SHUT DOWN
When I was younger I never knew how lucky I was to hang out with many of my great-grandparents. One of them stands out.
Even in old age, my great-grandfather Edwin was a bundle of energy. He was healthier than average and lived to be 99 years old.
I remember how much he annoyed my grandmother because, like most people, he wanted to keep control of his life even in old age and needed help. Edwin stopped driving and my grandmother bought his groceries. But he insisted on taking her to the grocery store so he could choose his food and read all the food labels.
I remember my grandmother complaining that if he had a choice, he would have stayed in the grocery store for hours. It makes me laugh when I realize that somehow I’ve discovered his love for reading grocery labels and often viewing grocery stores as a hobby. To this day, it influences what I put on my plate at every meal.
After seeing such a good example of optimal health, I remember thinking that like Edwin, I wanted to age, not just live long, but be alive and healthy to the end. I became curious about his diet and watched what he ate when I visited.
Not only was Edwin the example of health, but his brothers and extended family. Edwin’s generation was Seventh-day Adventists and a vegetarian for religious reasons.
You may have heard of Loma Linda, California, a “blue zone” where people live longer and happier lives. This is thanks to the large population of Seventh-day Adventists who live there and the healthy eating habits promoted by their church, which discourages smoking and alcohol while promoting a plant-based diet.
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A mango, lime and bean salad (Photo: Cindy Spading / For the Press Citizens)
One of the first questions most people ask themselves when going vegan or vegetarian is, “Where do you get your protein from?” Based on Edwin’s example, I’m happy I wasn’t worried about protein deficiency when I was Teenagers started experimenting with vegetarianism.
Most people don’t realize that all plant-based foods contain mixtures of protein, carbohydrates, and fat, and that if you eat a well-balanced diet with enough calories, you will get a lot of protein. It is true that in today’s food environment, you can create diets that are more than enough calories but are deficient in essential nutrients. Obviously, a vegan junk food diet of beer, chips, and cookies would be deficient in many nutrients, including protein, but I’m talking about “real” food.
While Americans worry about getting enough protein, it is actually fiber that they are lacking. Fortunately, nature has given us a food that is a great source of protein and fiber all in one – beans.
Studies show that adding beans to your diet will add years to your life and reduce the risk of chronic diseases like cancer, diabetes, and heart disease. Like all plant-based foods, beans do not contain cholesterol. Beans are cheap, low in fat, and are high in vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. Bean production has less of an impact on the environment and global warming than meat production.
It’s important not to be fooled by some misinformation about beans. Some people and websites promote the idea that beans should be avoided because they contain lectins. You should know that cooking beans destroys lectins. What is amazing is that the traces of lectins that remain after cooking appear to benefit our intestinal health and protect against cancer. For more information, see https://nutritionfacts.org/?s=lectins
It’s easy to add beans to your diet by adding beans to salads and pasta dishes, or making bean soup. Start young by serving beans as finger foods to toddlers.
If you’re just starting out, gradually work your way up eating more beans by substituting beans for half of the meat in a recipe. For example, if you’re making taco meat, use half the ground beef and add a can of black beans.
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The fastest black bean salad (Photo: Cindy Spading / For the Press Citizens)
There is a misconception that a plant-based diet is expensive and labor-intensive, but like other types of cuisine, it ranges from simple to gourmet, and beans are a great way to keep meals simple and cheap. Canned beans cost about 35 cents per serving on average. Now that automatic pressure cookers are so widespread, it’s even easier to cook your own beans for around 15 cents a serving. Wow, easy, cheap and healthy!
Beans are part of my daily diet, but the preparation depends on the time of year. In winter, bean soup is warm and calming, but in summer I switch to recipes that don’t make me sweat.
I want to share two of my favorite summer recipes. Both recipes were taken from the book “Prevent and Reverse Heart Disease” by Caldwell B. Esselstyn Jr., MD
The “secret” ingredient in these recipes that causes a taste explosion is lime juice and peel. I highly recommend buying a microplane zester with fine teeth that will only remove the outermost aromatic layer of citrus and leave the pulp behind.
Zest is a great way to add flavor without adding salt. As soon as you get used to using a microplan, you will find that you can use not only salads, but also baked goods, oatmeal, sauces, dip, yogurt, etc.
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Cindy Spading (Photo: Cindy Spading / For the Press Citizens)
Every time I have citrus fruits, I keep the extra seasoning in small containers in my fridge and add it to almost everything. As a special treat, I even add orange peel to my coffee and especially like lemon peel in my tea.
Mangoes are usually available from spring to summer, depending on the variety. There is a trick to cutting a mango and this link has some great advice and a video: https://www.mango.org/how-to-cut-a-mango/
Mango, lime and bean salad
Dressing:
- ½ cup diced sweet onion
- 1-15-oz can of cannellini beans, drained and drain
- ¼ cup of chopped fresh coriander or parsley
- Juice and zest of 1 juicy lime
- 1 tablespoon of oil of your choice (optional)
- 1 large or 2 small mangoes, diced (approx. 2 cups diced) (can be used frozen)
- 6-8 cups of salad of your choice
Mix the dressing ingredients in a large salad bowl. Stir and let marinate while the other ingredients are prepared. Cut the mangoes into small cubes. Chop the lettuce. Add the dressing to the mango and salad. Can be served as a meal or a side salad.
Fastest black bean salad
- 2–15 ounce cans of black beans, drained and rinsed well
- 1-2 large tomatoes or 2 cups of cherry tomatoes, chopped, or 1-15-ounce canned tomatoes with juice
- 2 cups of fresh or frozen corn
- 1 onion, chopped
- 1-6-ounce can of diced water chestnuts, drained
- ½ cup of chopped fresh parsley or coriander
- Juice and zest of 2 limes
- 3 tablespoons of balsamic vinegar
Put all ingredients in a large bowl and mix together. Serve as a meal or a side dish. Tastes better if it is prepared a day in advance. Note that rinsing beans won’t make the salad look gray.
Cindy Spading, RDN, LD, works as a nutritionist in long-term care. She became a vegetarian as a teenager and became a vegan in 2007. She is a member of the board of directors for the Vegan Community of Eastern Iowa. If you have any questions or comments, please email us at veganeasterniowa@gmail.com. Visit our website at VeganEasternIowa.org For more information you can also connect with us on Facebook and Meetup.
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