Trying Mostly a Plant Based Diet.

[Mai72]

I came across this video by Dr. Esselytn a week ago on heart attacks, and TBH it shook me up quite a bit. Heart disease isn't an issue in my family, as many of my aunts and uncles are still alive in their 80s. I have an aunt whose 92. I said mostly a plant based diet because I'm still eating sardines daily. They have a high DHA Omega 3 content that is very difficult to find going 100% plant based. Yes, I could consume Chia seeds or flax, but these grains are ALA and convert very poorly to DHA. My main concern was getting enough protein. I weigh about 190lbs, and getting 190g of protein seems daunting without meat consumption. I thought so at first, but it's not that hard. A Tofruky italian sausage has 30g in one sausage. 1.5 scoop of SunWarrior Vegan powder protein has 28g of protein. a one strip Tempeh (34g) has 19g of protein. I can get my protein to about 160g and TBH do most of use really need 1g of protein to 1 pound of body weight. Wouldn't 0.8g be sufficent? Isn't it lean body mass as well? Another issue that I was concerned about is excessive carb consumption. Seems to be a problem with vegans. I'm getting about 210g of carbs which doesn't seem that excessive since it's all from whole wheat pasta, sweet potatoes, and steel cut oats. Dr. Esselytyn preaches NO OIL! And, that's because oil seems to injur the endothelium linig of our vessels that lead to the heart.

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Vogel tested the effects of three different meals on a group of 10 volunteers who had normal cholestrol levels. One meal consisted of canola oil and bread. Another was olive oil and bread. The third meal was a piece of salmon. All three meals contained 50 grams of fat. But their effect on blood vessels was very different. Before and again three hours after each meal, Vogel's team measured constriction of the volunteers' arteries. Sharp constriction can injure the inner lining of blood vessels, according to Vogel. The arteries didn't constrict much after the salmon meal. After the meal containing canola oil, they constricted slightly, reducing blood flow by 11%. After the olive oil and bread combination, however, blood flow plummeted 34% -- exactly the effect that Vogel had seen in previous research after volunteers ate a Big Mac with fries.

This is my 2nd week on mostly a plant based diet. It's not bad. Takes a little getting used to, and that TBH is to be expected. Will I give up my olive oil, coconut oil, and sardines. I don't know yet. Maybe I'll use a but less oil. I like to use coconut oil when I fry my Tofruky italian sausages, and I use about ITBSP of olive oil on my spring mix salad. I couldn't see eating my salad with nothing on it. I already feel a bit lighter which is great. Has anyone thought about going plant based? Mock meats have gotten so much better. I know that they aren't the healthiest things to eat, but they IMO are better than regular meat consumption.

 

[CalebRockeT]

Vogel tested the effects of three different meals on a group of 10 volunteers who had normal cholestrol levels. One meal consisted of canola oil and bread. Another was olive oil and bread. The third meal was a piece of salmon. All three meals contained 50 grams of fat. But their effect on blood vessels was very different. Before and again three hours after each meal, Vogel's team measured constriction of the volunteers' arteries. Sharp constriction can injure the inner lining of blood vessels, according to Vogel. The arteries didn't constrict much after the salmon meal. After the meal containing canola oil, they constricted slightly, reducing blood flow by 11%. After the olive oil and bread combination, however, blood flow plummeted 34% -- exactly the effect that Vogel had seen in previous research after volunteers ate a Big Mac with fries.

The problem I have with these studies is that they deal in such extremes. Who is going to be using so much oil in a single sitting that they reach 50g of fat, while also ignoring any protein or fiber intake? If one is using that much oil in a meal, while also completely ignoring the overarching nutritional profile of the meal to the point of eliminating one of the macro nutrients entirely, should it really be surprising that it brings with it negative health implications?

Instead of discontinuing use all together, why not just focus on incorporating a more reasonable amount of oil (a tbsp/15ml or less should be fine) into a balanced meal that includes nutritionally dense and fibrous whole foods (rather than just oil and bread, like, what in the actual fuck - do people actually eat a ton of oil and bread for a "meal"? A fucking crazy "meal" produces crazy responses in one's body - who'd have guessed?). Eating a more nutritionally sound, "whole/less processed" and balanced meal, much like the salmon meal in their study, your body will handle digestion differently than it would if you simply slammed nearly a quarter cup of oil with a bit of bread.

Shrug. I don't think the logical takeaway from the study is to stop using oil all together. Perhaps just be more mindful about how much and in what manner you use it. If they had tested a more reasonable amount of oil in a balanced meal and it showed the same response, then we could take about eliminating oils all together, but I'd imagine the reason they don't have that data is because it simply wouldn't produce that result.

Also, nice work giving a mostly plant diet a go. I've considered trying it in the past, but had the same concerns about reaching my ideal protein intake for adding/maintaining lean body mass, as well as cost - I'd imagine my spending on fresh produce would increase dramatically, in addition to the higher cost of plant based proteins. For now I'm going to continuing leaning on animal products, but hopefully in the future I'll be in a position to give a mostly plant based diet a shot. Good luck with on your plant based adventure!

 

[balloonshark]

I think Esselytn is strict on oil, salt and fat because he initially worked with people who literally had one foot in the grave. I think all but one is still doing fine but that one quit the diet.

Surely your sausage contains oil or fat (like a regular sausage) to keep it from sticking so you don't have to use oil.

There are plenty of oil free salad dressings you can make. Vinegar based dressings are common. I've even seen
dressings made from veggies which I never considered before. If you want I can link a bunch of youtube channels I like to watch for recipes.

 

[deadlyapp]

Oil (or fat in general) is essential for proper body function. Should you go crazy? Probably not, but most people who are actually learned in this stuff agree that a normal functioning male should have around 100g of fat a day.

Fats should be balanced appropriately but giving up healthy oils altogether isn't the right answer.

 

[whm1974]

Well Sardines should supply a fair amount of vitamin B12 which you do need and can't really be obtain from plant sources. I'm you would be fine with moderate meat consumption.

 

[mike8675309]

If all you are doing is eating sardines, you're probably doing just fine. though it isn't necessary for B-12 or DHA. Supplements work just fined and are generally recommended for all Americans.
Regarding protein, on the recent JRE James Wilks did a good job of busting the myth of getting enough protein on a plant based diet. Both in the type of protien (I.e. what gets digested better... hint, plants vs animal are nearly the same) but also the amounts (you don't need as much protein as most people think).

 

[mike8675309]

As to oil, all oils have a negative impact on endothelial cells. For someone with heart disease, that's a really big problem and should be a good reason to avoid added oils, and excess nuts and seeds. For the rest of us, limit our oil use just to give our body a break so it can recover. Don't eat oily meals all day long. Enjoy your buttered popcorn every once and a while but don't make it a habit.

Plant-Based Diets and Artery Function | NutritionFacts.org

The improvement of arterial function on a whole food, plant-based diet appears so pronounced that cardiac patients can achieve a 90% reduction in angina attacks.

nutritionfacts.org

Plant-Based Treatment for Angina | NutritionFacts.org

Even without an exercise component, a plant-based diet can reduce angina attacks 90% within 24 days.

nutritionfacts.org