Re: [pct-l] Vegan calories

["Karen Elder" <wild_mind@earthlink.net>]

----- Original Message -----
From: <calliger@infolane.com>
From my small researches into vegan diet when I gave up meat
was that there are 2-3 essential amino acids (correct me if
I am in error) that the human body must have (out of 17 or
something like that?) that a vegan diet cannot provide as
they do not exist in the plant world-suplements are needed..
Most vegans, including myself when I was a strict vegan in
college had difficulty feeling "right" and had rashes and
other assorted little ills until I took suplments.  Since I
now eat fish and chicken (still no red meat) I am stronger
and feel 100% all the time.
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Since you said "correct me if I am in error"...  :-)

     Proteins in food do not provide body proteins directly,
but instead supply the body with amino acids from which it
makes its own proteins.
     Essential amino acids are those that the body itself
cannot make or cannot make in sufficient quantities for
physiological needs. (The body can produce non-essential
amino acid in sufficient quantities itself.) There are nine
essential amino acids. A diet that supplies each essential
amino acid in adequate amounts supports protein synthesis in
the body.
     A complete protein is defined as a protein that
contains all of the essential amino acids in relatively the
same amounts as human beings require. Foods from animal
sources, such as meat, poultry, fish, eggs, and milk,
contain complete protein.
     The proteins of rice and potatoes are also complete.
Plant foods are often eaten in combination, and incomplete
protein sources an combine to provide complete protein. In
modern societies, food is available in sufficient variety
and quantity that attention to combining is rarely
necessary.
     By the way, corn protein is notorious in nutrition
circles for being *incomplete* -- anthropologists have
noticed that when societies turned to corn farming (from
hunting and gathering), the quality of their nutrition
*decreased*. However, on the trail, if you are vegan, do not
rely on corn pasta alone to provide you with the nutrition
you need.
     Vegetarians, especially vegans, can reduce fat levels
in their foods too far. The body cannot make linoleic and
linolenic acid (essential fatty acids) so this fat must be
obtained in the diet. Other fatty acids can be produced only
slowly by the body. It is possible that your "not feeling
right" was related to too few omega-3 and omega-6 fatty
acids.

From the ADA Position Paper on Vegetarianism (1993)
http://arrs.envirolink.org/VRG/nutrition/ada1993.htm
Nutrition Considerations
Plant sources of protein alone can provide adequate amounts
of the essential and nonessential amino adds, assuming that
dietary protein sources from plants are reasonably varied
and that caloric intake is sufficient to meet energy needs.
Whole grains, legumes, vegetables, seeds, and nuts all
contain essential and nonessential amino adds. Conscious
combining of these foods within a given meal, as the
complementary protein dictum suggests, is unnecessary.
Additionally, soy protein has been shown to be nutritionally
equivalent in protein value to proteins of animal origin
and, thus, can serve as the sole source of protein intake if
desired (12).
Although most vegetarian diets meet or exceed the
Recommended Dietary Allowances (13) for protein, they often
provide less protein than nonvegetarian diets. This lower
protein intake may be associated with better calcium
retention in vegetarians and improved kidney function in
individuals with prior kidney damage. Further, lower protein
intakes may result in a lower fat intake with its inherent
advantages, because foods high in protein are frequently
high in fat also.
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