The rules of vegan clean eating

SeattleScrambler

I have found www.whfoods.org to be one of the "cleanest" and most nutritious websites out there. The content goes beyond what to eat and into how to prepare, cook, and store your foods. It also has a week's worth of menu plans that you can follow to ensure you are getting proper nutrients throughout the day. Dinner usually involves fish or chicken but it can easily be substituted for a bean-based dish. The key, like many people in this forum have said, is to limit processed foods.

Here are some other vegan blogs that I enjoy.
http://ohsheglows.com
http://kblog.lunchboxbunch.com
http://pinchofyum.com/kabocha-squash-lentil-curry

Full disclosure: I'm not vegan or vegetarian. I did a vegan, alcohol-free, wheat-free, caffeine-free detox in February 2013 and found that it did not provide enough protein to sustain my normal athletic level. I also did not lose any weight or lose inches while being vegan. However, I do see the value of clean eating and tend to limit my meat intake to 1-2 x per week max and dairy is limited. I'm fine eating eggs daily. I also limit my processed food to periodic "treats" when out with friends. My diary is open if you want to look at it.

oldernotwiser

@oldernotwiser that live strong link is brilliant! Thank you

Welcome. If you are going Vegan I would not get too hung up on eating clean. As some others have said, it's not always clearly defined. Stay away from prepared foods that are heavy on salt,sugar & fat and make your own meals from scratch.

If I were you I would be more focused on ensuring that your food choices are providing all the essential amino acids normally found in animal protein sources. This link should help you with that. I apologize in advance if you already know this.

http://nutrition.about.com/od/askyournutritionist/f/protein_combo.htm

kennie2

@oldernotwiser that live strong link is brilliant! Thank you

Welcome. If you are going Vegan I would not get too hung up on eating clean. As some others have said, it's not always clearly defined. Stay away from prepared foods that are heavy on salt,sugar & fat and make your own meals from scratch.

If I were you I would be more focused on ensuring that your food choices are providing all the essential amino acids normally found in animal protein sources. This link should help you with that. I apologize in advance if you already know this.

http://nutrition.about.com/od/askyournutritionist/f/protein_combo.htm

\oh no ive been like 98% plant based for almost a year now

VeganCoco

There's some great advice on here Can I just say though that there are also a lot of people acting like massive tools.

The girl is an 'almost' vegan already, she's made her choice and it clearly says 'vegan' in the title so if you're here to argue about how much meat/egg/dairy you need to eat to be healthy and balanced I think it would be best if you just went to another post. Yes? Good.

I don't think I have a great amount to add that others haven't already mentioned but I'm a vegan and I'm trying to eat clean, I think my biggest issues are when I can't get something quickly and resort to something processed - to overcome this have soup already in your freezer that you can just defrost at a moments notice!

Other tips I think have helped me:

1. Quinoa makes great scone type cakes (mix with coconut flakes, maple syrup, raisins, almond flour etc to get a great sweet tooth cure)
2. Soy protein powder is a life saver in the mornings and after exercise.
3. Juicing is a great way to up your nutrient levels.
4. Sweet potatoes are king (and great in sweet potato and coconut milk soup!)

Hope it goes well! Veganism is definitely the way forward - just be careful not to call yourself vegan until you cut out the fish (98% plant based is a better description) because people are forever getting the wrong idea that vegans pick and choose when then want to be cruelty free!

Kat xx

Ivory623

I've been eating clean vegan for a little while now.
I define clean as not overly processed: I rarely eat fake soy meat (I only eat miso & tempeh usually), processed & refined cereals, candy, pop, etc. I rarely eat it if I can't read the ingredients. For flour, focus on whole wheat& sprouted wheat, unless you are gluten sensitive. I use honey (some vegans don't, I currently do), maple syrup & agave. It's less processed & contains other minerals. Some people follow the 'no more than 5 ingredient rule'

I do buy alternative milks and tempeh on a regular basis. They contain ingredients I can't say but I'm not ready to give them up.

You have to decide how you will define eating clean for yourself. It would probably change over time. & It's okay to have treats here and there! I have unclean food sometimes:P

My diet is mostly whole unrefined foods:
quinoa, lentils, rice, nuts, nut butter, hummus, beans, seeds & lots of fruits & vegetables. Mushrooms contain protein!
Foods that are awesome for nutrients the vegan diet is low in are: kale, chia seeds, lentils, hemp protein powder.
I eat a lot of stir-fries, salads, smoothies & soup.

You probably know this, but make sure your vit D, vitB12, iron, calcium and protein intake is high enough.

I hope that helped a bit! Feel free to ask me questions.

DesireeLovesOrganic

I always have lots of beans on hand (dried and I do them in the crockpot: black, pinto, kidney, black eyed peas), lentils, peas (love crockpot pea soup with peas, potato, onion, carrot, paprika, and some mexican oregano.) Quinoa, brown rice, cashews, almonds, peanuts, walnuts, oatmeal.

For fast breakfast I usually do a piece of fruit, a toasted flax/chia organic bread piece with 1 tablespoon of PB and 1 tablespoon of Justin's chocolate almond butter.

I also love oatmeal with walnuts, flax, fruit (mango or apple) and cinnamon. Sometimes I do raisin and carrot (cooked first in a bit of coconut oil) and add to oatmeal/walnuts and it tastes like carrot cake oatmeal. LOL The fruit makes it sweet enough so you don't have to add any sugar.

I love mango salsa (mango, tomato, cilantro, poblano or jalapeno, bit of red hot chili pepper, sea salt, and onion) and I chuck that on a lot of stuff....a bowl of black beans, beans on an organic corn torilla, etc.

This kale salad I have a lot for lunch too and it's got 20 grams of protein: in a large pot put 1 tablespoon of PB, 1/2 tablespoon tamari, 1/2 tablespoon apple cider vinegar, 1 teas honey, 3 shakes cayenne, 1 garlic clove, 1 tablespoon ginger (fresh grated or in a jar), 1 tablespoon sesame seeds (or tahini) and 1/4th cup water.....on med heat until well blended. Then I chuck in a head of washed (and dried) kale...about 3 cups and mix it all good in with the sauce and then add 1/4 cup of peanuts and mix well (don't cook too long or it will get wilty) and you can put it in the fridge or eat it warm (I eat it warm.) It's so yum!

Spinach salad I love too (no cooking) a plate full of organic baby spinach + 4 strawberries sliced up (good with mango, apple, blood oranges, or raspberries too) + walnuts and Braggs organic "bragberry" dressing (20 cal, no bad ingredients or sugar.) So good.

My fam loves udon for dinner too. I cook broccoli, mushrooms, and cashews in a bit of coconut oil with braggs liquid aminos and then the udon separately and then add coconut oil (1 tablespoon) and 1/4 cup nutritional yeast, bit of unsweetened almond milk, small amount of red chili pepper (or flakes) and a bit of braggs liquid aminos and then add in the already steamed veggies and stir. Super fast, like under 15 minutes total.

After workouts I do a "caca-pot" smoothie: 3-4 tablespoons nutiva hemp powder, 2.5 tablespoons raw cacao powder, 1 banana, 10 almonds, 1 cup almond milk, and sometimes 1 tablespoon organic peanut butter (and a few ice cubes and blend.) It taste like chocolate.

I do have a piece of organic dark chocolate every night, I love the Alter Eco Blackout (85%.)

Pinterest is great for recipes too because you can type in what you have (+vegan) and it will pull up tons of them. Oh She Glows website has lots of good clean vegan recipes too.

Ooh, I forgot....pepitas I always have on hand too. Good for in your bag/car. Lots of iron/protein. Blackstrap molasses has calcium/iron/potassium too, just a tablespoon is 20%.

DatMurse

i will say this.
make sure you get your b12 when you have a baby/before you get pregnant. or the chances of this increase

DesireeLovesOrganic

1/4 cup of nutritional yeast has over 100% dv of b12. Or you can take a tiny vitamin (or liquid form, I do a dropper one from the health food store.)

DatMurse

kind of suprised that vegans would intentionally eat a dead bacteria

Sarauk2sf

its unethical
dirty
expensive
and makes me want to vom
however if i really need to i'll sometimes have seafood when eating out as not a lot of places do vegan food

:noway:

DesireeLovesOrganic

For my vegan friends in this thread, read this news story today: http://www.nbcnews.com/id/51459488/ns/health-heart_health/?ocid=msnhp&pos=5#.UWLoYhmgSUd

mmddwechanged

kind of suprised that vegans would intentionally eat a dead bacteria

You are rude!

jamiem1102

its unethical
dirty
expensive
and makes me want to vom
however if i really need to i'll sometimes have seafood when eating out as not a lot of places do vegan food

Also now two longterm studies showing vegetarians live longer than those who eat meat, which is another good reason.
One by Oxford University and another by Loma.

http://healthandnutritionmagazine.co.ug/?p=62

http://www.examiner.com/article/vegetarians-and-vegans-live-longer-healthier-lives-and-weigh-less-say-studies-1

http://www.llu.edu/public-health/health/lifestyle_disease.page



I am sure those with more access to research papers will be able to find better sources.

I always read that the healthiest diet that leads to long life is the Pescetarian diet. Just putting that out there.

DatMurse

kind of suprised that vegans would intentionally eat a dead bacteria

You are rude!

thats the truth, what you want me to say? not suprised you have to eat a dead life form? bacteria was once alive and moving

regardless regarding carnitine and tmao.
There are still benefits in the ingestion of meats, particularly the rarer it is.
Why?
carnitine creatine also have protective in regards to heart health
creatine b12 also has protective neurological properties.

So where do you draw the line?
there are pros and cons in everything and everything should be in moderation.

The concepts of energy dysregulation and oxidative stress and their complicated interdependence have rapidly evolved to assume primary importance in understanding the pathophysiology of numerous neurological disorders. Therefore, neuroprotective strategies addressing specific bioenergetic defects hold particular promise in the treatment of these conditions (i.e., amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, Huntington's disease, Parkinson's disease, Friedreich's ataxia, mitochondrial cytopathies and other neuromuscular diseases), all of which, to some extent, share 'the final common pathway' leading to cell death through either necrosis or apoptosis. Compounds such as creatine monohydrate and coenzyme Q(10) offer substantial neuroprotection against ischaemia, trauma, oxidative damage and neurotoxins. Miscellaneous agents, including alpha-lipoic acid, beta-OH-beta-methylbutyrate, riboflavin and nicotinamide, have also been shown to improve various metabolic parameters in brain and/or muscle. This review will highlight the biological function of each of the above mentioned compounds followed by a discussion of their utility in animal models and human neurological disease. The balance of this work will be comprised of discussions on the therapeutic applications of creatine and coenzyme Q(10).
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which is found in meat

so if you want to use the strawman arguement
you either die of a heart attack or die because of neurological diseases

DatMurse

its unethical
dirty
expensive
and makes me want to vom
however if i really need to i'll sometimes have seafood when eating out as not a lot of places do vegan food

Also now two longterm studies showing vegetarians live longer than those who eat meat, which is another good reason.
One by Oxford University and another by Loma.

http://healthandnutritionmagazine.co.ug/?p=62

http://www.examiner.com/article/vegetarians-and-vegans-live-longer-healthier-lives-and-weigh-less-say-studies-1

http://www.llu.edu/public-health/health/lifestyle_disease.page



I am sure those with more access to research papers will be able to find better sources.

I always read that the healthiest diet that leads to long life is the Pescetarian diet. Just putting that out there.

i would agree with that diet.
Although I do love meat

Oaeneo

its unethical
dirty
expensive
and makes me want to vom
however if i really need to i'll sometimes have seafood when eating out as not a lot of places do vegan food

If you eat seafood you are not a vegan. Also, seafood it pretty unethical depending on what you eat and how it was acquired. What is the difference between killing a chicken and killing a fish. Many ways of catching seafood destroy the ocean and produce a lot of by-catch ( which is all the animals they catch but don't want.) They are thrown away.

As for there not being a lot of places to get vegan food. This is crap. It is an excuse based on convenience. My partner is a vegan and we traveled along the Mexican, and Guatemalan coast. He not once had to compromise his ethics. There are always options, especially if you are in a first world country.

stefa711

I get like the basics. What about like soy/almond milk? Tempeh? Seitan? Tofu? Is brown rice and pasta allowed?

look up "forks over knives" watch it if you have time. If not, read the book, skim it, whatever. It's based around the benefits of a whole-foods plant-based diet. Essentially, clean vegan eating.

As for the items you asked about, some are made with GMOs, which are NOT clean, but you can find organic/ non-GMO project verified versions of all of the items! Whole grains are allowed, so yes to pasta and brown rice.

I aim for about 90% organic foods to keep my diet as clean as possible.

Takeaways: Look for the certified organic seal and the non-GMO project verified seal.

stefa711

its unethical
dirty
expensive
and makes me want to vom
however if i really need to i'll sometimes have seafood when eating out as not a lot of places do vegan food

If you eat seafood you are not a vegan. Also, seafood it pretty unethical depending on what you eat and how it was acquired. What is the difference between killing a chicken and killing a fish. Many ways of catching seafood destroy the ocean and produce a lot of by-catch ( which is all the animals they catch but don't want.) They are thrown away.

As for there not being a lot of places to get vegan food. This is crap. It is an excuse based on convenience. My partner is a vegan and we traveled along the Mexican, and Guatemalan coast. He not once had to compromise his ethics. There are always options, especially if you are in a first world country.

Little harsh, lady. The fact that she eats vegan meals at all is huge. Even if one has fish/meat/animal products occasionally that person is still making a significant difference by cutting down on a daily basis.

What business is it of yours that she isn't 100% vegan? And what good is labeling people based on what they do or don't eat, anyway?

OP posted this for help, not criticism.

Kquinn86

There are so many replies, I wasn't able to go through all of them, but check out Forks Over Knives (http://www.forksoverknives.com/). There's a great documentary and they have a FB page as well. I've been plant based for a while now, although I'll allow myself fish if I'm really craving it or it's a holiday. Welcome and good luck!

gemmaleigh1989

Anything you get from meat nutrition wise, you can source else where. Besides, she wasn't asking for a meat vs vegan debate. That's her choice and NOT your business! Us veggies and vegans would kick your *kitten* in the great debate anyway.

OP the idea of eating clean is to eat foods that are as close to their natural state as possible. Basically cutting out all processed foods to put it simply. Another general rule is that if the food doesn't spoil In a few days, then it's processed with preservatives!