I need meat

fairefaerie

To start: I'm not a vegetarian, never have been, and never plan to be. In fact, I love eating things that have faces. However, I do know many people don't NEED meat in multiple meals throughout the day. I've had nutritionists tell me that yogourt, cheese, etc. should be able to be substituted for meat, but I can't do it. For example, today, I had a dish of Cheese Ravioli from Lean Cuisine. Within an hour, I was so hungry that I was dizzy. This doesn't happen with any of their meals that have even the slightest amount of meat in them.
This happens if I have more than 2 meals without meat as the main protein.
I was hoping that the community would offer their suggestions as to why this is. I've tried to tell doctors and nutritionists about this and I've gotten responses from, "that's ridiculous," to, "just eat meat then." I will continue eating meat, but I'd love a reason why I absolutely cannot go without meat.

quirkytizzy

My guess is that meat has high levels of iron and protein, which is harder to get with a plant based diet. Not impossible, not at all impossible, but harder.

It's part of why I wouldn't want to give up meat. Meat is easy. I like easy.

LishieFruit89

All I got is "just eat meat"...
But I'm posting so some of the more well-versed pals on my list will see this and chime in.


Sidenote: I can't eat any of those lean cuisine type meals, I'm never satisfied. I don't know how you make it an hour being full, I'm hungry like 20 minutes later lol

silenceinspace

I'd love a reason why I absolutely cannot go without meat.

You probably aren't going to find it here.

Is it meat? Or is it just protein? Lean Cuisine cheese ravioli has very little protein--6 grams or so, if the database is correct.

Dairy can be a good source of protein, hence why it's recommended, but Lean Cuisine meals are highly processed--very little fiber and very little volume of food, plus no protein. It's probably why you were so hungry.

geebusuk

230 calories for that dish - so one of the cookies I got that were on offer for tomorrow .

I wouldn't use that as decent evidence.

Saying that, I might have the same thing as you - very rare I don't have meat every meal. Many are purely meat .

fairefaerie

I have a Lean Cuisine meal every day for lunch. They help me keep portions and save my "real" food preparation for dinner. I have absolutely no problem with their products that have meat in them; however, I have this problem with anything that has cheese as its main protein. I don't know where you got the quote, "I'd love a reason to give up meat," because I don't see it anywhere here.

cwolfman13

How many calories are in one of those? Probably not many...that would leave me pretty hungry too. Also, protein is pretty satiating...wouldn't imagine there is a whole lot of protein in the dish...mostly carbs I would think. Is the cheese also low fat or whatever? That would also make it even less satiating.

fairefaerie

I also feel it necessary to point out that this is just an example of an ongoing issue for at least a decade. If I have a salad with eggs and cheese, I'm empty. I add an ounce of Ham or turkey to it, I'm full. Don't even talk to me about soy. This isn't just a Lean Cuisine issue - this is an everything without meat issue.

cwolfman13

I have a Lean Cuisine meal every day for lunch. They help me keep portions and save my "real" food preparation for dinner. I have absolutely no problem with their products that have meat in them; however, I have this problem with anything that has cheese as its main protein. I don't know where you got the quote, "I'd love a reason to give up meat," because I don't see it anywhere here.

meat has a lot more protein than cheese. I don't really think you can substitute...cheese is a decent complimentary source, but it's generally a far better source of fat than protein.

LishieFruit89

I also feel it necessary to point out that this is just an example of an ongoing issue for at least a decade. If I have a salad with eggs and cheese, I'm empty. I add an ounce of Ham or turkey to it, I'm full. Don't even talk to me about soy. This isn't just a Lean Cuisine issue - this is an everything without meat issue.

So why not grill up some chicken breasts each week and add some to your LCs that don't come with meat??

sjaplo

I also feel it necessary to point out that this is just an example of an ongoing issue for at least a decade. If I have a salad with eggs and cheese, I'm empty. I add an ounce of Ham or turkey to it, I'm full. Don't even talk to me about soy. This isn't just a Lean Cuisine issue - this is an everything without meat issue.

Sooooo what your saying is - you're a meatatarian! Well hey me too!

fairefaerie

So why not grill up some chicken breasts each week and add some to your LCs that don't come with meat??

I'm more checking to see if this is a possible bigger issue than I understand. I've had a lot of doctors who didn't want to listen to me in the past, and while I'm waiting for my next one, I thought I'd brainstorm with the community to see if anyone had any ideas as to why this happens.

LishieFruit89

So why not grill up some chicken breasts each week and add some to your LCs that don't come with meat??

I'm more checking to see if this is a possible bigger issue than I understand. I've had a lot of doctors who didn't want to listen to me in the past, and while I'm waiting for my next one, I thought I'd brainstorm with the community to see if anyone had any ideas as to why this happens.

I really wish I could help.

If you have a university nearby, maybe go to their library and access medical journals to see if you can find anything?

lisawinning4losing

I'm getting ready to throw all my Lean Cuisine in the trash and just buy a few pounds of chicken.

AwesomeGuy37

Think it could be psychological?

I know some days if I wanted pizza, I couldn't be satisfied until I had pizza.

DamePiglet

I also feel it necessary to point out that this is just an example of an ongoing issue for at least a decade. If I have a salad with eggs and cheese, I'm empty. I add an ounce of Ham or turkey to it, I'm full. Don't even talk to me about soy. This isn't just a Lean Cuisine issue - this is an everything without meat issue.

So why not grill up some chicken breasts each week and add some to your LCs that don't come with meat??

Sometimes I buy the pre-cooked rotisserie chicken in the grocery store deli & portion those out for a week. I iz all the lazy!!

LTKeegan

you should try a blind study, where someone cooks for you using food that looks like it has meat in it and food that has meat in it, and you don't know, and just see.

geebusuk

you should try a blind study, where someone cooks for you using food that looks like it has meat in it and food that has meat in it, and you don't know, and just see.

I was thinking this - especially as you mentioned only needing an ounce. I reckon an ounce of chicken would be easy to hide the taste of with some other strong flavours.

LishieFruit89

I also feel it necessary to point out that this is just an example of an ongoing issue for at least a decade. If I have a salad with eggs and cheese, I'm empty. I add an ounce of Ham or turkey to it, I'm full. Don't even talk to me about soy. This isn't just a Lean Cuisine issue - this is an everything without meat issue.

So why not grill up some chicken breasts each week and add some to your LCs that don't come with meat??

Sometimes I buy the pre-cooked rotisserie chicken in the grocery store deli & portion those out for a week. I iz all the lazy!!

No shame there!

Some of them are too salty for me.
AAnd I like the ones from Market Basket best which doesn't exist here lol

DamePiglet

I also feel it necessary to point out that this is just an example of an ongoing issue for at least a decade. If I have a salad with eggs and cheese, I'm empty. I add an ounce of Ham or turkey to it, I'm full. Don't even talk to me about soy. This isn't just a Lean Cuisine issue - this is an everything without meat issue.

So why not grill up some chicken breasts each week and add some to your LCs that don't come with meat??

Sometimes I buy the pre-cooked rotisserie chicken in the grocery store deli & portion those out for a week. I iz all the lazy!!

No shame there!

Some of them are too salty for me.
AAnd I like the ones from Market Basket best which doesn't exist here lol

Yeah, they can be. There's one flavor variety around here that's a little better than the rest.

susannamarie

Quite honestly if an ounce of meat is enough:

1) I'd doubt that it's anything physically wrong, but I would suspect there's a conditioned reflex of some sort.
2) Buy food with meat in it instead of trying to substitute.