I have already posted on my favorite breakfast here. So you know that when I first get up in the morning I have a cup of green tea and a slice of toast. After my walk/yoga routine then I have my real breakfast. This is perfect for the spring and summer months and i apparently have not gotten tired of it. When it cools down I'll switch to toastier things. But I thought I'd break down the nutritional content of this breakfast and see just how healthy it really is. I'd really like to reiterate though that I'm a vegan for ethical purposes first. The fact that a vegan diet is healthy is just an added bonus.
Fruit in a Bowl
1 cup cantaloupe
1/2 cup banana
1 cup strawberries
1/2 cup soy yogurt
2 T raw walnuts
One of the first questions I get when people find out I'm a vegan is, "where do I get my protein?" It's estimated that the typical american diet contains 3x the amount of protein we need each day. We actually need between 20-60 grams of protein per day, depending on our gender, lifestyle, whether or not we are pregnant, etc. I aim for 30 grams of protein a day.
My fruit in a bowl does quite well. It actually contains 10 grams of protein and 320 calories. 11% of my daily calcium needs are met and it has about 270% of my vitamin C requirements. So I'm well on my way to meeting my protein needs for the day. Of course you can substitute any fruit you like and it will be fine. On average a serving of fruit contains 1 gram of protein, so the more the merrier.
*no animals were harmed in this recipe
When I decided to try living without meat, everyone asked me about where I was going to get my protein. I've never mentioned that I have a degree in nursing but that's another story. We were taught back in the '80s about combining incomplete proteins to make a complete protein like those found in meat. I thought I should brush up on those combinations and learned that that concept has since been dismissed as bad science! So while rice still goes great with beans and peanut butter goes well with wheat bread, there's no necessity to eat these in combination anymore. Who knew?
ReplyDeletethanks steve for pointing that out. that is a big myth and i should have included it but i'm glad you did.
ReplyDeleteThanks, that's been my biggest concern. Good know just how much I should shoot for. Thanks!
ReplyDeleteJulie
I cannot wake up and function until I eat breakfast and what I eat is almost identical to yours except I add gluten-free muesli and flaked almonds.
ReplyDeleteIsn't green tea the best! I consume copious amounts.
Thanks for breaking down the nutritional content.
xx
That looks delicious! I think I could eat that every day too. I do the same thing you do - a piece of toast before I go for my walk/yoga practice, then the real breakfast afterwards. I call it breakfast 1 and breakfast 2.
ReplyDeleteKarin
yum... I am not vegan but that is my kind of breakfast!
ReplyDeleteYUMMY! Can I have some... ? You are so good Janet! :)
ReplyDeletexoxo,
Alexandra
I don't know how I missed that part about combinations to make complete proteins is not necessary--I, too learned that in the 80's. Thanks, Urban Cottage, for mentioning this :)
ReplyDeleteJanet, your breakfast pattern sounds very similar to mine, except I have a light coffee with the toast (made with my own bread). For second breakfast I drink water or herb tea with lemon, and I use my homemade dairy yogurt and add wheat germ and walnuts with the fruit.
meg- i've made the bread you make and am planning a post and will link it to you. it's my husbands favorite!
ReplyDeleteLooks yummy! When I first became a vegetarian 30 years ago people used to exclaim 'but what do you eat if you don't eat meet"?! Its so common now in the UK that people rarely comment these days. Everything you buy in supermarkets here is labelled whether it is suitable for vegetarians or not - I find it much harder to buy in US stores where labelling is less clear.
ReplyDeleteLouise x
There`s so much I need to learn from you, my dear Janet... I should start taking care of myself by eating healthy food!! Usually I don´t have breakfast, just start the day with the "mate".
ReplyDeletehugs,
maria cecilia
I ate a vegetarian burger and yam fries in your honour last night and totally enjoyed them!
ReplyDeleteI also made a pot of great veggie chili served with sourdough bread....a little more emphasis on kind and gentle eating...guilt free.
Here's a shocker Janet, the Dalai Lama eats meat...
I read his book and was really gobsmacked.
leslie - according to buddhism you can eat meat, you are just not supposed to be in the presence of the animal when it is killed. i find that really weird.
ReplyDeleteThat looks very Yammie !!! thanks for sharing...happy evening....hugs from me....
ReplyDeleteYour breakfast looks delicious Janet. One of my favourite breakfasts is diced seasonal fresh fruit topped with greek yoghurt and flaked almonds. It feels so balanced.
ReplyDeleteI usually only have one breakfast but often have lunch with 2 or 3 courses (with salad, fruit etc). It takes me a while as I'm a slow eater anyway. Sometimes my husband will wander past and ask which course I'm on, or tell me to get started about 11.30 so I'll be finished in time for dinner...
We work together so don't get to sit down for lunch at the same time. And I fit in my courses between customers.
Dear Janet, do you know, i had no idea that fruit contains proteins, that's how ignorant I am of nutrition! Shocking! I do know that chocolate is an Important Food Group though! Bx
ReplyDeleteblighty - maybe the most important.
ReplyDeletefiona - i love that you eat in courses!
Hmmm...I think that is not nearly enough protein. I have a friend who is a nutritionist who says that a 120# woman should have at least 80g/day of protein or more if exercising quite hard. The protein plus exercise is what keeps you lean and muscular in older age. David's grandmother is rail thin and the doctors are always on her to eat more protein saying it will help prevent muscle wasting.
ReplyDeleteI would do more research into this number - and I will as I know I need more than I am getting...!!
Otherwise perfect morning and breakfast!!
xo Terri
terri - all the info i gathered recommended this number. it is based on an ideal body weight. i will do a more in-depth post on it soon.
ReplyDeleteYum...that's my kind of breakfast!
ReplyDeleteLinda
Finally, I get to comment. I snuck a look while working.
ReplyDeleteThen I came back and read the post. And I remembered the original post about your granola and how I had just started reading your blog shortly before that.
So I read back in time to my first meeting with you and remembered how I felt like we were kindred spirits.
Nice memory. xo jane
Every morning I eat a bowl of rice porridge with maple syrup and fruit. I've eaten that almost everyday for 15 years!
ReplyDeleteHave you organized the vegan recipe swap party yet? :)
your commitment to health is impressive J xxx
ReplyDeletesweet jane - thank you.
ReplyDeletesarah - help me organize a recipe swap!
Janet, your posts on food are so helpful. I love what you're sharing and am inspired to improve my diet! Although I'll never go vegan (I can't resist eggs from my friend's well-treated chooks), I am very motivated to cut the meat and dairy out of my diet.
ReplyDeleteThank you!
ali - thank you and i don't blame you about the eggs.
ReplyDeleteoh, I would have to eat 2-3 times the portions you eat, to get the energy needed, which is about 2200kcal/day (riding to work by bike and am quite tall, 5'9'').
ReplyDeleteit looks very yummy!
Some studies have actually said that just to maintain muscle, a person should eat a gram of protein per pound of body weight. Dueling science! Fun! I was a veggie for 15 years until I had my boys and couldn't efficiently get enough protein into them to support their bone and muscle growth.
ReplyDelete