6 ms·

It's worth noting for anyone that advocates this sort of diet that it is a luxury. Many people mention that you can make good food on such a diet, but it is do

by mises 8y ago

It's worth noting for anyone that advocates this sort of diet that it is a luxury. Many people mention that you can make good food on such a diet, but it is doubtless time-consuming. What of those who work by the hour? And the ingredients are expensive. Many of the fancy foods on here come from Whole Foods, not HEB. Even if they become affordable, the time aspect is still important; most don't want to spend 2 hours cooking regularly. Honest question for those who follow such a diet: how do you not feel hungry? If I don't have meat, I tend to stay hungry. I regularly eat lots of meat for this reason, and am still very slim (no health issues), so it's not like it's hurting me. I tried not eating meat for a month or so, and I perform measurably worse (comparing my output on days when I ate meat vs not). Maybe it just doesn't work for everyone?

ethbro 8y ago
Do you eat equivalent amounts of protein when you eat less meat? I've started eating a lot less meat, but typically through limiting how much of a meal it comprises vs no-meat meals. If I replace meat with greek yogurt or beans, I haven't noticed much difference.
batmands 8y ago
Beans and grains are generally pretty cheap and available pretty widely. You can make a lot at a time, and stick it in a tupperware container to later combine/season. Eating beans/grains can also be quite filling. I personally grow tired of eating such things after a while, but I don't think they are expensive/time-consuming and they do satisfy hunger.
- CodeGlitch 8y ago
  They also have the added advantage of long shelf-life. ie. tinned beans, dried, etc. This means you can buy them in bulk = price savings.
- luckylion 8y ago
  > I personally grow tired of eating such things after a while, but I don't think they are expensive/time-consuming and they do satisfy hunger. "Satisfy hunger" does sound pretty basic though, doesn't it? I don't think the idea was "you can survive for a long time on this", but rather "this is tasty, ethical and nutritious, go try it".
TallGuyShort 8y ago
I've been on Huel for a few months and find it keeps me full very well. Rice & pea protein with plenty of fiber. I still love good meat, but if I wanted to make sure I stayed full for hours at a time, it would no longer be my first choice.
NumberWangMan 8y ago
Meat is very calorie dense due to the fat content -- if you don't eat it, you need to substitute a plant food that is also relatively calorie dense (like beans, lentils, or potatoes) but also, probably just eat more of it. I found that I needed to eat more when I became a vegan, and even more now that I'm trying to put on muscle mass. Also, beans are a good substitute because they tend to dampen blood sugar swings, due to the way they feed our gut flora. And a sudden drop in blood sugar is a big reason for feeling hungry. This property of beans is known as the "second meal effect". Note that just because you are slim and not having health issues, does not mean that meat is not gradually harming your health. There is rather overwhelming evidence that the cholesterol and saturated fat in meat is harmful to our circulatory health, and also that meat protein intake is linked to cancer growth by triggering the body to create IGF-1 (Insulin-like Growth Gactor 1). Many people feel like (or are told) that they are craving protein, when in reality what they are craving is just more calories. Consider that most of us have had a lifetime to figure out what works for us with a meat-based diet, and were taught by our parents -- switching to a different diet isn't trivial. There are lots of good resources out there, but unfortunately, also lots of misinformation.
- iscrewyou 8y ago
  When you say meats, do you mean all meats? I am genuinely asking. My diet is more based on poultry than red meats. I've always heard red meat is not good for you in long term. So, I wonder if these effects that you mentioned are more pronounced with a certain kind of meat. Seems like you've done a lot of research and I am curious.
- mises 8y ago
  > you need to substitute a plant food that is also relatively calorie dense (like beans, lentils, or potatoes) I tried this; not much help. I was used to a diet of essentially no carbs (and had found it beneficial for me), and actually switched because I had a friend who would not shut up about not eating meat and wouldn't stop until I did. I can indeed eat more, but occasionally I would get full and still not feel "full". > meat is harmful to our circulatory health I'm not so sure about this one. I've read about the adverse effects of IGF-1 with respect to cancer, but that seems to be more because it is a growth hormone. Is it any wonder a growth hormone can cause caner to grow? IGF-1, by keeping new cells forming, could help mitigate things like lower bone density and lower muscle tone with age. I've tried replacing protein-calories with carb-calories. I gained a good amount of weight doing so, and didn't feel nearly as good. I'm much happier and healthier back on my old diet. Lots of meat (mostly white)/eggs/fish, a good amount of veggies, some fruit, lots of nuts, lots of dairy. Almost no sugar/soda/fried stuff/other such junk. Maybe different people do best on different diets, and we should recognize that what's good for one is not always good for another. What irritates me is when people get sanctimonious about it and say that I'm evil if I don't eat their diet, even when my quality of life, health, and productivity is significantly better doing it my way.
codebolt 8y ago
I recently tried to go full vegan for a month and found it surprisingly easy. You can make a lot of variations of beans/lentils and rice (with various other veggies and spicing) that are cheaper than meat-based meals, taste amazing, contain plenty of protein and can keep for days. Doesn't have to take more than 30 minutes to put together such a meal.
vegetablepotpie 8y ago
I follow a plant based diet, although I eat only a small subset of the foods on the list I think I can answer some of your questions. > how do you not feel hungry? Lots of starch. Carbs and eating more volume vs. when I ate meat is what fills me up. It's a bit of an adjustment but you get used to it. After doing this for three years I don't feel a need to eat meat/cheese/eggs etc. > What of those who work by the hour? most don't want to spend 2 hours cooking regularly. Being plant based really limits your eating out options and options for convenient processed foods. Granted cooking your own food takes significant time. I work full time and I'm taking masters classes. I make it work because eating healthful meals is important to me. I find efficiencies in batch processing. I cook my whole weeks worth of food in a few hours on the weekend. I'm faster than I was when I started, probably because I have built up muscle memory and also because I select foods that I know I can make quickly. > Maybe it just doesn't work for everyone? One of my friends wants to go plant based, but she has a small stomach. So eating more volume is a problem for her. Different people are going to experience plant based diets differently. For me the first month was the hardest to transition because I was so used to the SAD diet before. For me the second month was easier.
- lucb1e 8y ago
  I'm sorry, what's a "sad" diet? Edit: found it: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SAD tells me it's a "standard american diet", which I take to mean big portions of mainly burgers, fries, and sugary drinks.
windexh8er 8y ago
> It's worth noting for anyone that advocates this sort of diet that it is a luxury. Many people mention that you can make good food on such a diet, but it is doubtless time-consuming. What of those who work by the hour? And the ingredients are expensive. I will disagree with this statement from personal experience. The first claim is that this is a "luxury diet", of which it is not. Grains, legumes, and most all leafy greens and vegetables on here fall within the same construct as meat pricing. Yes, you can spend a lot of money, but no it is not a requirement. I have tested not eating red or white meats now for ~16 months and consume fish or crustaceans on average once a week, but sometimes not. Over that time my weekly food cost has gone down on average. Yes, herbs and spices can be expensive however they are not exclusive to a more focused plant or whole food diet. Also, the claim about time-consuming is also false. I used to spend more time in meat than almost any dish I prepare now. From overnight smokes of pulled pork or half day cooks of meats in sous vide with a finish on grill was, by far much more work. Now, I understand those are not always normal cooking practice by everyone but normal meat prep involves proper prep and post prep regardless if you're making hamburgers or not. Maybe you're talking about preprocessed meats with your argument. But if you're arguing a preprocessed burger is easier, then I'm sure you're right. Frozen meat is horrible IMO, however. > Honest question for those who follow such a diet: how do you not feel hungry? If I don't have meat, I tend to stay hungry. I regularly eat lots of meat for this reason, and am still very slim (no health issues), so it's not like it's hurting me. I tried not eating meat for a month or so, and I perform measurably worse (comparing my output on days when I ate meat vs not). Maybe it just doesn't work for everyone? Moving to a plant / whole food focused diet doesn't leave you hungry if you're doing it in a complete way. Legumes are a great component and satiate just as well from a density of food standpoint. Our family has made breakfast burritos recently for friends who didn't know it was 100% plant based. This included the use of Just Egg (bean formulation of scrambled eggs) and an Italian Seitan product that is hard to distinguish in flavor and texture from ground breakfast sausage. The prep for this meal is identical to using those traditional ingredients. Nobody was hungry and everyone was impressed and asked for the recipe. Ultimately it doesn't work if you don't give it a real try. My family and I cook a lot and the hardest part was getting out of the rut of the recipes we've made our own over the years. New ingredients, new recipes, new flavors. Not everything is good, not everything turns out. You learn and pivot. 3 months in I was feeling comfortable with the new direction I took. My family still will consume red and white meat when there's no other good choice. I have decided, for me, the ethical and global implications are a personal choice and continue to avoid it. Even though I don't cast judgement I feel as though more people should give it a fair shake. But it's easy to take the well traveled option. I will say though it's gotten easier only a year later to find options where I couldn't last year. They're not all the most healthy, but cater to more of the flavor pallette than health. There is that gray area of healthy plant based eating and the middle ground of Beyond Meat / Impossible Burger type alternatives. But even those still have a positive impact on things overall. It does sound like in your attempt to go meat free you were missing something in your meals to round out comparative calorie intake. My recommendation is the cookbook: Vegan For Everyone by America's Test Kitchen. There are a lot of fantastic recipes in there but it is one of the best to get you going. There are many other cookbooks that have helped me find new avenues of cooking as well. I think, for me, that guidance and ideas are the reason I still continue down the path I'm on today.
justin66 8y ago
> Honest question for those who follow such a diet: how do you not feel hungry? If I don't have meat, I tend to stay hungry. It's a matter of making sure you eat enough. I've noticed when playing around with a mostly, but not entirely, vegetarian diet that there's no magic at all if you're already in the habit of counting calories. I've known some people for whom it's more of a problem, for a few reasons. For starters, an athletic person who likes a steady three meals a day might have some problems and need to change some habits, but a snacker who is trying to lose weight might thrive with the change.
- mises 8y ago
  That's probably part of the issue; I fall more into the athletic 3-meal-a-day category, and I really just don't do well otherwise. I never counted calories, before or after, but gained a good bit of weight in a month when I tried a plant-based diet. I was used to eating very few carbs, and didn't do well having more. I basically tried eating enough to feel "satiated" (I actually got physically full on salad once or twice while still rather hungry and not satiated), and ended up doing much worse in terms of productivity, feeling, and weight on the plant diet.
random878 8y ago
> It's worth noting for anyone that advocates this sort of diet that it is a luxury. Utter nonsense. A commonly perpetuated myth. Foods like lentils have the best cost-nutrition ratios of any food. What do you think the people around the world living on $1 a day are eating? > doubtless time-consuming. What of those who work by the hour? ...most don't want to spend 2 hours cooking regularly. Another myth.
salex89 8y ago
Maybe not luxury, but I can correlate. Most of these things don't even have translations in my language, and I'm not even sure where to buy them, although I would gladly. It's probably the same situation as with neighbouring countries to mine, in landlocked Europe.
joegahona 8y ago
"how do you not feel hungry" If you eat tons of starch you won't be hungry. I eat whole-wheat pasta, potatoes, rice, beans, peas, lentils, corn till failure at every meal and I am in great health. Also this is hardly a "luxury" diet -- some of the poorest people on earth eat diets based around starches.
codemac 8y ago
> Many of the fancy foods on here come from Whole Foods .. did we read the same list? Do you think lentils are "fancy"? Spinach? Mushrooms? Them starting with algae is probably a weird move, but regionally they are very available. > how do you not feel hungry? If I don't have meat, I tend to stay hungry. You need to think more critically, you probably crave meat because you have it almost every meal. Entire subcontinents and religions avoiding all meat products for millenia probably didn't all just "feel hungry and perform bad". Just like like it's easy enough for someone to start eating meat, it's just as easy for you to stop.
maxander 8y ago
Noodles and fried tofu takes no longer to cook than a steak, and is just as good. A big pot of curried lentils can be set up in ten minutes, let simmer for about an hour, and lasts all week. Tacos with refried beans instead of hamburger is a straightforward substitute. The list goes on. (Nor am I sure that any of those are significantly less caloric than the equivalent meat dishes.) I suspect that most people who think they can’t manage a vegetarianism, by experience or otherwise, are making the mistake of thinking that a “vegetarian diet” consists of just the vegetarian side-dishes familiar from a meat-eating diet. That is not true, and if you try to do it that way, of course it’s not going to work. A proper diet finds foods that fill the role of meat, one way or another.
- jamiegreen 8y ago
  May I respectfully disagree that fried tofu is as good as a steak.
  - maxander 8y ago
    Certainly, I concur- the tofu is definitely better. :) Sadly, we live in a world where everyone knows how to skillfully prepare beef, but no one knows how to do the same thing with tofu. I think that accounts for the difference. (Useful experiment: try a piece of raw beef, and then a piece of raw tofu. They’re both equally bad!)
- wortelefant 8y ago
  After switching to a plant-based diet for health reasons at first, I started looking for alternatives to meat/dairy and found a wealth of tasty recipes - the vegan community is quite inventive, maybe due to the constraints. One of my new favorites is homemade seitan, it is easy to prepare in a food processor and can be stored for a long time. Getting the texture right took some try and error, now I prefer this method (sparkling water) for a nice texture: https://www.elephantasticvegan.com/vegan-seitan-steak/#wprm-recipe-container-12424 https://www.elephantasticvegan.com/vegan-seitan-steak/#wprm-... Other vegan "hacks" I found impressive were DIY vegan cultured camenbert (camenbert mould growing on cashew puree), aquafaba mousse au chocolat, asian stir fry with TVP or mock duck, jackfruit... A lot of reverse engineering traditional recipes and reinventing them, perhaps the most innovative culinary movement at the momemt.
perfunctory 8y ago
I am also trying to go without meat for a couple of months now and I too feel hungry more often than before. I didn't notice any affect on my performance though. So I wonder if that feeling of hunger is real or is it just some adjustment taking place and one gets used to it eventually. My main motivation though is not health but rather the fact that meat production is a massive contributor to climate change.
open-source-ux 8y ago
"It's worth noting for anyone that advocates this sort of diet that it is a luxury." In what way is this diet a luxury? Some of the ingredients are not found in supermarkets and so not easily available. But beans, lentils, mushrooms, fruits are readily available at your local supermarket if you live Europe or the US. Want to know what is a luxury? The world's consumption of meat, especially in Europe and US. I'm a meat eater, but we are eating more meat now that in any other time in history. We think such cheap and plentiful meat (on a daily basis for so many people) is how it's always been, but it's only thanks to industrial-scale farming we can eat meat so cheaply and with such abundance. And what a bunch of hypocrites we are on the subject (myself included). So many of us won't even consider reducing our meat consumption despite the proven role of animal agriculture in contributing to climate change.
kpU8efre7r 8y ago
I will probably never go vegan but I do try to cut my meat consumption and be mindful that meat is a luxury and respected as such. With that said cooking every night does not take long at all not to mention leftovers means no cook time the next night or two. Also- things like beans, rice, and vegetables are cheap as hell. Meat is almost always the most expensive part of a meal, and rightfully so.

by mises 8y ago

ethbro 8y ago

Do you eat equivalent amounts of protein when you eat less meat? I've started eating a lot less meat, but typically through limiting how much of a meal it comprises vs no-meat meals. If I replace meat with greek yogurt or beans, I haven't noticed much difference.

batmands 8y ago

Beans and grains are generally pretty cheap and available pretty widely. You can make a lot at a time, and stick it in a tupperware container to later combine/season. Eating beans/grains can also be quite filling. I personally grow tired of eating such things after a while, but I don't think they are expensive/time-consuming and they do satisfy hunger.

CodeGlitch 8y ago
They also have the added advantage of long shelf-life. ie. tinned beans, dried, etc. This means you can buy them in bulk = price savings.
luckylion 8y ago
> I personally grow tired of eating such things after a while, but I don't think they are expensive/time-consuming and they do satisfy hunger. "Satisfy hunger" does sound pretty basic though, doesn't it? I don't think the idea was "you can survive for a long time on this", but rather "this is tasty, ethical and nutritious, go try it".

TallGuyShort 8y ago

I've been on Huel for a few months and find it keeps me full very well. Rice & pea protein with plenty of fiber. I still love good meat, but if I wanted to make sure I stayed full for hours at a time, it would no longer be my first choice.

NumberWangMan 8y ago

Meat is very calorie dense due to the fat content -- if you don't eat it, you need to substitute a plant food that is also relatively calorie dense (like beans, lentils, or potatoes) but also, probably just eat more of it. I found that I needed to eat more when I became a vegan, and even more now that I'm trying to put on muscle mass. Also, beans are a good substitute because they tend to dampen blood sugar swings, due to the way they feed our gut flora. And a sudden drop in blood sugar is a big reason for feeling hungry. This property of beans is known as the "second meal effect". Note that just because you are slim and not having health issues, does not mean that meat is not gradually harming your health. There is rather overwhelming evidence that the cholesterol and saturated fat in meat is harmful to our circulatory health, and also that meat protein intake is linked to cancer growth by triggering the body to create IGF-1 (Insulin-like Growth Gactor 1). Many people feel like (or are told) that they are craving protein, when in reality what they are craving is just more calories. Consider that most of us have had a lifetime to figure out what works for us with a meat-based diet, and were taught by our parents -- switching to a different diet isn't trivial. There are lots of good resources out there, but unfortunately, also lots of misinformation.

iscrewyou 8y ago
When you say meats, do you mean all meats? I am genuinely asking. My diet is more based on poultry than red meats. I've always heard red meat is not good for you in long term. So, I wonder if these effects that you mentioned are more pronounced with a certain kind of meat. Seems like you've done a lot of research and I am curious.
mises 8y ago
> you need to substitute a plant food that is also relatively calorie dense (like beans, lentils, or potatoes) I tried this; not much help. I was used to a diet of essentially no carbs (and had found it beneficial for me), and actually switched because I had a friend who would not shut up about not eating meat and wouldn't stop until I did. I can indeed eat more, but occasionally I would get full and still not feel "full". > meat is harmful to our circulatory health I'm not so sure about this one. I've read about the adverse effects of IGF-1 with respect to cancer, but that seems to be more because it is a growth hormone. Is it any wonder a growth hormone can cause caner to grow? IGF-1, by keeping new cells forming, could help mitigate things like lower bone density and lower muscle tone with age. I've tried replacing protein-calories with carb-calories. I gained a good amount of weight doing so, and didn't feel nearly as good. I'm much happier and healthier back on my old diet. Lots of meat (mostly white)/eggs/fish, a good amount of veggies, some fruit, lots of nuts, lots of dairy. Almost no sugar/soda/fried stuff/other such junk. Maybe different people do best on different diets, and we should recognize that what's good for one is not always good for another. What irritates me is when people get sanctimonious about it and say that I'm evil if I don't eat their diet, even when my quality of life, health, and productivity is significantly better doing it my way.

codebolt 8y ago

I recently tried to go full vegan for a month and found it surprisingly easy. You can make a lot of variations of beans/lentils and rice (with various other veggies and spicing) that are cheaper than meat-based meals, taste amazing, contain plenty of protein and can keep for days. Doesn't have to take more than 30 minutes to put together such a meal.

vegetablepotpie 8y ago

I follow a plant based diet, although I eat only a small subset of the foods on the list I think I can answer some of your questions. > how do you not feel hungry? Lots of starch. Carbs and eating more volume vs. when I ate meat is what fills me up. It's a bit of an adjustment but you get used to it. After doing this for three years I don't feel a need to eat meat/cheese/eggs etc. > What of those who work by the hour? most don't want to spend 2 hours cooking regularly. Being plant based really limits your eating out options and options for convenient processed foods. Granted cooking your own food takes significant time. I work full time and I'm taking masters classes. I make it work because eating healthful meals is important to me. I find efficiencies in batch processing. I cook my whole weeks worth of food in a few hours on the weekend. I'm faster than I was when I started, probably because I have built up muscle memory and also because I select foods that I know I can make quickly. > Maybe it just doesn't work for everyone? One of my friends wants to go plant based, but she has a small stomach. So eating more volume is a problem for her. Different people are going to experience plant based diets differently. For me the first month was the hardest to transition because I was so used to the SAD diet before. For me the second month was easier.

lucb1e 8y ago
I'm sorry, what's a "sad" diet? Edit: found it: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SAD tells me it's a "standard american diet", which I take to mean big portions of mainly burgers, fries, and sugary drinks.

windexh8er 8y ago

> It's worth noting for anyone that advocates this sort of diet that it is a luxury. Many people mention that you can make good food on such a diet, but it is doubtless time-consuming. What of those who work by the hour? And the ingredients are expensive. I will disagree with this statement from personal experience. The first claim is that this is a "luxury diet", of which it is not. Grains, legumes, and most all leafy greens and vegetables on here fall within the same construct as meat pricing. Yes, you can spend a lot of money, but no it is not a requirement. I have tested not eating red or white meats now for ~16 months and consume fish or crustaceans on average once a week, but sometimes not. Over that time my weekly food cost has gone down on average. Yes, herbs and spices can be expensive however they are not exclusive to a more focused plant or whole food diet. Also, the claim about time-consuming is also false. I used to spend more time in meat than almost any dish I prepare now. From overnight smokes of pulled pork or half day cooks of meats in sous vide with a finish on grill was, by far much more work. Now, I understand those are not always normal cooking practice by everyone but normal meat prep involves proper prep and post prep regardless if you're making hamburgers or not. Maybe you're talking about preprocessed meats with your argument. But if you're arguing a preprocessed burger is easier, then I'm sure you're right. Frozen meat is horrible IMO, however. > Honest question for those who follow such a diet: how do you not feel hungry? If I don't have meat, I tend to stay hungry. I regularly eat lots of meat for this reason, and am still very slim (no health issues), so it's not like it's hurting me. I tried not eating meat for a month or so, and I perform measurably worse (comparing my output on days when I ate meat vs not). Maybe it just doesn't work for everyone? Moving to a plant / whole food focused diet doesn't leave you hungry if you're doing it in a complete way. Legumes are a great component and satiate just as well from a density of food standpoint. Our family has made breakfast burritos recently for friends who didn't know it was 100% plant based. This included the use of Just Egg (bean formulation of scrambled eggs) and an Italian Seitan product that is hard to distinguish in flavor and texture from ground breakfast sausage. The prep for this meal is identical to using those traditional ingredients. Nobody was hungry and everyone was impressed and asked for the recipe. Ultimately it doesn't work if you don't give it a real try. My family and I cook a lot and the hardest part was getting out of the rut of the recipes we've made our own over the years. New ingredients, new recipes, new flavors. Not everything is good, not everything turns out. You learn and pivot. 3 months in I was feeling comfortable with the new direction I took. My family still will consume red and white meat when there's no other good choice. I have decided, for me, the ethical and global implications are a personal choice and continue to avoid it. Even though I don't cast judgement I feel as though more people should give it a fair shake. But it's easy to take the well traveled option. I will say though it's gotten easier only a year later to find options where I couldn't last year. They're not all the most healthy, but cater to more of the flavor pallette than health. There is that gray area of healthy plant based eating and the middle ground of Beyond Meat / Impossible Burger type alternatives. But even those still have a positive impact on things overall. It does sound like in your attempt to go meat free you were missing something in your meals to round out comparative calorie intake. My recommendation is the cookbook: Vegan For Everyone by America's Test Kitchen. There are a lot of fantastic recipes in there but it is one of the best to get you going. There are many other cookbooks that have helped me find new avenues of cooking as well. I think, for me, that guidance and ideas are the reason I still continue down the path I'm on today.

justin66 8y ago

> Honest question for those who follow such a diet: how do you not feel hungry? If I don't have meat, I tend to stay hungry. It's a matter of making sure you eat enough. I've noticed when playing around with a mostly, but not entirely, vegetarian diet that there's no magic at all if you're already in the habit of counting calories. I've known some people for whom it's more of a problem, for a few reasons. For starters, an athletic person who likes a steady three meals a day might have some problems and need to change some habits, but a snacker who is trying to lose weight might thrive with the change.

mises 8y ago
That's probably part of the issue; I fall more into the athletic 3-meal-a-day category, and I really just don't do well otherwise. I never counted calories, before or after, but gained a good bit of weight in a month when I tried a plant-based diet. I was used to eating very few carbs, and didn't do well having more. I basically tried eating enough to feel "satiated" (I actually got physically full on salad once or twice while still rather hungry and not satiated), and ended up doing much worse in terms of productivity, feeling, and weight on the plant diet.

random878 8y ago

> It's worth noting for anyone that advocates this sort of diet that it is a luxury. Utter nonsense. A commonly perpetuated myth. Foods like lentils have the best cost-nutrition ratios of any food. What do you think the people around the world living on $1 a day are eating? > doubtless time-consuming. What of those who work by the hour? ...most don't want to spend 2 hours cooking regularly. Another myth.

salex89 8y ago

Maybe not luxury, but I can correlate. Most of these things don't even have translations in my language, and I'm not even sure where to buy them, although I would gladly. It's probably the same situation as with neighbouring countries to mine, in landlocked Europe.

joegahona 8y ago

"how do you not feel hungry" If you eat tons of starch you won't be hungry. I eat whole-wheat pasta, potatoes, rice, beans, peas, lentils, corn till failure at every meal and I am in great health. Also this is hardly a "luxury" diet -- some of the poorest people on earth eat diets based around starches.

codemac 8y ago

> Many of the fancy foods on here come from Whole Foods .. did we read the same list? Do you think lentils are "fancy"? Spinach? Mushrooms? Them starting with algae is probably a weird move, but regionally they are very available. > how do you not feel hungry? If I don't have meat, I tend to stay hungry. You need to think more critically, you probably crave meat because you have it almost every meal. Entire subcontinents and religions avoiding all meat products for millenia probably didn't all just "feel hungry and perform bad". Just like like it's easy enough for someone to start eating meat, it's just as easy for you to stop.

maxander 8y ago

Noodles and fried tofu takes no longer to cook than a steak, and is just as good. A big pot of curried lentils can be set up in ten minutes, let simmer for about an hour, and lasts all week. Tacos with refried beans instead of hamburger is a straightforward substitute. The list goes on. (Nor am I sure that any of those are significantly less caloric than the equivalent meat dishes.) I suspect that most people who think they can’t manage a vegetarianism, by experience or otherwise, are making the mistake of thinking that a “vegetarian diet” consists of just the vegetarian side-dishes familiar from a meat-eating diet. That is not true, and if you try to do it that way, of course it’s not going to work. A proper diet finds foods that fill the role of meat, one way or another.

jamiegreen 8y ago
May I respectfully disagree that fried tofu is as good as a steak.
- maxander 8y ago
  Certainly, I concur- the tofu is definitely better. :) Sadly, we live in a world where everyone knows how to skillfully prepare beef, but no one knows how to do the same thing with tofu. I think that accounts for the difference. (Useful experiment: try a piece of raw beef, and then a piece of raw tofu. They’re both equally bad!)
wortelefant 8y ago
After switching to a plant-based diet for health reasons at first, I started looking for alternatives to meat/dairy and found a wealth of tasty recipes - the vegan community is quite inventive, maybe due to the constraints. One of my new favorites is homemade seitan, it is easy to prepare in a food processor and can be stored for a long time. Getting the texture right took some try and error, now I prefer this method (sparkling water) for a nice texture: https://www.elephantasticvegan.com/vegan-seitan-steak/#wprm-recipe-container-12424 https://www.elephantasticvegan.com/vegan-seitan-steak/#wprm-... Other vegan "hacks" I found impressive were DIY vegan cultured camenbert (camenbert mould growing on cashew puree), aquafaba mousse au chocolat, asian stir fry with TVP or mock duck, jackfruit... A lot of reverse engineering traditional recipes and reinventing them, perhaps the most innovative culinary movement at the momemt.

perfunctory 8y ago

I am also trying to go without meat for a couple of months now and I too feel hungry more often than before. I didn't notice any affect on my performance though. So I wonder if that feeling of hunger is real or is it just some adjustment taking place and one gets used to it eventually. My main motivation though is not health but rather the fact that meat production is a massive contributor to climate change.

open-source-ux 8y ago

"It's worth noting for anyone that advocates this sort of diet that it is a luxury." In what way is this diet a luxury? Some of the ingredients are not found in supermarkets and so not easily available. But beans, lentils, mushrooms, fruits are readily available at your local supermarket if you live Europe or the US. Want to know what is a luxury? The world's consumption of meat, especially in Europe and US. I'm a meat eater, but we are eating more meat now that in any other time in history. We think such cheap and plentiful meat (on a daily basis for so many people) is how it's always been, but it's only thanks to industrial-scale farming we can eat meat so cheaply and with such abundance. And what a bunch of hypocrites we are on the subject (myself included). So many of us won't even consider reducing our meat consumption despite the proven role of animal agriculture in contributing to climate change.

kpU8efre7r 8y ago

I will probably never go vegan but I do try to cut my meat consumption and be mindful that meat is a luxury and respected as such. With that said cooking every night does not take long at all not to mention leftovers means no cook time the next night or two. Also- things like beans, rice, and vegetables are cheap as hell. Meat is almost always the most expensive part of a meal, and rightfully so.