[bigrosiegreenbaum]

I am considering going vegan or at least cage-free vegetarian and I'm worried that there won't be anything interesting for me to eat. My hunger is already out of control from a bi-polar med that I have to take and add to that the fact that I'm a MAJOR FOODIE - and economically challenged - and it kind of seems like a hopeless venture.

Is anyone here following this kind of diet and if so, what examples can you give of what to eat?

Thanks!

 

[foxl]

Yeah and good luck on the economics. I eat at least 2 eggs per day and while the factory ones are cheap, the cage-free are pricey.

And I eat a lot of cheese. Cheap cheese is not bad, but the expensive stuff IS. Butter and cream are pricey, too. So is the coconut oil.

And it is hard to be vegan and grain- and legume-free! I am grain- and legume- free -- they wreaked havoc on my blood sugars!!!!

I do not recommend it as a way to control blood sugar. Plus you MUST supplement B12, iron, and essential fatty acids ... and EFA's are $$$.

 

[jwags]

I was a vegan before I became Diabetic. It is not cheap and I ate way too much pasta, brown rice and whole grain cereal and bread. I now eat meat but try to choose better quality free range eggs and meat. I do buy the cheaper cheese from Costco because the organic is way too expensive. The cage free eggs are about twice the price. I can find 2 dozen at Costco for about $5.69. They also sell bacon, hot dogs and ground beef without nitrates or antibiotics or hormones. There are many vegetarians that are diabetic, it can be done. The hard part is getting enough protein.

 

[bigrosiegreenbaum]

I was a vegan before I became Diabetic. It is not cheap and I ate way too much pasta, brown rice and whole grain cereal and bread. I now eat meat but try to choose better quality free range eggs and meat. I do buy the cheaper cheese from Costco because the organic is way too expensive. The cage free eggs are about twice the price. I can find 2 dozen at Costco for about $5.69. They also sell bacon, hot dogs and ground beef without nitrates or antibiotics or hormones. There are many vegetarians that are diabetic, it can be done. The hard part is getting enough protein.

The even harder part I think is the money. I was vegan many years ago before my dx and it was so hard to maintain I went back to being a carnivore. And that's the second problem I have - I am an animal lover and I'm in a moral quandry over whether my D is just a convenient excuse for me to let go of my principles, especially after that big report on 20/20 about the factory farms Friday night

 

[lia]

I'm a vegetarian and it is very cheap. My staples are brown rice and beans for protein. $10 gets enough to last at least a couple of months. (Costco) How much bacon and eggs can you get for that?

I don't understand why it has had the comments that it is expensive. Maybe buying the expensive stuff at the health food stores? You really don't need the exotic protein supplements and shakes, etc.

Most of my other items come from the produce section of the supermarket. Chard is more than $2 a bunch and that seems expensive to me, but not bad compared to the stuff my house mates buy.

 

[Shanny]

And you're on insulin, lia (which isn't cheap!) . . . neither Rosie nor Jeanne has the benefit of lowering spikes with a correction dose of insulin. If brown rice or beans sends their BG to the moon, they get to run around the block until it comes back down.

 

[moon]

sends their BG to the moon,

Whoa ... not over here! Got enough of my own bloody BG.

 

[Shanny]

Oops! Sorry! We'll send them to Jupiter next time! hwell:

 

[foxl]

BigRosie, perhaps instead of considering eating vegan, you might read Lierre Keith's The Vegetarian Myth?

She has me convinced enough that I am now having my kids eat meat.

And, how can we provide input into an industry, if we do not participate (or present ourselves as participating?). Don't get me wrong, I have been vegetarian for 39 years, and cannot bring myself to eat meat! It is challenging though.

 

[trope]

vegan

Hello,

I am a vegan. Well, I try to be. No meat, no fish, no dairy. I walk/jog everyday and I try to stay away from pasta and bread. I do eat them in moderation.

I no longer take diabetic medication (metformin, glyburide, insulin) as well as high blood pressure medication.

I did lose weight, from 210 to 160 and I want to down to 140-145 being my target weight which will send me to an ideal bmi.

My diet is low fat, high carbs and while the majority here are low carb, I am the opposite. It works for me. My diet is mostly starches and veggies and filtered water.

Sure, the taste is bland but I got used to it. I no longer need to buy medication so I figure it is a good trade off.

If I eat rich foods, I know I have to go back on medication, no thanks. If you have any questions, ask. I will be happy to answer.

 

[trope]

BigRosie, perhaps instead of considering eating vegan, you might read Lierre Keith's The Vegetarian Myth?

She has me convinced enough that I am now having my kids eat meat.

And, how can we provide input into an industry, if we do not participate (or present ourselves as participating?). Don't get me wrong, I have been vegetarian for 39 years, and cannot bring myself to eat meat! It is challenging though.

I used to eat meat. I loved eating it. But there are so many dangers of eating meat and meat products. Have you seen the USDA's Food Safety Inspection Service web site? Too many food recalls, mostly revolving around meat and meat products and look at their archives. This should convince any meat eater to ensure the meat they eat is clean and safe.

 

[isla]

I'm a vegetarian. Well, I'm actually a lactose intolerant vegetarian diabetic. Ha.

When I was diagnosed a month and a half ago I was concerned that I may have to eat meat again. In fact that was one thing I was freaking out most about. Luckily, my dietician said that it's fine to be a vegetarian diabetic and that I'll be getting enough.

I find grains and legumes give me great BG levels. They tend to keep them stable. (Then again, being a type 1 I can adjust slightly for how much I'm taking in.) I eat a ton of veg and am a fan of soy based products, tofu, ground round, etc. I have to stay away from traditional pastas--those send me through the roof.

As far as the cage free eggs vs non....sure they may be pricey, but have you ever seen the inside of a chicken barn? It makes me want to puke. Too many views of that and documentaries and books has made me pay out the extra $3 for a dozen. Too too sad.

 

[isla]

one more thing...
Being a vegetarian is so much cheaper than a carnivore!!

Rosie, there are tons of things you can eat. Ever had quinoa? Full of protein, and when you spice it up with veggies and some sauce it's fantastic, just like a regular grain. Not too expensive. Delicious salads, 'meat' balls made out of Yves Veggie Ground Round with pasta/rice, stir fries with tofu, oh the list can go on and on...

Sure, fruits and veggies go bad faster if you don't eat them but in the end they are healthier and cheaper than big hunks of meat.

 

[foxl]

You have no idea what it is like to control blood sugar without insulin. As a vegetarian, having run the gamut of starchy protein sources, and having to rule out so many of those, even moreso. VERY challenging and frustrating -- I would hate for that to go unsaid, in a thread addressing primarily Type 2's.

 

[DendelionLove]

Great thread. I'm trying to be a vegetarian.. trying to slowly cut down on the meat. Just discovered Quinoa a while ago.. and been having that a lot... amazing stuff.

 

[beefy]

Most of the "pro-vegan" information out there is very misleading. I've looked into it on several occasions, and personally haven't found any reason to go vegan, and have found several reasons not to.

Zoe Harcombe (she's a UK obesity researcher, former vegan) gives an excellent review of the book mentioned in earlier posts here.

 

[Carolina]

I would not include Quinoa in my food items. It has more carbs then any rice. I don't eat rice either.

 

[not yet]

On my way toward being a vegan

I have given up all animal fleshes and products for health reasons.

This past year I took two steps toward full veganism. 1. I made myself visit my local farmer's market once per week and always purchased produce that I like to eat. No experimenting with new produce. Farmer's markets can be, but not always are, less expensive than grocery stores. 2. After buying grains like steel cut oats, barley, and quinoa in the super market, I decided to buy them in bulk. I comparison shop to get the best price. Both required thinking about finances differently...after all, I wasn't spending money in my usual comfort zone like the supermarket.

Both of these steps also took adjustments in short- and long-term thinking before they became regular habits. I went through getting used to new tastes and textures. Some things I liked, others I won't try again. Trying a new diet means being willing to experiment several times with new foods and figuring out what appeals to you. Just because I like oats, quinoa and barley doesn't mean that everyone else is required to like it. A new diet also means getting away from tried and true enjoyable foods, which means another adjustment. Mourning the loss of enjoyable but unhealthy foods takes time.

As for the cost, I agree that some vegan things cost more than the typical American diet. One idea to consider, if possible, is to grow a vegetable and fruit garden. If you don't have suitable land where you live, some cities have community gardens, or maybe you have a relative or friend who might lend you space. it would really cut down on the costs of food. (I don't have any space to grow a garden, or a green thumb but wish I had both!)

I've learned from being on this forum that you have to do what works for you, use what information you can from what is posted, and ignore the rest. You know your body better than everyone else, and know what works, what might work, and what doesn't work. There are a handful of people who are very knowledgeable in their own area, and many, many people who give opinions that are disguised as authoritative information.

 

[foxl]

"There are a handful of people who are very knowledgeable in their own area, and many, many people who give opinions that are disguised as authoritative information."

et tu, brute?

 

[ram_latha]

I am considering going vegan or at least cage-free vegetarian and I'm worried that there won't be anything interesting for me to eat. My hunger is already out of control from a bi-polar med that I have to take and add to that the fact that I'm a MAJOR FOODIE - and economically challenged - and it kind of seems like a hopeless venture.

Is anyone here following this kind of diet and if so, what examples can you give of what to eat?

Thanks!

I am a born vegitarian and I do not know whether my vegitarian eating habits will help you . Any way , here is my suggestion ;
I live mostly on food stff made of whole wheat supplimented by wheat /oat bran .A lot of vegitables and green leafy vegitables ( eg., spinach) and green salads go into my diet with legumes apportioned with nuts .The meal is split into 4-5 times a day with smaller apportion . I take more of alakline food ( a lot of green vegitables are alkaline ,You can search in the web for a complete list ) and tofu ( chesse made of soya milk)

I hope this helps you to some extent

All the best