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Aisling
Member
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Posted: 23 Mar 2006 08:01 pm |
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We are habitual omnivores who have started to eat vegan dinners twice a week.
I find that the vegan meals do not satisfy feelings of hunger, even though my stomach is quite full.
The degree of this sensation is varied depending on what I eat. Combined legume and grain meals feel more satisfying than vegtable and/or fruit with just a legume or grain, but nothing actually satisfies.
My husband is perfectly satisfied with the vegan meals, but I am having trouble adjusting. Other members of my family have also tried the vegan route, but except for one, all felt they needed the animal protien to feel well.
Is there a biological reason for this or is it just strong habit?
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Peter
Founder of this forum
| Joined: | 24 May 2005 |
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| Posts: | 4180 |
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Posted: 24 Mar 2006 05:52 am |
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I have never noticed more feelings of hunger when I don't eat meat, which is now most of the time.
I believe that our bodies feel satisfied when we provide them with the nutrition they require -- wherever it comes from.
Peter
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NevD
New Member
| Joined: | 26 Oct 2005 |
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| Posts: | 1536 |
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Posted: 24 Mar 2006 05:33 pm |
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Aisling -
Do you mean 'vegan' meals, or vegetarian? There is a significant difference. I'm vegetarian, but I'd find vegan much too restrictive.
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Sushikitty
New Member
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Posted: 26 Mar 2006 11:39 pm |
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It seems as if your body has adjusted to a high protein diet, and forcing it to consume a significantly less amount of proteins in a matter of days is very demanding.
How much meat/animal proteins did you eat previously? How long did it take for you to go from an omnivorous diet to a total vegan diet? Any kind of sudden change in eating habits tends to stress the body.
What's more, proteins are not all alike. When our body ingests protein, it breaks it down into its basic components: the amino acids and builds new human proteins from those. Some amino acids are "essential", which means that our body can't make it from other sources, while others are "non-essential", meaning that we can make them from other sources. Animal proteins tend to be complete in all 20 required amino acids, while plant proteins may be missing one or two.
If you are eating a vegan diet consisting of similar vegetables and legumes every night, your dissatisfaction may be due to the fact that you're missing (or low in) an essential amino acid and your body can't make all the proteins it needs to function properly. A way to remedy this is to vary your diet. If you're eating kidney beans one night, eat lentils the next day; if you're eating broccoli salad for lunch on Monday, try a Greek salad on Tuesday, etc etc.
If after trying this for a few days and you still feel dissatisfied, it's probably because your body is taking a bit longer to adjust to your new diet. If you have been on a high-meat diet ever since you were a child, then it will be extremely difficult for your body to adjust to a no-meat diet. At this point, you have to weigh the costs and the benefits of your decision. Are you willing to remain dissatisfied with your diet over a long adjustment period (your body WILL eventually adjust to any nutritionally complete diet you put it on) or are you looking for a quick fix to help you lost those last pesky five pounds?
If you really think that a vegan diet is a healthier lifetime alternative that you would like to stick to, then endure the dissatisfaction for a few weeks more and your body should get used to it. If you are just looking to lose weight, I suggest that you put the meat back in your diet and simply reduce your caloric intake. After all, it is quite demanding to cut two entire food groups out of our diet, wouldn't you agree?
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Aisling
Member
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Posted: 27 Mar 2006 03:34 pm |
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Thanks for the inputs --
Nevd - Yep, I do mean vegan, as long as there is some animal protien (unfortunately my favorite food is cheese), I am quite satisfied with a meal.
Sushikitty - you're right I don't vary the type of food much. I will be more concientious in the future and see if it helps. And yes, mostly I am doing this for health reasons, I'm overweight, but not enough for concern.
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Nir
Senior Administrator
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Posted: 7 Apr 2006 08:06 am |
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Like a few others I think protein is key here. Consider increasing the calories derived from protein in your meals. Legumes are 20-30% and grain is 10-15% so looking at the meal as a whole it is probably at the low end. Boost protein by eating more Soy products (for instance TVP is 57.5%) and high-in-protein vegetables such as Spinach, Mushroom, Broccoli, Cauliflower (all for the double-effect of plentifulness, fibre and protein).
Does that mean apart from those two dinners, you're non-vegan? I've read that this piece-meal adjustment can be a problem, easier to go the whole hog.
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Aisling
Member
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Posted: 7 Apr 2006 06:35 pm |
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Ah, that is good to know.
I am choosing to have 2 vegan meals a week to cut calories and increase vegetable consumption since I think that I eat a lot of animal protien, though mostly in eggs and cheeses. I don't think I will ever do the 100% vegan route, but cutting way back on animal protien is a definate goal.
And I don't think that I have been balancing the meals particulary well, as I'm not that fond of grains. I have tended to leafy greens, broccoli and fruits meals, and though I like beans I don't want them every week, let alone twice.
My blood pressure had also dropped uncomfortable low (99/55) to the point of being dizzy in the morning. Increasing water (though I didn't think I was shorting myself) and salt has helped bring it back to my norm of 110/65. I don't know if the diet caused the drop or not, I have a physical coming up soon and will ask my physician.
PS - I've noted that I feel fine without beef for about a month, then I will be ravenously hungry until I have a couple of ounces of steak, after which all is well again. and I do mean beef and steak, other animal protiens and hamburger (from beef) just don't seem to work.
Last edited on 7 Apr 2006 06:40 pm by Aisling
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