Meat free diet.

[Loup321]

This is a really interesting thread. I cut out red meat about a year ago, for environmental reasons. Initially, my target was one red meat meal every two weeks (down from about 4 a week), but now I only eat red meat very occasionally (once every 2-3 months). I eat chicken and fish a few times a week. I like making my own yogurt (which I have tried with almond and oat milks, with no success), so won't cut out milk, and I dislike vegan cheese (it's alright, but I prefer cow/sheep/goat). I've experimented with vegan food, and I probably have a vegetarian breakfast (homemade granola and homemade yogurt), vegan lunch (veggie chilli with rice; soup; random recipes from any source), 50:50 vegetarian:chicken/fish for evening meals.

Last time I went to give blood, my iron was too low. I was only just below the limit, and way above the threshold for referral to a doctor. It may have been because it was in a different venue. It may have been because I had had a busy day and my daughter was with me. It may have been because I had a light lunch and was going a lot later in the day than my normal time. It may have been due to my diet. The only other time (in over 20 years as a donor) that it's been too low to donate was when I had just spent about 4 weeks on a "really must get my act together and lose weight" regime. I'm trying to take care over eating pulses and leafy green vegetables, and almost all of the greens arriving in our veg box end up on my plate. This is helped by the rest of the house not eating spinach or chard, and the one that did eat cabbage family deciding that cavolo nero was a spinach, so I don't serve that any more.
I'm hoping that at my next donation everything is fine, because if you have three consecutive low iron readings you are withdrawn as a donor.

I'm going to try out some of the other recipe ideas, but if anyone has had any problems with iron on a meat-free diet, I'd like to hear of them.

Cheers!
LouP

[vrdiver]

... if anyone has had any problems with iron on a meat-free diet, I'd like to hear of them.

I had the same experience; last time I went to give blood, I was rejected for having a too low iron result. (The measured it twice, once with the traditional drop-in-a-vial and a second time with a slide and a blood cell counter.) Again, too low to give blood, not low enough to need a referral to my GP.

I've been vegetarian since 1992 (with a few "lapses" when eating out abroad!) and have given blood all during that time, so I don't think the vegetarian diet was particularly responsible for the problem.

Reading the pamphlet they gave me, it did occur to me that I drink a lot of tea and that is supposed to inhibit iron absorption, especially when drunk with or around meals.

I've booked my next appointment and will be paying attention to iron-rich foods in the month beforehand so as to boost my donating chances. In the meantime I've added blueberries to the shopping list and just munch a few when I pass the fridge, or sprinkle them on cereal/porridge. Supposed to be iron-rich, but we'll see...

VRD

[AleisterCrowley]

How about vitamin supplements? - I take one multivitamins+iron every day
I'm also addicted to IKEA blueberry squash !

[Backache]

I'm not meat free but eat a lot more meat free meals these days
Aubergine Parmigiana is a favourite.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/aube ... iana_57566 Absolutely delicious alternative to lasagne.

Quite often do a Spanish style omelette in the evening.
I lightly fry a couple of thinly sliced onions and some potato's till soft in a frying pan , this takes quite some time if in a hurry you could probably microwave the spuds for a bit before frying them but they do need to be soft. Then add some frozen petit pois for a few minutes season and poor over beaten eggs in a bit of milk, cook over a low heat until eggs are cooked and finish under a grill.
I've left out quantities because it depends on how many you're cooking for and the size of the frying pan but I usually use two eggs per person and make enough to have cold for lunch on another day.

[Urbandreamer]

How about vitamin supplements? - I take one multivitamins+iron every day
I'm also addicted to IKEA blueberry squash !

I don't take one every day, but I do think that supliments can be very important, even if you eat meat. I do take them every day when feeling run down.

For example rickets was once common in this country. The state started fortifying foods and supplying children with fortified milk. Rickets disapeared. As is their nature they went too far, a few overdosed. Hence to a great extent they stopped, rickets is back and thats an extreme simpton of deficiency in that vitamin!

It's more common in the north of the country (due to less sun) and among those whoes skin is dark.

Returning to iron, there are things that reduce your ability to absorb iron and in particular non-heme iron. However if the solution were as simple as eating meat then no meat eater would ever become anemic (which the numbers do not suport). Anemia is more common as people age and in ladys in the prime of life than men at that stage. It may be indelicate, but ladys have iron demands that men dont.

Eating more green veg may have advantages that popping a pill may not, but you can do both.

Ps, making that chilli for tea tonight.

[redsturgeon]

I do not take any supplements and try to keep my diet as varied as possible to ensure an adequate supply of minerals and vitamins.

Vitamin B12 is difficult to get with a vegan diet so I do put nutritional yeast in my cooking (I suppose that is a supplement I do use).

Eating fish helps with omega 3 and my lentils, spinach and whole grains should help with zinc and iron.

Lots of fruit helps with vitamin C for iron absorption too.

I feel fine though which I guess is some measure.

I really should get a blood test to check though...too old for blood donation.

John

[6Tricia]

Lots more recipes on bbc/home web page today. Winter vegetarian meals. (Sorry, don't know how to copy and paste from my tablet!).
Tricia