In Western society, we are conditioned to believe that the only real sources of protein are from chicken, eggs, meat and fish. I will explode the myths surrounding protein and also cover some dangers of a high-protein diet. Of course I am not suggesting that you should completely give up fry-ups, steak dinners, and scrambled eggs. These meals are so much part of most peoples lifestyles, but lets just think beyond the messages that food advertisers have conditioned us to believe.
The Myth Of Animal Protein
In modern society protein is being classed as the wonder nutrient. The teaching is you can never have too much protein. High-protein, low-carb diet programmes are enjoying a steep rise in popularity in conjunction with a mass of protein supplements, bars, snacks and shakes popping up in stores everywhere. Is this just good marketing or do we really need to focus on protein over the other essential macronutrients of fat and carbohydrates for optimal health?
Protein is certainly an extremely important part of our diet. It is without doubt needed for growth and repair in our bodies and for the production of enzymes, hormones and antibodies. It helps to improve calcium absorption, making it an integral part of bone health, and it helps to improve muscle strength repairing torn muscle fibres that get damaged through exercise and daily wear and tear. There is a group of eight essential amino acids that cannot be stored in the body and must be consumed in our diets on a daily basis. These form together in various sequences to build the proteins needed for the many everyday biochemical processes in our bodies.
the amounts of protein needed in a normal healthy person each day tend to be seriously overestimatedFish, chicken and eggs are heavily promoted as the only real protein source for building a strong body. But we cannot expect that eating meat will simply turn directly into muscle in our bodies. First it has to be broken down into amino acids before they can be rebuilt into the protein chains needed by humans.
However, the amounts of protein needed in a normal healthy person each day tend to be seriously overestimated. The W.H.O recommends protein should consist of just 10% of daily calories or 0.8g protein per kg of body weight. This translates as around 56g of protein a day for a 75kg man, and 48g for a 64kg woman. Plant foods easily contain enough protein once caloric needs are met: the average protein level in pulses for instance is 27% of calories, in nuts and seeds its 13% and in grains 12%.
cows don’t eat meat, eggs, chicken or protein powder to grow big, strong, produce gallons of milk and a healthy calf every yearPlant Protien
On a 100 per cent plant-based diet is to find out where to get your protein from,
Realisation comes when you consider cows don’t eat meat, eggs, chicken or protein powder to grow big and strong, produce gallons of milk and a healthy calf every year. The most physically powerful animals on earth are all plant-eaters, even up to mans closest relatives the gorilla - the strongest animal on earth, pound for pound, and a vegetarian by nature and design.
Plants contain twice the amount of protein as beef: broccoli has approximately 11.1g of protein per 100 calories and beef has just 6.4g in comparison. Green vegetables also come in a nutritionally perfect package of fibre, phytonutrients, antioxidants and essential fatty acids. Sure you need to eat more vegetables but you will be benefiting from the extra nutrients that meat and eggs lack and have the additional benefits of limiting the amount of saturated fat and cholesterol you consume.
Clinical trials show eating a plant-based diet appeared to so dramatically improve cancer defencesPlants can also help to control the ageing process, whereas meat, eggs, chicken and milk contain insulin-like growth factor (IGF-1) which has been shown to cause faster body cell proliferation, and also act as a mechanism for cancer tumour growth and age us quicker. Clinical trials show eating a plant-based diet appeared to so dramatically improve cancer defences within just a matter of weeks because it does not contain IGF-1.
Additional Sources
Apart from leafy green vegetables plant protein sources that also contain the essential amino acids include beans, hummus, nuts and seeds, nut butters, quinoa, sprouts, tofu, tempeh and nutritional yeast. There are also some high-quality raw vegan protein powder supplements made from brown rice protein and hemp seed for those that feel they need the extra boost or after exercise. But all whole plant foods contain amino acids and if you’re eating sufficient calories on a daily basis, then you will consume enough protein for your needs and importantly in the correct amounts. That’s plants for you.
There is a new found appreciation of the importance of diet in determining your level of health and it is widely accepted that certain dietary regimes are integral in both contributing to and preventing a myriad of diseases. Of course, plenty of people still love the taste of meat and eggs, plus dietary preferences are very much wrapped up in habit, familial and cultural traditions.
But my experience says, simply educating friends and family on alternative protein sources and the levels of protein they really require can make a big difference to their meal choices and long-term health. It really comes down to encouraging others to reconsider what they have always believed about nutrition and to begin to think beyond the powerful force of food marketing.
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