What are my options if I can't eat soya, tofu or Quorn?!
What are my options if I can't eat soya, tofu or Quorn?
I was previously a vegetarian but I stopped due to poor health (not related to being vegetarian).
I am allergic to mushrooms (fungi), which means I cannot eat Quorn.
I am allergic to yeast so I can't eat anything that has been fermented eg, miso, tempeh.
I have an underactive thyroid and as soya derived products depress thyroid function, I cannot eat soya products like tofu.
Because of these reasons I have given up on the possibility of returning to a vegetarian diet. But I am wondering if there are any other non-meat derived protein options.
(This is a genuine request for information, please don't think I'm trying to cause trouble). Thanks!
Answers:
-Kidney Beans
-Baked Beans
-Chick peas
-Bread
-Vegetarian Cheese (if your not vegan)
-Lentils
-Nuts
-Seeds
-Free Range Eggs (if not vegan)
-Cereals
-Broccoli
-Brown Rice
Source(s):
http://www.vegsoc.org/info/protein.html...
Yikes! That certainly limits things...but I'd suggest lots of bean & lentil dishes...and if you're not going vegan, dairy stuff and eggs have lots of protein of course.
Maybe look into some Indian cooking; there's lots of yummy recipes with lentils, chickpeas, and such that have plenty of protein.
You could try Seitan, that is wheat-based.
But you know there's always good ole beans and rice. Combos of beans and rice, beans and corn, or wheat and milk (you don't say vegan) all yeild complete protein. There's also peanut butter, other nuts. As a former veg, you should know that you don't need as much protein as the RDA says - it's vastly overstated, thanks to the aggressive lobbying of the meat and dairy industry.
I've been veg for nine years now, and honestly, I never worry about protein that much, except in the morning, since I'm hypo-glycemic.
i agree with alli lou
i am not veggie
but i eat very little meat
(lots of fish, though)
i have dozens of lentil recipies
and i cook with chickpeas, too
black beans are a staple
and i eat lots of nuts
good luck
Cereals, eggs, legumes (including peas, beans, chickpeas and lentils) and nuts are significant sources of iron.
raw meat and plenty of it for a while
then when your healthy again,try your faddy vegetarian diet again
As metioned, seitan (wheat gluten) is great, especially if you are looking for something that can be used as a "meat substitute".
Also learning a little more about combining the right foods can be very useful, ex. rice and beans, which makes a complete protein.
There are also many grains which are extremely protein rich, such as quinoa and kasha (buckwheat), to name a few.
And nuts and nut butters are great.
I was raised as a vegetarian and am curently vegan. I see a nutritionist regularly and she is very supportive of my veganism and when I asked her specifically if I was getting enough protein, she said that she felt confident that I was.
of course, It helps that my mom is a great vegetarian/vegan cook and I think that if you really want to eat a well balanced veg diet, some skill and commitment in the kitchen is required.
You may have to put a little more time and effort into it than the average person because of your allergies and will need to spend some extra time reading food labels, but I definitely think you can do it. Good luck!
ps. Look into using a pressure cooker. It can cut the time you spend slaving over the stove by more than half AND you will save energy!!! Lorna Sass has some excellent cook books for pressure cookers. Brown rice in 20 min and beans without having to soak 'em!
Try vegetables.
Just curious, but did a doctor tell you to avoid soya products, or did you decide this after something you read? I've heard the same things, but when you consider that people in Asian countries have been eating soya products for hundreds of years without detrimental effects, it makes me wonder if soya's really the problem, or if there are people that want it to be a problem. My mother has a severely underactive thyroid, and her doctor is trying to get her to eat more soya (not necessarily to help her thyroid, but for other reasons including a candida detox). Self-diagnosis isn't generally a good idea with allergies, and with everything, I think moderation is important
Onto the rest of your question. As others have stated, seitan is a good option if you can tolerate wheat; and beans, lentils, and nuts are all good sources of protein. It doesn't have to be boring either. You can make your own veggie burgers out of beans with or without rice. You should also try quinoa. It's a pseudo grain that is a complete source of protein and incredibly tasty.
Also check out the link below for a discussion of vegan/soy/hypothyroidism.
Good luck. I hope you find a way to make a vegetarian diet work for you.
nut butters and bread, beans and rice.(love burritos and tostadas.) lots of egg recipes(i even have a egg cookbook with tons of recipes) if you eat eggs, which are biologically the highest form of protein. cereals and milk. those are pretty much my protein choices.
whole grains, beans, nuts