Getting the right nutrients as a vegetarian and vegan
Sundt33
Posts: 8
I have been chronically depressed since I entered my teens. I was never extremely overweight. I am 5'7 and my peak weight was 76 kg. I am now 21 and 58 kgs. I have been vegetarian for 9 years and was vegan for four of them. I am now eating dairy again. I am on a journey to find the right diet and exercise which will help me fight my depression and boost my very low confidence level while still maintaining a healthy vegetarian diet. I am focused on eating the right combination of foods which will help me with my energy levels, anxiety, and general happiness. I know that there are certain foods which help build up the serotonin in your brain (in combination with a carb) such as plums and sunflower seeds. Are there any other vegans/vegetarians out there who have any advice on a diet which will not cut out any important vitamins and give me the amino acids and nutrients I need?
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Replies
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If you are a vegetarian, you pretty much do not need to do anything 'special' - just get a balanced diet with foods from a variety of sources. You may want to keep an eye on iron however and possibly make sure your B12 levels are ok.
Dairy is a complete protein and has a very good bioavailability. Protein from plant sources are not usually complete proteins (i.e. they are missing at least one essential amino acid) and have a lower bioavailability, so you have to be careful to get a wide variety if you are getting your protein primarily from these sources. Hemp seeds and nutritional yeast are great however (and nutritional yeast is usually fortified with B12).
The best thing you can do from a hormonal perspective is get enough fats - get a good amount of fats from a variety of sources.
Do you exercise?0 -
It sounds like you need a vitamin D supplement. I am a vegan/vegetarian 90% of the time and the one thing I noticed about not bbeing able to eat dairy (not by choice, I am allergic) is my vitamin D levels were through the floor. 19 out of 50. This caused some over whelming depression most of my life without knowing it. I then went to the doctor (naturalist) and found out I was manic depressive/suicidal low on Vitamin D. It was a miracle cure for me, no more depression after battling it for my whole life, I wasn't even overly emotional during my 4th pregnancy. Also, as far as amino acids go, soy/tofu is chocked full of amino acids. I also take a multivitamin which isn't necessary according to my micros but I find I feel better taking Vitamin B, D, and my multi. I personally follow no particular diet plan other than what works for me, I have allergies to dairy, meat, and gluten, therefore I am not a prime example of someone to follow. I do however just stick to wholesome foods and let the calories take care of themselves. Eat high fiber foods first and then eat the other stuff and stay away from grease and so called healthy processed foods and you will do great. BTW I eat 1300 to 1600 a day and lose 1 to 2 pounds a week without counting every little thing.0
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Hi,
I try to stay out of these forums, but wanted to say hello, and tell you what I've learned.
My wife, daughter and I all went veg about four years ago....(I was an over-eating "Carbotarian" for the past few years, and I have learned that "Bread-Pasta-Cheese" is not a healthy diet plan, and in retrospect, it's clear that packing on the weight, flab and physical tiredness went hand in hand)
I've evolved a couple of specific actions since I stopped eating meat (I eat fish, but more and more rarely, as it's beginning to not feel "right" to me....) I use ONLY brown rice, and eat sweet peas, black beans, kidney beans and pinto beans in a myriad of ways.
I also use "Naturade Total Soy" as a meal supplement/replacement drink, and I use a "green food" powder called "Catie's Organic Greens".
Both of these seem to be excellent nutrient sources, and have helped my energy levels immensely....
This leads to the ability and desire to get off my a** and move, which is the only thing I've ever found to relieve my (clincally diagnosed) depression.
For me, it's critical to walk somewhere EVERY day.0 -
It sounds like you need a vitamin D supplement. I am a vegan/vegetarian 90% of the time and the one thing I noticed about not bbeing able to eat dairy (not by choice, I am allergic) is my vitamin D levels were through the floor. 19 out of 50. This caused some over whelming depression most of my life without knowing it. I then went to the doctor (naturalist) and found out I was manic depressive/suicidal low on Vitamin D. It was a miracle cure for me, no more depression after battling it for my whole life, I wasn't even overly emotional during my 4th pregnancy. Also, as far as amino acids go, soy/tofu is chocked full of amino acids. I also take a multivitamin which isn't necessary according to my micros but I find I feel better taking Vitamin B, D, and my multi. I personally follow no particular diet plan other than what works for me, I have allergies to dairy, meat, and gluten, therefore I am not a prime example of someone to follow. I do however just stick to wholesome foods and let the calories take care of themselves. Eat high fiber foods first and then eat the other stuff and stay away from grease and so called healthy processed foods and you will do great. BTW I eat 1300 to 1600 a day and lose 1 to 2 pounds a week without counting every little thing.
Sorry to hijack the OPs thread - was the Vitamin D due to things lacking (or often lacking) in a vegetarian diet? I know a lot of high Vitamin D foods are seafoods and most of the vegetarian foods that have it are fortified ones.
As a sidenote: Vit D needs fats to be absorbed.0 -
I have had issues with B12 and iron. I used to have horrible migraines on top of my depression and found that taking b12 and iron supplements helped get rid of them but I am now interested in finding b12 and iron in food especially since taking too many vitamins plus eating a normal diet can lead to excessive levels. I generally get my fats from olive oil, walnuts/seeds, and dairy. I live in a biking city which is daily exercise but I have also just started trying some yoga, eliptical, weights, and the occasional swim. I will definitely go out and buy nutritional yeast today! It is a great solution to my worry about b12. thank you for the tip!0
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My vitamin d levels could definitely be low but probably due to the fact that I live in Copenhagen and it is dark 60% of the time here!0
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The only micro that I am aware of not consistently getting 100% of the RDA on is iron. I have not had any issues to date so I do not take a supplement, but I find it a hard one to meet also (I am lacto-ovo). Nutritional yeast is great on popcorn btw - and great to add to a veggie/tofu stir fry.
Re exercise - that is great that you are doing a variety of exercises. Not an expert at all here, but to me, that is as, if not more, important that diet for helping with depression and anxiety.
Good luck.0 -
Hi,
I try to stay out of these forums, but wanted to say hello, and tell you what I've learned.
My wife, daughter and I all went veg about four years ago....(I was an over-eating "Carbotarian" for the past few years, and I have learned that "Bread-Pasta-Cheese" is not a healthy diet plan, and in retrospect, it's clear that packing on the weight, flab and physical tiredness went hand in hand)
I've evolved a couple of specific actions since I stopped eating meat (I eat fish, but more and more rarely, as it's beginning to not feel "right" to me....) I use ONLY brown rice, and eat sweet peas, black beans, kidney beans and pinto beans in a myriad of ways.
I also use "Naturade Total Soy" as a meal supplement/replacement drink, and I use a "green food" powder called "Catie's Organic Greens".
Both of these seem to be excellent nutrient sources, and have helped my energy levels immensely....
This leads to the ability and desire to get off my a** and move, which is the only thing I've ever found to relieve my (clincally diagnosed) depression.
For me, it's critical to walk somewhere EVERY day.
If I understood Sarauk2sf correctly, beans alone are not a whole protein? do you combine them with other foods? My main issue (and the reason I am no longer vegan) is the combination of a student budget and the expensive vegetarian supplements sold in denmark (only in specialty stores). Its inspiring to hear that turning vegetarian has helped with your depression. I became vegetarian before I was diagnosed with depression and I have always been concerned that it was making it worse rather than better but my strong beliefs of not eating meat as always prevented me from testing this theory.0 -
If I understood Sarauk2sf correctly, beans alone are not a whole protein? do you combine them with other foods? My main issue (and the reason I am no longer vegan) is the combination of a student budget and the expensive vegetarian supplements sold in denmark (only in specialty stores). Its inspiring to hear that turning vegetarian has helped with your depression. I became vegetarian before I was diagnosed with depression and I have always been concerned that it was making it worse rather than better but my strong beliefs of not eating meat as always prevented me from testing this theory.
Beans themselves are not a complete protein but actually can be combined with rice or corn to form a complete protein (you do not have to do it in the same meal though). There are 9 essential amino acids - beans are missing at least one (would have to look up which ones), but corn or rice have the missing ones.0 -
I have had issues with B12 and iron. I used to have horrible migraines on top of my depression and found that taking b12 and iron supplements helped get rid of them but I am now interested in finding b12 and iron in food especially since taking too many vitamins plus eating a normal diet can lead to excessive levels. I generally get my fats from olive oil, walnuts/seeds, and dairy. I live in a biking city which is daily exercise but I have also just started trying some yoga, eliptical, weights, and the occasional swim. I will definitely go out and buy nutritional yeast today! It is a great solution to my worry about b12. thank you for the tip!
according to all my research, trying to get B-12 from food only is tricky for us vegans, and we are better off taking the supplement and being safe and sure.0 -
Thanks sara I was wondering what combos completed a protein.
Another person coming in to hyjack for a second
its also worth mentioning that not only is vitamin d fat soluble, but it is poorly absorbed in food. Your best source is through the skin via the sun. The problem with this is vitamin d is created as a powder on the skin which is absorbed some time later. Some moisturizers prevent this from happening. Also, washing removes this powder. So we should all be cats and lick yourselves all over before we hit the shower haha. I kid....maybe 0 -
I'm a vegetarian. I just eat a ton of egg whites and I add protein powder to my oatmeal and I seem to be able to get enough protein just fine that way. You can get vitamins from vegetables and omega 3's from flax seeds (also great in oatmeal).0
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Hi,
I try to stay out of these forums, but wanted to say hello, and tell you what I've learned.
My wife, daughter and I all went veg about four years ago....(I was an over-eating "Carbotarian" for the past few years, and I have learned that "Bread-Pasta-Cheese" is not a healthy diet plan, and in retrospect, it's clear that packing on the weight, flab and physical tiredness went hand in hand)
I've evolved a couple of specific actions since I stopped eating meat (I eat fish, but more and more rarely, as it's beginning to not feel "right" to me....) I use ONLY brown rice, and eat sweet peas, black beans, kidney beans and pinto beans in a myriad of ways.
I also use "Naturade Total Soy" as a meal supplement/replacement drink, and I use a "green food" powder called "Catie's Organic Greens".
Both of these seem to be excellent nutrient sources, and have helped my energy levels immensely....
This leads to the ability and desire to get off my a** and move, which is the only thing I've ever found to relieve my (clincally diagnosed) depression.
For me, it's critical to walk somewhere EVERY day.
If I understood Sarauk2sf correctly, beans alone are not a whole protein? do you combine them with other foods? My main issue (and the reason I am no longer vegan) is the combination of a student budget and the expensive vegetarian supplements sold in denmark (only in specialty stores). Its inspiring to hear that turning vegetarian has helped with your depression. I became vegetarian before I was diagnosed with depression and I have always been concerned that it was making it worse rather than better but my strong beliefs of not eating meat as always prevented me from testing this theory.
Hi,
Actually it's the walking that's helping me the most.....0 -
If I understood Sarauk2sf correctly, beans alone are not a whole protein? do you combine them with other foods? My main issue (and the reason I am no longer vegan) is the combination of a student budget and the expensive vegetarian supplements sold in denmark (only in specialty stores). Its inspiring to hear that turning vegetarian has helped with your depression. I became vegetarian before I was diagnosed with depression and I have always been concerned that it was making it worse rather than better but my strong beliefs of not eating meat as always prevented me from testing this theory.
Beans themselves are not a complete protein but actually can be combined with rice or corn to form a complete protein (you do not have to do it in the same meal though). There are 9 essential amino acids - beans are missing at least one (would have to look up which ones), but corn or rice have the missing ones.
The common misconception, repeated so often that most everyone believes it, is that " beans are not a 'complete" protein....It's been disproven many times...Please look at the sources below:
Andrew Weil, M.D.:
"You may have heard that vegetable sources of protein are "incomplete" and become "complete" only when correctly combined. Research has discredited that notion so you don't have to worry that you won't get enough usable protein if you don't put together some magical combination of foods at each meal."
Charles Attwood, M.D.:
"Beans, however, are rich sources of all essential amino acids. The old ideas about the necessity of carefully combining vegetables at every meal to ensure the supply of essential amino acids has been totally refuted."0 -
I have been chronically depressed since I entered my teens. I was never extremely overweight. I am 5'7 and my peak weight was 76 kg. I am now 21 and 58 kgs. I have been vegetarian for 9 years and was vegan for four of them. I am now eating dairy again. I am on a journey to find the right diet and exercise which will help me fight my depression and boost my very low confidence level while still maintaining a healthy vegetarian diet. I am focused on eating the right combination of foods which will help me with my energy levels, anxiety, and general happiness. I know that there are certain foods which help build up the serotonin in your brain (in combination with a carb) such as plums and sunflower seeds. Are there any other vegans/vegetarians out there who have any advice on a diet which will not cut out any important vitamins and give me the amino acids and nutrients I need?
I'm am no doctor but try taking away certain foods. I'm vegan and gluten free due to allergies. The allergist as me take foods out of my diet and then in a couple of months bring them back to see if I have a reaction to them. I have had depression all my life up until I went gluten free. It's like the clouds went away. I still get a little down but I realize sometimes it's just due to weather. If it's cloudy and raining that's when I feel it the most. Everyone is different and maybe something in your diet just doesn't work with you mentally.0 -
I have been chronically depressed since I entered my teens. I was never extremely overweight. I am 5'7 and my peak weight was 76 kg. I am now 21 and 58 kgs. I have been vegetarian for 9 years and was vegan for four of them. I am now eating dairy again. I am on a journey to find the right diet and exercise which will help me fight my depression and boost my very low confidence level while still maintaining a healthy vegetarian diet. I am focused on eating the right combination of foods which will help me with my energy levels, anxiety, and general happiness. I know that there are certain foods which help build up the serotonin in your brain (in combination with a carb) such as plums and sunflower seeds. Are there any other vegans/vegetarians out there who have any advice on a diet which will not cut out any important vitamins and give me the amino acids and nutrients I need?
Vitamin D3 (in supplement form, or ideally from the sun itself - at least 15 minutes daily if possible), B12, and exercise. You wanna release more seratonin, get your body ACTIVE.
otherwise as a vegetarian you're getting far more nutrients than most.0 -
If I understood Sarauk2sf correctly, beans alone are not a whole protein? do you combine them with other foods? My main issue (and the reason I am no longer vegan) is the combination of a student budget and the expensive vegetarian supplements sold in denmark (only in specialty stores). Its inspiring to hear that turning vegetarian has helped with your depression. I became vegetarian before I was diagnosed with depression and I have always been concerned that it was making it worse rather than better but my strong beliefs of not eating meat as always prevented me from testing this theory.
Beans themselves are not a complete protein but actually can be combined with rice or corn to form a complete protein (you do not have to do it in the same meal though). There are 9 essential amino acids - beans are missing at least one (would have to look up which ones), but corn or rice have the missing ones.
The common misconception, repeated so often that most everyone believes it, is that " beans are not a 'complete" protein....It's been disproven many times...Please look at the sources below:
Andrew Weil, M.D.:
"You may have heard that vegetable sources of protein are "incomplete" and become "complete" only when correctly combined. Research has discredited that notion so you don't have to worry that you won't get enough usable protein if you don't put together some magical combination of foods at each meal."
Charles Attwood, M.D.:
"Beans, however, are rich sources of all essential amino acids. The old ideas about the necessity of carefully combining vegetables at every meal to ensure the supply of essential amino acids has been totally refuted."
Beans do not have all the EAAs. I did not say you need to eat the other foods at the *same* time, in fact I specifically said you do not. For example, beans lack methionine (or at least have very little of it) - one of the EAAs
Edited for typo0 -
The common misconception, repeated so often that most everyone believes it, is that " beans are not a 'complete" protein....It's been disproven many times...Please look at the sources below:
Andrew Weil, M.D.:
"You may have heard that vegetable sources of protein are "incomplete" and become "complete" only when correctly combined. Research has discredited that notion so you don't have to worry that you won't get enough usable protein if you don't put together some magical combination of foods at each meal."
Charles Attwood, M.D.:
"Beans, however, are rich sources of all essential amino acids. The old ideas about the necessity of carefully combining vegetables at every meal to ensure the supply of essential amino acids has been totally refuted."
I'm confused about the point of your post. Are you saying that you do not need to get all your amino acids? If so, I disagree. You still need all your essential amino acids (humans can't synthesize any of them). None of your examples disproved that. Andrew Weil is right in that something doesn't transform if you eat something else. And Charles is correct when he says you do not need to combine vegetables with every meal to make sure you get all the amino acids.
If you're saying that all beans are a complete protein, I think you're also wrong, they're not, unless you eat allot of a particular kind I suppose. Black beans in particular are deficient in Cysteine and Tyrosine for example. Also:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Complete_proteinFor example, to obtain 25 grams of complete protein from canned pinto beans requires consuming 492 grams (423 kcal), however if combined with 12 grams of Brazil nuts, requires only 364 g of pinto beans (391 kcal).[7]0 -
I think the poster is confused by not needing all EAA's at once, but for some reason this has lead to the belief that a complete protein in veg is not necessary and confused it with essential. lol.....you know what I mean.The common misconception, repeated so often that most everyone believes it, is that " beans are not a 'complete" protein....It's been disproven many times...Please look at the sources below:
Andrew Weil, M.D.:
"You may have heard that vegetable sources of protein are "incomplete" and become "complete" only when correctly combined. Research has discredited that notion so you don't have to worry that you won't get enough usable protein if you don't put together some magical combination of foods at each meal."
Charles Attwood, M.D.:
"Beans, however, are rich sources of all essential amino acids. The old ideas about the necessity of carefully combining vegetables at every meal to ensure the supply of essential amino acids has been totally refuted."
I'm confused about the point of your post. Are you saying that you do not need to get all your amino acids? If so, I disagree. You still need all your essential amino acids (humans can't synthesize any of them). None of your examples disproved that. Andrew Weil is right in that something doesn't transform if you eat something else. And Charles is correct when he says you do not need to combine vegetables with every meal to make sure you get all the amino acids.0 -
I don't know much about vegan/vegetarianism, but are you a caffeine drinker? I discovered that when I drink caffeine I suffer from depression. Even the slightest bit of caffeine can cause me terrible mood swings and an ice capp is enough to make me feel suicidal. Vitamin deficiencies and certain things we eat are definitely a big factor in the way our bodies act and everyone reacts differently to different things. I just wanted to throw it out that there caffeine is what causes my issues as a PP said that gluten causes her issues; hopefully this is some sort of help in you finding your depression triggers. Good luck!0
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Eat a rainbow of foods. More vegetables than fruits. Stay away from processed foods.
Several scientific articles I've read report that exercise is a better prescription for chronic depression than ANY medication. Period.
We evolved to move, and our sedentary lifestyles are killing our bodies and brain cells.
Try to get 30 minutes of exercise 3-7 times a week: Yoga, Walking, Running, Weight Lifting, Kickboxing, etc.0 -
I have been chronically depressed since I entered my teens. I was never extremely overweight. I am 5'7 and my peak weight was 76 kg. I am now 21 and 58 kgs. I have been vegetarian for 9 years and was vegan for four of them. I am now eating dairy again. I am on a journey to find the right diet and exercise which will help me fight my depression and boost my very low confidence level while still maintaining a healthy vegetarian diet. I am focused on eating the right combination of foods which will help me with my energy levels, anxiety, and general happiness. I know that there are certain foods which help build up the serotonin in your brain (in combination with a carb) such as plums and sunflower seeds. Are there any other vegans/vegetarians out there who have any advice on a diet which will not cut out any important vitamins and give me the amino acids and nutrients I need?
I'm am no doctor but try taking away certain foods. I'm vegan and gluten free due to allergies. The allergist as me take foods out of my diet and then in a couple of months bring them back to see if I have a reaction to them. I have had depression all my life up until I went gluten free. It's like the clouds went away. I still get a little down but I realize sometimes it's just due to weather. If it's cloudy and raining that's when I feel it the most. Everyone is different and maybe something in your diet just doesn't work with you mentally.
I tried that as well with an allergist but no allergic reactions surfaced
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I don't know much about vegan/vegetarianism, but are you a caffeine drinker? I discovered that when I drink caffeine I suffer from depression. Even the slightest bit of caffeine can cause me terrible mood swings and an ice capp is enough to make me feel suicidal. Vitamin deficiencies and certain things we eat are definitely a big factor in the way our bodies act and everyone reacts differently to different things. I just wanted to throw it out that there caffeine is what causes my issues as a PP said that gluten causes her issues; hopefully this is some sort of help in you finding your depression triggers. Good luck!
I am definitely a caffeine drinker! in fact I was a barista for several years drinking coffee all of the time! hm. I guess I will have to try cutting it out though I guess its too late this morning! thanks for the advice
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I just switched to a vegetarian diet and I have been getting in a good amount of protein but I have been short about 10 grams according to what I would like to have in a day. I also know this is because I am still experimenting with menus and recipes and need to expand the range of foods I am eating. Based on my goals and my BMR, I have a goal of 1,570 calories a day and I typically burn around 500 calories during workouts so I also eat back a portion as well. I have an autoimmune disorder as well so changes in my diet can sometimes cause issues and I can become lethargic very easily. I have cut back on my workouts because I am at a calorie deficit without them. I'm not feeling hungry and am satisfied after I eat my meals and am not feeling the need to snack or anything like that. Should I carry out the week at what I have been eating and see how I am feeling before adding in my cardio workouts again or just go ahead and workout at the deficit?0
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