animal products, dairy and eggs and such

[Neenee Jellybeanie]

So I've already converted back to vegetarianism (but still eating fish and, unfortunately, the meat meals my stepdad cooks as it's very hard to get out of it), and I've been thinking about the other animal products I eat. I'm thinking about eliminating dairy, because I honestly don't believe it has any health benefits whatsoever.

So the question is, what should I switch to? I hear soy is carcinogenic, and then there's the problem of finding non-GM soy milk (I don't know how common it is? Perhaps it's even the norm).

Also, I've been reading about eggs and have decided to cut back,for cholesterol reasons. Is there anything I should know about eggs and egg replacements?

As for fish, I don't really feel guilty about eating fish (as long as they're not overfished) because they're stupid, and I don't know of any health risks associated with eating fish. Are there any?

Any info would be muchly appreciated. Thanks

[Sammiejane]

As for fish, I don't really feel guilty about eating fish (as long as they're not overfished) because they're stupid

sorry cant add anything, just thought that was hilarious!!!

I HAVE to cut back on cheese, but its soooo tasty! would like a better alternative, so will check back in here and see what others say

[christy]

We don't eat dairy in our house... apart from the occasional haloumi that DH & I chuck on the BBQ. We eat eggs though, but only from our chickens LOL We are pretty fussy really.

When I bake or make things like frittata or savoury muffins, I generally will add something that is a very tasty alternative like ham or tuna or semi dried tomatoes... I use rice milk to bake and the girls drink it all the time. I use it for smoothies and for mashed potatoes, anything I would use milk for really.

You get used to life without dairy. We are venturing into a gluten free existence.

[Astrid]

Also, I've been reading about eggs and have decided to cut back,for cholesterol reasons. Is there anything I should know about eggs and egg replacements?

The info on eggs and cholesterol has now changed, they actaully help to lower cholesterol. When bubs is down I will see if I can find the info.

ETA: Good info here from "Whats good for you" Are eggs bad for your heart?

Also found this, think I heard this on the radio one day:

Eat two eggs daily 'to cut your cholesterol'
Tue-Aug 26, 2008

London

Are eggs good or bad for health? Well, the on-again, off-again debate on the subject has again been cracked open by a new study which claims that eating two eggs a day could help one lose weight and cut cholesterol.

Earlier studies suggested a direct link between eating eggs and an increase in blood cholesterol levels, which raises the risk of heart disease.

Now, a team at Surrey University has found that those who eat two eggs daily while on a calorie-restricted diet not only can lose weight but also could slash their cholesterol levels, the Daily Mail reported.

According to them, eating eggs at breakfast actually contributes to weight loss by making people feel fuller for longer in the day.

"There is no convincing evidence to link an increased intake of dietary cholesterol or eggs with coronary heart disease. Indeed, eggs make a nutritional contribution to a healthy, calorie-restricted diet," lead researcher Dr Bruce Griffin said.

For their study, the researchers recruited 50 obese volunteers who were fed with two eggs everyday for 12 weeks.

They also had to follow a reduced-calorie diet recommended by the British Heart Foundation.

They also recruited another group of healthy subjects who followed the same diet, but cut out eggs altogether. Both groups lost weight and experienced a fall in the average level of blood cholesterol, the researchers found.

This study, they said, also provides evidence to support the scientific consensus that saturated fat, found in pastry, biscuits and cakes, is more responsible for raising blood cholesterol than cholesterol-rich foods such as eggs.

The study is to be published in The European Journal of Nutrition.

[krysalyss]

Well soy is fine. Organic soy is best but if you eat soy in normal quantities it has a lot of health benefits. If you are cutting out dairy and egg go for a soy milk with B12.
There are health risks for eating lots of fish with levels of pollution and heavy metals. So eat in moderation if you are going to. As for them being stupid - sorry but that is just perception talking and doesn't represent reality.

[Neenee Jellybeanie]

^^ Well it sort of depends on how you define intelligence, but anyway . . .
The problem with soy is that there's a huge industry behind it, the US produces masses of the stuff so if there actually *is* conclusive evidence that soy increases the risk of cancer, there are commercial interests which are not going to want to let that information get out.

Soy cancer warning | The Daily Telegraph

CANCER patients are being warned to avoid foods rich in soy because they can accelerate the growth of tumours.

The Cancer Council NSW will issue guidelines today, warning about the dangers of high-soy diets and soy supplements for cancer patients and those people in remission from cancer.

At particular risk are people suffering from hormone-dependent cancers, including breast and prostate cancer - the two most common types of cancer in Australia.

Cancer survivors are also being urged to avoid high doses of soy, as they may be more vulnerable to a relapse.

Research has found high consumption of soy products can also limit the effectiveness of conventional medicines used to treat the disease.

"There is evidence to suggest that women with existing breast cancer or past breast cancer should be cautious in consuming large quantities of soy foods or phyto-oestrogen supplements,'' a position statement from the Cancer Council says.

"Women with current or past breast cancer should be aware of the risks of potential tumour growth when taking soy products.

"The Cancer Council does not support the use of health claims on food labels that suggest soy foods or phyto-oestrogens protect against the development of cancer.''

Health experts are particularly concerned that breast-cancer sufferers who take soy or phyto-oestrogen supplements could feed the disease and reduce the effectiveness of their treatment.

Soy, which is present in soy beans, soy milk, tofu, tempeh and some breads, contains phyto-oestrogens that mimic the actions of hormones in the body.

This means it may interfere with cancer drugs such as Tamoxifen, which works by suppressing the female hormone oestrogen.

Men with prostate cancer are also being warned against high soy consumption, as phyto-oestrogens may imitate the male hormone androgen.

Although the Cancer Council has warned against soy supplements, it believes an occasional intake of soy food is still safe for cancer patients.

Cancer Council nutritionist Kathy Chapman said soy supplements could contain dangerously high doses of phyto-oestrogens.

"If you were a woman with breast cancer and thought, 'I'm going to radically change my diet and have very large portions of soy at every meal', it could be a problem,'' Ms Chapman said.

"For someone who has tofu once or twice a week and drinks a bit of soya milk, it's not so much of a problem.''

Soy has earned a reputation as a natural "superfood'' that cuts the risk of breast or prostate cancer, and is commonly included in women's health supplements.

This claim was based on findings that cancer rates were lower in Asia, where soy consumption is high.

But soy would lower the risk of contracting cancer "only a little'', according to the Cancer Council.

"While they may have a protective effect, there is also some evidence that phyto-oestrogens may stimulate the growth of existing hormone-dependent cancers,'' the council's statement said.

The risk of contracting other non-hormone-dependent cancers, including bowel cancer, would be unaffected by soy intake.

The Cancer Council was prompted to investigate the issue after being inundated with questions about the role of soy in cancer patients' diets.

"We felt we were getting a lot of calls on our hotline about this topic,'' Ms Chapman said.

Breast-cancer survivor Susie Musarra was surprised by the new evidence about soy.

The Sydney mother of two was diagnosed five years ago. She followed a healthy diet, containing plenty of fruit and vegetable juices, during chemotherapy treatment.

"It's really confusing, because you get a lot of conflicting information about what to eat,'' she said.
"It's good to have this advice, because it helps you make an informed decision - and the Cancer Council is a reputable source.''

Astrid, what I read was that while they do increase good cholesterol, they also increase all cholesterol overall so they're not that good for you. 2 eggs a week is safe, from what I read. I figure if that's true, I'd rather increase good cholesterol from eating avocado or something.

[christy]

We eat organic tofu every other week or so... The girls love it! But we have it in our stir fry & the girls eat it up.

But that study says that it is bad for cancer patients undergoing treatment? It doesn't talk about those without cancer?

I agree that the soy industry doesn't have the cleanest name at all. In fact its dodgy at bet in some places, thats why we use organic tofu and only once a week.

[tsgirl]

MMmmmmmm avocado ... I'm an avo addict!!

We eat a 90% vegan diet, basically vegan with some fish and the occasional 'oopsie' We don't eat a lot of soy because from my reading large amounts aren't good for you. I use Bonsoy which is non GM, although I'm not suggesting that there aren't other brands that are also non GM. Bonsoy is exxy, but it is awesome tasting and works great in cooking, and seeing as we don't use a lot I don't worry too much about it being $4/L

We occasionally eat tofu, soy ice-cream and other soy products, but overall the amounts aren't large. I've found more and more since we changed our diet that I'm cooking organic food from scratch as it just seems to fit most comfortably with the way we're trying to fuel our bodies.

Agree with christy rice milk is a great alternative. I actually preferred it on cereal to soy when I first went dairy free.

The risks of fish increase with the size of the fish .. sounds weird I know but it has to do with the food chain and their increasing mercury levels. The most likely to have high mercury are swordfish, marlin & shark. There is quite a bit of info on fish in this link Fish and mercury FAQs | NSW Food Authority Government sites aren't necessarily my chosen nutritional advice sites though so if you're paranoid like me you might want to do some wider reading

Oh, and eggs .. curiously I get a hankering for eggs every few months. A poached one with some smoked salmon usually sorts it out!! That's what I mean about 90% vegan ... if my body starts really craving an egg or some fish then I figure I must need something nutritionally so I listen. For the most part tho it's perfectly healthy (and happy) eating a wide range of vegetables, legumes, whole grains, fruits & nuts.

[luna moth]

Oh, and eggs .. curiously I get a hankering for eggs every few months. A poached one with some smoked salmon usually sorts it out!! That's what I mean about 90% vegan ... if my body starts really craving an egg or some fish then I figure I must need something nutritionally so I listen.

People have believed this for a long time, but studies have disproven it. My belief is that animal products are addictive, and it's the addiction talking, not some nutritional need. Go for 100%!

Rice milk has no calcium unless fortified. Soy milk also has little, but most commercially available brands are fortified, some with B12 as well as calcium. Many are non-GM.

I don't think there's any fish you can eat without guilt, stupid or not, unless you catch and kill it yourself.

Cut out eggs. Only girl chickens make eggs, which means 50% of them are killed in their infancy. Nice.

Lay it out straight with your stepdad. I was really worried about telling MIL when I had gone vegan, but she's fine with it. I just turn up armed with food - soy milk, nuttelex, tahini, nooch, and she sits back and lets me make myself at home in her kitchen.

Ahhhh, who let the militant hormonal vegan loose in this forum?