Can I be a veggie if....

[homewith1]

I want to be a vegetarian and hopefully a vegan some day.
I just don't know if I can do this and be healthy if I do not like tofu or soy and I can not eat beans, nuts, seeds, or large amounts of whole wheat products. I am lactose intolerant so I do not drink milk or eat cheese ect. Not that I want to eat dairy anyway. I can't stand the idea of eating meat. It makes sick to think about it.
Does anyone else eat just fruit, veggies and grains and are healthy?
Please help.

[Erin Pavlina]

Why can't you eat beans, legumes, nuts and seeds?

[homewith1]

Erin

Thanks for the reply. It is kinda embarassing but when I eat beans, nuts and seeds or too much whole wheat I have to go the the bathroom at least 5 to 6 times the next morning and it really starts to hurt. TMI Sorry.
I have not tried lentils. Would they make me react the same way?

[Ruthla]

It sounds like your body isn't used to a high fiber diet. You might be able to tolerate the fiber if you added it to your diet slowly.

[counterGOPI]

hmmm.. maybe its the way they are prepared? have you tried them prepared different ways at all to test this? let me think more on this for you,too to see what info/elp i may be able to provide
<3,
nicole

[homewith1]

any help would be great

I really want to be able to enjoy beans etc. so if anybody has any ideas for me I would be very greatful.
I am looking forward to living meat and dairy free

[Lisa Lubner]

try adding them in smallish amounts, and take a digestive aid. i take papaya tablets, and they do wonders.

[Sweetiemommy]

If you are not going to eat dairy, you really need to eat rice and beans (or another whole grain/legume) combo. I am not aware of any other way to get the amino acids and proteins that you need! Please do not consider eating only fruits and veggies!

ps- the gas will get better, just take it slow and try cooking dry beans (if you throw the water out that you soak them with, it gets rid of some of the gas causing properties).

[homewith1]

thank you

I will keep trying.
I will start slow like suggested.
I am new here and glad you replied. Thank You so much

[Persephone]

Fennel seeds are awesome for gas. The first time I had beans in a long time, it felt like my entire colon was going to explode. It was extremely painful. But I had a couple handfuls of fennel seeds (sugar coated, like in Indian stores), and the pain was gone in a short time.(Do this at home with people you are comfortable with, because there was a lot of gas passing and burping if I remember correctly. ) I didn't have problems again. I guess maybe because I always took a handful or two after I ate.

[lilyka]

ave you tried Been-o. I don't know how natrual it is but it is effective. and I agree your body will get used to the beans and fiber and you should not do just fruits and veggies. you absolutely must have priotien in some form. legumes+ carbs is about the best protien you an consume.

[nomadmom]

Kombu helps make beans easier to digest. Just add a strip to the pot while you're cooking.

[NYCVeg]

A lot of organic canned beans come with kombu already in them, instead of salt--just check the ingredient list. I think Eden Organic does. There's also a vegan alternative to Bean-o called--I think--Bean-zyme or something like that. I'm sure you could find it at Whole Foods. Lentils tend to be the least problematic for people who have problems digesting beans.

You might also try going half and half with the whole grains--e.g., half brown rice, half white rice; bread or pasta made with some whole wheat, but not all--to get used to the fiber. And keep in mind that besides wheat (in case you have a gluten issue) there are plenty of other whole grains--millet, quinoa, amaranth, barley, oats, etc. If wheat isn't a problem, you might also consider seitan (wheat gluten)--22g/protein per serving, but lots less fiber than regular whole wheat products.

That said...for the first two weeks after I switched from a veg to a vegan diet I had HORRIBLE stomach problems (to say nothing of ghastly headaches from dairy withdrawal). My body simply couldn't handle the extra fiber. But after a couple of weeks, everything normalized--now I eat WAY more fiber than the average American and have no problems with it. The recommended minimum fiber intake is 25 grams...there are plenty of days where I easily eat twice that. You could track your food intake on a site like fitday.com--see how much fiber you're getting and then increase slowly (like a few grams a week).

Good luck! :

[homewith1]

You Guys are so GREAT!!

Thank You so much for taking the time to help me. I really appreciate it so much.
I live in a small town so I am not sure if I will be able to find some of the things you suggested but I will be searching.
Thanks again

[melissa17s]

wash your beans after you soak them or get them out of the can and don't use the soaking water to cook. You will soak out some the undigestable starches that can cause discomfort. This along with the kumbu might help. Also, it is not necessary to combine beans and rice to get proper amino chains. As long as you are getting enough protein, you will get proper amino chains.

[richella]

I'd also suggest finding different ways to prepare tofu. It is such a bland food, usually when people don't like it it's because they haven't had it prepared well. I use a LOT more spices than before I was veg. Some ways of using tofu are more like a dessert, like in a fake cheesecake.

You can also get protein from powder, and add it to a smoothie. Quick easy breakfast.

I think for anyone going veg it's really worth your $$ to invest in a good veg. cookbook or 2. You can get so many ideas from that, it will really support your choice.

[Viriditas]

A suggestion for nuts and seeds: soak them for a few hours before you eat them. This makes them more digestible and more nutritious. Even better, soak then sprout them! There are tons of resources on the internet for sprouting, just do a google search. Sprouts are super nutritious and it's really easy.

[Erin Pavlina]

You don't need to combine foods to get complete protein.

The body stores what it needs and when complementary amino acids come down, it attaches them to the ones it was storing, creates a complete protein, and off it goes to do its job. Just make sure your diet is varied and you'll be fine there.

[lilyka]

thats cool to know. I always heard it was better (not nessecary) to combine them. On the other hand can't imagine eating beans and no carbs though. :LOL be it beans and rice, bagle and hummus, penautbutte sandwhich ot a god warm breasd with a bowl of beany soup. At any rate,. eat mo0re beans. America needs the gas .

[Ex Libris]

I'll second (or third) the suggestion that you should cook your own beans to reduce the gas. And as far as finding kombu, check any Asian or International stores for it. Otherwise, you should be able to find it online pretty cheap. Try cooking them like this:

Place the beans in a large pot with a 4-6 inch piece of kombu and cover with at least 1 inch of water. Leave it to overnight to soak. Next day, discard the soaking water. Add fresh water until beans are covered. Boil uncovered, and then strain off any foam that accumulates on the top (that's the source of much of the gas). Let them continue boiling uncovered for 5 minutes, then simmer covered until soft. Add water throughout the process if it falls below the beans. You can throw out the kombu after beans are done if you don't like it. Then the key to keeping the gas down is to chew each bite *really* well. That way the digestive enzymes in your mouth will aid the digestion process later down the line.