As Sapna Von Reich’s parents aged and became mired in health problems, including type 2 diabetes, the family decided a main culprit was the sugary, dairy-laden, fried snacks and sweets common in their Indian culture.
So, in 2010, Von Reich’s younger sister enrolled herself and their parents in a three-week plant-based foods program designed to reverse the effects of diabetes. They lost weight and returned to good health, inspiring Von Reich to change her own diet. She signed up for a 21-Day Vegan Kickstart program offered by the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine. By the end of it, she’d lost 10 pounds, her migraines disappeared and her energy levels rocketed.
Soon thereafter, Von Reich became a certified Food for Life instructor through the organization and began teaching nutrition and cooking classes online and in Fort Collins, Windsor and Loveland for adults and kids. She also provides one-on-one coaching to help people meal prep, cook on a budget and more.
Eating a plant-based diet is good for you, as her family’s experience shows. Plenty of studies show that following a vegan or vegetarian diet lowers your risk of developing type 2 diabetes, heart disease and some cancers. But it’s also a tricky diet to follow to get the full health benefits, and there are many choices that can take you in the wrong direction.
Sarah’s Sandwich, Rainbow Restaurant, Fort Collins. Photo by Fiona Holden Photo.
Making the most of a vegan diet
Kelley Preston, a Greeley-based registered dietician nutritionist, says vegan diets aren’t just about avoiding animal products.
“Crackers and fake cheese (from nutritional yeast or cashews) aren’t enough to sustain a healthy diet; you need to consume a lot of fruits and veggies,” Preston says. “The daily volume is one-and-a-half to two-and-a-half cups of fruit and two to three-and-a-half cups of vegetables, which is healthy for any diet.”
It’s easy to think about foods as healthy because they’re vegan, but that’s a common mistake, Preston says.
“If you’re eating french fries, that’s technically vegan, but if they’re fried in peanut oil, that’s not very good for you,” she says. “A vegan chocolate cake is not necessarily better for you than a non-vegan one.”
The biggest issue, she says, is consuming ultra-processed foods, a problem with any diet because they are linked to poor health.
“If a food is high in salt, fat, sugar or other processed ingredients to give it the right flavor or texture, that defeats the purpose of the diet in the first place,” Preston says.
The Food for Life program considers high amounts of oil off limits, so Von Reich recommends keeping oil use to a minimum.
“With 120 calories per tablespoon, oil is empty calories,” she says.
A slice of vegan, gluten-free lemon lavender cheesecake, Tasty Harmony, Fort Collins.
Added sugars are also off the table because they can contribute to obesity, heart disease, diabetes and other health problems, according to the American Heart Association. Von Reich prefers sweetening her dishes—even pancakes and baked goods—with whole food sweeteners such as dates. Using moderate amounts of maple syrup and honey are OK, she says, but they are still sources of sugar.
The American Heart Association advises against consuming more than nine teaspoons of added sugar per day for men and no more than six teaspoons per day for women. Keep in mind that four grams of sugar equal one teaspoon. Von Reich recommends reading nutrition labels and dividing the amount of sugar by four to determine the number of teaspoons in a packaged product.
“It’s hard to avoid sugar because it is added to processed foods under different names, so manufacturers don’t have to use the word ‘sugar.’ In fact, there are at least 55 different names for sugar products, which can confuse consumers,” she says.
Preston notes that other challenges of a plant-based diet include getting enough daily vitamins and minerals. For example, flaxseed contains omega-3 fatty acids, but the body’s process to convert it into a usable form is less efficient than if you get it from salmon. Another example is Vitamin B, which is required for energy. Vitamin B12 is mainly available in animal products, so vegans should take a supplement or get it from nutritional yeast or fortified cereal. Iron is also readily available in animal proteins, whereas non-animal sources that contain iron, like oatmeal, require Vitamin C to help the body absorb it.
What to eat
Preston and Von Reich say there are plenty of ways to follow a vegan diet successfully. Sticking to hallmarks—whole, plant-based foods such as fruits, vegetables, whole grains, nuts, seeds and legumes (beans, lentils and peas)—prepared with healthy fats make the diet relatively straightforward.
Walnuts, almonds and flaxseed (which must be ground into meal for absorption) are considered healthy fats and are good oil substitutions that can enrich a meal.
“You will also get high amounts of omega-3 fatty acids from them,” Von Reich says.
Von Reich prefers brown rice over white rice because of its higher vitamin and iron content. You can drink orange juice to get Vitamin D (or directly source it from sunshine) or take a supplement, Preston says.
Other nutrients, like calcium, are also absorbed in different ways.
“Females need more calcium for bone health, and it’s more bioavailable from animal products, but you can get it by eating some greens, nuts or supplements,” Preston says.
When dining out, Von Reich says she can usually find menu items that meet her lifestyle choice.
“I call the restaurant and ask about vegan options or research the menu beforehand, or if I’m with family, I’ll ask the server,” she says. “There’s always a salad if I don’t order the cheese—there is oil and vinegar dressing—and Mexican restaurants have beans and tortillas. They’re happy to oblige.”
Food for Life instructor Sapna Von Reich works with kids while they chop fresh vegetables in a Comfort Foods class.
Two longstanding Fort Collins eateries have maintained plant-based menus that attract a loyal following. At Tasty Harmony, Sacha Steinhauser, a raw foods and vegan chef, designs the scratch-made, 100-percent vegan menu.
“From house-made mayonnaise using tofu as an egg substitute, we’re always trying to reinvent,” says his wife, Jill.
Open since 2009, the Steinhausers have always focused on healing through food, says Jill, a massage therapist, birth doula and yoga teacher. They’re open for lunch and dinner, with a creative menu that reinterprets favorites such as poutine, nachos, wings, burgers and sandwiches (there’s even a version of a Reuben with charbroiled tempeh).
Big plates at Tasty Harmony include a buffalo mac ’n cheese made with fried cauliflower and garlicky greens, a coconut curry with tofu or tempeh and an oyster mushroom linguine with a creamy cashew alfredo sauce and fried leeks. Another staple is the black and blue burger with a house-made patty blackened with Cajun seasoning, vegan blue cheese, onion rings and roasted jalapeño.
Rainbow Restaurant is also popular among vegans and vegetarians, as it evolved from a burgers-and-fries joint dating back to the ’40s into a natural foods restaurant when Lin Washecka purchased it in 1976. The menu features classic breakfast dishes (with eggs and bacon) alongside vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free choices.
Try their green chili breakfast burrito or migas with scrambled eggs, tofu or tempeh. At lunchtime, enjoy the veggie-packed bounty bowl, the pesto BLT (there’s a vegan option with tempeh) or the coconut curry with a choice of tofu, tempeh or chicken.
Lin’s husband and co-owner, Steve Jones, says Washecka’s degree in nutrition helps guide the menu—plus, she’s vegetarian. Today, he is vegan and Lin is nearly so. Still, the couple decided they couldn’t abandon some ingredients, like bacon and chicken, because of their loyal, meat-eating customers.
“It seemed like the right way to go,” Jones says. “We’ve developed an ethic about how animals are treated and where our place is in the world as humans. For me, it’s a moral choice. I don’t have to use animals and their impact on the land without sacrificing the taste and enjoyment of food.”
OTHER PLANT-BASED Options
Taste Local, Loveland
The scratch menu at this breakfast and lunch mainstay follows the seasons and what’s available from area purveyors. Sweet tooths can choose from orange polenta cakes topped with ginger mascarpone cream or the sweet potato waffle, while savory lovers can enjoy the sweet potato hash with shaved Brussels sprouts and house-made seitan or avocado protein. For lunch, the Fun Gi sandwich is a tasty choice, with grilled lion’s mane mushrooms, a cardamom garlic spread and sprouts served on multigrain bread.
Sala Thai, Windsor and Greeley
Sala Thai serves a traditional, fusion and modern Thai menu with vegan, dairy-free and gluten-free options. Entrees and curries come with a choice of tofu and plentiful fresh vegetables. Order the glass noodles with a melange of veggies, or try the Thai noodles (wide rice noodles), which are served with tofu, bean sprouts, house sauce and lettuce.
Young’s Cafe, Fort Collins
Owned by the same family since 1987, Young’s Cafe serves Vietnamese cuisine drawn from both Chinese and French influences. Traditional bowls have vermicelli noodles, bean sprouts, cucumber, lettuce and carrots with a tofu option. Request a special dipping sauce made without fish to stay within vegan guidelines. Another popular dish is the basil eggplant with shiitake mushrooms, bell pepper and onions in a basil sauce served alongside steamed rice.
Bawarchi Biryanis, Fort Collins
Visit Bawarchi Biryanis for pan-Indian cuisine served in a fast casual setting with a variety of vegetarian appetizers and entrees, including Amaravathi vegetable masala cooked in Bawarchi’s special sauce with ground spices and herbs and vegetable biryani. Dal Tadka, made with yellow lentils sautéed with onions, tomatoes and spices, is a delicious vegan option.
