Vegan Nutrition with Marty Davey

Marty Davey is a Registered Dietitian and has a Masters degree in Food and Nutrition from Marywood University. She became a vegetarian in 1980 when she discovered that the chemicals in American meat made them unsellable to Europeans. She and her husband have raised their son as a vegan. She teaches nutrition and has a private practice specializing in assisting clients transitioning to a plant-based regime step by step. Her website is martydavey.com

Being on a vegan diet has nearly cured my migraines. But friends of mine are concerned that I am not getting enough protein. The problem is that I have to avoid nuts, soy and legumes because they trigger the migraines, and I also have a gluten sensitivity. Can I get enough protein by eating lots of greens as well as sunflower and pumpkin seeds? I also take about 3 grams of amino acids in capsules each day.

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In a word, no.

I agree that there is protein in everything. If a plant did not have protein, it would never grow. There are these little things called, enzymes. They are made of protein. They are what build things up and break them down. They have all kinds of functions. So that peach will never become a peach without protein.

That being said, fruits and vegetables have low concentrations of protein. This does not mean they aren't extremely valuable to your diet, they just aren't the best sources of protein.

First, get the bible on allergy free cooking with Food Allergy Survival Guide, by Vesanto Melina, MS, RD [in the top ten RDs in North America], Jo Stepaniak [cooking goddess], and Dina Aronson, MS, RD [moving like a bullet to join top ten RD group]. Also, here is a link to my website and a cabbage roll recipe that will work for you: .

Second, there are so many sources of protein that do not contain gluten. For some reason people always forget the fabulous nutrition in grains. They taste great, and can be paired with all types of sauces and veggie combinations. You can add wine, juice or broth to the cooking water to change up the flavor.

Here's a partial list of gluten free grains:

Quinoa - takes 20 minutes to cook. Excellent source of protein and fiber. Aborio rice

Brown rice

Dal or split peas [green, yellow or orange]

Jasmine rice

Kasha or Buckwheat groats

Millet - 20 minutes to cook, can replace cous cous for texture

Teff

Wehani rice

Wild rice1

I think seeds are a "teff-rrific" source of many essential amino acids, but to ensure your full compliment of protein, get the sources listed here "in-grained" in your brain.

Get your own personal nutrition consultation with Marty here.

Disclaimer: The advice given here is for eductional purposes only. You should not use this information to diagnose or treat a health problem or disease without consulting with a qualified health care provider.

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