These are the numbers I track too :). The whole protein thing has gotten so out of control! I like your doctors approach, I was told at least 120 grams by a nutritionist and that is a lot if you’re not relying on meat and supplements. (I do eat meat but don’t want to be beholden to it, also watching cholesterol etc.) I’ve been aiming for 90-120 but 20-39 per meal feels more gentle and doable.
Meanwhile everyone keeps seeming to come back to the Mediterranean diet, which has less focus on meat, and I just saw an article about how plant protein is generally better for you than meat. The whole thing makes me go 🙃😵💫 ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
Question for you if you don’t mind—do you worry about saturated fat in plant products? That was downplayed by the last person I talked to so curious what your take was.
Hi, Amy! Yeah, if I got 120 grams of protein it would really crowd out the vegetables, beans, and grains and with them fiber, which is so important. I will say as someone who reads and report on a lot of this research that the ideal way to benefit from protein is a mix of lean animal based and plant based proteins. This is purely from a nutrition perspective though--it leaves aside the ethical and environmental considerations associated with eating meat and dairy. Of course, I strongly believe a person can get all the protein they need purely from plant-based sources. To your question about worrying about saturated fat in plant products--the answer is a resounding yes. I have personally seen my cholesterol creep up as a result of vegan butter and ice cream.
I am just starting to track again after a long time. Like you, I’ve been shocked at how low my protein intake can be. Could you recommend TVP you like? This is new to me.
You’re inspiring me to commit to a period of tracking myself! I haven’t done it since my life and diet shifted from very meat heavy to very plant forward (btw, I also like my fitness pal but have more recently used Lifesum).
I still eat local, pasture-raised eggs several times a week and some local, grassfed cheese, and otherwise try to keep a lot of nuts and grains in my diet in addition to tofu and beans. I’m curious about TVP as another supplement, and yes please to Dan’s corn bread!
I didn't love it when I first bought the bag. I tried to soak the TVP and sautee it. But it turns out I do like it just dumped into a flavorful sauce or dry in cereal! I think it's all about how you use it.
I got some TVP from the bulk bin at the co-op tonight to try it out. Thank you for sharing!
I really love it--I have been putting it in tons of things!
These are the numbers I track too :). The whole protein thing has gotten so out of control! I like your doctors approach, I was told at least 120 grams by a nutritionist and that is a lot if you’re not relying on meat and supplements. (I do eat meat but don’t want to be beholden to it, also watching cholesterol etc.) I’ve been aiming for 90-120 but 20-39 per meal feels more gentle and doable.
Meanwhile everyone keeps seeming to come back to the Mediterranean diet, which has less focus on meat, and I just saw an article about how plant protein is generally better for you than meat. The whole thing makes me go 🙃😵💫 ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
Question for you if you don’t mind—do you worry about saturated fat in plant products? That was downplayed by the last person I talked to so curious what your take was.
Thanks for writing as always!
Hi, Amy! Yeah, if I got 120 grams of protein it would really crowd out the vegetables, beans, and grains and with them fiber, which is so important. I will say as someone who reads and report on a lot of this research that the ideal way to benefit from protein is a mix of lean animal based and plant based proteins. This is purely from a nutrition perspective though--it leaves aside the ethical and environmental considerations associated with eating meat and dairy. Of course, I strongly believe a person can get all the protein they need purely from plant-based sources. To your question about worrying about saturated fat in plant products--the answer is a resounding yes. I have personally seen my cholesterol creep up as a result of vegan butter and ice cream.
Thanks Joy! And oof, cholesterol is a beast.
I am just starting to track again after a long time. Like you, I’ve been shocked at how low my protein intake can be. Could you recommend TVP you like? This is new to me.
I didn't shop around--I had Bob's Red Mill and liked it enough to replace it with a 25 pound bag of it :)
Where did you buy TVP in Philly? Or did you get it online?
Also I'd take that cornbread recipe! My partner's vegan cornbread is pretty darn good, but curious : )
You’re inspiring me to commit to a period of tracking myself! I haven’t done it since my life and diet shifted from very meat heavy to very plant forward (btw, I also like my fitness pal but have more recently used Lifesum).
I still eat local, pasture-raised eggs several times a week and some local, grassfed cheese, and otherwise try to keep a lot of nuts and grains in my diet in addition to tofu and beans. I’m curious about TVP as another supplement, and yes please to Dan’s corn bread!
Ooh interesting. I ate TVP back in the 90s and thought it tasted like old bits of carpet. Maybe it’s improved?
I didn't love it when I first bought the bag. I tried to soak the TVP and sautee it. But it turns out I do like it just dumped into a flavorful sauce or dry in cereal! I think it's all about how you use it.