So for the past couple of months I have eaten little to no meat. And now that I have somewhat given it up, I do not like to eat it at all. I make my stomach hurt and I end up feeling sick. I haven't really noticed myself eating a lot more carbs than I used to, just less meat. Haha. But some of my family members are concerned that I'm not getting enough protein. I was wondering if anyone else out there with diabetes has tried being a vegetarian and what kind of food they eat on a daily basis.
C will probably give you a lot of great info. I have a t1 diabetic friend that is vegan! Protein is actually in a lot of things like peanut butter, eggs, nuts, whole wheat bread and pasta, hummus, etc. I would say that you should go talk to a dietician though just because it is a good idea when you first become veg. You also can cook tofu as a meat substitute. It takes on the flavour of the spices/sauce you cook it in. You can get vegetarian/vegan sandwhich meat. There are a lot of options.
Even though people will think you're losing out on important vitamins and nutrients people that don't eat meat often get more of the nutrients we need because they are concious of getting them in their diet while a lot of meat eaters assume they are getting them and don't actually know if they are and often aren't getting the daily requirements. Since you are concerned you can have your doctor check your blood to see if you r getting the vitamins you need. As diabetics they always love taking our blood anyways. :) And if you aren't getting enough of some vitamins it's prob not cuz you aren't eating meat anyways. My mom and sister both have to get B12 shots and my sister rarely eats meat and my mom eats it regularily. I think iron is the only one that's hard to get other than from meat sources.
Hope I helped.
hi lindsay if you don't get a lot of responses here, there's a group of diabetic vegetarians I know of here http://www.tudiabetes.org/group/diabeticvegetarians
good luck
I fit the category of a Vegetarian Diabetic, granted I am an egg eater, but I choose to eat only the cage free/ non hormone eggs.
I have never really run into major protein issues or losses. I mean, you do need to be aware that you get protein in your diet, and C can help explain that. But there are things out there that cover for protein. I mean my normal breakfast in the morning will be Kashi Go-Lean Crunch, which has tons of protein and fiber in it, which I like to attribute to helping balance things out, including my AM sugars. Plus it helps with the cereal crash from eating cheerio's and such. There are many options out there to get protein now a days. It is something that is possible and feasible for you to be able to do though. I have been a vegetarian for about 10 years now.
I'm not a huge meat-eater -- probably eat it 2-3 times a week. I do find I have to be more mindful of not overloading on carbs, but it hasn't been a big problem for me. I didn't eat meat in high school and 1/2 of college, but back then, things were less low carb oriented in the T1 world...
I get protein through eggs, dairy (greek yogurt has a lot more than regular yogurt), soy meatless products (like morningstar brand), nuts, beans. When I saw a nutritionist about 6 months ago, she thought my what I was eating looked good, just that I should eat less, lol.
Getting ample protein is probably the biggest challenge with a vegetarian diet. It is certainly not impossible. Americans probably eat way too much protein anyway. You just need to do some research (and involve your family) to make sure you getting enough protein. As other said, beans, tofu, dairy, eggs are all good sources of protein. You can also look at the grain quinoa (pronounced Keen-wa) - which you should be able to find in the health food/organic section of a regular grocery store. It has a ton of protein.
It is a lot easier to meet your protein needs if you are vegetarian vs. vegan since you can still include dairy and eggs. You might also ask if your endo's office has a dietician you can speak with at your next visit. She can also review what you are eating and recommend any changes.
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you guys should join the vegan group that was just created!
Sorry I'm late to the party. BPQ sent me a FB message and I somehow missed it.
Funny enough, we don't really ever see protein deficiencies except in 3rd world countries. Of course, there are poor and underprivileged here in the US too, but protein deficiencies just aren't that common. Even vegetarians may be getting more protein than they realize.
If I can ask a silly question... what "kind" of vegetarian are you? Are you of the vegan variety? Do you still eat some animal products (eggs, dairy)? Do you ever consume fish? Bigger concerns when it comes to vegetarianism/veganism are Vit B12 and Iron. B12 is only found in meat sources. If you aren't getting enough of it, you can go to the doctor and get a shot which will take the place of consuming it in food. Iron is a problem most women have anyway, but dark leafy greens are a good source of Iron. You can take iron supplements, but they can wreak havoc on your belly if taken on an empty stomach. An iron test is an easy blood test you can have your doctor check the next time you happen to stop in.
Good sources of protein (if you aren't following a vegan diet) are nuts (walnuts, almonds, brazil nuts, etc), low-fat dairy products, beans/lentils, whole grains, and soy. I know some people will crinkle their nose at soy foods, but I actually think they are quite tasty. I'm not a vegetarian, but I consume quite a bit of soy just because I like it. It also has some positive health benefits (high quality proteins, phytonutrients, and estrogen-like hormones that can help with "lady" issues). Your best bet is to get a good mix of all the different protein sources. This ensures you aren't missing out on any one particular nutrient.
I know my information was kind of vague, but I'm not quite sure what it is you are looking for. Feel free to ask more specifics on here or shoot me a message if I didn't help you answer any questions. Eating Well magazine is an AWESOME place to find meat-free recipes. They have a website, which is something like http://www.eatingwell.com (if that's not right, just google the name and you will find it).
Good luck!
I do agree that it can help. I even found a study that says quinoa can be beneficial for people with diabetes, since fiber and protein are considered important for keeping blood sugar under control.
“Managing total carbohydrate intake per meal is very important for blood sugar regulation. One cup (189 grams) of cooked quinoa contains about 40 grams of carbohydrates.”