it is difficult not to go over on carbs.

chivalryder

Wheat gluten and pea protein isolate should be your friend.

I don't recommend soy products as a staple. Soy is difficult to digest and could lead to digestive complications.

mantium999

I am lacto-ovo. Eggs, whey protein, and nuts pretty much fill in any gaps I have.

HeidiCooksSupper

Since all vegetables contain a good deal of carbohydrates, all vegetarian diets are likely to be "high" in carbohydrates. The thing to do is to learn about different types of carbohydrates in different types of food and concentrate on consuming complex carbohydrates more than simple carbohydrates. Here's a straightforward explanation: http://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/carbohydrates/

isulo_kura

chivalryder wrote: »

I don't recommend soy products as a staple. Soy is difficult to digest and could lead to digestive complications.

Err where do you get that from? Soy has been a staple of Asian countries for centuries. Unless you have a medical issue that is already effected by foods this is just nonsense I'm afraid. I eat a lot of soya personally its a great source of protein

I'm a Vegan have been for 20 years. Carbs don't make you gain weight too many calories do. Getting Protein is pretty east even a cup of broccoli has 4 grams. I eat a lot of carbs but I'm a runner. Even Rice and many other things have Protein. You may find this useful

http://www.nomeatathlete.com/vegetarian-protein/

conqueringsquidlette

Err, did my post get removed for some reason or did I just imagine posting?

melimomTARDIS

JTmom2015 wrote: »

Hi, MFP friends!
I am curious to see how many vegetarians have an issue with going way over on carbs! I live off of brown rice/lentil and bean combos to get the protein I need. I'm looking to increase my amount of complete proteins without going over board on the carbs. Increase the amount of beans while decreasing the grains would work, but just wanted to get some ideas if anyone has any. Thanks!

protien shakes, TVP, quest bars, eggs, cottage cheese...

jddnw

I think high carbs is normal on a plant based diet. When you say you are going way over on carbs, does that mean you are going way over the macros MFP gave you? It could be those macros just aren't geared towards a plant based diet. If you are eating nutrient rich foods like brown rice, lentils, beans, and veggies, and you are meeting your calorie goals, I'm not convinced you need to worry about restricting carbs.

Having said all that, if you were comfortable adding dairy and eggs to your diet, you would have more options.

Edit: Nuts! I forgot about nuts. Great HFLC food. I buy raw almonds by the pound and roast them myself. Very tasty.

holothuroidea

What do you mean by "going way over?" As long as you are getting the essential amino and fatty acids you need, filling up the rest of your macros with carbs is completely fine!

The "carbs are bad" myth is dying just as hard as the "fat is bad" myth, I'm afraid.

chivalryder

isulo_kura wrote: »

chivalryder wrote: »

I don't recommend soy products as a staple. Soy is difficult to digest and could lead to digestive complications.

Err where do you get that from? Soy has been a staple of Asian countries for centuries. Unless you have a medical issue that is already effected by foods this is just nonsense I'm afraid. I eat a lot of soya personally its a great source of protein

I'm a Vegan have been for 20 years. Carbs don't make you gain weight too many calories do. Getting Protein is pretty east even a cup of broccoli has 4 grams. I eat a lot of carbs but I'm a runner. Even Rice and many other things have Protein. You may find this useful

http://www.nomeatathlete.com/vegetarian-protein/

I can't argue my point or find any supporting evidence, so take it with a grain of salt.

I can say this: For much of my college career I ate and drank soy religiously. It then damaged my digestive system to the point where I got Leaky Gut Syndrome. Now, because of my massive consumption of soy, I cannot eat 15 different foods, including eggs, dairy, gluten, a bunch of different nuts, among other things.

That being said, consuming a lot of any singular food could cause the same thing. Soy allergens are common though, so it's more likely to happen with soy products.

Not saying it will happen to you, or anyone else, I'm just saying it's a possibility. One should never eat a single food religiously.

PeachyCarol

Some people do have a sensitivity to processed soy. I used to tolerate tofu well, but don't anymore. I'm fine with eating edamame, though.

If you're an ovo-lacto veggie, it's pretty easy to keep your carb consumption down by selecting dairy and eggs as your main sources of protein. Keep your bean servings to just one a day. Round out your protein requirements with protein powder.

Selecting lower carb veggies and fruits also helps.

Saying all this, there's nothing wrong with a high carb intake unless you have a medical condition that calls for you to moderate it.

dogsarebears

I had/have the same issue. The big places I found I can decrease carbs we're breakfast and snacks. One thing that helped was switching from cereal to greek yogurt in the mornings. Lower carb snacks could be string cheese, veggies and hummus, almonds or other nuts, and cottage cheese. For lunches and dinners, quinoa and tofu are also great. Stick with the beans and rice too!

GWehsling

Vegetarian for years and years and on-and-off fitness/running habits over those years. I've never had a problem with carbs, in fact, I've never counted my intake like this site does until I got to this site a few months ago. You're welcome to friend me and see my diary, it's pretty simple but so is my approach to eating.

jddnw

chivalryder wrote: »

isulo_kura wrote: »

chivalryder wrote: »

I don't recommend soy products as a staple. Soy is difficult to digest and could lead to digestive complications.

Err where do you get that from? Soy has been a staple of Asian countries for centuries. Unless you have a medical issue that is already effected by foods this is just nonsense I'm afraid. I eat a lot of soya personally its a great source of protein

I'm a Vegan have been for 20 years. Carbs don't make you gain weight too many calories do. Getting Protein is pretty east even a cup of broccoli has 4 grams. I eat a lot of carbs but I'm a runner. Even Rice and many other things have Protein. You may find this useful

http://www.nomeatathlete.com/vegetarian-protein/

I can't argue my point or find any supporting evidence, so take it with a grain of salt.

I can say this: For much of my college career I ate and drank soy religiously. It then damaged my digestive system to the point where I got Leaky Gut Syndrome. Now, because of my massive consumption of soy, I cannot eat 15 different foods, including eggs, dairy, gluten, a bunch of different nuts, among other things.

That being said, consuming a lot of any singular food could cause the same thing. Soy allergens are common though, so it's more likely to happen with soy products.

Not saying it will happen to you, or anyone else, I'm just saying it's a possibility. One should never eat a single food religiously.

According the wikipedia link provided:

Leaky gut syndrome is not a recognized medical diagnosis, but a proposed condition that is claimed to be the root cause of many ailments, including chronic fatigue syndrome and multiple sclerosis. There is little evidence to support this theory, and no evidence that so-called 'treatments' for 'leaky gut syndrome', such as nutritional supplements and a gluten-free diet, have any beneficial effect for most of the conditions they are claimed to help.
Quackwatch calls leaky gut a "fad diagnosis". Stephen Barrett writes that its proponents use the alleged condition as an opportunity to promote a number of alternative health remedies including diets, herbal preparations, and dietary supplements. Skeptics and mainstream scientists generally agree that most marketing of treatments for leaky gut syndrome is, at best, misguided, and at worst, an instance of deliberate health fraud.

Interesting....

rosamonreal

Just looking for advice and help. I actually just started my vegan diet (im on week 1). I noticed decrease in energy and most importantly im feeling faint. Get dizzy and kinda feel shakey. Is this something normal with transition or can I do something to help prevent this? Please help anyone

Timmi1978

JTmom2015 wrote: »

Hi, MFP friends!
I am curious to see how many vegetarians have an issue with going way over on carbs! I live off of brown rice/lentil and bean combos to get the protein I need. I'm looking to increase my amount of complete proteins without going over board on the carbs. Increase the amount of beans while decreasing the grains would work, but just wanted to get some ideas if anyone has any. Thanks!

You can replace most of your carbs with good fats & protein...nuts & pure peanut butter (nu sugar, no added fat).

Then of course egg whites.

janejellyroll

rosamonreal wrote: »

Just looking for advice and help. I actually just started my vegan diet (im on week 1). I noticed decrease in energy and most importantly im feeling faint. Get dizzy and kinda feel shakey. Is this something normal with transition or can I do something to help prevent this? Please help anyone

How many calories are you eating? What is your macro distribution?

jddnw

rosamonreal wrote: »

Just looking for advice and help. I actually just started my vegan diet (im on week 1). I noticed decrease in energy and most importantly im feeling faint. Get dizzy and kinda feel shakey. Is this something normal with transition or can I do something to help prevent this? Please help anyone

This is not normal. Open you food diary so we can see what you are eating.

krissyreminisce

I've been having the opposite problem lately.

I can't seem to get enough these past two weeks.

shl000

I have the same concerns as OP, and from what I assume, similar type of diet. Because lately I've been trying to "cut", I've been limiting rice and pasta to twice a week, trying to stay away from bread all together, and having post workout smoothies with plant based protein powders (vega or hemp pro) Seems to be working. This is what I mostly eat:

-Variety of salads with different type of cruciferous vegetables or sea weed.

-Tofu and tempeh. I try to get different kinds of tofu-not just in firmness- every time I'm near East Asian markets.

Speaking from my own experience, I'm from a part of the world where soy is a staple in every meal, and have not heard of these digestion problems mentioned. (I have heard of its affect on estrogen levels, but that's a whole different story.) But if this is the case for some people, maybe tempeh might be a better option because it's fermented, which means probiotics.

-Lentils, mungbeans, chickpeas. I find these to be the more nutritious and the cheapest.

rosamonreal wrote: »

Just looking for advice and help. I actually just started my vegan diet (im on week 1). I noticed decrease in energy and most importantly im feeling faint. Get dizzy and kinda feel shakey. Is this something normal with transition or can I do something to help prevent this? Please help anyone

This is not normal at all. Maybe you're not eating enough, or are allergic to something. Many people decide to go vegan and either eat only carb/sugar loaded junk, or over-processed and fake meats. Hope this is not what you're doing.

ambermoon18

rosamonreal wrote: »

Just looking for advice and help. I actually just started my vegan diet (im on week 1). I noticed decrease in energy and most importantly im feeling faint. Get dizzy and kinda feel shakey. Is this something normal with transition or can I do something to help prevent this? Please help anyone

I had this issue when I was trying to do a low-carb vegan diet, but mostly I think I just wasn't paying attention to having a well rounded balanced diet. You are probably missing something or are not eating enough calories. If you can have little healthy snacks every 2-3 hours, you may notice a difference.

scaryg53

I'm always way over on carbs, but I don't worry about it.

cwolfman13

By way over do you mean way over MFP's default...because it's pretty much just to obligatory 50% carbs setting...it's not gospel...you can change it to be whatever you want it to be.

Most vegetarians I know have relatively high carb diets because they eat a lot of veg and grains and other plant based things that tend to be carbohydrates. To balance things out, eat more nuts and things like avocado to basically up your fat a bit. Also, eggs are decent sources of protein...and most of my vegetarian friends also eat fish

janejellyroll

cwolfman13 wrote: »

and most of my vegetarian friends also eat fish

I believe your pescetarian friends eat fish.

Talan79

I'm a vegetarian. I eat only 40% of my calories from carbs. I don't eat rice, grain or flour. Egg whites, greek yogurt, protein shakes to make sure I get 30% of my calories from protein.

knitsteel

So what's the right carb percentage to put down for a vegetarian, flexitarian, or pescetarian diet? I'm flexitarian and still find that I go over on carbs every day without eating any outright sugar other than honey in my morning coffee. Is there really a benefit to the default values or any good reason to stick with the default carb and sugar levels as long as I stay within my calorie goal?

Talan79

I think it can depend on your goal also. I'm trying to build muscle, so I'm getting at leat .8 to 1 gram of protein per pound. So I keep mine at 40% since I'm weight training. Lifting without adequate protein can cause muscle loss.
Another calculation besides the .8-1 for protein, I've seen .45 x weight for fat intake, then the rest carbs. I use 30P-30F-40C. It's what I'm comfortable with.

cwolfman13

janejellyroll wrote: »

cwolfman13 wrote: »

and most of my vegetarian friends also eat fish

I believe your pescetarian friends eat fish.

I don't know...they call themselves vegetarians. I'm not too into labels and such though...I eat all the foods.