The Indian Vegan Kitchen_ More Than 150 Quick and Healthy Homestyle Recipes - Madhu Gadia [14]
2. Drink plenty of liquids to help move the fiber through the intestines.
3. Split and hulled beans (dal) are considered easier to digest than whole beans. For a list of split beans, see page 118.
4. Soak the beans and discard the soaking water. Cook in fresh water. Soaking helps reduce gas from beans, especially whole beans.
5. Drain and rinse canned beans.
6. Avoid overeating in general, as too much undigested food ends up in the colon.
7. Exercise and stress management have also been shown to help with abdominal discomfort, helping move gas along.
8. Flavorings such as ginger, garlic, and onions help digest the foods.
9. Spices such as asafetida, turmeric, and garam masala also aid in digestion. See World of Spices (page 13).
Fats Matter
Eating vegan does not automatically mean that all your dietary concerns are over, particularly when it comes to the issue of fat—how much, what type, and making sure you’re getting the essential fatty acids are all important.
Essential Fatty Acids
The two essential fatty acids, linoleic acid (omega-6) and alpha-linolenic acid, are widely available in foods. In most cases, you get these fatty acids from vegetable oils such as canola, soybean, and corn oils, as well as nuts and seeds. In your body, alpha-linolenic acid converts to omega-3 fatty acid, which has been shown to help prevent heart disease. Eating a variety of foods and balancing your plant-based diet makes it easy to get enough of these fatty acids.
High-Fat or Low-Fat?
The optimal amount of fat in the vegan diet is the same as for other diets; it’s the amount of fat needed to ensure good health, promote proper growth and development of children, achieve adequate nutritional intakes, and maximize absorption of nutrients. It is also needed to prevent, treat, or reverse chronic diseases.
Extremely low-fat diets were in vogue in the 1980s and led to mass confusion as to the amount of fat one should eat. Low-fat diets are not recommended for vegans or the general population.
The nutritional analysis of each recipe in this book includes the total fat per serving. Knowing how much fat you need per day helps you keep food choices in perspective.
How Much Fat Do You Need?
Optimal fat for good health and disease prevention is getting 25 to 35 percent of your daily calories from fat.
Types of Fats
Lipids are fatty substances found in food and our body. There are several kinds of dietary fats, which have been classified into several categories based on their structure.
Unsaturated Fats
There are two types of unsaturated fats: polyunsaturated and monounsaturated. Studies indicate that both of these fats help lower cholesterol levels when used in optimal amounts. Good sources of polyunsaturated fats are safflower, sunflower, corn, and soybean oils. The major monounsatured fats include canola, olive, and peanut oils. I primarily cook with canola oil for its health benefits and because it has minimal flavor of its own. You can use any vegetable oil of your choice.
Saturated Fats
Saturated fats are generally solid at room temperature. These fats are considered “bad fats,” as they are linked to increased risk of heart disease. Most vegans do not need to be concerned about saturated fats, as most plant foods do not contain them. Animal sources, including dairy products, are the main sources of saturated fat in the Western diet. Plant sources include coconut oil, palm oil, and cocoa butter. The latest recommendations on saturated fats are no more than 10 percent of calories from saturated fats, and 7 percent if you have heart disease.
Most vegans can include some tropical fats in their diet. The small amount of saturated fat coming from plant foods such as coconut, nuts, and other fat-rich plant foods will not adversely affect the saturated fat ratio. On the other hand, for people