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Post by cheekyimp on Feb 15, 2008 15:31:51 GMT
Hiya Just joined here. Nice to meet you all. ;D I stumbled on this site while I was browsing for info on veganism. I have been vegetarian for as long as I can remember but recently I have found out more about dairy cows welfare and so on and to be honest I don't think I can bear to think about putting milk or eggs or so on down the old cake hole anymore!! I am 27 years old with a 4 year old daughter and I am trying to conceive baby number 2 so I need to make sure my diet is really healthy. Whats the best way of making sure I have enough protein and calcium in my diet?? I already use Soya Milk for most things including tea etc. Does this provide enough calcium bearing in mind I won't be eating cheese now. Also I am interested in trying lentils - but I am unsure of whether you have to soak them or not beforehand. Can't seem to find a definitive answer!! Thank you in advance xxx ;D
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Post by sluggie on Feb 15, 2008 19:18:40 GMT
Hi Cheekyimp. Nice to meet you. I don't bother soaking lentils. Red lentils cook really quickly, but brown or green take longer. I sometimes throw a handful of brown lentils in with brown rice and boil for about 35 mins. Lentils are great in soups, stews and curries. If you're worried about calcium, you could look for a brand of soya milk that is fortified with it. There's loads of calcium in leafy green vegetables, nuts, seeds and soya products. Sesame seeds are particularly rich in calcium. A couple of spoonfuls of tahini (sesame paste) stirred into stews will boost your calcium and make the stew taste good at the same time. Protein rich foods include nuts, seeds, beans, lentils, tofu and other soya products, quinoa and amaranth. Grains and some vegetables are also good sources. Lack of protein isn't usually a problem with a vegan diet.
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Post by charlielikesfolk on Feb 19, 2008 21:14:44 GMT
I made a lentil Shepherd's pie today, took an hour, poured them from the packet to the pan, no need to soak!
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Post by vegandaze on Feb 19, 2008 21:39:23 GMT
Helloooo You can also buy lentils in a tin if you're lazy suppose that defeats the eating cheaply purpose of them though, and you can boil them all from dried anyhoo. It's true what Sluggie said about calcium in greens, and it's actually a better source for your body to make use of. mmmm cabbage Good luck - will you change your 4 year old's diet too?
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Post by littlewinker on Mar 9, 2008 19:33:08 GMT
Don't worry about protein, its basically an ignorant scare tactic from non vegans, just because meat and dairy happens to have protein in it, it doesn't mean nothing else does. Many non vegans have too much protein! you only need 45 g a day (maybe a bit more when you're pregant) as most things have 2 or 3 grams of protein in, even a rice cake will have a gram or 2 and it all adds up.
Just eat beans on toast, or vegan pancakes (with soya egg replacer) for a quick protein boost. There are many other things as well.
drink 2 or 3 biggish glasses of alpro soya light a day and you'll get enough, because lots of things have bits of calcium in it.
Basically, vary your diet and you'll (both!) get enough.
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Post by shariblackvelvet on Mar 13, 2008 18:47:22 GMT
You mentioned not having cheese anymore but there are lots of soya cheeses available (check the vegan chilled section at http://www.goodnessdirect.co.uk). You can also get other dairy free items that have fortified calcium in such as Alpro Soya's yoghurts and desserts.
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