But, at 19, I was impatient and careless. Although I was impressed and touched enough to swear off all meat, including poultry and fish, I wasn't sufficiently industrious to undertake the food combining regimen the author recommended to get sufficient balance of essential amino acids from various plant sources. So I did what many people today still do when they decide to go off meat. I ate cheese.
And I gained 15 pounds in about three months. It didn't take long to gain the weight, because I substituted cheese for meat, at every meal.
What I didn't know then, but what's known now and reflected in updated versions of the book is that it's not necessary to have a full complement of plant protein at each and every meal, even every day. As long as you eat a variety of foods, including vegetables and grains with different components of amino acids and other nutrients over a one- to two-day period, you'll stay healthy.
To demonstrate how cheese contributed to my weight gain, I logged in to my trusty eDiets
Nutrition Tracker to check out some protein comparisons.
A pound of lean sirloin steak, broiled, has 1,134 calories, 70 grams of fat, 28 grams of saturated fat, and 408 milligrams of cholesterol, plus 126 grams of protein. A pound of whole-milk mozzarella cheese has 1,361 calories, 101 grams of fat, 60 grams of saturated fat, 368 milligrams of cholesterol, and 100 grams of protein. Steak is a good source of protein, but it's high in saturated fat and cholesterol. But substituting cheese for meat is a nutritional mistake, because it's higher in calories and saturated fat and nearly as high in cholesterol, and lower in protein.
By the way, an identical 16-ounce portion of broiled red snapper has only 547 calories, less than 2 grams of saturated fat and 8 grams of total fat, only 213 milligrams of cholesterol and 119 grams of protein.
All these years later, I still like cheese, but I respect it and practice portion control, opting for low-fat varieties, with an occasional indulgence of fresh mozzarella (I love it!). I've lost the excess weight but never returned to red meat. I do eat fish a few times weekly, enjoy eggs and egg whites, and turkey a couple of times yearly, always on Thanksgiving. Oh, and I love tofu, and enjoy many of eDiets' tofu and tempeh recipes.
How Vegetarian Diet
can make you fat
My great friend and colleague, John McGran, eDiets' own Mr. Worst Food, recently visited Ray's Pizza, the venerable favorite in Greenwich Village. He told me he ordered a vegetarian slice of pizza, but when it was delivered, he knew he was in trouble. It had an inch of white cheese on it, John complained, knowing that he'd been scammed. And that's how vegetarian diets can make you fat.
Just because it's vegetarian doesn't make it healthy. If it's loaded with cheese and oil, the dish may be meat-free, but it's high in calories and fat, too.
Avoiding the saturated fat and cholesterol in meat is a good idea. Substituting plant protein for animal protein, if done right, means more fiber and good nutrition. Dr. Jay Kenney, director of Nutritional Research at the Pritikin Longevity Center in Adventura, Florida, is a registered dietitian and expert on vegetarian diets.
If Americans replaced all or at least most of the meat in their diet with mostly seafood, beans and tofu, they would dramatically cut their risk of heart disease, type 2 diabetes, Alzheimer's and various cancers such as colorectal, prostate, breast and pancreatic cancer," he said. "But if people replace meat with high fat, processed foods, they won't save themselves from any of these diseases."
Portion size is always important, especially when you're trying to control calories. It's easy to modify your menu on eDiets ' Premium Weight Loss Program. When you sign up, you indicate your food preferences and receive personalized menus designed to your calorie needs, depending on your activity and weight goal.
Choose to exclude all animal products, or include low-fat or nonfat dairy (lacto-vegetarian); or include eggs and dairy (lacto-ovo vegetarian). You can even click to include fish in your menu. The beauty of the eDiets plan is that you can modify your menu to include meat, fish, poultry and/or eggs once, twice or as many times as you wish weekly.
If you eliminate all animal protein, it's important to vary your diet, don't eat the same stuff every day -- a variety of the important nutrients keep you healthy. You can eat less meat, or include small portions of poultry and fish, as well as dairy and eggs, so it's easy to get plentiful amounts of iron, selenium, vitamin B-12, zinc and calcium. But as long as you eat plant-based sources of these nutrients, you'll stay healthy. The USDA's www.MyPyramid.gov provides valuable information about vegetarian diets:
Nutrients to focus on for vegetarians
Protein has many important functions in the body and is essential for growth and maintenance. Protein needs can easily be met by eating a variety of plant-based foods. Combining different protein sources in the same meal is not necessary. Sources of protein for vegetarians include beans, nuts, nut butters, peas and soy products (tofu, tempeh, veggie burgers). Milk products and eggs are also good protein sources for lacto-ovo vegetarians.
Iron functions primarily as a carrier of oxygen in the blood. Iron sources for vegetarians include iron-fortified breakfast cereals, spinach, kidney beans, black-eyed peas, lentils, turnip greens, molasses, whole wheat breads, peas and some dried fruits (dried apricots, prunes, raisins).
Calcium is used for building bones and teeth and in maintaining bone strength. Sources of calcium for vegetarians include fortified breakfast cereals, soy products (tofu, soy-based beverages), calcium-fortified orange juice, and some dark green leafy vegetables (collard greens, turnip greens, bok choy, mustard greens). Milk products are excellent calcium sources for lacto vegetarians.
Zinc is necessary for many biochemical reactions and also helps the immune system function properly. Sources of zinc for vegetarians include many types of beans (white beans, kidney beans, and chickpeas), zinc-fortified breakfast cereals, wheat germ and pumpkin seeds. Milk products are a zinc source for lacto vegetarians.
Vitamin B12 is found in animal products and some fortified foods. Sources of vitamin B12 for vegetarians include milk products, eggs and foods that have been fortified with vitamin B12. These include breakfast cereals, soy-based beverages, veggie burgers and nutritional yeast. Home Cookin': Veggin' out at home is simple and delicious
Dairy substitutes are often found right next to conventional dairy in your grocer's aisles; natural foods stores and larger chains offer dairy substitutes, including soy milk and soy yogurt. Others: Almond milk; rice milk; oat milk.
Plant proteins that are naturally low in fat include dried beans including soybeans, lentils, peas and brown rice.
Try new pastas, designed with more protein and fiber. I like Barilla Plus, made with whole-grain and legume flour, which contains 40 percent more protein and also contains more fiber than conventional pasta. It contains egg whites, important information for those who avoid eggs.
Pair pasta with legumes to boost protein and nutrition: add a drained can of chickpeas or black beans to drained pasta, add some olive oil and herbs or bottled low-fat tomato sauce for a quick meal.
Boost nutrition and protein by adding raw or roasted nuts and seeds to casseroles, salads and cereals
Try vegetarian meat substitutes like veggie burgers, hot dogs and meat crumbles, textured vegetable protein (TVP).
Experiment with tofu: firm for stir-fry dishes; silken for cream-cheese substitute and dips.
Barbeque tempeh, a chewy cultured soybean cake: make kabobs with vegetables
Try new types of burgers, made with black beans or lentils.
Cheese substitutes: some are made 100-percent vegan, but some contain casein or rennin, from dairy. Read labels. Dining Out
The No. 1 rule when dining out is: Make yourself heard! State specifically what you want, and it's likely you'll get what you need.
You can find an array of choices on practically any menu -- even at steakhouses. Some ethnic restaurants maintain a vegetarian tradition, with many tasty entrees, such as Asian and Thai, as well as my favorite, Middle-Eastern fare. I love all grilled vegetables with different marinated salads and mushrooms, hummus (chickpea dip) and baba ganoush (eggplant dip).
Smart Bites
Look at Sides: Ask for a side dish doubled as an entree; Order two sides or two different appetizers.
Go for salads. Start with the house salad or order a dinner salad (with dressing on the side, of course).
Vegetable and bean soups: If you're a strict vegetarian, soups are probably not a good idea because they commonly include fish, meat or poultry stock. Ask the waiter to be sure.
Soy-based dishes are usually a safe call. Seek out soy variety by trying dishes that contain tempeh, tofu, TVP and miso.
Grain and pasta entrees: Try pasta with marinara sauce or rice and beans.
When it comes to dessert, try the fresh fruit plate.
Fast Food: Remember, vegetarian pizza often means slathered with lots of cheese. Burger King still offers a vegetarian burger, and many chains offer salads with almonds or walnuts, but watch out for full-fat dressings, that add tons of calories. Little Caesar pizza chain has great information on their website, and invite vegetarians to order lots of veggies and eliminate cheese if they're dairy-free. What to avoid while dining out
Vegetarians need to watch out for beef and chicken broth, common ingredients in gravies and sauces.
Check with your waiter to be sure there are no hidden items, such as bacon bits, eggs or luncheon meats in salads.
Even if an entree is vegetarian, it may be prepared using lard or meat products. Ask your waiter to be sure.
Gelatin is made from animal bones. Avoid aspic and other gelatin-containing foods.
Complicated, whipped or combined dishes can be problematic, since it's hard to be sure what's in them. Watch out for casseroles, in particular.
eDiets has great ways for you to eat healthy, lose weight and take control of your health. You can pick from 23 personalized plans, including the Mediterranean Diet. To get started, click here to visit eDiets and fill out a free diet profile.
eDiets Chief Nutritionist Susan L. Burke is a registered and licensed dietitian and a certified diabetes educator who specializes in both general and diabetes-related weight management.
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