Eating too many carbs as a vegetarian
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JTmom2015
Posts: 11 Member
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!
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!
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Replies
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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.0
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Protein shakes -- eggs0
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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.0
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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.0 -
I am lacto-ovo. Eggs, whey protein, and nuts pretty much fill in any gaps I have.0
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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/0
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chivalryder wrote: »I don't recommend soy products as a staple. Soy is difficult to digest and could lead to digestive complications.
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/
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Err, did my post get removed for some reason or did I just imagine posting?0
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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...
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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.0 -
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.0 -
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.
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.
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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.0 -
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!0
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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.0
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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.
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....
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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 anyone0
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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.
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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?
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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.
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