Most people are clueless about protein or calcium needed

[Floflomo]

I follow a vegan diet and the amount of people that go on about protein or calcium is ridiculous and just shows they are totally clueless.

The RDA for protein isn't that big at all, many veg contains protein so before even getting onto to nuts, seeds and pulses I've had half of the RDA just from veg.

Calcium is in way more foods than just dairy, I had figs in porridge for breakfast made with almond milk. For lunch I'm having a salad with lots of leafy greens with a dressing made from tahini, so I'm doing just great with calum and getting it from a variety of sources.

ArgyMargy, yes it's increased risk not absolute.

Where has the op been sanctimonious?

The op is just about calcium and protein, not all the balance of all vitamins and is probabably very clued up on the two or three things lacking in a natural vegan diet without sumplementation.

Natto is great though, I used to buy it frozen from Asian shops. Does anyone know somewhere that sells it online?

Healthy adults who have a balanced diet that includes fresh food including fruit and vegetables who also go outside every day and take regular exercise don't need supplements.

Who would of thought that growing almonds uses water? they wouldn't be flown anyway and the amount in almond milk is hardly any. Almonds may not be perfect, but they are thousands of times more ethical than cow milk.

Anyone with any sense doesn't touch American almonds with all the issues they've had over the past and the general low quality. Mine are usually Italian or sometimes Spanish.

Plenty if vegan foods are a complete protein anyway, buckwheat, chia, quenoir, aramth etc. Not that you need to make sure every individual food is a complete protein.

Why is almond milk low fat? I mean WHY? Almonds are moderately high fat, so what do they do with the fat when they make almond milk?

I'd drink almond milk more if it could nudge up to 3.6-4% fat like regular cow's milk. But NOooo.... All this passion for low fat crap (boohoo).

Has anyone invented a non-dairy but high fat creamer? Weanhhh....!

Venus Williams is suffering from an immune system disorder, as I recall, that's the only reason she went Vegan, out of sheer desperation. Not a simple example of anything.

I thought maybe almond breeze might be product for me, but it seems to only be 1-2% fat AND the manufs are being sued for false advertising.

ragged it's low fat because there are barely any almonds in it. It's something like 2% almonds, water, sugar and additives.

have you been to india

has you seen how poor and malnourished many of the people are

why is India always flagged up as being vegetarian and vegan for many it is because they can not afford meat

To those asking why people think the OP is being sanctimonious or why people react so strongly to threads like this... it's the language and tone, rather than the underlying message.

Read the OP again: "the amount of people that go on about protein or calcium is ridiculous and just shows they are totally clueless"

If you are having a chat with someone you like and respect, and they say something you disagree with, you don't use words like "ridiculous" and "clueless". In normal everyday conversation, people with good social skills don't talk like that, it's considered impolite.

If you want to tempt other people to become vegan, this way of talking is not going to help your cause. If you wanted to start a true discussion on the topic rather than a bunfight I suggest rephrasing your comments:

E.g."As a vegan I'm often asked how I get enough protein. It's actually really interesting because research shows that there is actually plenty of protein in vegetables and pulses. So if you're thinking of becoming a vegan, don't be afraid of not getting enough of these nutrients. If anyone is interested, here are some examples of the kind of protein and calcium rich meals I eat..."

This thread is ridiculous. The OP wasn't sanctimonious or trying to convert anyone to be vegan. She was saying, correctly, that most people overestimate how much protein and calcium we need. That was it. Everybody getting defensive is reading things into it that weren't there.

But Zoe there are parts of the world where the non availability of some food means that humans live on an almost entirely protein based diet and thrive and others where people eat much less protein. There is no optimum level of macro nutrients in spite of what the newest fad diet tells us. Calcium RDA is dependant on bioavailability that came up here too. The point of being a vegan was almost moot why bring it up in this context.

People always make comments on vegetarian and vegan diets. I don't know why. I think it's guilt maybe.
Of course you can get enough calcium and protein without eating meat. There's no reason for anyone to eat meat, children included.

Anyone with any sense doesn't touch American almonds with all the issues they've had over the past and the general low quality. Mine are usually Italian or sometimes Spanish.

And yet 80% of Almonds are grown there. So someone is eating them

I buy CA almonds, in Lidl. Taste okay to me (shrug).

"Plenty if vegan foods are a complete protein anyway, buckwheat, chia, quenoir, aramth etc."

I don't even know what those are. I have heard of chia but can't say I've ever seen it. Those last two look like just a random collection of letters.

You seem to think that eating some obscure "food" with an unpronounceable name will make you healthy. To me, it looks like an incomprehensible fad. To each their own, but I would rather eat actual dishes from the Mediterranean cuisine that my grandmother cooked from scratch with ingredients from all good groups. You know, the healthy cuisine of the people who live the longest in the world.

"There's no reason for anyone to eat meat, children included."

That's nonsense. Meat is full of nutrients we need. We are also made to eat and digest meat easily and efficiently. Those are all pretty good reasons for everyone to eat meat.

Those aren't reasons we NEED to eat meat those are your opinions on why you want to.
Nobody needs to.

Every time I read am overbearing. patronising, sanctimonious, evangelical vegan posting, I feel an overwhelming urge to go eat meat.

Which is ironic, given that over all I've been reducing my meat intake, and aiming for local produce.

Anyone fancy a nice unhealthy bacon butty?

Good for you OP. Personally, I eat foods I like and don't give a flying fuck what anyone else thinks of it. Oh wait, nobody cares what I eat...

Those are reasons for people to eat meat: That it is full of nutrition that is easily digested and bioavailable to humans.

That post was a reply to the (nonsense) claim that "there's no reason for anyone to eat meat".

What about climates which don't support crop growth where animal protein is the dominant food group should those people become vegan too? They often are nomadic people and given the absence of broadband are not familiar with Mumsnet. I nominate the poster who thinks 'no one ever needs to eat meat' to jog on over there and spread the good news.

At my age you realise that life is tenuous and can be snuffed out at any time like a candle.

So best live how you like and don't stress about diet or excersise.

Would rather go out at 75 in a blaze of glorious indulgence than calorie count or cut our pleasure to die at 90 with altziners incontinent and confused.

Live and enjoy.

In this country. Where we have the choice not to kill for pleasure we should not. If it's a life or death situation that is different clearly.
I find it strange that people thinking differently to you makes you want to kill things. It's not about controlling what others eat it's about preventing cruelty and suffering.

ROFL at "quenoir"... I think you mean quinoa :P

I think she was trying to say quinoa and amaranth.

The interesting thing about quinoa is that it was a cheap food for the farmers who grew it, but now it's become the posh choice for Westerners, the farmers who grow it can't afford to eat their own produce any more. So they've had to change their diet to accommodate Western vegans and 'healthy eaters'. They don't especially profit from this increase in popularity either - that money is going to Big Health.
www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2013/jan/16/vegans-stomach-unpalatable-truth-quinoa