Monkey Diet ::swinging from the trees::

I am sure there is not a vegetarian out there who has not had to deal with the inevitable... "but what do you eat?"

::laughs::  I eat a good variety of things, thank you very much.  Probably more variety than my omnivore friends and family members.  So when they ask, I answer with a cheezy smirk and a wink with my answer...  "I eat Monkey Food"  Thats usually good for a laugh at least.

When I first lost my taste for meat I would concider my dietary intake to have completely SUCKED for 4 to 5 years.  I had my "Cheesitarian" Phase.  Then was the "White Menace" obsessive phase.  Then for spits and giggles, I decided that nothing was going to help ever.  That is when the heavens opened up and dumped "kaka" on my head.  I lost perspective and I gave in to the *Pepsi* god, becoming a 3 liters a day devotee.  Who needs to eat when you are reved on pure sugar and caffiene? 

Obviously none of these are food choices that included meat... but they sure as heck are not healthy either.

So... what do I eat?  ::grins::  my Monkey food Diet!   ::more on that later::  ~ a Lost Artist

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1 portion slow cook oatmeal 
1/4 cut blueberries fresh or frozen
1/4 cup Kashi Go Lean
2 T Coconut shavings

Cook oatmeal and blueberries at the same time until the whole thing is a glorious purple.  The heat will bring out the sweetness of the berries.  Once in a bowl, sprinkle the Kashi and Coconut on top to complete the sweetness.  I like it with a cold cup of skim milk. 

::grins::  so yummy.  Some at this point might say, wait why a recipe in this string?  Because the challenges of vegetarian eating dont have to stump us all.  Though my joining this site is recent, I have been a vegetarian for nearly half a decade now.  The recipe above is full of protein and fiber, it is sweet, filling and definitely satisfies on a cold Minnesota evening.  It includes at least 2 of what I have heard refered to as *super-foods*, also.   And talk about easy.  This is a good dish to serve to someone that does not suspect you are *ripping them off with a meatless meal*.

::grins:: Plus I am sure a Monkey would go *nuts* for this meal.   So it fits my monkey diet.  ~ Dream deeply ~ Lost Artist

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I'm not a vegetarian ...  that recipe looks good. I'm gonna try it!

Haha, lots of things omnis eat are "accidentally" veg/vegan (to steal the term from Peta), alayney. We're not as weird as people make us out to be sometimes!

But that said, i'm an oatmeal fiend and that recipe looks amazing.

****   ZOWIE   ****  PINE NUTS ROCK!!!  ****

Just like a good monkey, I was at the local "Good Food" Store and I tried a new treat.  Pine Nuts.   I am enamoured!!!

From what I have figured out, Pine Nuts are the best nut choice on many levels.  I will let the links below speak for themselves. 

I really liked the taste, even raw.  They were a delight.  Sweet without an obnoxious after taste.  Unfortunately they are hand picked and over $13 a pound.  But for occasional treats for myself, I can buy well under a pound once in a while.  ::smiles::  yummy yummy...  This goofy monkey is nutty happy!  ~ Lost Artist

---  http://www.pinenut.com/values-species.htm

---  http://www.truestarhealth.com/Notes/1876007.h tml   ---  http://www.foodnavigator.com/news/ng.asp?n=59 912-lipid-nutrition-introduces .

64 grams of Fiber   

Wow, I didnt even try.  I am just picking those types of food.  LOL is there such a thing as a high fiber weight loss plan?   I am sure there is.  Everything else has been sold and tried. LOL ~ Lost Artist


p.s.  It took a long time to work up to handling this level.  No, like a good herbivore, I dont get tummy aches or going problems from this.  ::monkey smirk::  Apes dont have access to processed crap like the sugars in Pepsi.
.

Actually, foods with high fiber content keep you fuller longer.

Hahaha, funny you mention it, a few weeks ago I went with a vegan friend to an Ethiopian restaurant (my first time!) and took my little brother, his fiancee and my bf.  Us vegans thought everything was great but everyone else (even though they ordered dishes with meat) said they felt like crap the next day.  Couldn't handle the fiber content!

Try Ethiopian by the way.  Amazing.  If you go to an authentic place you all share eating off one huge serving platter - and no utensils; you have to use your hands.

Wow, I had not thought about Ethiopian meals.  Sounds great.

I just went to my Nutritionists, moments ago. 
::Goofy Monkey GRINZZZZ:: 
I am below 200 pounds for the first time in years!!!  
197!!!   Whooot. 
I am going to celebrate with a trip to the dog park with my pups.  Doing the trails instead of eating!

And that was my weight with a full tummy from breakfast! ~ Lost Artist
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• CELERY... 

Sometimes it can taste so bland or even bitter.  Most people are going to suggest what toppings to hide that with.  Others will have great suggestions about how to cook it into things.  Those options are wonderful also.  But this primate goes a bit more simple.

My way to make celery yummier is rather *Raw*.  When I cut my stalks into pieces, so I can suspend them in water to keep them crisp...  I add a dash of Orange Juice into the water.  That slight acidic edge takes away any bitterness.  It turns slightly sweet.  ::grins::  All Natural, all good for you. 

::hoot hoots::  ~ Lost Artist
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congrats on your weight loss Lost Artist! :)

List of fruits and vegetables high in FIBER:  

When picking items, aim for choices with a LOT of COLOR.
They are better for you. 
Frozen beats canned (Sodium). 
Fresh beats frozen (only by a little).
Fresh whole foods beat Juices everytime.  
Many Juices have no fiber at all and have added *gunk* like sodium or corn syrup... ewww.

• Adzuki beans  
• Almonds ( not a fruit/veggie, but dang good for you!)
• Apples (red delicious have the highest anti-oxidant levels)
• Apricot
• Apricot, dried (drying fruit increases its iron)
• Asparagus
• bananas (wonderfully full of potasium, which is dense and weighs while being digested)
• Black beans
• Blackberries
• Blueberries (concidered a top tier SuperFood)
• Beans (string, green)
• Bean sprouts (Careful here... though good for you, its tough to clean these.  They are a potential culprit for holding e-coli.)
• Beets
• Broccoli
• Brussels sprouts  ( ::shudders:: )
• Cabbage (red, white)
• Cantaloupe
• Carrots
• Cauliflower
• Celery
• Cherries (fresh, NOT candy red sundae style!)
• Corn (sugary by nature) 
• Cucumber (English or Hot house versions are seedless, and therefore do not cause endless burping)
• Grapefruit
• Grapes  (the more oblong a green grape is, the sweeter it will taste)
• Kale leaves
• Kidney beans
• Lentils
• Lemon  (not Lemonaid)
• Lettuce, (not all varieties are created equal. Again go for color intensity.)
• Lima beans
• Mushrooms (ewwww LOL)
  Navy beans
• Onions
• Oranges  (Orange Juice contains no fiber)
• Parsnip
• Peaches
• Pears
• Peas
• Peppers, Red and green
• Pineapples  
• Plums
• Potatoes
• Prunes
• Raisins (high in natural sugar)
• Raspberries
• Soybeans
• Spinach   (big time iron)
• Strawberries
• Squash, summer
• Sweet potatoes  (best potato choice)
• Tomato (seems that cooked has more Lycopene than raw)
• Turnips
• Watermelon
• Zucchini 
  
• Psyllium Husks (Careful, do not consume within 1 hour of medicines. It can decrease the effectiveness of the medicines)

Sources:

http://www.slrhc.org/healthinfo/dietaryfiber/ fibercontentchart.html


http://www.gicare.com/pated/edtgs01.htm


http://www.fatfreekitchen.com/fiberlist.html

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p.s.  Thank you Star1020.  You are sweet, my friend. ~ Lost Artist
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http://aolsvc.health.webmd.aol.com/content/ar ticle/130/117769.htm
(for full story)

Moderate Drinking May Lengthen Life
By Miranda Hitti
WebMD Medical News  Reviewed By Louise Chang, MD
on Monday, December 11, 2006 

"Dec. 11, 2006 -- Moderate drinking may lengthen life, but heavy drinking raises the risk of death, Italian researchers say."

"Drinking Data
The researchers pooled data from 34 observational studies conducted in Europe, the U.S., Australia, Japan, and China. The studies looked at more than 1 million people in total, with participants reporting their drinking habits. The studies lasted from six to 26 years.

During that time, moderate drinkers were about 18% less likely to die of any cause than teetotalers and light drinkers.Other observational studies have linked moderate drinking to heart benefits. The new Italian report covers deaths from all causes, not just heart-related deaths.

Heavy Drinking
Meanwhile, heavy drinkers were more likely to die of any cause, and the more they drank, the higher their risk of death."
--------------------------------------------- -----------------------------------

SOURCES: Di Castelnuovo, A. Archives of Internal Medicine, Dec. 11/25, 2006; vol 166: pp 2437-2445. News release, Catholic University. CDC: "Alcohol and Public Health FAQ."

--------------------------------------------- -----------------------------------

 ::Chuckles and grins::   Apes sometimes find fermented fruit and party.  Hmmm? maybe I should drink once in a while? ~ Lost Artist
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I do not kid myself into thinking that I have gotten much personal notice on C-C.  But I have an admission to make to the wider C-C community.... 

Unlike most I do not fold after 10-14 days.  I tend to fold up on my projects around 5 to 6 weeks.  At first I can be border line obsessive about small details.  I work out improvements, think up new angles, really try and do my best.  I get a good pattern going... I see results...  I congratulate myself and lay claim to whatever kudos are offered by others.  THEN I wander off the details that helped me stay motivated and I pick up a new interest somewhere else.  I have done that so many times in life, just dropped a project, even when I love it.  I remember one year, I lifted weights like 4 times a week from the start of school in September through Spring Break in March.  I lifted once in spring break, at a different gym, then when I returned to school...  I just quit.  I never knew why.  I liked to lift.  I lasted longer then usual that time, but the results were the same. 

So here is the confession.  Guess how long I have been on this site?  Hmmm? Oh, about 5 to 6 weeks?   I admit to myself that this is a crucial time for me.   I am now going to consciously work to NOT let Christmas be the habit breaker that it very easily could be.   I have slacked on figuring out my food and posting it, this week.  I see the signs of my usual pattern though, and I am going to kick it in the arse and not let it win! 

A Joke for everyone...  why do Baboons have red tushes? 
Answer... because their friends at C-C wont let them slack off and forget that they are changing their lives for the better... and they smack those monkey butts to keep them focused?  ::chuckles and wiggles that tush::  ~ Lost Artist
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p.s.  Yes I realize that I am mixing up Apes, monkeys, chimps, baboons, etc.  Animal Planet forgive me, my intentions are honorable ::winks::

Super FOODS ( and Why? )   

VARIETY VARIETY VARIETY

( Watch for this to be updated with links, as I find more sources to back up these stats ~ L_A )
 
Almonds
 
Apples
 
Apricots   3 fresh
 
Avacado  
 
Bananas  1 medium
 
Barley --- http://www.healthcastle.com/barley.shtml
 
Beans    1 cup
 
Berries, Blue, Black, Cranberries, Strawberries   1/2 cup
--- http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/13484206/
 
Broccoli   2 spears
 
Carrots    2 medium
 
Chili Peppers    1 or more peppers
 
Chocolate, Dark (Yucky)
 
Cinnamon & roughly 2 tablespoons
Health bonus: One USDA study showed that just a quarter teaspoon of cinnamon a day lowered the blood sugar, cholesterol, and triglyceride levels in people with type 2 diabetes. 
http://magazines.ivillage.com/goodhousekeepin g/diet/nutrition/photo/0,,705065_705089,00.html

 
Edamame ( Soy beans )
 
Egg Whites, boiled or poached

Flax Seed NOT Flax Oil ( cant heat Flax oil for cooking )
--- http://www.healthcastle.com/flax.shtml
--- http://www.healthcastle.com/flaxseed_vs_flaxs eedoil.shtml
 
Garlic   2-3 cloves fresh --- http://www.healthcastle.com/garlic-heart.shtm l
 
Green Tea   1 cup  --- http://www.calorie-count.com/calories/article /green_tea.html 
 
Greens, Dark and Leafy  ---

Kiwi   1 to 2
 
Mangoes   1 mango  ( never tried one )
 
Milk, Skim or 1%
 
Mushrooms    1/4 cup exotic mushrooms ( Yucky)
 
Nuts & Nut Butters,  1 to 2 oz, unsalted   
--- http://www.healthcastle.com/nuts-benefits.sht ml
--- http://www.vegsoc.org/info/nutsseeds.html
 
Oats, Whole Grain slow cook has the most fiber, 1 cup
 
Olive Oil & Olives 
 
Oranges / Citrus Fruits   1 lg.
 
Papaya    1 papaya
 
Peanut Butter ( and Nut Butters )
 
Pineapple   1 cup
 
Pine Nuts   healthiest of the nuts
--- http://www.pinenut.com/values-species.htm
--- http://www.truestarhealth.com/Notes/1876007.h tml
--- http://www.foodnavigator.com/news/ng.asp?n=59 912-lipid-nutri tion-introduces
 
Pumpkin  
 
pomegranates
 
Red Wine --- http://www.healthcastle.com/redwine-heart.sht ml
 
Rice, Brown

Salmon, Wild   3 ounces
--- http://www.healthcastle.com/seafood-fish-myth s.shtml

Seaweed
---  http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0820/i s_1998_Dec/ai_5 3445326/pg_3
 
Seeds

Spices?      ( Vegit All-Purpose Seasoning )
 
Spinach    1 cup uncooked
 
Soybeans & Tofu    4 ounces tofu or equivalent soy product
 
Sun Dried Fruits = Iron  
 
Sweet Potatoes
 
Tomatoes / Tomato sauces
--- http://www.healthcastle.com/lycopene-prostate cancer.shtml
 
Turkey breast, skinless  

Walnuts
 
Watermelon or Grapefruit have Lycopene, serve at room temp
--- http://www.healthcastle.com/lycopene_watermel on.shtml
 
Whole Grains ( Avoid White Flour )
 
Yogurt
 
 
 
( This is far from a complete list of links.  Some of this I learned a while ago and can not pin-point a source.  I like being able to go back and reread why it is I am eating certain things.)
 
 
 
http://www.webmd.com/content/Article/82/97166 .htm

http://www.webmd.com/content/article/81/96952 .htm
 
http://www.cspinet.org/nah/10foods_good.html
 
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/ chronicle/archi ve/2006/01/04/FDGQBGG57F1.DTL
(Scroll way down)
 
http://www.foodnetwork.com/food/lf_hl_nutriti onal_all-stars/ 0,3100,FOOD_27396,00.html
 
http://www.healthchecksystems.com/hfoods.htm
 
http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0820/i s_1998_Dec/ai_5 3445326/pg_1
 

Lost_Artist your all over the palce in here!! Everwhere I turn, you already posted there.. LOL.. How much coffee did you drink??  I LOVE IT!

::giggles madly::   I gave up Pepsi...  One of my biggest vices, gave it up about 6 weeks ago.  Have only had a couple coffees since.  Tonight at 9:20 pm, my bro-in-law made me a cappacino.  I didnt realize at first that it was 2 straight shots of espresso plus chocolate! ::Monkey giggles and chitters::  I told him I am going to call him at 5 am and wake him up for work LOL  looks like it might really happen.  Eeeek Eeeek LOL ~ Lost Artist
.

p.s. ::laughs:: its 5:30 and he didnt answer!  I hope he doesnt over sleep LOL

OOoooooohhhhhh!   Eeek Ack!  ::and other monkey sounds showing how offended they are::

Monkeys eat what they find.  Nuts, seeds, berries, grains, fruits, veggies...  occasionally they might steal an egg or some dairy off a window-sill, but thats rare and not as good for them.  Raw is best, frozen is ok...  Monkeys definitely can not figure out how to open cans of salty foods.  Sure they are tempted by the false yumminess of human foods, but this....
This Trans Fat Crap?!!  
This though is DEFINITELY NOT MONKEY FOOD!!!

QUOTE ---------------

"shortening and partially hydrogenated vegetable oil or hydrogenated vegable oil. It will say so right on the label. This is a man-made oil. This oil does not exist in nature."  

"Partially hydrogenated oils came about from the food industry?s need to preserve the shelf life of foods at the supermarket. Trans fat is formed when manufacturers turn liquid oils into solid fats, which is done through a process called hydrogenation. Hydrogenation increases the shelf life and flavor stability of many foods."  

http://www.zoneperfect.com/nutrition_getting_ zone_detail.aspx?id=57

::Tongue spitty out, ppphhhzzz noises::  Blah!! ~ Lost Artist!
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::Chimps and Apes dancing in the ailes::  Ahhhh we found a fat we do like!  A natural one!  Olive Oil!  


Updated:2006-12-20 08:32:09
Olive oil may hinder cancer process
By AMY NORTON, Reuters

QUOTE
     "They also support advice to replace saturated fats from foods like meat and butter with vegetable fats, particularly olive oil, said study co-author Dr. Henrik E. Poulsen, of Copenhagen University Hospital in Denmark."
     "The findings, they say, suggest that olive oil may be part of the reason that certain cancers, including breast, colon, ovarian and prostate cancers, are less common in Mediterranean countries than in Northern Europe."

http://diets.aol.com/newsandtrends/interim_ch rome/_a/olive-oil-may-hinder-cancer-process/2 0061220083109990001

Chitter titter giggle grin.....  ::swings into some olive trees, happy as.... well monkeys!:: ~ Lost Artist
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"Protein can help you shed those unwanted pounds and keep your belly full. But it's important to eat the right amount and the right kind of protein to get the health benefits."   

"if you go over (0.4 X by weight in pounds = amount in grams allowed) your daily allowance of protein you can damamage your kidneys/livers. So take a check of the amount you are taking in, OR get your kidneys checked etc. Best to be sure!" (I think the source for this is someone here at C-C. I lost the link)

( Also see the next post for another *protein formula* )


 Plant and Dairy Protein Rich Foods
--- edible protein per 100g in weight --- (100 g = 3.5 oz = suggested serving size for meats.)

• Oats   35.73g
• Bread 4 grams/slice
• Cereal 4 grams/half cup
• Wheat Bread  8.80g
• Baked potato 2.66? grams
• White Rice  2.69g 
• Brown Rice  2.58

• Nuts and Seeds
• Pumpkin Seeds  32.97g
• Peanut Butter  25.09g
• Peanuts  23.68 --- 7 grams/ounce
• Almonds  22.09g
• Pistachio Nuts  21.35
• Flaxseed  19.50g
• Cashew Nuts  15.31g ---  5 grams/ounce
• Hazelnuts  15.03g 
• Walnuts  15.03g
• Pecans  9.50g
• Acorn Nuts  8.10g
• Macadamia Nuts  7.79g

• Eggs
• One large egg white has 3.6 grams of protein
• One whole large egg would have about 6.5 - 7 grams of protein.
• --- Eggs are one of the least expensive forms of protein.
• --- "The American Heart Association says normal healthy adults can safely enjoy an egg a day." 
• --- "Many people avoid the yolks to eliminate fats, however, Omega Eggs can be a great source of omega 3 essential fatty acids, and the yolks are also a great source of lutein, which is important for healthy vision."

• Soy
• Tofu  17.19g
• Soybeans  13.10g
• Soybeans (dry) 10 grams/ounce
• --- Twenty five grams of soy protein daily can help lower cholesterol and reduce the risk of heart disease. Combine soy protein foods like tofu with a healthy low fat diet. 

• Milk, Cheese Yogurt
• Milk 8 grams/cup
• Cheddar Cheese  24.90g --- 7 grams/ounce
• Monterey Cheese  24.48g
• Colby Cheese  23.76g
• Whey  12.93g
• Mozzarella Cheese  22.17g
• Cottage Cheese  12.49g
• Ricotta Cheese  11.26g
• Yogurt  3.47g
• Non-fat Milk  3.37g
• Whole Milk  3.22g
• --- Not only are dairy foods excellent sources of protein but they also contain valuable calcium. Choose skim or low fat dairy to keep bones and teeth strong, prevent osteoporosis and enhance weight loss. 

• Lentils  9.02g
• Beans
• Lima Beans  7.80g
• Mungo Beans  7.54g
• Pinto Beans  4.86g
• Kidney Beans  4.83g
• Red beans 6 grams/ounce
• --- One-half cup of beans contains as much protein as 3 ounces of broiled steak. Plus, these nutritious nuggets are loaded with fiber to keep you feeling full for hours. 

• Green Peas  5.36
• Cranberrys   5.54g
• Fruits  ~1g or less
• Vegetables 2 grams/ 1/2 cup

• Protein on the Go
• --- "Grab a meal replacement drink, cereal bar or energy bar. Check the label to be sure the product contains at least 6 grams of protein, and is low in sugar and fat."  Look for No Transfat and Fiber of 3 grams of more.

"It is important to get the right balance of protein to carbs and fats in your food. Our bodies need between 50 - 65 grams of protein food each day. This is about 8 ounces, or 225 grams of meat per day."  for the meat eaters.  

"Protein rich foods can be found in animal, plant and dairy foods. Animal protein food, ... contains all 9 complete amino acids required for body function and growth."  

"Plant and dairy food protein ... do not have complete proteins. However, the amino acids missing in some plant/dairy protein foods are present in others. It is easy to get complete protein food requirement by eating combinations of several plant or dairy food proteins. For example, just the two plant protein foods rice and beans in combination have the complete set of 9 amino acids which make a complete protein."  

"...good low-fat protein sources are lean beef, chicken, turkey, lean ham, low-fat cottage cheese, low-fat cheese, eggs, egg whites, egg substitutes and tofu." 

    ( SOURCES....  Full credit to the original authors )  

"High Protein Foods is an online database with protein information on more than 6000 foods."
http://www.highproteinfoods.net/

http://www.indoorclimbing.com/Protein_Foods.h tml  

999 Foods Highest in Protein ...Highest in Protein.
www.nutritiondata.com


http://www.nutritiondata.com/foods-0000780000 00000000000-w2.html

http://www.annecollins.com/protein-foods.htm  

http://www.webmd.com/content/article/85/98576   

http://www.zoneperfect.com/nutrition_getting_ zone_detail.aspx?id=92  

http://heartspring.net/list_of_high_protein_f oods.html (Includes a good chart)  

http://www.zoneperfect.com/nutrition_getting_ mini_protein.aspx (Includes a 3 part chart)        

  "Nutritional evaluation of protein foods"

QUOTE

"If the protein of the diet is utilized with complete efficiency, an amount of dietary protein equivalent to the output of 54 mg N/kg, namely 0.34 9 protein/kg body weight should compensate for this obligatory loss and bring the subject into equilibrium."

( This is an indepth doctoral level work up / work down of Proteins and their effects. For those that want to know deep details, this is the place to read. ~ Lost Artist)

       &nb sp; Edited by Peter L. Pellett and Vernon R. Young  
Report of working group sponsored by the International Union of Nutritional Sciences and the United Nations University World Hunger Programme   Peter L. Pellett is a member of the department of Food Science and Nutrition, Chenoweth Laboratory, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, Massachusetts, USA.   Vernon R. Young is a member of the Department of Nutrition and Food Science, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA.   © The United Nations University, 1980
.

Good info :)

But all the veg*n literature I've read over the years (and it's been a lot!) says that the "combining foods for complete protein" thing is a myth and you don't need to do it.  "Incomplete proteins" are supposedly just something that non-veg*ns and unsupportive physicians spout to undermine veg*n choices.

I'm not a doc, it's just what I read.