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Thread: Fats & fat intake

  1. #1
    Goddess foxytina_69's Avatar
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    Default fat intake

    when were watching our fat intake, do we need to be concerned about healthy fats aswell? how much fat should we be getting daily? im wondering if i should concern myself with oils and nuts and have a limit for them.
    "you dont have to be tall to see the moon" - african proverb

  2. #2

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    Are you watching your fat intake, Tina? I don't think it's really necessary for a vegan to do so, unless you're eating 5 T. of oil, six avocados, and 1 c. of walnuts. LOL I know I'm not being helpful, but many of the foods we eat are so low in fat, you know?
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    Some people may tell you different, but I don't think you need to worry unless as Artichoke says you are really going over the top.

    I had a cholesterol scare at the beginning of the year (well, it was only borderline high) and have been trying to eat healthily since. I cut out things like potato crisps (chips to you Americans ) and pre-prepared foods with hydrogenated oils in them, but I haven't really reduced "healthy" fats such as those in nuts and avocados, or olive oil and peanut oil for cooking in (though I don't use very much at a time). My cholesterol levels are now OK so I have concluded that this regime is probably all right (for me, anyway).

  4. #4
    ConsciousCuisine
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    Ah, reasonable Women! I love you!

    Everything that has been said above resonates with me. That being said, avoiding cooked oils and fried foods specifically and *never* eating hydrogenated or partially-hydrogenated oils is your best bet. Include some Flax Seeds, some walnuts and some almonds and you'll be fine! EFA's are important, as you know.

    If you wanted to just have one oil to use therapeutically to supplement, I would suggest "Udo's Choice" oil, from "Flora".

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    Smile

    I take 10ml of flaxseed oil before breakfast everyday. I also try to have avocado or tahini for lunch and IF I use oil for cooking, it is olive oil - but coz of my eating disorder, I don't really ever use oil in my cooking.

    This thread has comforted me in the fat thing - good fat is okay in moderation!

  6. #6

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    Sometimes when my appetite can't seem to be satiated, I try to eat high-fat foods, like nuts, to try to fill myself up. Let's face it: You can eat a lot on a vegan diet, and the body processes that nutrition like a machine! Being a vegan is great.
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    By the way, Banana, I still chuckle to this day when I see your avatar.
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    Quote Artichoke47
    Sometimes when my appetite can't seem to be satiated, I try to eat high-fat foods, like nuts, to try to fill myself up. Let's face it: You can eat a lot on a vegan diet, and the body processes that nutrition like a machine! Being a vegan is great.
    I know - my portion sizes are pretty big. Because I usually weigh in between 39-42kg, people cannot believe how much I actually eat. I also can't believe it. I eat big servings of rice and beans as well as vegetables and fruit. Even when I overeat (to the point that I cannot move), I don't gain weight. Why is that?

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    Quote Artichoke47
    By the way, Banana, I still chuckle to this day when I see your avatar.
    I am glad to make people laugh

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    Goddess foxytina_69's Avatar
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    hmmm okay i like to be healthy and i dont want to get too much fat in my diet. i always use olive oil or sesame oil to cook with, and non-hydrogenated margarine on my toast, and rarely if i want mayo, i make it homemade with vegetable oil. so i suppose thats okay
    "you dont have to be tall to see the moon" - african proverb

  11. #11
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    HERES an article on "Fats" from www.veganhealth.org .

    Another article "The Challenge of Defining Optimal Fat Intake" by Virginia Messina, MPH, RD, HERE.

    And a "Making Sense of Fats and Oils" by Brenda Davis, R.D. is HERE to read.

  12. #12
    Goddess foxytina_69's Avatar
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    thanx gert
    "you dont have to be tall to see the moon" - african proverb

  13. #13
    Love
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    Question Fat

    Today,I weighed in at 11 stones and 7 pounds and am 5 feet and 5 inches tall,so I'm not a healthy weight by anybody's standards.
    I have begun a fitness routine including regular exercise and healthy eating.
    The thing I currently wish to learn about are so-called good fats and bad fats.I know we require some fat intake to be healthy but that's as far as my limited knowledge goes.Many of the yummy recipies I make require some but only a little fat,for example,this evening I made a yummy barley and mushroom stew and it required that I saute some ingredients in olive oil,will this sort of fat intake interfere with my plan to reach and maintain a healthy weight?
    With love from Love.XXX.

  14. #14
    ♥♥♥ Tigerlily's Avatar
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    Yes, healthy or non healthy. Fats will make you gain weight if you eat too much of them. Try to limit your fat in take and when you do eat fats make sure it's a non saturated, healthy fat like olive oil.

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    Miel Miette's Avatar
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    You really need some fat in your diet. It's better to cut the overall calories and up your exercise than to just try and cut fats out. Bear in mind that a) a low fat diet is considered to be 20% or so of your calories coming from fat b) fat is needed for healthy skin and hair c) a lot of vitamins are fat soluable.

    If you want to see the percentages of fat in your diet, and the types of fats you are eating (mono-unsaturated, poly-unsaturated, saturated) you can to go www.fitday.com and type in the food you eat each day. You want to see yourself eating a whole lot more mono-unsaturated fats than saturated fats.

    If you are worried about the fats in sautes, it is possible to saute in veggie stock (though this is really braising). It would make a difference to the texture and flavour, though.

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    It is important to have healthy fats like avocado, flaxseed and nuts and olive oil or your skin, hair and nails will suffer. Just don't eat deep fried crap, limit junkfood as much as possible and eat loads of fresh fruits, vegetables, wholegrains and legumes

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    Is it "bear in mind" or "bare in mind"? I think it's the second. And I used to be good at spelling!

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    Quote Miel Miette
    Is it "bear in mind" or "bare in mind"? I think it's the second. And I used to be good at spelling!
    It's "bear in mind."

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    Oh... that's what I put at first. Cool. Damn my forgetful brain.

  20. #20
    Love
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    Smile Thank You

    Heartfelt thanks to everybody for your much appreciated advice
    With love from Love.XXX.

  21. #21
    Geoff
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    Quote Miel Miette
    Is it "bear in mind" or "bare in mind"? I think it's the second. And I used to be good at spelling!
    Doesn't it depend on what (or who) you have in mind!

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    Love, if you can read the tiny writing used by Banana in her posting, she gives the best advice. One other thing is to have omega3 fat every day, such as a dessertspoon of flaxseed oil (kept in the fridge). Generally I put flaxseed oil into my daily drink of vege juice. I don't use any other fat, certainly no margarine, or any oils as most of my food is raw. However, as Banana points out, avocado is good, and I possibly eat too much fat because I'm keen on nuts! However, I do plenty of exercise every day, well, except Sunday when I read the newspapers lying on my bed!
    Eve

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    Quote eve
    Love, if you can read the tiny writing used by Banana in her posting
    Eve is that a "hint" to me to change my font?

  24. #24
    Love
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    Heartfelt thanks for further advice.
    I take a daily vegan capsule of omega oils
    With love from Love.XXX.

  25. #25

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    Love, it depends on your current fat intake. If you are taking in 50% of your calories from fat, then you're just eating too much. An atheletic person can do quite well on a 25% fat diet.

    Here's a functional simplification of fats.

    Fats you do not need:
    cooking oils of any kind
    oil spreads (margarine etc)
    oil based packaged dressings
    fats from convinence food
    fats in baked foods

    The fats you do need:
    fats found in vegetables
    fats found in seeds and nuts
    fats found in fruits

    If you eat procesed foods regularly, you need to suppliment flax or hemp oil. Hemp oil is desireable because it's easy to keep, has a signifigant nutritional value other than omega3 and 6, has a good ratio of omega 3/6, and it tastes really good. Flax also tastes good, but it's easier to store and use as flax meal, and flax meal tastes much better than flax oil.


    Here are my favorite fat filled whole foods:
    raw avocado
    raw coconut
    brine olives
    roasted peanuts (just don't eat raw peanuts)
    poppy seeds
    mustard
    raw macadamia
    raw pecan
    raw brazil nuts
    raw almonds
    raw tahini (okay this is a seed butter, but it's lightly processed)
    sunflower seeds
    pumpkin seeds

  26. #26
    Love
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    Default Thank You

    Heartfelt thanks for your much appreciated advice,I ate plenty of tahini for my dinner which was spelt spaghetti in tahini sauce
    With love from Love.XXX.

  27. #27
    I eve's Avatar
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    Quote Banana
    Eve is that a "hint" to me to change my font?
    No it wasn't meant as a hint, Banana, but I do appreciate the change of font! Thanks. Now I can put my magnifying glass away (just joshing).

    I love Phillip888's listing - it coincides with my own views.

    Love, watch out for the gorgeous tahini, it is easy to take too much!
    Eve

  28. #28
    Love
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    I reluctantly eat yummy tahini in moderation,either spread thinly on toast or added to a recipe and not more than once a week,wow,my halo is gleaming,lol!
    With love from Love.XXX.

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    I am not the hugest tahini fan, although I wish I was, especially since I am allergic to nuts - it is sooooooo good for you, with all that calcium, iron and fibre and vitamin E. I find it too overpowering, even if it is thinly spread. I could never eat a tahini based sauce. I am DESPERATE to try pumpkin seed butter. Why don't we have it in Australia? I mean, I see pumpkin seeds everywhere - why won't someone make a butter out of it?

  30. #30
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    Maybe you could make your own butter with hulled pumpkin seeds? I have a chanky mortar and pestle that turns anything into a powder or paste, but I think that I would find the resulting butter too overpowering. I am not sure if it is high in lecithin but I have the same response to too many sunflower seeds.

    I buy tahini in 2.5kg jars and use it for all sorts of things. Maybe try the hulled variety? It is smoother and not quite as dry. You could waen yourself onto it with toast and banana.

    *** Smear toast with thin tahini layer, plonk a large bit of banana onto it, moosh the banana to the edges and hey presto! A very satisfying breakfast!

    A few spoons of tahini in soup makes both a brilliant thickner but also gives a creamy texture - mushroom, pumpkin or lentil even vegetable.

    I fisrt found the wonders of tahini in a winter vegie stew - it went from ho hum to wow! in a few stirs!

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    Wow, thanks for that veganblue. I made a fairly bland vegetable soup yesterday so will beef it up a bit with some tahini tonight and see how it goes.

  32. #32
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    Secret soup ingredients and techniques...

    Somthin' sour - a squeeze of lemon juice or some tamarind paste gives a tasty bite to soup needing a lift. Peeled tomato works well too - peel by pouring boiling water over the tomato to make it split and peel.

    Garlic craving - roast it before hand and throw into the soup - either blend it in or take out after cooking if you'd prefer a milder touch of flavour.

    Spoonful of hot mustard - not too much to make it hot but adds depth.

    Boil kombu - a type of sea vegatable that gives a great flavor to stock - you can remove the kombu or leave it in as you prefer.

    Thickeners - overcooked red lentils, mushy potato, tahini or fine polenta.

    Combinations - Yellow split pea and sage; leek and mushroom with cubes of potato, pumpkin with roasted pinenuts (was really good last week!).

    I love soup!!! I use a pressure cooker to reduce cooking time, energy spent and retain more goodness.

    And there is the added bonus of being low in fat if that is a concern, just to stay on topic
    "if compassion is extreme, then call me an extremist"

  33. #33
    Love
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    Question

    ALL the many recipies for soup I have and regularly use and enjoy require the sauteing of onions and crushed garlic in a saucepan in 1 to 2 tablespoons of oil and it is THIS sort of use of oil I refer to at the top of the thread.
    With love from Love.XXX.

  34. #34
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    1 to 2 tablespoons of olive oil makes up 21 - 42% of average recommended daily fat intake.

    I would eat heaps more than the average recommendation so it depends on the person - I am underweight so tend to add more not less.

    If you wanted to use less oil, try a spray from a pressurised can or brush the oil over the surface of the pot instead of swishing it.

    The other trick is to roast your vegies in the oven including onions and garlic and not using any oil at all. If you let the vegies cool, they will come off easily or use a non-stick pan.
    "if compassion is extreme, then call me an extremist"

  35. #35
    Love
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    Continuing appreciation for the advice VB
    The soups makes around 3-4 portions so I'm not actually consuming all of the oil in the recipie in one day
    With love from Love.XXX.

  36. #36
    FR
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    I consume a lot of tahini. I buy raw tahini as I find it tastes better than roasted tahini. I never thought of it as a fattening food, though.

  37. #37
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    I don't either, FR.

    Heart-healthy fat is not the same as the sort of fat that clogs the arteries, IMO.

  38. #38
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    Do you guys eat your tahini straight from the jar?

    My mom is from the Middle East and this how tahini is traditionally used. They dilute their tahini with lemon juice and some salt all the time. That can help ease the fat intake from it, and it's delicious. I find tahini from the jar gross.

  39. #39
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    Quote Tigerlily
    Do you guys eat your tahini straight from the jar?

    My mom is from the Middle East and this how tahini is traditionally used. They dilute their tahini with lemon juice and some salt all the time. That can help ease the fat intake from it, and it's delicious. I find tahini from the jar gross.
    I prefer mine to be without lemon juice, just pure, raw, organic, tahini.

    I have eaten tahini straight from the jar, like a spoonful when I am making veggie sandwiches or wraps. I love the stuff. I like hummus, too, but I do like tahini more. Tahini plus falafel makes for a serious, mouth watering, food marriage.

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    I have a middle eastern background too, and I like tahini better when it has lemon and garlic mixed in. Tahini from the jar is very overpowering.

  41. #41
    FR
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    Quote Banana
    Tahini from the jar is very overpowering.
    Yes, me likes.

  42. #42
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    My Swiss step-dad eats it straight from the jar. Just the smell is enough to gross me out I had a jar left over from something my mum made and I ended up putting it into my pups' dinners cause I knew I'd never eat it myself

  43. #43
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    Stone ground tahini is 48% fat, 26% carbohydrate and 18 % protein. It is also a good source of Thiamine, Phosphorous, Calcium, Iron, Copper and Manganese. Kinda belongs in the super food column...
    "if compassion is extreme, then call me an extremist"

  44. #44
    ♥♥♥ Tigerlily's Avatar
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    It's a healthy fat too!

  45. #45

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    Default Re: fat intake

    Quote foxytina_69
    when were watching our fat intake, do we need to be concerned about healthy fats aswell? how much fat should we be getting daily? im wondering if i should concern myself with oils and nuts and have a limit for them.
    Hi,
    I have been talking about this on the proud to eat healthy thread. My personal opinion is that as vegans we have chosen a diet that is naturally low in fat (assuming we don't live on fried food and junk food) so we need to work at making sure we get enough "good fat".
    There is an article here from the UK Vegan Society (which has been supporting UK Vegans since 1944)
    http://www.vegansociety.com/html/foo...atty_acids.php
    There's also a useful article from the Vegetarian and Vegan Foundation here http://www.vegetarian.org.uk/vhfk02.html which has guidelines about fats
    See my local diary ... http://herbwormwood.blogspot.com/

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