Tuesday 8 March 2016

Inspiration from Phyllis - a foodie post

Hello. Phyllis asked a couple of questions which I am happy to answer. Might as well do it properly in a post rather than squash it into a little box on yesterday's comments page.

Can you say why you chop the bran flakes? Also the nuts and seeds?
Apart from the nuts you don't seem to have a big source of protein for the day, do you eat more protein on other days and reckon it up over the week. Also I'm wondering what other sources of protein you have, I don't think I have enough with not eating meat or fish.


Hello Phyllis. Sorry, a bit misleading there, I don't usually chop the bran flakes, sometimes I do, but I don't need to because the milk softens them up. I have no grinding molars on my bottom jaw, I have a denture but do not wear it because it's uncomfortable. I want to hang on to the teeth I have left by not putting unnecessary pressure on them, so to get hard food down me like nuts and seeds I need to whiz them in the mini chopper, which does the job of my missing teeth.

Protien is found in a lot of foods, not just meat. I do eat dairy, probably too much cheese, and I will be eating eggs today. I eat eggs on three days a week, two at each meal.

Here are a couple of  quotes from the Vegetarian Society web site.

There are many protein rich foods for vegetarians, rivalling the protein content of meat products. Popular concern that vegetarians lack protein is misplaced and plant protein has the advantage of containing reduced saturated fat associated with meat protein.

The protein content of plant origin foods such as nuts, peas and beans (including peanuts) is very high and rivals that of meat and fish. Some vegetarians include eggs and/or dairy products as part of their protein intake. Cheese has similar levels of protein to meat and fish by weight, whilst egg is regarded as the perfect protein food for its ideal balance of amino acids. 

Here is a link to their fact sheet on proteins.  https://www.vegsoc.org/protein

There is an interesting web site called No Meat Athlete. Matt Frazier created it,.here is a quote.

Tell someone you’re vegetarian, and the first objection you’ll likely get is, “But where do you get your protein?” (Never mind what kind of shape the person asking is often in.)
I personally have not let the protein issue affect me, choosing instead to cook and eat a wide variety of foods and trust that I’ll get enough protein and all of the essential amino acids, and I’ve never felt better. 
A link on this site takes me to a guest post written by Mathew Ruscigno, a vegan and nutritional professional, and athlete.  Protein, a primer for vegetarians.  Mathew has his own blog, this is a post he published on June 15th 2011, entitled 15 Years of Veganism. 
There you are, lots of reading there. Although my diet appears to be lacking in protein some days, I make up for it on other days. A varied diet is the key I think. I have a guilty secret, I am often seen to be picking from the fridge, so I don't exist merely on the meals I post here. I keep a tub of home made peanut butter and I can't resist dipping into it, ha ha. 
Did you see the sunrise this morning? It was amazing for about five minutes. I awoke at 6.30am just as it was about to come into view through the trees at the bottom of the garden. What a glorious start to the day.  First picture from an upstairs window, the others from the garden looking up at the chopped down trees in the neighbours garden. Can you spot the wood pigeons on the tree stumps.  


A dry day today, time for a Rocky bimble to the church. Thanks for popping in. We'll catch up soon.
Toodle pip.

31 comments:

  1. Peanut butter...a little bit of heaven

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  2. Peanut butter-delish. Have you seen Jack Monroe's bean and p.b. burger recipe? My daughter gave then a try and so tasty.

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    1. Hi Sam. No I haven't seen it. I don't follow other people's recipes, I make up my own. Burgers can be made with anything beany and chickpeaish, with anything else added. Thank you for mentioning this, other people might like to try Jack's recipe.

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    2. There's one I'll have to try! Thanks, Sam :)

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  3. Thanks for the links and the wonderful sunrise. I hope you and Rocky enjoy your walk.

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  4. Beautiful sunrise photos. I eat very little meat and I do worry about getting enough protein. Will read the links you provided. Thank you very much.

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  5. Lovely sunrise photos, the colours are brilliant.

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  6. Very interesting post. I've been a vegetarian since a small child. Since June last year, I've been anaemic and have been given iron tablets (I've been anaemic before). I thought I got a lot of dark leafy vegs but obviousely I don't. I eat vegetarian cheese and pulses but no eggs. I've lost all my colour and my hair! Since I have to get a blood count every so often, I've realised that my dark skin colour wasn't natural (I developed a tan). I think probably my portion sizes are too small. I really enjoy your help in this blog. Natalie x

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    1. Hello Natalie. From the symptoms you describe I think you would be better off listening to your doctor rather than me. Although a healthy and varied diet can play a major part in maintaining good health, at the end of the day, it doesn't cure everything. A health professional would be the person to ask any questions you might have.

      As regards portion sizes, I go by my instincts. A huge plate of steamed veg is good for me. It won't hang around in my gut giving me discomfort. Anything stodgy however will feel like a rock and will get stuck as my gastric juices struggle to break it down, therefore smaller portions are better.

      I will also add here that digestion starts in the mouth. Breaking food down first with chewing and mixing it with saliva is part of the process and should not be hurried. It takes me at least half an hour to eat a meal, sometimes longer. Shoveling it down my throat at breakneck speed will give me belly ache, and impedes the different processes it goes through on it's way down and out the other side.

      And while I'm at it, lightly steaming veg is better than boiling it, unless you use the water. Some will use the water from steamed veg, I don't

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    2. I use the water from my steamed veggies in soups and stews. I would like to think it adds some nutrition back in but it does adds flavor.

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  7. I love the photos!
    I was interested in the information given about protein. I often wondered about your protein intake. Do you take supplements or just rely on what you eat?

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    1. Hello funbrum. I take no supplements. I have tried a few in the past but found they made no difference to how I felt, so now I rely on eating a varied diet.

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  8. Thank-you for this. As a newbie to not eating meat the more I read the more I understand the nutritional side of things. I also think variety of food helps. I haven't worried too much about protein with all the non meat sources, I am actually most concerned about B12 but I know how much better my consciounce is and wish I had given up meat sooner - Tam

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    1. Hello Tam. The question of B12 comes up frequently. There is a good article about it on the Vegan web site.
      https://www.vegansociety.com/resources/nutrition-and-health/vitamins-minerals-and-nutrients/vitamin-b12-your-key-facts/what-every-vegan-should-know-about-vitamin-b12

      I see that my box of bran flakes has vit B12 in it.

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  9. Ilona,

    Thank you for all the help and insight you always give everyone. Your kindness truly shines. You are one of a kind. Sometimes going through difficult times in my life right now with someone intent on making life hard for my kids and myself, I just read your blog to smile. By the way I have written you more then a few times ( as you know...hehe) use to have a big media account and smaller blog need to start again. Just had to reach out and tell you thanks for brightening my day with just your plain kindness to your readers, pets and outlook in life. Keep crafting, walking, living and loving life.

    Best always and hugs, Still walking log me at 10 miles this month. I know I know I have to get moving.....

    Angel ():) from USA...

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  10. Another good source of information is the book, Diet for a Small Planet by Frances Moore Lappé. Get one of the later editions as she discusses what she has learned over the years about protein in our vegetables.

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  11. I think people with 'normal' meat diets should be the ones worrying. There is a causal and oft proven link between meat and the poor western diet and diabetes, cancers and heart disease. The average western diet leads to malnutrition (not underweight through lack of food, but poor nutrition) Protein is in very many everyday foods - bread (eat wholemeal), rice (choose brown), pasta (go whole-wheat) and then eat plenty of beans, pulses, seeds and nuts, eggs if you like them and dairy if you eat that. With all the foods available to us in the UK it is likely the average person eats more than enough protein for their needs. Too much is actually harmful and bad for the kidneys.

    All the amino acids are present in soya beans so tofu and tvp products are full of protein and I believe quinoa is excellent too (treated as a grain, but actually its a seed). Some amino acids are in all the other foods mentioned. So if you combine the foods you eat and eat a variety throughout the day it is not a problem to eat all the amino acids which make up complete proteins. Make sure you eat a mixture of pulses and beans, grains and nuts and you will be getting your full quota of essential amino acids with very little effort.

    The average vegetarian is no more likely to have a shortage of iron either, although it is of a different nature from that in meat. It is less well absorbed, but overall vegetarians tend to eat more iron rich foods so should generally do well. Iron is available in greens, lentils and beans and dried fruit like apricots to name some of them. The requirement for Vitamin B12 may need you to take some supplements(not an issue with vegetarians but vegans need to safeguard against a lack). Of course if you are the kind of vegetarian that eats junk food, puddings, sugar and chips rather than good wholefoods, then you might have issues with a poor diet. On the other hand I should think the average meat eater is missing out across the full range of vitamins.

    I think the proof of it is in the eating though don't you? I don't think Ilona seems to lack any energy, on the contrary she seems more vibrant, healthy and fit with a spring in her step than the average person munching on the average diet. Don't you think?

    Think about what you eat, and eat well and you will see the benefits. Thoughtlessly cut things out and replace with junk and you won't. Oh and contrary to what you might think, it's incredibly delicious and as far from dull and boring as you can get.

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    1. Hi Anon. You should have put your name to that, because from what I have been reading about healthy eating, you are spot on. I think meat consumption is the cause of a lot of illnesses and people should seriously consider dropping it from their diet. It astounds me how some people steadfastly refuse to give up meat, even when they are fighting some chronic illness. The evidence is there, a vegetarian diet is far better for you than eating dead animals.

      Spot on again, the proof is in the eating. For a 66 year old I have bags of energy. Some of it might be genetic, but a lot is down to what I eat. I am munching through a Brussels sprout as I type this. I never have a pudding after a meal. A small bar of chocolate, a couple of biscuits at the crafty club, a bag of chips three times a year, and an ice cream when I go out for the day, are all treats. I have almost given up crisps as well, haven't had any for months.

      I don't like to tell people what they should or shouldn't eat, it's up to them, but I have to say, if you are not well, look at your diet first. Eat rubbish and you will be rubbish.

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  12. You are totally right about looking after your teeth, the number of times I have broke teeth on nuts and other hard breakfast cereal especially in muesli. My dentist keeps telling me off. Grinding them up makes it easier to eat. I cant afford at my age to keep loosing teeth.

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    1. Hi Annie. I can't afford broken teeth either, the cost would hurt as much as the treatment, knowing that it could have been avoided. My mini chopper is in daily use and is a godsend.

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  13. Hi interesting post and comments, I have been a vegetarian since I was 14. I always loved animals as a little girl and hated the thought of them being killed.
    I am trying for a vegan lifestyle now doing it bit by bit. I am 61 and until 5 years ago I was taking ballet classes and keeping up with 16 year olds (not showing off or anything just saying) heh heh. Gave ballet up to care for my Mam.
    I brought up my son to be vegetarian from birth and he is heathy and beautiful :).
    I think a veggie or vegan lifestyle is worth considering if not for the health benefits but to lessen the destruction of so many helpless blameless animals.
    I am really enjoying your posts keep up the good work.
    There is an episode of "The Royle family" where Antony brings home his new girlfriend
    who is a vegetarian it's very funny it always cracks me, the family treat her as if she has some sort of illness.
    I tried to put a link from YouTube but it looks like bbc have had it deleted it,shame.
    X

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  14. Hi! I recently stumbled on your blog. I love it. You are such an interesting person. I'm in my late 50'a and have been a veggie since I was about 19. I can report only good things-health wisse. I live in the United States and back in the 70'same not much to choose from. Now we've got a whole lot more choices that tasteven pretty good.I have found that peanut butter and eggs really give me an energy boost. Yes, people ask me all the time How can you get enough protein. Americans do tend to eat too much red meat. That is beginning to change. Yea! Kelly

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  15. Thanks for the information.

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  16. I've been vegetarian for about 13 years. I stopped eating meat when my stomach was giving me more trouble than normal. It took awhile for me to feel better but it helped tremendously. As someone else stated, i wish i'd done it earlier. I feel better for not eating animals and i don't see how i'd ever go back.
    That first sunrise photo is stunning!

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  17. I know its not the most meaningful contribution, but when you talk about Rocky, I always think of this song (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DhlPAj38rHc) - have you ever played his own theme tune to him!

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    1. Hi, thanks. I have never watched the Rocky films so have not heard of this.

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  18. Hi I think all your meals look really healthy but must tell you that I read somewhere that eating bran products can hinder the absorption of iron in your diet. Don't know if its true or not (web site address has been removed by the blog administrator) but may worth finding out and perhaps limiting branflakes if it is true. All the best xxx

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    1. Hi. I have looked at the site you mentioned and see that it is a collection of articles written by assorted contributors who are probably getting paid for their work. The site is littered with irrelevant advertisements which leads me further to believe that it has been set up as a money making enterprise. Therefore I take everything they claim with a pinch of salt. It is not a site which I want to promote here.

      The vitamins and minerals list on the side of my box of bran flakes states that it contains 33% iron in every 30g serving. Maybe they have added that to balance out the iron it is about to destroy in my gut.

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  19. Hi ,since I "brainwashed" my friends not to eat meat ,most of them report feeling better,lighter and calmer.
    Heavy drinkers ,when give up met for some reason give up drinks as well.

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  20. Thanks Ilona for your kind comment. Yes, doctor's orders but your food looks yummy. Natalie

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  21. Ilona, have only recently found your site and commented a couple of times but, what an eye-opener! Used my 'rinsing-in-the-sink' hair water to clean the sink and the bath; in old days would have wasted water by using fresh - doh! Perfectly fine. Have also been eagle-eyed regarding your diet; have now cut out red meat entirely, but still eat fish and poultry but feel so much better, more energy and feel great. The next step is to cut down or exclude said foods from my diet; will give it a go and will see. Hope all ok at Tightwad Towers and keep posting as it is very interesting and informative. By the way, as you said in an earlier post it will be fun to see what happens with 'bbc iplayer', I too watch much on their site and have been considering giving up my tv through lack of use and cost of licence - I expect 'they' will impose a block on the 'I player' and if you don't have a code to input (i.e. subscription paid) you will be blocked. Best wishes Amanda

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