Meatless Monday and the Rest of the Week, Too

Whoa, baby! Lots and lots of reader interaction lately. One reader even wrote me to thank me for a blog I wrote years ago about sulfa… and here I was wondering if my blogs were being helpful. Thank you all for letting me know they are.

Talking about my blogs being helpful, another reader needs help with her non-animal protein diet. As a child, my brothers and I were cooked meat meals whenever my dad could afford it. I remember Mom cooking lots of hamburgers. That was the first food I learned to cook. As I got older, I realized I didn’t like the fatty taste of meat nor how much it needed to be chewed, so I ate it less and less. Now, since my husband is a meat eater, we have it once a week. He knows I don’t like it, but he does. I eat as much of it as I can before giving the rest to him. It isn’t very much. I think I’m going to learn quite a bit for myself, as well as my reader, in writing today’s blog.

Oster, the makers of the blender I use, at https://www.oster.com/blog/archive/2014/october/5-fruits-and-veggies-that-pack-the-protein.html#?sortby=newest offers us this information:

“1. Avocado 
Like tomatoes, avocados are fruits that are commonly thought of as vegetables. But regardless of how you categorize it, an avocado carries more protein than a glass of milk, about 4 grams according to the United States Department of Agriculture. Although some avoid this fruit because it has a relatively high fat and calorie content, it’s full of a variety of nutrients such as zinc, folic acid, potassium, fiber and healthy fats….

2. Lentils 
   Legumes are the most protein-rich group of vegetables available. On average, legumes can offer closer to animal products than many other vegetables in how much protein they offer. Among legumes, lentils are one of the highest in protein with about 47 grams of protein per cup, the USDA noted.
3. Apricots 
   Either raw or dried apricots can add protein to your meals as well as sweetness, though there’s debate over whether fresh or dehydrated is better. Although a raw apricot has more protein, dried apricots have more protein per bite because they’re more compact. Either way, you can’t go wrong. It’s a tasty, sweet way to add protein to your yogurt, oatmeal or other dishes. The USDA explained that 1 cup of sliced apricots has more than 2 grams of protein.
4. Spinach 
   This tasty leafy green is well known for being nutritious, but did you know it has nearly 3 grams of protein per every 100 grams of spinach, according to the USDA? But eating 100 grams of raw spinach can be hard…. Spinach is also rich in vitamin B6, riboflavin, niacin, vitamin C, a variety of minerals, and has minimal calories and fat.
5. Soybeans 
   Soybeans pack a walloping 68 grams of protein per cup, according to the USDA. Eat them raw, steam them or roast them for a tasty, protein-filled meal that has more of the nutrient some types of meat [have]. Soybeans are legumes, and also have significant daily amounts of iron, fiber and vitamin K.”

Notice the sentence about potassium in 1. Avocado. Hmmm, do we need to limit or cut out any of these other foods according to the renal diet? I went to SFGATE at https://healthyeating.sfgate.com/lentils-harmful-kidneys-12272.html for some answers.

“Are Lentils Harmful to the Kidneys?

Written by Meg Campbell; Updated November 28, 2018

Lentils are nothing but good news for the average person. The small, disc-shaped legumes are a low-fat, cholesterol-free source of high-quality protein, complex carbohydrates and several vitamins and minerals. Lentils are considered a diabetic-friendly, heart-healthy food because their high fiber content promotes normal blood sugar and cholesterol levels. Because they’re also rich in potassium, phosphorus, purines and oxalate, however, lentils aren’t an ideal choice for people affected by chronic kidney problems….

Lentils don’t harm healthy kidneys, just as they don’t damage unhealthy kidneys. Rather, people with chronic kidney problems may need to watch their intake of lentils because their kidneys are less able to adequately process certain nutrients. If you have chronic kidney disease, ask your physician for a detailed diet plan. Eating the right foods can help slow the disease’s progression, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Likewise, if you’re prone to kidney stones, talk to your doctor about your diet. Some physicians only recommend limiting purines from animal sources. You also may be able to limit the amount of oxalate you absorb from lentils by consuming them with high-calcium foods.”

So it seems that protein heavy foods can be bothersome for their potassium and phosphorous content. But wait. We are Chronic Kidney Disease patients. We eat according to our labs. If your potassium/phosphorous blood content is in the normal range, you can eat foods containing these electrolytes, but in specified amounts. Ask your renal nutritionist which you can eat and how much of each of these permissible foods you can eat.

 This time I went to NDVTFoods at https://food.ndtv.com/food-drinks/healthy-diet-4-fruits-that-are-relatively-rich-in-protein-2071683. (So many new websites for me today.)

“1. Raisins: This humble dried fruit is a fixture in all the festive offerings and is also added to a whole range of desserts. The golden raisins are nothing but de-hydrated or dried grapes.  A 100 gram portion of raisins contains 3 grams of proteins, as per the data by United States Department of Agriculture.

Guava:This Vitamin C-rich fruit is savoured raw or in salads, and is even added to juices and drinks for a flavourful punch. Guava is rich in fibre as a 100 gram portion of the fruit contains 5 grams of it, according to USDA, and the same portion contains 2.6 grams of proteins.

2. Dates:This sugary sweet fruit has been consumed in Middle-eastern countries as a staple for centuries now. Pitted dates are stuffed with a variety of ingredients and are even consumed in the form of a sweetening paste for milkshakes and baked goods as well. A 100 gram portion of dates contains 2.45 grams of protein, along with 8 grams of fibre, as per data by the United States Department of Agriculture.
3. Prunes:Another dried fruit that is relatively rich in protein is the prune. These are made by de-hydrating ripened plums and it contains a wide-range of essential minerals and vitamins, along with some important macro-nutrients. This includes 2.18 grams of protein per 100 grams, along with 7 grams of dietary fibre.”

Don’t forget legumes and grains in your non-animal fat protein diet. The same caution about eating according to your labs applies to every category of food you eat. This is not a complete guide to non-animal protein foods and is getting to be a very long blog already. Let me know if you want more information about this topic.

Until next week,

Keep living your life!