Vegitarians, Vegans, Etc. Eating Sweets

[pueppi]

I am interested in a spinoff topic from: Dietary Preferences and Habits

I have noticed a lot of "veggie's" eat a lot of sweets. Anyone who knows more about that care to comment?

We were talking about good nutrition and such, and I am not sure how the sweet-factor plays into that.

In my experience, many of the vegitarians, vegans, etc. that I meet are Sweet-O-Holics. Not that other eaters aren't - it's just that it strikes me odd when I get the idea that going vegan, etc. is about being more healthy.

I don't see this so much with the general "Health Food"-concious types, that eat a variety of items.

So, if anyone is interested in opening dialogue, I'll be an interested reader.

[KS MT]

Well, I'm vegetarian, but I was raised on meat. I've been a vegetarian for about 5 years now. The number one reason behind my decision to eliminate meat from my diet was for ethical reasons. Second to that was for my health. I have a feeling that a majority of vegetarians and vegans out there do it for those reasons, in that order, also. Your first message made me think that you think the #1 reason is for health.

I think of myself being just like every one else, except that I don't eat meat, chicken, or fish. So I am prone to, (and give in to), the same cravings as everyone else: those for chips, ice cream, soda, etc. My overall response is not that those who are vegetarians eat more sweets than those who don't, it's just that you are noticing it more often in them. Subconsiously, you may be looking at them saying, "hey, they're vegan, I wonder what they eat?" When you observe them, you are seeing them eat a lot of the same junk that everyone else eats.

"Health Food Consious Types," however, are purposefully eating "good" food, and ignoring the processed junk that lines the shelves at the Supermarket. Some of them eat meat, chicken and/or fish, and some don't.

They are two different outlooks. Connected, but different.

Okay, I just woke up, so I hope this post makes sense! (I may have to come back and edit later!)

[pueppi]

Your first message made me think that you think the #1 reason is for health.

Yep, that is what I was thinking. And, #2 was for the ethics situation.

Interesting post. Thanks!

[Seebs]

I'm a vegetarian (I call myself an ovo-vegan to reflect that I don't eat dairy products, either, although I do eat eggs.) My number one reason is ethical, like KSMT. I am also very conscientious about nutrition in that I strongly believe in organic produce, I'm constantly watching my protein intake, I avoid artificial sweeteners and flavorings whenever possible, and I've just about cut high fructose corn syrup out of my diet.

That said, I have a major sweet tooth. In a many cases, not eating dairy products restricts me from eating sweets when everyone around me is. However, when I DO come across a vegan treat (I call them Sabrina-friendly foods) I will certainly partake. I'm very good at getting around the veggie restrictions and getting my sugar! I love fruits, and I love fruit juices even more. Honey is wonderful stuff, I could have it every day, in tea, on toast, over my super-healthy-whole-grain cereal, in a smoothie, etc. All these things could be considered part of "good nutrition." After all, I eat my share of veggies and whole grains and soy products and walnuts, too.

Of course, as 'health food' conscious as I am, I manage to over do things on the side of not so healthy, I suppose. Sometimes it takes more to satiate a person without the carnivorous portion of a diet, and I'm not someone who is inclined to fill that gap with lentils and brown rice, unfortunately. I find myself having second portions of the toast with honey or jam, filling up on apple juice (despite drinking plenty of water!) and putting chocolate in my proteinatious soy milk, and then that precious vegetarian find of a real treat, like soy ice cream, the desert (muffin, cookie, pie, candy) that upon investigating the ingredients--low and behold--is Sabrina-friendly! (Even if it's not sugar, a few more chips or another small portion of potato, or even carrots with salad dressing goes down much easier than legumes or vegetables, and is usually easier to prepare if the stir fry or burrito is finished.)

Like KSMT, I'm prone to junk cravings the way everyone else is, so if it's something meets my criteria, I'll probably be inclined eat it! I like sugar, it's yummy, makes me feel good and I don't experience sugar crashes like some people do. And sugar is vegetarian/vegan.

And I'm a plump vegetarian. But it's quality organic plump!

[pyronymph]

I am a vegetarian, trying to go strict (meaning no eggs or dairy), which I am finding very difficult, since it seems that nearly everything has either eggs, dairy or a meat byproduct in it . I can't really claim to be a vegetarian by choice, since my body doesn't process meat properly. I spent the first 2/3 of my life feeling continually ill until I realized this.

I also, don't really seem to have much of a "sweet tooth." I much prefer salty to sweet (I'm a potatoe chip fiend!), though I do enjoy a handful of sour patch kids or swedish fish every now and then... and will rarely turn down an oreo. I have never been a fan of chocolate (though I will consume a square of dark every once in a while, since they now say it's good for you in moderation) or cake.

I would also like to clarify -- if you eat meat of any kind (yes, this includes chicken, fish and seafood) you are NOT a vegetarian!! Also, vegan means you neither consume nor use any animal derived products (no honey, no leather, etc). Please do your research before labelling yourself, so as to avoid any confusion in our "chosen" lifestyles.

You can go here if you are confused about labelling, or anything else concerning v*ism : www.veggieboards.com

[pueppi]

Well, I won't be come a vegan or vegetarian anytime soon. But, because I regularly listen to a Pacifica radio station and the program line-up has recently changed, the vegan show is now on at a time I am driving home many nights.

So, I have become enlightened to the fact that this is more about ethics and less about health. Not that the health aspect isn't there, but the idea of "not eating an animal/product" seems to over-ride. So, I learn something new every day.

I thought I'd add a few sites that may be helpful to our vegan/vegetarian friends:

• Vegan World Radio
• The Poor and Somewhat Lazy Vegan - who also happens to list a large number of the vegan and vegan-friendly restaurants in Houston (right now it's at 27)

[pueppi]

More items of interest to our vegitarians & vegan friends (because it was, again, what I was listening to on the radio on my way home last night):

• HappyCow.net - global veg/vegan restaurant/food finder
• Go Vegan Radio - a radio program out of California
• Vegan Voice - a vegan magazine out of Australia
• Vegan Society NSW - Vegan society in Australia. These people have some great cookbooks according to the radio program I heard (check out their recipes section).

[JasonE]

So, I have become enlightened to the fact that this is more about ethics and less about health. Not that the health aspect isn't there, but the idea of "not eating an animal/product" seems to over-ride. So, I learn something new every day.

There is very little evidence to support the supposition that a meat-free diet is healthier than a meat-rich diet. Both approaches can be equally healthy or unhealthy.

Health tip: Avoid polyunsaturated fats (processed vegetable oils) - these contribute to a vast array of preventable health problems. You are better off with saturated fats (butter, coconut oil, etc.) or alternatives such as extra virgin olive oil.

[palpable]

There is very little evidence to support the supposition that a meat-free diet is healthier than a meat-rich diet. Both approaches can be equally healthy or unhealthy.

I'm going to argue this simply from the standpoint of the thought process going into eating. Mind you, this is a VERY general statement, and not in any way all-inclusive, but I would offer the point that a lot of vegetarian diets are more healthy if for no other reason than the fact that a lot of veggies put more thought and research into what they eat (i.e. reading labels, learning what to eat to make up the supposed deficiencies from not eating meat, etc.). Again, I'm not saying meat-eaters don't do this, or that all vegetarians do, I just think (based on personal experience) that a higher percentage of veggies try to make healthy choices.

I do agree with the point of avoiding processed oils, and even many processed foods in general. Fresh food will almost always have a higher nutritional content than something that has been processed and refined and preserved so that it can sit on a shelf for six months.

Oh, and as for pueppi's original question: I've been a veggie for over 18 years. It began as an ethical choice and has evolved over the years into a pretty even mix of health and ethics. That being said, if you open a bag of salt and vinegar chips in front of me, I could eat the whole bag.

[JasonE]

I'm going to argue this simply from the standpoint of the thought process going into eating. Mind you, this is a VERY general statement, and not in any way all-inclusive, but I would offer the point that a lot of vegetarian diets are more healthy if for no other reason than the fact that a lot of veggies put more thought and research into what they eat (i.e. reading labels, learning what to eat to make up the supposed deficiencies from not eating meat, etc.). Again, I'm not saying meat-eaters don't do this, or that all vegetarians do, I just think (based on personal experience) that a higher percentage of veggies try to make healthy choices.

I agree that a health-oriented mindset and attentive education on food quality and available options is more likely to result in healthier eating choices.

Oh, and as for pueppi's original question: I've been a veggie for over 18 years. It began as an ethical choice and has evolved over the years into a pretty even mix of health and ethics. That being said, if you open a bag of salt and vinegar chips in front of me, I could eat the whole bag.

But not always.

[riversinger]

First of all I am not a vegetarian, that said I believe that ethics are a strong motivating factor - if not the strongest for most of the Vegi oriented folks I know.

While first & foremost their take is about not causing undue suffering to animals, there is also the overall impact on the environment of feeding/raising animals for human & animal consumption. It takes enormous amounts of land, water & growing of grains going to feed animals for food. Then there's the often unhealthy feedlot conditions for those animals on the factory farms, vs the free range, grass fed cows, buffalo, chicken, etc. then there's the fear, pain & suffering in the slaughtering/"processing" plants. We even have the joys of excess methane gas - from cows & the huge amounts of manure that is produced. All this plus we have our meat products loaded up with all the "good stuff" like hormones & antibiotics....Don't get me started on what this ends up doing to our health. Need I go on?

While I'm no expert on nutrition & don't always eat healthy all the time, I do strive for some balance. I will however admit to being a chocoholic! I've seen plenty of vegetarians I know who eat a very unhealthy diet - who don't put much thought at all into what else they need to eat. They crave junk food: One reason why is because they aren't getting what they need nutritionally.

We do require a certain amount of fats & protein in our diet, then there's the need for basic levels of vitamins & minerals. The other part of all this is often more emotionally based - as we often eat to "fill" ourselves up when we aren't feeling like we're good enough, unloved, depressed, etc.

Processed foods are downright terrible for the most part. Kraft & more than a couple other major brands out there are loaded with all sorts of artificial food colorings & preservatives, not to mention - well okay I will intentionally mention it - HIGH FRUCTOSE CORN SYRUP - which is one of the worst sugar replacements on the market - namely because it's a cheap sweetener, which sets you up for diabetes. It's in so many products it's unreal, read your labels on the stuff we know is bad for you anyway - like soda, as well as many breads, teas & juices....And in kids cereals, etc. Many other sugar replacements have a bad rap too, for good reason. About the only good ones are generally speaking honey, or stevia. Then there's MSG, yet another cheap ingredient as a "flavor enhancer", try reading up on that & all it's side-effects....But I digress....

See this link:
http://www.womentowomen.com/understandy ... te+craving

"Another cause of food cravings is adrenal fatigue. If you are under a great deal of stress, or suffer from insomnia or sleep deprivation, you are probably exhausted much of the time. This leads to adrenal fatigue or outright adrenal exhaustion, which in turn signals the body it needs a pick-me-up. You may resort to sugar or carbohydrate snacks or coffee during the day and carbohydrates or alcohol at night, all of which exacerbate the problem.

How to curb cravings
Women who blame themselves for their food cravings only worsen their mood and increase their need for serotonin. That’s when a pattern of emotional eating can develop. Remember, there are biological causes of sugar cravings, and your carbohydrate craving is rarely just a behavioral problem. The root problem is more likely inadequate nutrition.

How to break this vicious cycle? To reduce food cravings, the body needs real support — and lots of it. We have seen over and over that eating healthy foods, adding pharmaceutical–grade nutritional supplements and moderate exercise can almost miraculously curb cravings. Your metabolism will heal itself when provided with the necessary nutritional support. If it has been damaged, the process can take some time, but it will happen. The good news is — you don’t have to give up chocolate!"

As to those chocolate cravings: Chocolate contains high levels of magnesium, which we all need - it helps our muscles & our minds to be more relaxed, and can act as an aid for sleep. Personally I love my Magnesium Calm by Peter Gilham, as it is a powdered version - so it get absorbed quickly. Though if you take to much you'll be making extra trips to the bathroom, but if you're up for a good clean-out it will do that for you!

This site has more useful info to read:
http://www.naturalhealthtechniques.com/ ... avings.htm

For those who are interested in the benefits of foods & nutrition for a wide range of health conditions you may want to own a copy of Prescription for Nutritional Healing by Balch & Balch. It is an excellent reference book I think everyone should have on their bookshelves!

Oh & Pueppi - if you ever want to share a bag of Kettle Chips - Sea Salt & Vinegar - I'm there! They are downright dangerous...there's no such thing as eating just one....

[pueppi]

So, I have become enlightened to the fact that this is more about ethics and less about health. Not that the health aspect isn't there, but the idea of "not eating an animal/product" seems to over-ride. So, I learn something new every day.

There is very little evidence to support the supposition that a meat-free diet is healthier than a meat-rich diet. Both approaches can be equally healthy or unhealthy.

I didn't realize that some were reading my original post to consider that I was "supposing" a meat-free diet to be healthier than a meat-rich one.

What I had originally commented on what that I had noticed "health food" people don't seem to crave sweets the way many vegitarians I have met, do. I was commenting on the fact that somehow due to my lack of knowledge I thought most vegitarians had formed this lifestyle choice because they were trying to be "more healthy" by eating more vegetables. Noting that somehow I missed out on the fact that many vegitarians have a deep ethical component to their choice. And, in that choice, aren't always going for the health aspect; thereby, enough miss out on how to compile all of the foods to keep a balanced diet until they are able to gain more knowledge and add this knowledge into their eating habits.

Hope that makes more sense. I feel you may have mis-interpreted my comments. Or, possibly you just were trying to point out that eating meat is not unhealthy and using my comment to leap from.

Either way, I am thankful for all of the comments and have been learning a lot as I listen to the vegan shows at night on my late evening travels home from my regular outcall stop.

It may sound crazy, but putting this information together, helps me to be a more well rounded person in communicating with my clients and friends. I certainly understand better what makes many vegitarians tick regarding food, and thereby know a bit better how to be mre compassionate toward their thoughts.

Keep the conversation flowing. More thoughts please!

[palpable]

Oh, and as for pueppi's original question: I've been a veggie for over 18 years. It began as an ethical choice and has evolved over the years into a pretty even mix of health and ethics. That being said, if you open a bag of salt and vinegar chips in front of me, I could eat the whole bag.

But not always.

Pretty much always!

I also think riversinger hit a lot of things right on about the conditions and quality of the food that comes from these overly large farms and corporations. Not just the meat/animals, but also the vegetables that are loaded with pesticides, the boxed meals that are full of filler and preservatives, the things like bread and even fruit juice that are loaded with HFCS to increase the volume while substantially decreasing any nutritional content.

Over the years, I have gradually switched to eating as much of my food as possible from local sources, preferably organic, and preferably in season. Yes, it is a little more expensive in the short term. But I've also noticed a marked increase in my overall health- getting sick less frequently and for shorter periods of time. It also means that I talk to the farmer who I buy eggs from. I know the farmer who grows my favorite garlic in the whole world (there's nothing like fresh garlic...mmmmm) and I get to talk recipes with my neighbors at the farmer's market.

So, again, for pueppi, it is about health AND ethics. My health, the health of my local economy, the health of the land and animals that my food comes from (eggs and cheese, etc.), the ethics of responsible consuming, and being in touch with the ethics of my food source (aka. local farms).

This isn't 100%, by any means. My coffee comes from Africa or South America, my bananas come from Costa Rica, etc. And I am certainly not going to judge anyone on their food choice, but this is what works for me.

HTH

[pueppi]

So, again, for pueppi, it is about health AND ethics. My health, the health of my local economy, the health of the land and animals that my food comes from (eggs and cheese, etc.), the ethics of responsible consuming, and being in touch with the ethics of my food source (aka. local farms).

palpable... YOU ROCK!

[DomesticDiva]

I wanted to be healthy this 2010 hence I am trying to stay away from beef meats or any other red meat but I do eat chicken. I guess you can't call me vegetarian at all but I would try till the end of the year hence; I am researching further on this.

[katamay]

I'm a vegan for health reasons. Having participated personally in the slaughter, butchering, and consumption of animals, I have no ethical issues with the *responsible* handling of any of those things. I also wear and use animal products, but this doesn't mean I'm not a vegan, which is for me a dietary label. My husband and I eat mostly whole, unprocessed, plant-based foods, and we eat as much as we like of these. Since switching to this diet, my immune system has gone through a dramatic improvement, my energy levels are higher, I sleep better, and my bowels much improved.

I still get cravings for fats and sweets (moreso than my husband, who was a vegetarian since his teens). Mostly I can satisfy these with fruits and the judicious addition of olive oil or tahini to dishes. But sometimes we go out for sorbet or hot chocolate. And sometimes there are bananas in the freezer and peanut butter in the pantry and I'm just ACHING to make some cookies ... vegans for health want to stick to their dietary choices, not feel deprived by them. We're much better off giving a little here and there than giving up the whole endeavor altogether just because we can't be "perfect."

In service,

Kat

[Joshua]

good tips and recipes sharing here about diet and healthy food me also like vegetables not like meat.

[pyronymph]

I'm a vegan for health reasons. Having participated personally in the slaughter, butchering, and consumption of animals, I have no ethical issues with the *responsible* handling of any of those things. I also wear and use animal products, but this doesn't mean I'm not a vegan, which is for me a dietary label.

Actually, yes it means exactly that you are not a vegan. You are a vegetarian. Vegan is a lifestyle choice, vegetarian is a dietary distinction.

Vegan means that not only do you not eat meat, but you try to refrain as much as possible from using any animal derived products - including leather, honey, eggs, dairy, lanolin, gelatin, etc.

[fayie]

I am interested in a spinoff topic from: Dietary Preferences and Habits

I have noticed a lot of "veggie's" eat a lot of sweets. Anyone who knows more about that care to comment?

We were talking about good nutrition and such, and I am not sure how the sweet-factor plays into that.

In my experience, many of the vegitarians, vegans, etc. that I meet are Sweet-O-Holics. Not that other eaters aren't - it's just that it strikes me odd when I get the idea that going vegan, etc. is about being more healthy.

I don't see this so much with the general "Health Food"-concious types, that eat a variety of items.

So, if anyone is interested in opening dialogue, I'll be an interested reader.

My best friend is a vegan, and she eats sweets all the time. I am a vegetarian, and I actually dislike sweets. So I guess it is personal taste? Another vegan I know actually said she thinks she eats so many sugary products because she needs more variety in her diet...