Hello

[missjas]

Hello,

I am new to BAV and SF... I have been a pesca for a year and recently made the switch to a veg but having a hard time finding good food that fills you up but not overhelmed with carbs. Any ideas?

[tammy]

Welcome to the Bay Area and to BAV

Funny you should ask about carbs .. did you see the column in our January newsletter about carbs and foods?

Check it out here
http://www.bayareaveg.org/newsletters/BAV-News-Jan2008.htm#recipes

Cheers,
Tammy

[AndrewZ]

Welcome! There is a lot of confusion surrounding carbs, mostly because most people only know about "bad" or "simple" carbs (white pasta, rice and flour, and processed sugar).

Carbs from whole grains (brown rice, whole wheat or brown rice pasta, whole-grain flour) are actually good for you, so you can eat them without worry. For sweeteners, less-refined foods such as agave nectar, brown rice and maple syrup are good choices.

Simple carbs are digested unnaturally quickly, wreaking havoc with your blood sugar levels, whereas complex carbs are digested slowly, stabilizing blood sugar levels and providing energy, while providing healthy fiber and natural nutrients.

In summary, stick with whole grains and you'll be set. If you still want to reduce carbs, you'll probably need to substitute vegetables for them. For instance, you can use spaghetti squash in place of pasta.

You may also want to check out www.NutritionMD.org, and read the book "Becoming Vegan" for excellent information about vegan nutrition.

Andrew