Mobile Food Pantry Reminder:
November 1, 4-6 PM
The Larimer County Food Trucks will be parked on University Ave., directly north of the Hartshorn Building (this is located to the west of the Lory Student Center). Anybody with a valid CSU ID (student/staff/faculty) is eligible to participate. Just bring your ID and bags for transporting food! Hope to see you then.
More November food events to be coming soon!
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It is almost November! I find that hard to believe. But as the weather continues to get colder (right, Colorado?), our appetites continue to grow stronger. Don’t worry, we’ve got you covered. Especially all you vegetarians and vegans. Here is some info about plant-based diets and important nutrients to keep in check. November deals on meals to be coming soon!
Vegetarian and Vegan Lifestyles
More and more Americans are adopting a plant-based diet in favor of health benefits, ethics, or environmental concerns. But are they doing it right?
When adopting a strict vegetarian or vegan diet, it is essential to continue to get all necessary nutrients. Any current vegan will know the infamous question, “But how do you get your protein?!” Protein, while essential, is not the only nutrient that vegetarians and vegans have to watch out for. This article will explore some of the most important things to watch out for when adopting (or continuing!) a plant-based diet.
B-12: Vitamin B12 is important for creation of red blood cells and prevention of anemia and fatigue. Although is it only naturally found in animal products like meat and dairy, it is now added to many fortified foods as well such as nutritional yeast (a great vegan cheese alternative!) and breakfast cereals. Some fortified cereals include Rice Krispies, Cheerios, Fiber One, and Kellogg’s Corn Flakes. (1) Make sure to choose cereals that are low in sugar, too!
Calcium: Important for strong bones, blood, and muscles, calcium is one of the toughest nutrients for vegans to get (easier for vegetarians). Foods that contain calcium include dairy products like yogurt, cheese, and milk, as well as fortified cereals, fortified soy/almond milk, leafy vegetables, broccoli, and kale. (2)
Iron: Iron-rich foods are usually meat products like beef, turkey, and shellfish. But this nutrient is also present in a lot of plant foods (just in lower amounts). Foods containing iron include beans, lentils, tofu, fortified cereals, chickpeas, spinach, and potatoes. (3)
Iodine: Traditionally, iodine is found in seafood, dairy (like milk), and seaweed. In a plant-based diet, iodized salt is a good source of this nutrient and can be found in most grocery stores. (4)
Choline: Choline is an overlooked nutrient but is important for cell formation. It is found in eggs, primarily the yolk, milk, and liver. For plant-based diets, peanuts and soy are a good source of choline. (5)
Omega-3 Fatty Acids: Omega-3 Fatty Acids are important for good cardiovascular health as well as eyes and brain. Following a pescatarian diet, fish, especially fatty fish like tuna and salmon, contain high levels of this nutrient. For a vegan diet, flaxseed, soy, canola oil, and walnuts contain omega-3 fatty acids. Keep in mind, flaxseeds may pass through the body undigested so it is best to get ground flaxseeds. (6) You can put it on oatmeal for a healthy breakfast!
Vitamin D: Found in fish, fortified cereals, or fortified milk, this vitamin is essential for most structures in the body including the immune system, bones, and muscles. Vegans can also get Vitamin D from fortified OJ and the sun. Fun fact: Some mushrooms contain Vitamin D if they were exposed to UV light. (7)
Zinc: Zinc is a nutrient that helps the immune and nervous system. You can find it in seafood (for pescetarians), cashews, legumes, Swiss cheese, or fortified cereals. (8)
Protein: Ah yes. You knew we were going to get to protein sometime. It is essential for muscle growth, hormone and enzyme function, the immune system, and, to a lesser extent, as an energy source. Vegetarians and vegans need to make sure that they get enough protein, however, there are a lot of protein sources available. The most important point is making sure that all nine essential amino acids (essential because they can’t be made by the body) are present in the diet. (see below) (9)(10)
Complete Proteins:
Soy, quinoa, chia, hemp, and amaranth contain all nine essential amino acids. These are great proteins to incorporate into a plant-based diet! (11)(16)(17)
Incomplete Proteins (15):
Nuts and Seeds-peanuts, almonds, pistachios, pumpkin seeds, and sunflower seeds. (12)
Legumes and beans-Black beans, chickpeas, pinto beans, kidney beans, edamame. (13)(14) Make sure to watch out for sodium in canned varieties! You can wash them in a colander to remove some salt before cooking.
Tempeh, tofu, mycoprotein (quorn) and seitan-Usually used as ‘alternative meats’ these three foods can be great protein sources! Check below for recipes.
Other sources- Non-dairy milk like almond or soy milk can contain some protein. Cocoa powder also has about 1 g per tablespoon. Mix these together for a plant-based hot cocoa! (15)
Remember, these protein sources aren’t great when consumed on their own. Most of these are deficient in one or many essential amino acids. Consume a variety of the proteins here for a balanced plant-based diet.
Some protein combos with all 9 essential amino acids include (14)(18):
-Beans and rice
-Pasta and tomatoes
-Soybeans and ground sesame (miso)—good for a miso soup!
-Hummus and pita
-Peanut butter and bread
-Lentils and almonds
Recipes:
Sweet and Sour Seitan: https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/83369/sweet-and-sour-seitan/
Tofu Scramble (like scrambled eggs)- https://greatist.com/eat/recipes/10-minute-scrambled-tofu
Visit www.ZESTNutritionService.com for nutrition counseling, kombucha making, and cooking classes!
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Oof that was a lot of information! Here's some references in case you want more info about specific topics.
References:
(1)https://www.livestrong.com/article/86402-list-fortified-cereals/
(2) https://www.livestrong.com/article/371956-the-good-bad-of-almond-milk/
(3)https://www.webmd.com/diet/iron-rich-foods#2
(4) https://veganhealth.org/iodine/
(5) https://www.gbhealthwatch.com/Nutrient-Choline-TopFoods.php
(6) https://woman.thenest.com/ground-flax-seed-vs-flax-seed-oil-1343.html
(7) https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/VitaminD-HealthProfessional/
(8) https://www.webmd.com/food-recipes/guide/vitamins-and-minerals-good-food-sources
(9) https://www.webmd.com/food-recipes/guide/vitamins-and-minerals-good-food-sources#3
(10) http://www.eatingwell.com/article/17158/8-key-nutrients-vegetarians-need/
(11) https://www.fitday.com/fitness-articles/nutrition/proteins/incomplete-vs-complete-proteins.html
(12) https://www.myfooddata.com/articles/high-protein-nuts.php
(13)https://healthyeating.sfgate.com/can-enough-protein-beans-7842.html
(14) https://greatist.com/health/complete-vegetarian-proteins
(15) https://www.health.com/health/gallery/0,,20718479,00.html?slide=132213#132213
(16) https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/food-features/chia-seeds/
(17) Brown, A. (2013). Understanding Food Principles & Preparation, 5th ed. Stamford: Cengage Learning.
(18) https://nutrition.org/protein-complementation/