OT: High-protein, but not necessarily low-carb, lower-fat [closer to vegetarian] diet

[Mama_Rana]

I'm struggling with balancing all of the nutritional advice I keep reading. On one hand, I've been told by my therapist [who relies a lot on the research of Dr. Amen] that a higher-protein diet will help my ADHD. OTOH, I've been researching low-carb diets, and don't feel they are completely healthy due to all the saturated fat, and lack of whole grains. I'd like to transition to a diet that still has a significant amount of protein but that does not rely on meat [or soy substitutes] to do that.

 

I was looking at Dr. Ornish's diet, which conversely eliminates all fats--even good ones like nuts and avocados--and again, that's not the way I want to go. I'd like to prepare meals that balance all these things: protein and small amounts of good fats to help satiate, fiber and lots of veggies and fruits for all the good nutrients and cleansing properties.

 

Does anyone have any good suggestions for specific meals [breakfast, lunch, and dinner], or further reading I can do?

 

Thanks!

[Mama_Rana]

There are diets out there that match that criteria. Read about Protein Power, or South Beach.

 

Saturated fat is not bad though. I know, I know, that is what we are often told. There are a ton of articles out there that discuss this. And before you say "where is their evidence", I ask you where the evidence is that saturated fats are bad? There isn't any.

 

I highly recommend reading something by Gary Taubes. There are other authors out there. They do a good job picking apart the research that is often quoted as supporting saturated fats as being bad.

 

It is confusing. I have gone back and forth in my mind with it for a long time. I feel like I have found what works for me and I'm happy with it. I think if you keep trying stuff you will find what works for you too.

Thanks!

 

I have read the WSJ article by Taubes, and I've read some of the counter-arguments to his article that point out he disregarded some research. :/ It IS confusing, and I'm doing my best to weed through it.

 

In the few weeks that I tried to go low-carb, I did initially lose some weight, but overall my belly fat--the type of fat associated with cardio-vascular disease--increased. :/ Not happy about that.

 

I shall keep reading, reading, reading!!! :D

[MomOfOneFunOne]

How about low GI (glycemic index) or Slow Carb diet.

 

You may be interested in checking out insulin resistance diets. They focus on protein at every meal, all carbs balanced with protein and limited but not eliminated. It's easy to find if you google PCOS diet.

[Peela]

A pretty average healthy vegetarian diet has all that. DH is vegetarian, and i have cut way back on meat and seem to be heading towards vegetarian, even veganism. I seem to need the higher protein and also know about healthy fats.

 

Eggs on toast for breakfast - if you use the best quality wholemeal bread (I like sprouted)- gives you all of it. I like to add in a green smoothie or toss some spinach in the pan too. Another breakfast is oatmeal with LSA or ground flax added when serving, maybe some butter, coconut milk or cows milk. Or toast with nut butter.

 

Avocado, salad dressings with flaxseed oil. Salads with nuts, or nuts as a snack. Fry things in coconut oil.

 

Various patties such as chickpea patties, walnut patties, lentil patties- all give you the protein. Or soups with the beans/lentils in them. Or curries.

 

Cottage cheese is high in protein. I am not eating much cheese but I do have some goats fetta for salads, too. On each salad I have one or more of : avocado, fetta, nuts.

 

I just scan each mean for some healthy fat and some protein. I don't count it or measure it. If you know your vegetarian protein sources, just make sure you have something at each meal.

 

And if you want to add in some meat, thats easy enough. I cook meat for my kids- dh and I have the vegetarian protein one way or another, and they have meat. The vegies etc are the same.

 

I am not against soy and have never been convinced it is evil, so we do eat soy regularly, but not every day. My favorite soy is tempeh which is fermented, and great on salads.

 

If you need a structure, I cant really help you. Its just the way we eat normally- even when I do Weight Watchers, its the way we eat.

[Jean in Newcastle]

Look at the Zone diet.

[i.love.lucy]

Look at the Zone diet.

This is pretty much what I am doing. Very common sense and not so strict against all carbs. He advocates a balance on your plate. It's working for me!

[jplain]

It would be helpful if you could give us an idea of what you mean by high protein.

How many grams of protein per day would you be shooting for?

[Slartibartfast]

You might try using more quinoa. It is high in protien. It is good in pancakes and any number of things. It does have a bit of a weird texture that people who freak out about that sort of thing might not like. I guess I like weird textures cause I love it.

[Mama_Rana]

 

I am not against soy and have never been convinced it is evil, so we do eat soy regularly, but not every day. My favorite soy is tempeh which is fermented, and great on salads.

 

 

Oh, I don't think it's evil, but I think--like everything--it should be used in moderation, and if one replaces all dairy and meat with soy, that can add up to A LOT of soy. :D

 

I like tempeh.

 

Quinoa is another great idea that I'd forgotten about.

 

And chickpea patties. I don't know how to make walnut patties; would it be basically the same idea?

 

 

I think I need to find a good veggie cookbook. One with easy meals. So many cookbooks are so frilly not everyday cooking [to me].

 

I don't have a number in mind. I just know that I can easily forget to get protein, and then I'm hungry and drawn towards even more carbs, and it's a vicious cycle.

[MBM]

You might want to check out Dr. Weil's Anti-inflammatory Diet. He also has a lot of recipes on his website, some that come from his own restaurant.

 

http://www.drweil.com

[angela in ohio]

I've read all the different diet and nutrition books, and what we settled on was this: whole food, mostly vegetables and fruits, but also a few servings of high fiber grains and a serving or two of chicken, fish, home-grown beef, and cultured dairy per day. We get most of our protein from quinoa, couscous, brown rice, beans, etc., but also some from meats, nuts, and dairy.

 

We eat that way probably 80% of the time at minimum, and the rest we have to eat "normal" (meals with other people, restaurants, etc.

[Jean in Newcastle]

I like this cookbook. It is "real" food and has many recipes for everyday cooking.

 

http://www.amazon.com/Goldbecks-American-Whole-food-Cookbook-Plume/dp/0452260264

[Crimson Wife]

The Flexitarian Diet by Dawn Jackson Blatner is a mostly vegetarian version of South Beach or Sonoma.

 

I rarely eat red meat and try to make plant foods the center of my diet, with small amounts of poultry or fish. Legumes, quinoa, nuts & nut butter (in moderation), Greek yogurt, Barilla Plus pasta, and eggs are my primary protein sources. Better for my budget, my waistline, and my carbon footprint.

[Matryoshka]

South Beach would fit those criteria. The recipes in their cookbooks are also fantastic. One of them has a whole section of vegetarian recipes. Beans are allowed even on Phase 1 of South Beach - that's what gets me through. :)

[Krista in LA]

I just started the 17 Day diet last week and it sounds similar to what you want. It does rely on fish, eggs, and poultry for your protein for the first 17 days, but then includes other lower fat meats and beans for the remainder. It has you eating lots of low carb veggies and then 2Tbs olive or flaxseed oil, 2 lower sugar fruits and 2 servings of probiotic foods each day. I have found it to be a pretty easy diet to follow as you don't have to count calories and serving size doesn't matter except for the fruit and probiotics because he has a fullness scale you are supposed to use and not stuff yourself. I found that I had more energy and felt great pretty much right after I started it unlike with lower carb programs where I felt like crap for the first week or so. You can have snacks of veggies or lean protein if you get hungry so you don't feel starved either. I was losing weight on it last week before I got sick this week and have been eating too many carbs but I'm back on it today.

Edited February 11, 2011 by Krista in LA

[Mama_Rana]

The Flexitarian Diet by Dawn Jackson Blatner is a mostly vegetarian version of South Beach or Sonoma.

 

I rarely eat red meat and try to make plant foods the center of my diet, with small amounts of poultry or fish. Legumes, quinoa, nuts & nut butter (in moderation), Greek yogurt, Barilla Plus pasta, and eggs are my primary protein sources. Better for my budget, my waistline, and my carbon footprint.

 

I like this cookbook. It is "real" food and has many recipes for everyday cooking.

 

http://www.amazon.com/Goldbecks-American-Whole-food-Cookbook-Plume/dp/0452260264

 

Awesome. Thanks for all the recs!!! <3