WHAT TO REPLACE MEAT, DAIRY PRODUCTS, AND EGGS DURING FASTING
WHAT TO REPLACE MEAT, DAIRY PRODUCTS, AND EGGS DURING FASTING? Protein is a macronutrient that we need to get from food every day. It is he who helps to strengthen the immune system, have beautiful skin, hair, and nails, and also form muscle mass. Since this organic matter does not accumulate in our body, during fasting there is an urgent need to compensate for animal protein with vegetable protein.
In our body, protein performs several vital functions:
- Construction. Proteins are the basis for cell membranes and the main components of connective tissue.
- Protective. Proteins help our immune system fight viruses and neutralize bacteria. They also bind toxins with protein molecules for detoxification.
- Transport. They carry substances between cells and within cells. For example, hemoglobin is the carrier of oxygen in the blood.
- Energy. Protein is a macronutrient, just like fats and carbohydrates.
- Regulatory. Proteins help regulate the metabolism of various cells in the body. For example, insulin regulates blood glucose levels.
Each meal should contain 20-30 grams of protein. And a person needs 70-100 grams of protein per day, depending on the needs of the body:
- 1.2 g protein/kg body weight at the low physical activity (sedentary lifestyle)
- 1.4-1.6 g protein/kg body weight with moderate exercise (2-3 times a week for moderate-intensity sports)
- 1.6-2.0 g protein/kg body weight with high physical activity (regular strength training to build muscle mass).
During fasting, many doubt that animal protein can be compensated for with vegetable protein, and they fear that they will “malnourish” the norm. In fact, protein is synthesized from 20 amino acids, 8 of which are essential. Animal protein contains all the essential acids, whereas vegetable protein, alas, does not. Therefore, it is important to consume various sources of plant protein throughout the day and combine them to get the full composition of essential amino acids. For example, eat legumes with rice, legumes with vegetables, and cereals with seeds, and nuts.
WHAT TO EAT INSTEAD OF MEAT DURING FASTING
First of all, your diet should contain legumes (especially soy and tofu, they contain up to 50 g of protein per 100 g of product), cereals, and pseudo-cereals (especially amaranth, quinoa, buckwheat, pearl barley and millet-up to 14 g of protein per 100 g of product ), nuts (walnuts, almonds, pistachios, hazelnuts), seeds (primarily hemp, because they contain 31 g of protein per 100 g of product, as well as sunflower seeds, pumpkin, sesame, linseed).
- These food categories contain antinutrients (phytic acid and lectins) that interfere with the absorption of vitamins and minerals in the gut. By soaking these foods, we neutralize some of the phytic acids.
- To neutralize dirt, dust, and mold. Peanuts are more contaminated with aflatoxins than other legumes, so I do not recommend eating them.
Some vegetables are also rich in protein (especially cruciferous and asparagus), greens and sprouts (primarily wheat sprouts, because they contain 23 g of protein per 100 g of product, also kale, parsley, arugula, spinach), and mushrooms (porcini mushroom – champion in protein content – 3.7 g per 100 g of product). Don’t forget about seaweed. Nori contains 30-40 g of protein per 100 g, while spirulina contains 60 g of protein per 100 g.
HOW TO REPLACE MILK DURING FASTING
If you are used to adding milk to your dishes, then I suggest you replace cow or goat milk with plant-based: coconut milk (make sure it contains only coconut pulp and water), homemade almond, cashew, walnut or pine nut milk. Preparing “nut” milk is quite simple: break the nuts with drinking water in a blender and strain through a sieve – the milk is ready.
HOW TO REPLACE EGGS DURING FASTING
Don’t know what to replace eggs with? And there are great alternatives out there. If you like scrambled eggs, you can use chickpea flour or tofu. And to replace eggs in baking, I suggest using psyllium (psyllium husk), flaxseed, chia seeds, aquafaba (a viscous liquid after boiling chickpeas), applesauce, or agar-agar.
Having trouble with the menu? Here are some delicious and healthy meal ideas:
- mushroom soup
- bean stew with vegetables
- hummus classic or with the addition of beets, pumpkins
- red bean paste
- kitchari (Ayurvedic mung bean and rice dish)
- millet porridge with pumpkin and raisins
- Broccoli, asparagus and tofu cream soup
- lentils stewed with vegetables
- green buckwheat pancakes with almond milk
- chia seed dessert with coconut milk
RED BEAN PASTE RECIPE
You will need:
- 150 g of red beans;
- Carrots – 1 pc;
- Onion – 1 head;
- 4 cloves of garlic;
- juice of ½ lemon;
- 2 tbsp. l. olive oil;
- ¼ tsp nutmeg;
- ½ tsp coriander;
- 2 pinches of thyme;
- 50 g green onions, dill, parsley, green basil;
- 70-90 ml of vegetable broth or broth from cooking beans;
- salt and pepper to taste.
- soak the beans for 8 hours in the water, then rinse and boil until tender with a pinch of salt and a clove of garlic;
- heat a frying pan, add olive oil, and add spices (nutmeg, coriander, thyme) along with three cloves of garlic;
- add finely chopped onions and carrots to the pan and simmer everything until softened;
- add beans, and lemon juice to vegetables and sweat all 5 minutes under the lid;
- transfer the contents to a blender, and add 2 tbsp. l. olive oil, broth, and beat everything until smooth. Important! Pour in the broth in parts. So you can adjust the density of the pate, it should be the consistency of thick sour cream;
- chop the greens finely;
- put the pate in a glass jar in layers (pate/greens) and pour 1 tbsp. l. olive oil;
- serve with lettuce leaves.
Also Read: INITIATIVES FOR PSYCHOLOGICAL AND EMOTIONAL SUPPORT
