Dani is a Registered Dietitian who completed her undergraduate degree at Oregon State, her masters at Northeastern, and her dietetic residency at Alta Bates Summit Hospital in Oakland, CA. Her background is split between geriatric care and sports nutrition, having worked in both nursing homes and athletic facilities. Without further ado, here’s our featured Q&A this month.
Can you compare and contrast a fully vegan vs a Mediterranean Diet?
Let’s start by defining these diets! A vegan diet excludes all animal products. A Mediterranean diet (MD), per the American Heart Association, is “a generic term based on the traditional eating habits in the countries bordering the Mediterranean Sea.” An MD typically includes plenty of produce, olives and olive oil as a primary fat source, whole grains, seafood, and legumes, with eggs, dairy, and poultry being a smaller part of the diet (though not off-limits). An objective differentiator lies here: an MD includes small amounts of animal products 2-3 servings of seafood per week. On the surface, a vegan diet may seem more limited in options, though ultimately, diet quality plays a huge factor in health. A balanced vegan meal, like those served by Thistle, is a different vegan experience than a meal composed of rice and potatoes — both are vegan, though the second mostly includes carbohydrates while the other includes all three macronutrients (and micronutrients!).
Do Thistle meals include omega 3 fats? How can I include more omega 3 fats in my diet?
Currently, a major source of omega-3 fats isn't an ingredient Thistle chooses to include—fatty fish, which are very rich in EPA and DHA (omega-3 fatty acids). We include some plant sources of omega-3 fats (called ALA fatty acids), including seaweed, chia seeds, and walnuts. We also like to include a mix of oils in our meals, which contribute different fatty acid profiles. Olive oil and high oleic sunflower oil contribute large portions of omega-9 fats, which provide anti-inflammatory effects like omega-3 fats! To add more omega-3 fats to your meals outside of Thistle meals, you can consider fatty fish/fish oil or a vegan substitute called algae oil.
Can you tell me more about textured vegetable protein (TVP)? How is it made, and is it healthy? Does Thistle use this ingredient?
TVP is made from soybeans, which are first heated or chemically treated to release soybean oil. This oil is separated out, leaving a high-protein flour or paste. The end product is used to create TVP. From a nutritional standpoint, 1 cup, or 68 grams, of TVP provides 35 grams of complete protein and 12 grams of fiber, along with hefty doses of micronutrients like copper, magnesium, folate, and thiamin. Thistle does not currently use this ingredient, though we do use pea protein, which includes just one ingredient—peas!
What Thistle meals or snacks are best for treating high cholesterol?
To help treat high cholesterol, it's best to choose meals and snacks high in soluble fiber and monounsaturated fats. Look for options with oats, vegetables, fruits, legumes, olives, olive oil, and some nuts and seeds. Soluble fiber is great because it binds to excess cholesterol and helps your body excrete it. Foods rich in plant sterols and stanols, like whole grains, cruciferous vegetables, nuts, and seeds, are also excellent because they reduce how much cholesterol your body absorbs.
Any Thistle meal is a good choice for managing cholesterol, thanks to our focus on including 12-15 grams of fiber per meal. If you're trying to limit saturated fat, you might want to avoid snacks or meals with a lot of coconut or chocolate. Other than that, our meals should align nicely with your goal of reducing LDL cholesterol levels!
Why do I feel more hunger in the afternoon? What can I eat to feel more satiety throughout the day?
This may depend on many factors and is likely best explored with a personal doctor and dietitian! Some factors that might contribute include what you eat earlier in the day (think: a muffin for breakfast vs. a tofu scramble with potatoes and veggies—the former will likely leave you hungry sooner than the fiber and protein-rich second option), what your activity looks like (you may feel differences in your hunger around a workout, for example), and what your habits look like (i.e., are you "trained" to eat more in the afternoon? Does your brain anticipate it, and are you eating out of physical or mental hunger?). These are great questions to discuss with your medical care team. To quell this, you can consider adding fiber and protein during the morning and to any afternoon snacks you may have. These two components promote satiety. Examples of high-protein, high-fiber meals include Thistle salads (with veggies and legumes), scrambled eggs with fruit on the side, stir fry with edamame, and Greek yogurt with nuts and seeds.
Dani is a Registered Dietitian who completed her undergraduate degree at Oregon State, her masters at Northeastern, and her dietetic residency at Alta Bates Summit Hospital in Oakland, CA. Her background is split between geriatric care and sports nutrition, having worked in both nursing homes and athletic facilities. Without further ado, here’s our featured Q&A this month.
Can you compare and contrast a fully vegan vs a Mediterranean Diet?
Let’s start by defining these diets! A vegan diet excludes all animal products. A Mediterranean diet (MD), per the American Heart Association, is “a generic term based on the traditional eating habits in the countries bordering the Mediterranean Sea.” An MD typically includes plenty of produce, olives and olive oil as a primary fat source, whole grains, seafood, and legumes, with eggs, dairy, and poultry being a smaller part of the diet (though not off-limits). An objective differentiator lies here: an MD includes small amounts of animal products 2-3 servings of seafood per week. On the surface, a vegan diet may seem more limited in options, though ultimately, diet quality plays a huge factor in health. A balanced vegan meal, like those served by Thistle, is a different vegan experience than a meal composed of rice and potatoes — both are vegan, though the second mostly includes carbohydrates while the other includes all three macronutrients (and micronutrients!).
Do Thistle meals include omega 3 fats? How can I include more omega 3 fats in my diet?
Currently, a major source of omega-3 fats isn't an ingredient Thistle chooses to include—fatty fish, which are very rich in EPA and DHA (omega-3 fatty acids). We include some plant sources of omega-3 fats (called ALA fatty acids), including seaweed, chia seeds, and walnuts. We also like to include a mix of oils in our meals, which contribute different fatty acid profiles. Olive oil and high oleic sunflower oil contribute large portions of omega-9 fats, which provide anti-inflammatory effects like omega-3 fats! To add more omega-3 fats to your meals outside of Thistle meals, you can consider fatty fish/fish oil or a vegan substitute called algae oil.
Can you tell me more about textured vegetable protein (TVP)? How is it made, and is it healthy? Does Thistle use this ingredient?
TVP is made from soybeans, which are first heated or chemically treated to release soybean oil. This oil is separated out, leaving a high-protein flour or paste. The end product is used to create TVP. From a nutritional standpoint, 1 cup, or 68 grams, of TVP provides 35 grams of complete protein and 12 grams of fiber, along with hefty doses of micronutrients like copper, magnesium, folate, and thiamin. Thistle does not currently use this ingredient, though we do use pea protein, which includes just one ingredient—peas!
What Thistle meals or snacks are best for treating high cholesterol?
To help treat high cholesterol, it's best to choose meals and snacks high in soluble fiber and monounsaturated fats. Look for options with oats, vegetables, fruits, legumes, olives, olive oil, and some nuts and seeds. Soluble fiber is great because it binds to excess cholesterol and helps your body excrete it. Foods rich in plant sterols and stanols, like whole grains, cruciferous vegetables, nuts, and seeds, are also excellent because they reduce how much cholesterol your body absorbs.
Any Thistle meal is a good choice for managing cholesterol, thanks to our focus on including 12-15 grams of fiber per meal. If you're trying to limit saturated fat, you might want to avoid snacks or meals with a lot of coconut or chocolate. Other than that, our meals should align nicely with your goal of reducing LDL cholesterol levels!
Why do I feel more hunger in the afternoon? What can I eat to feel more satiety throughout the day?
This may depend on many factors and is likely best explored with a personal doctor and dietitian! Some factors that might contribute include what you eat earlier in the day (think: a muffin for breakfast vs. a tofu scramble with potatoes and veggies—the former will likely leave you hungry sooner than the fiber and protein-rich second option), what your activity looks like (you may feel differences in your hunger around a workout, for example), and what your habits look like (i.e., are you "trained" to eat more in the afternoon? Does your brain anticipate it, and are you eating out of physical or mental hunger?). These are great questions to discuss with your medical care team. To quell this, you can consider adding fiber and protein during the morning and to any afternoon snacks you may have. These two components promote satiety. Examples of high-protein, high-fiber meals include Thistle salads (with veggies and legumes), scrambled eggs with fruit on the side, stir fry with edamame, and Greek yogurt with nuts and seeds.
