Flirting with Veganism, (not Vaginas) and/or Eating Healthy/Organic (not Virgins).

[Fecal McAngry]

1 tbsp Original Vegenaise
Calories: 90
Cal From Fat: 80 (89%)
Total Fat: 9 g
Sat Fat: 0.5 g
Cholesterol: 0 mg
Sodium: 85 mg

1 tbsp Hellman's Real Mayonnaise
Calories: 90
Cal From Fat: 90 (100%)
Total Fat: 10 g
Sat Fat: 1.5 g
Cholesterol: 5 mg
Sodium: 90 mg

The vegan brand is demonstrably healthier, pretty much across the board. It also gets its fat from canola (rapeseed) oil, which is a healthier source than Hellman's soybean oil. And while taste is a personal matter, if you tried it, I suspect you'd like it. Vegan mayonnaise is wonderful.

Soybean oil and rapeseed (aka Canola) oil are both lousy for you, and egg yolk is good for you. The saturated fat in the "real" mayo is a plus from both a taste and health perspective. I'd be curious to see what the carb component of the faux mayo is, it's trivial, but "bad."

This is much better than either of those two from both health and taste perspectives--while olive oil is rather bland it is healthy, and egg yolk and coconut oil = two of the tastiest and healthiest fats around: Tropical Traditions - Recipe - Coconut Mayonnaise

 

[burymecloser]

Soybean oil and rapeseed (aka Canola) oil are both lousy for you

No oil is particularly good for you, but canola is healthier than most oils, certainly better than soybean oil, which is the first ingredient in traditional mayonnaise.

egg yolk is good for you.

Actually, many doctors and scientists believe that people at risk of heart disease should avoid (or at least limit) their intake of saturated fat and cholesterol, both of which are fairly high in egg yolk. Consumption of eggs has been linked to an increased risk of Type 2 (adult onset) diabetes. And of course, you have to be careful about salmonella, etc.

The saturated fat in the "real" mayo is a plus from both a taste and health perspective.

Let's stop trying to quantify taste. Okay, you like egg yolks. You've said so several times. Message received. I've tried both traditional and vegan mayonnaise, and you haven't. Saturated fat is a known risk factor for cardiovascular disease.

Are you really arguing that something higher in fat, percentage of calories from fat, saturated fat, cholesterol, and sodium is better for you than an alternative made with a healthier oil that contains Omega-3's?

This is much better than either of those two from both health and taste perspectives--while olive oil is rather bland it is healthy, and egg yolk and coconut oil = two of the tastiest and healthiest fats around: Tropical Traditions - Recipe - Coconut Mayonnaise

Coconut Oil is also very high in saturated fat. That recipe kind of sounds like a bowl of spreadable heart attack. You do know heart disease is the leading cause of death in every country with broad access to modern medicine?

I suspect you would argue that Krispy Kreme Bacon Cheeseburgers are healthier than a mixed green salad.

The length of this conversation is now totally out of proportion to my level of interest in it.

 

[Thalassa]

No oil is particularly good for you, but canola is healthier than most oils, certainly better than soybean oil, which is the first ingredient in traditional mayonnaise.

Olive oil actually is pretty good for you in moderation. Like if you just don't turn up the bottle and drink it.

 

[Little Laura]

Really? Do those cultures have distended bellies like chimpanzee?

I'm a fan of the Paleo concept. If early man hadn't eaten meat. We wouldn't have had the material for our brains to develop, and swung from trees.

Chimpanzees are omnivores like most humans! Woot!

I don't eat alot of meat. I choose to not eat alot of meat for numerous reasons. I find my body has difficulty digesting it and sometimes I can't stand the way it smells or tastes (especially pork). Also, many people injest way more meat on a daily basis then is necessary or healthy, rather many people are lacking in fruits and vegetables. Finally, I also think about the environmental impact. It takes alot more energy to produce one pound of meat than it does for one pound of grain. I think its a great idea for everyone to have one meatless day a week! Think of all the new recipes!
I am a firm believer in everything in moderation and in eating a large variety of foods. Many people who are vegetarian or vegan are VERY aware of the food choices they make, they have to be in order to get the necessary vitamins and minerals.
I think its great you are trying to make more concious food choices. It's good to be aware of where your food is coming from. For me, buying local is important to me. You are supporting local businesses, reducing transportation (which decreases GHG emissions), you can literally see where it was grown, and many of it is organic already (they just can't afford to get the "offical" designation).

But when is all said and done...sometimes all I want is a nice, juicy, medium-rare steak....LOL.

 

[Lady_X]

monday i started a possible love affair with being a vegan. i am not whole completely sold on it, but so far i'm liking what i see. i just decided it was time to start being healthier for myself and my family.

i baked vegan chocolate chip cookies this morning and they are as good if not better than reg cc cookies!

recipe-

for the vegan members, what's your favorite food?

oh yum!

 

[niffer]

I'm not vegan, but I don't eat meat or eggs often and avoid dairy except for yogourt. Personally, I like the taste of fake meat better than real meat.

I think I'll play more with vegan and organic foods when I live on my own, but it's a lot to ask for my parents to adapt to my eating habits too, and hard to incorporate into my busy schedule.

You know if you think about it, it's kind of weird that people cultivate PLANTS for oil. Isn't the oil in plants what helps to keep their cell walls flexible yet hard? If I ingest their oil, my ass may have a layer of flexible yet solid fat that is going to be stubborn to get rid of.

I choose to use the least amount of vegetable oil as possible when I cook. I'm pretty sure all the oil people use in cooking isn't necessary in your diet, just eat a couple nuts and be done with it.

 

[Blackmail!]

Really? Do those cultures have distended bellies like chimpanzee?

I'm a fan of the Paleo concept. If early man hadn't eaten meat. We wouldn't have had the material for our brains to develop, and swung from trees.

Actually, this is one of the sanest thing you have ever said in this forum.

Indeed, plants don't metabolize lots of molecules required for our growth and our health, and I'm not refering to vitamins, calcium and iron only. For instance, our brain needs large quantities of DHA, (docosahexaenoic acid), an omega-3 fatty acid you only find in meat. So yes, there's a theory that says that brain evolution is linked to avalaible quantities of DHA and similar molecules. And indeed, there seems to be a correlation. No herbivorous species ever developped a large brain, unless they could eat huge quantities of plants of different varieties (lots of fruits and tubers), like elephants do. And curiously, even so elephants find most of their DHA in the insects they unwilingly ingest.

Once you're a grown-up adult, it's a lot easier to become a vegetarian or a vegan, as these molecules become less necessary. But when you're a child or still a teen (under 25 years old), most of the time it's a very very bad idea.

 

[Blackmail!]

You know if you think about it, it's kind of weird that people cultivate PLANTS for oil. Isn't the oil in plants what helps to keep their cell walls flexible yet hard? If I ingest their oil, my ass may have a layer of flexible yet solid fat that is going to be stubborn to get rid of.

I'm sorry but what you wrote just doesn't make any sense, at least from a scientific perspective.

And your conclusion is the same. Actually, what you should avoid at all costs are trans fats (unsaturated fats with trans-isomer acids), since they cause high HDL cholesterol. Most of these fats are found in ruminants meat (beef and sheep for instance) or their byproducts (butter, cheese), but some are found in plants (-> palmitic acid, found in palm and coconut oil).
Trans fats are also produced artificially, especially for candy, bread and cake industries, so expect to find them in any kind of Junk food you eat.
Trans fats are also produced when you fry something in a previously harmless vegetable oil, and it is one of the reasons why French fries are bad for your health, especially when they are combined with red meat. So that's why a simple burger with fries is a real nutritionist's nightmare: it's possibly the worst food that has been ever invented.

The best oils, those that help our arteries are olive oil, rapeseed oid, peanut butter, or duck fat (Many vitamins are actually fatty acids: it's vital to eat some; not too much, but some). At least when you do not use them to fry something in high temperature.

 

[chooi]

Lots of vegetables, some meat, eat local. Amen.

 

[figsfiggyfigs]

You don't even WANT to know what I read the title as....

 

[Just Some Guy]

Veganism sucks

Whole cultures have existed on vegetarian diets for generations...

Which ones? And please provide evidence of their longevity and overall health.

while olive oil is rather bland it is healthy,

Bland? Light olive oil, sure, but extra virgin?

No oil is particularly good for you, but canola is healthier than most oils, certainly better than soybean oil, which is the first ingredient in traditional mayonnaise.

No, olive oil is used in "traditional" mayo, soybean oil in most of the commercially-produced mayo. I'm not even sure if they had access to soybean oil in France and Spain in the early 18th century when it's first historically documented to have existed.

I suspect you would argue that Krispy Kreme Bacon Cheeseburgers are healthier than a mixed green salad.

That looks AWESOME!

 

[Just Some Guy]

Lots of vegetables, some meat, eat local. Amen.

From a dietary perspective this post makes the most sense.

 

[burymecloser]

From a dietary perspective this post makes the most sense.

Interesting. Are you a health professional?

 

[Just Some Guy]

Interesting. Are you a health professional?

No, but the post I was replying to seems to line up with the medical consensus on the topic-- lots of veggies, some meat (s/he left out grains, but still). Our society does overconsume meat, but the idea we'd be much healthier without ANY meat is just vegan propaganda arrived at by cherry-picking information from medical studies.

 

[jenocyde]

People always talk about how vegan/vegetarian diets are so unhealthy while they chomp on their Big Macs and slushees. Whatever. Any diet is healthy if you eat a variety of healthy things and get a complete spectrum of nutrients. It's even better if you eat locally. Frozen fish vs freshly caught or store bought and shipped veggies vs farmer's market/csa - all these things make a real difference. Moderation in any diet is also key. Nitpicking over how many grams of sodium is in something means nothing if you use big old glops of whatever you are nitpicking about.

I've been a vegetarian my whole life and am now mostly vegan.

As far as the OP goes, I love chickpea patties and a lot of asian-styled stir-frys. I also love different curries. I have a whole arsenal of recipes and substitutions and what not, if you want to know something more specific.

EDIT: Also, I never touch texturized soy products made to look like meat. Ick. But I guess for people transitioning from meat, I can see the appeal.

 

[Just Some Guy]

Vegans are evil. They get their protein mostly from Soylent Green.

I recommend putting all of them in meat-eating reeducation camps.

 

[jenocyde]

I agree with you. Vegans are evil. So you probably don't want to f*ck with us.

 

[burymecloser]

No, but the post I was replying to seems to line up with the medical consensus on the topic-- lots of veggies, some meat (s/he left out grains, but still). Our society does overconsume meat, but the idea we'd be much healthier without ANY meat is just vegan propaganda arrived at by cherry-picking information from medical studies.

I think you have an unusual definition of "medical consensus". What is the drawback of a diet that is high in fiber and low in fat? What necessities does meat provide that can't be obtained by other means?

Vegans are evil. They get their protein mostly from Soylent Green.

Rice and beans is peeeeeople!

 

[Just Some Guy]

What is the drawback of a diet that is high in fiber and low in fat?

Didn't say there was one, just that you don't have to cut meat out of your diet to have that kind of a healthy diet, but it should be limited.

What necessities does meat provide that can't be obtained by other means?

Again, I made no claims to the contrary. All I am saying is that the propaganda peddled by groups like PETA that people need to cut meat entirely out of their diet in order for it to be healthy is complete and total bullshit. Yes, too much meat is bad, but meat can be consumed in healthy portions, and a meat-eater, if eating a well-balanced diet, can be every bit as healthy, if not more so, than a vegan or a vegetarian of similar age, physical constitution and activity levels.

 

[kevrawlings]

Plant protein has very low bio-availabilty. This means that you're body can't use it nearly as efficiently as animal protein. This is science fact. Bill Walton was Vegetarian and was constantly set back with injuries because of his diet low in animal protein. Travis Barker, after his plane crash, was told by the doctors that he needed to eat meat to heal faster. He did, and he said that he felt much, much better for it. Basically, the ethics of a veggie diet are noble, but if you plan on putting any kind of stress on your body - you'd better be eating some animals.