Are Beans Enough?

jogoeire

Hi Veggies,
Im not a veggie but I dont eat meat 5-6 days a week and do eat meat for the other days(ethical reasons!). On my non meat days I eat a can of either kidney beans, butter beans or chick peas with my dinner. THATS IT. The only dairy I eat is milk with my cerial and tea. Im staying away from cheeze as its im not training enough to eat something that fatty. Also I have the odd bit of humus at tea time.

So... good friends... my questions is... is my can of beans/chickpeas enough protein for the day? Or should I top up with something else? The can is the same size as a standard can of beans.

My ambition would be a physically thriving vegitarian but im clinging onto meat as I dont really know how to do it properly (I know theres plenty of info on the internet... this post is the start of my research!!)

Thanks guys. Rob

Thoushaltnot

An elder lemon veggie told me that you only need 2 tablespoons per day of beans (mind you, this was in the context of a conversation about bean-farts ).
Anyhow, I assume, this is for day to day adult consumption, as opposed to pregnant/breastfeeding/young person on a growth spurt/post-op.

Now all you need to concentrate on is improving variety. (I've just discovered Toor Dhal and heartily recommend them). Lentils, peas...nuts and seeds, other grains, too.
As it is you are having cereal in the morning, so you should be getting the full spread of protein building blocks, over the course of a normal day.

A few more details about you, your lifestyle (age, occupation, health issues, etc.) would help but I see nothing initially to worry about.

/goes back to food coma

jogoeire

Hehe. Funny AND informative. Ok you think im fine... just add some variety. My statz are 29, WebDesigner. I have notice some veggies look sort of ... feeble n pasty. Im hoping they are the ones that arent getting enough protein. My complexion is worth more than the life of an animal! Or is it?

/Returns to watching big brother

Aoifums

Don't worry, the pale pasty veggies are just the noticable ones. Besides, its Ireland. Who isn't pale?

I know a 6 foot, tanned girl who's been veggie since birth. No one actually believes she's a veggie

Thoushaltnot

jogoeire wrote: »

. I have notice some veggies look sort of ... feeble n pasty. Im hoping they are the ones that arent getting enough protein.

*cough* 400 million Indians, anybody?

Actually, the paleness is usually due to insufficient iron (it's much more easily absorbed from meat than from any vegetable protein, regrettably - but we have our tricks, like eat some fruit high in Vit C when you eat your beans, dark chocolate, dark green leafy veg, nuts, seeds, dark chocolate, soy protein, dark chocolate). If you notice a lack of energy, thats a sign that you need to attend to getting more iron in your diet.

And you should check out the glutes on some vegan bodybuilders - alot more natural and aesthetically pleasing than the meat eating grotesque versions (imho).

Oi - and pale and interesting is damn attractive! I totaly get my perv on for that.

/goes to her happy place, with Cillian Murphy

raah!

I'm no dietician, but all I have for protein are beans pretty much, and so far I've been fine. Apart from a slight deterioration of my sight, which I'm sure is unrelated

jogoeire

Hm no sure about the Indians. I had a indian female friend - family was vegetarian, and she was like a skeleton (with a nice tan). Also they are very under represented in the Olympics.

But back to you main point re Iron! Well I do eat a lot of dark green stuff? Sounds like im not doing too bad.

Jaquine Phoenix!... theres a veggie that could so with some dark chocolate.

Aoifums

Who doesn't need a bit of chocolate!

You can always get away with saying the pasty look is good for your skin. As in you protect your skin.

Mentalmiss

One farmer says to me, “You cannot live on vegetable food solely, for it furnishes nothing to make bones with;” and so he religiously devotes a part of his day to supplying his system with the raw material of bones; walking all the while he talks behind his oxen, which, with vegetable-made bones, jerk him and his lumbering plough along in spite of every obstacle.
Henry David Thoreau.

Eviecus

I'm a vegan and I'm pale, not pasty but pale. But even when I did eat meat I was pale, I just don't tan. It's nothing to do with me being anaemic cos I've gotten tests and I'm not deficient in anything - everything is fine

As for one tin of beans being enough for one day...it's enough to live on but I don't think you get enough nourishment just from that. A varied, balanced diet is the way to go!

Weyhey

jogoeire wrote: »

Hi Veggies,
Im not a veggie but I dont eat meat 5-6 days a week and do eat meat for the other days(ethical reasons!). On my non meat days I eat a can of either kidney beans, butter beans or chick peas with my dinner. THATS IT. The only dairy I eat is milk with my cerial and tea. Im staying away from cheeze as its im not training enough to eat something that fatty. Also I have the odd bit of humus at tea time.

So... good friends... my questions is... is my can of beans/chickpeas enough protein for the day? Or should I top up with something else? The can is the same size as a standard can of beans.

My ambition would be a physically thriving vegitarian but im clinging onto meat as I dont really know how to do it properly (I know theres plenty of info on the internet... this post is the start of my research!!)

Thanks guys. Rob

It's not easy to become protein deficient, like all diets you need to make sure you are getting the right amount of all nutrients not just protein. The UK Vegsoc website is a great source of information. Have a look.
http://www.vegsoc.org/info/protein.html

biZrb

jogoeire wrote: »

Hm no sure about the Indians. I had a indian female friend - family was vegetarian, and she was like a skeleton (with a nice tan). Also they are very under represented in the Olympics.

I think that has to do with culture more than being vegetarian. Besides Cricket is huge in India, and they do really well in that. I know its not the same kind of intence sport like some of the events in the Olympics but it proves they can still play sport.