Category Archives: Vegetarian/Vegan

General Nutrition Info, Healthy Eating, Plant-Based Dining, Tips, Vegetarian/Vegan, Weekly Health Tips

Downtown Eats: Healthy Tips

February 21, 2020 loh5124

Tired of your typical day-to-day healthy meals, but want to avoid all the calories, sodium, and fat that fast food places have to offer? Are you willing to try something new? You can always grab something at one of the many restaurants downtown! Downtown State College offers some great healthy options that can cater to everyone’s taste buds, and will give you a break from your typical meals.

BONUS: Many establishments accept LionCash!

Keep reading for a few of our suggestions:

Playa Bowls

Playa Bowls is located on E. Calder Way and is known for having fruit bowls and smoothies (and other bowls such as oatmeal and poke). What makes this place a healthy option downtown is the variety of fruits (bananas, pineapple, kiwi, berries), bases (acai, kale, pitaya, coconut, green, chia, and banana) and healthy toppings (peanut butter, granola, nuts, seeds, coconut) that are in their fruit bowls and smoothies. These fruit bowls provide antioxidants, vitamins, minerals, fiber, protein, and healthy fats. Fruit contains natural sugars and fiber and is a good source of carbohydrates, which provides energy to fuel your body and give you a natural boost at any time of the day. They’re also rich in antioxidants (especially the berries) that help protect your cells from harm. Why not try a tasty way to get all those vitamins and minerals in for the day?

Recommended Healthy Meal: Oh Mega Chia Bowl
Contains: granola, banana, blueberry, hemp seeds, agave nectar
Provides: 440 calories, 54 grams of carbs, 11 grams of fiber, 24 grams of sugar, 11 grams of protein
Tip: Ask for less granola and and more fruit! Or, for more protein, ask for some peanut butter or nuts.

Fiddlehead

Fiddlehead is located on W. College Ave and offers a variety of salads, wraps, grain bowls, and soups. For the salads, there are a variety of different leafy greens, which include romaine iceberg mix, baby spinach, kale, and spring mix. Leafy green vegetables are packed with vitamins, minerals, and fiber while being low in calories. For example, kale is one of the most nutrient-dense vegetables, which provides vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants that help reduce the risk of diseases. The leafy greens also come with many healthy toppings and dressing. Try to go for vinegar or oil-based dressings and top with nuts to help you get in those healthy fats for the day!

Recommended Healthy Meal: Mediterranean Grain Bowl
Contains: quinoa, kalamata olives, kale, cucumbers, tomatoes, feta, falafel, Fiddlehead vinaigrette
Tip: Ask for your dressing on the side. This way, you have control over how much goes on the salad!

Tadashi

Tadashi has two locations in State College, one on W. College Ave and the other on S. Atherton St. Tadashi offers a variety of Japanese dishes such as sushi, sashimi, udon, and donburi. Many of the menu options include many different types of fish, which provide high amounts of omega-3 fatty acids and protein while being low in calories. An omega-3 fatty acid is good for your heart and may event give you that extra brain boost for that exam you’ve been studying for!

Recommended Healthy Meal: Shichimi Salmon Roll
Contains: spicy salmon, Kani, avocado, topped seared mayo salmon, mango salsa, eel sauce, scallions
Tip: Go with friends and sample a variety of items instead of eating the entire meal yourself.

Although these restaurants offer healthier options than most, try to avoid dining out on a regular basis. Even though you may choose the healthy option on the menu, eating out on a regular basis can increase your calorie, sugar, or fat intake, without you even knowing. Those portion sizes and ingredients can be deceiving!

Learning how to cook your own healthy meals allows you to have control over exactly what goes into the food you’re eating. You could even get fancy and try to re-create some of the items on the menu at your favorite restaurant. By buying your own ingredients you can make them healthier and save money over time!

By: Michelle Tang

General Nutrition Info, Healthy Eating, MyPlate, Plant-Based Dining, Tips, Uncategorized, Vegetarian/Vegan

Sustainable Eating

February 12, 2020 loh5124

Okay, so you may be wondering what it means to have a “sustainable diet”?

In the most basic sense, a sustainable diet is one which has a low environmental impact, and that contributes to food and nutritional security. Additionally, it aims to create and sustain healthy lives for present and future generations.

But, how can you do this while living on or off campus?

The answers are simpler than you may think!

1. Prioritize Plants:

USDA’s MyPlate suggests filling half your plate with vegetables and fruits as part of an optimal diet, but planning our meals around product benefits the planet as well. Shifting to a more plant-based way of eating will help reduce freshwater withdrawals and deforestation. Think of this as a win-win for both our personal health and the environment.

2. Minimize Meat

MyPlate suggests reducing red meat, and now there’s another reason to treat it more as a condiment than a main dish. Meat production is a substantial contributor to greenhouse gas emissions, especially beef production. Transporting and raising livestock also requires more food, water, land, and energy than plants. To eat for our own health as well as that of the planet, we should consider picking non-meat proteins such as nuts and legumes.

3. Select New Seafood

Fish can be a healthy choice if part of an overall healthy dietary style, but some species are at risk of being over fished, or produced in ways that harm the marine environment. If your go-to variety of fish is on the “avoid” list, consider trying some new seafood. The “Avoid’ and “Alternative” visual can be seen below.

Seafood to limit	Alternative	Reason for Alternative
Atlantic Salmon	Pacific Salmon	· Similar flavor profile · Remains rich in fatty acids · Requires less fish feed
Swordfish	Mahi Mahi	· Similar “meat” flavor · Smaller and healthier
Wild-Caught Sea Scallops	Farmed Shellfish	· Harvesting in ocean disrupts natural habitat · Farmed shellfish can be harvested sustainably
King Crab	Blue Crab or Stone Crab	· Typically come from well-managed fisheries in the US · Seafood sourced close is more sustainable

4. Look Local

Exploring farmers’ markets helps you find fresh produce grown locally, but equally important, you can meet the people who produce your food. During the academic year, there are many farmers’ markets that take in downtown State College. What could be better than walking downtown with some friends and finding some cheap fruits, vegetables, and locally -made baked goods? Keep in mind, many of these markets are cash only! Additionally, Penn State has its own student-run farm, which provides produce to many of the dining halls of campus, as well as a few businesses downtown. Keep an eye out for events in the dining commons featuring this produce! These are great opportunities for education: you can learn how your food was grown, when it was harvested, and event how to prepare it.

5. Eat Mindfully

One of the simplest things you can do to eat more sustainably is to practice mindful eating. Focusing o what you’re eating allows you to reflect on where your food came from and how it is nourishing your body. Additionally, by tuning in to your hunger signals you may learn that you don’t need as much food as you thought, and resize your meals accordingly. by paying more attention to how we eat and thinking about the “bigger picture”, we may alter our food consumption and reduce food waste, as well as become encouraged to seek out more sustainable food sources. These are no changes that need to be implemented all at once. Rather, one should take their time and make small, but impactful choices about what they are consuming.

So now that we know that sustainable eating is beneficial for so many reasons, how can you incorporate it into your diet?

Visit this link to learn more about what “sustainable eating” entails

By: Emmy Sikora

Vegetarian/Vegan

But Where Do You Get Your Protein?

July 15, 2018 els5421 Leave a comment

You may have heard the classic question, or perhaps proposed it yourself when considering a meatless diet; “Where do you get your protein”? Today, that very question will be answered, along with how you can incorporate some plant-based proteins into your own diet.

First, let’s review the importance of protein. Protein is one of the three macronutrients that your body needs to maintain a health. When it comes to building and repairing tissues, or creating protein-rich parts of the body, such as hair and nails, protein does the job.

Protein is composed of building blocks called amino acids. 9 of these amino acids are termed “essential”, as your body needs to get them from your diet rather than manufacture them on its own.

There are two main categories of protein: complete and incomplete. Complete proteins contain all 9 essential amino acids, whereas incomplete proteins contain some but not all. Most plant-based sources of protein are incomplete, however, that does not mean that you can’t get all your essential amino acids from them. That’s where the magic of food combining comes into action. For instance, by themselves beans only contain some of the essential amino acids making it an incomplete source. But combine those beans with another incomplete source, such as rice, and together the essential amino acids in those foods create a complete protein. To reap the benefits of combining these foods, however, you do not need to consume them at the same meal, necessarily. The benefits of combining incomplete proteins can be achieved simply by eating both foods on the same day.

Not all plant-proteins are incomplete, either. There are also sources of complete plant proteins that require no food combining to get all 9 essential amino acids in one meal! Examples of these foods include quinoa, hummus, soybeans and soy products (such as tofu), and chia seeds.

https://thefodmapfriendlyvegan.com/protein-on-a-low-fodmap-vegan-diet/

Given all this information, you may now be wondering how to incorporate these plant proteins in your daily diet.

Here is an example of plant protein meals for each time of day:

Breakfast: Whole grain toast with peanut butter and banana

Lunch: Quinoa salad (quinoa, black beans, mixed veggies, spices)

Snack: Hummus and carrots or other veggies, or edamame, or mixed nuts

Dinner: Burrito bowl (rice, beans, seasoned tofu, salsa, guac, and any other veggies)

How much protein should you be consuming? The Recommended Daily Allowance for protein is 0.8 grams per kilogram body weight. On average, however, most adult women need 46 grams per day and men 56 grams. Although these numbers are estimates, they are a good starting point to aim at when determining your protein intake.

https://yummyyummybaby.com/2014/10/07/protein-from-vegetables-vs-meat-whats-the-big-deal/rda-chart-for-protein

That’s all for today! Check back next Sunday for more Meatless Monday motivation!

Considering making the transition to a Vegetarian or Vegan lifestyle? Follow the Vegetarian Club at PSU for more info!

Ig: @psuvegclub

Facebook: Penn State Vegetarian Club

And follow Vegetarian and Vegan Dining at Penn State on Facebook!

References:

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK234922/

https://www.livestrong.com/article/343966-how-to-calculate-protein-rda/

Vegetarian/Vegan

Meatless Mondays: Vitamin C and Iron

July 8, 2018 els5421 Leave a comment

Welcome back to the third installment of our Meatless Monday blog series! Today’ we’re focusing on two nutrients: Vitamin C and Iron and why it’s especially important if you are following a vegetarian or vegan diet to include sources of both in your meals.

What’s so important about iron, you ask? Well, iron is an essential mineral that aids in transporting oxygen to your cells which is important for energy and keeping your red blood cells healthy!

Not all iron is created equal, however. There are two types: known as Heme and non-heme iron. Heme iron comes from animal sources, like meats, fish, chicken and eggs, and is more readily absorbed by the body. Non-heme iron comes from primarily plants, and is less-readily absorbed, making it all the more important to obtain enough if following a plant-based diet. How can you ensure your body is getting the iron it needs?

That’s where vitamin C comes into play! Vitamin C serves the role as your helper in absorbing non-heme iron, but how?

Although heme iron is more readily available and absorbed, you can meet your daily recommended intake through consumption of non-heme in plants.

That’s where vitamin C comes in to play the role as your helper in absorbing non-heme iron.

Vitamin C, when consumed at the same time as iron, bonds to iron to form a new compound that your body absorbs more easily.

Not to forget, Vitamin C has other benefits as well such as protecting your immune system, growth and development of tissues, and bone health.

But what are some examples of iron and Vitamin C?

Some meatless sources of iron include fortified cereals, beans, spinach and lentils, tofu. Vitamin C sources include vegetables such as cauliflower, cabbage, broccoli, sweet peppers, tomatoes, Brussels sprouts, and potatoes. As well as, fruit and fruit juices like citrus and strawberries.

Use your creativity and taste preferences to make healthy combos and increase your iron absorption throughout your day.

Here are some ideas to get you started:

Breakfast: Iron-fortified cereal with fresh cut strawberries

Lunch: Tofu stir-fry (tofu, mixed veggies, rice, seasonings)

Snack: Hummus eaten with carrot sticks

Dinner: Pasta primavera (spaghetti fortified with iron, red sauce, and veggies of choice)