Top of the morning to you, loves! Let's finish our Protein conversation, shall we?
If you ever wondered about this or had someone as you personally: "So, where do vegans get their protein?" you might want to read on. However, make sure that you read Part I of
Where do You get Protein? {Vegan} first. [Both, this current installment and the last article will also help any questions about protein source for anyone doing a Daniel Fast.]
Let's get to it! But first, check out what vegan protein does for my husband's muscle growth:
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| thanks to my husband for modeling :) |
Which foods are good sources of Protein?
The amazing part of the answer is that most plants have some protein in them. It is truly unfortunate that the dairy and the meat companies along with media created this myth that the only true source of protein we have is animal products.
History proves that it was not always so. Actually, it was not until the beginning of the 20th century, as the wages started to go up and employment was not as scarce as it was for centuries passed, that a common man was even able to afford such luxury foods as eggs, milk, cheeses and, especially meat. When I was growing up overseas, we did not have meat in every meal we consumed. Most of our meals were plant based and only occasionally did we have a chicken to share among the entire family in a week’s time. Milk was more readily available, but dairy products, such as cheeses, were more of a special occasion treat. Interestingly enough we were no sicker than the Americans. On the contrary, the population of our country was slimmer, with less coronary related diseases, and very few cancer cases compared to the American statistics. The allergies were not very common as well as obesity was almost an unknown phenomenon.
So, where did we get our protein? Are you ready for the answer?! Same place animals do, of course—Plants!
It is almost naïve to think that animals, somehow miraculously covert sunshine or air into protein in their bodies. The animals eat grass (for the most part, or at least they should, as God intended it), and then their bodies extract needed nutrients to make protein, just like ours do. So, as you can see, we can, in fact, get a better quality protein by skipping the middle “man”, by going straight to the source.
Here are just a few sources that will give you an idea of where to look for protein: oatmeal, brown rice, peas, lentils, legumes, nuts, dark colored greens, etc. Just to give you an idea of how easy it is to get your daily protein intake, here is a comparison between animal and plant protein:
100 calories (about 1.5 oz.) of steak has 13 grams of protein
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| steak, aka dead, decaying, hard to digest flesh |
• 100 calories (15 oz.) of spinach has 12 grams of protein
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| rich in enzymes, living, vitamin rich food, 100% digestible |
• 100 calories (2 tablespoons) of raw chickpeas has 5 grams of protein
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| delicious, warming, rich in fiber |
• Sweet fruit averages about 4-8% protein
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| delicious, irresistible droplets of pleasure, rich in enzymes |
• Leafy greens and veggies are about 15 to 20% protein
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| you can chews on 'em, or drink them |
• Sprouts [the most digestible source of protein] are up to 35% protein of their content
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| eat them in a sandwich, or top your favorite salad with them: Delicious! |
So, next time you start worrying about your protein needs being met, think about the simplest most digestible form of protein available—plant protein; skip the middle “man” (animal products) and get straight to the source.
How much protein should we eat each day?
The average American consumes 15-20% of protein, which is much higher than the recommended daily allowance (RDA) of 10%. 10% dietary protein is equivalent to eating about 50-60 grams of protein per day. The national average of 15-16% is about 70-100 grams of protein.
World Health Organizations recommends only 5% of calorie intake as protein, 6% for pregnant women and 7% for women who are nursing. By these figures, even if you are an avid athlete and are burning 3,000 calories a day, you need only around 37 grams of protein. By looking at the figures I have provided above you can easily realize how effortless it is to get all the protein you need in just a few servings of plant foods.
These days, most people suffer from protein overdose, resulting in many of our modern day illnesses. If you’re interested in reading more on the subject, read
The China Study by T. Colin Campbell.
As far as I know, and I have studied this subject extensively and applied it in my own life, there is more than ample protein in the raw/vegan food diet.
Is too much protein bad for you?
Glad that you asked! It is a question that begs to be answered, especially following the statements I had just made.
The only harmful protein that you can consume is animal protein. The more you consume of it, the more risk you are placing yourself in and making yourself more susceptible to various diseases, such as coronary diseases, autoimmune diseases, diabetes, various forms of cancer, skin problems, hormone imbalances, etc.
On the other hand, studies have shown (refer to
The China Study) that plant protein, regardless of how much of it you consume, is not harmful at all. It is also important to note that when we consume whole plant based diet (i.e. unprocessed and as close to its natural state as possible) it is almost impossible to overeat on any give nutrient. From my observation and personal experience I find it altogether impossible. The rich content of fiber, enzymes, vitamins, nutrients and minerals makes you feel full faster, thus preventing overeating.
Protein conversion
Protein, when consumed, is converted by our bodies into energy. The process can be likened to gas to energy conversion in cars. The cleaner the gas the less toxicity is involved. As with cars, you don’t want any toxic residue staying behind in your body and poisoning you from within. To avoid toxic pollution internally you have to take the cleanest form of protein possible—plant protein.
On a plant based diet, since protein intake is cleaner and less in quantity than average intake on SAD (Standard American Diet) the body is able to operate more efficiently and utilize every bit of protein you give it. If you do not agree with me, just think about all Thanksgiving dinners you have been to, where animal protein is to be the king. Instead of becoming more energetic after eating all turkey and ham imaginable, the pants and belts get loosened, happy eaters slide back in their seats to give room for air to get into their lungs, and go into “protein” coma. Their bodies work extra hard to push the dead weight (pun intended) of animal flesh down to their stomach, where it sits anywhere between 4-7 hours and then into the intestinal tract. I don’t know about you, but I can hardly call this kind of protein “life giving”. Living foods, such as vegetables and greens, take less than an hour to pass through your stomach and head on into the intestinal tract.
Another thing you should consider is the design of the human body. Our gastro-intestinal tract is long and increases the transit time of food from the time of its intake to the time of its disposal. If foods are consumed that are devoid of fiber, such as animal food, we end up with a lot of putrefaction—rotting of animal protein our bodies are trying to digest.
Pick quality Protein sources!!!
Bottom Line
The bottom line is that you don’t need to consume flesh foods (that included dairy as well) to meet your protein needs. Eat foods that make sense—foods that are easily digestible and are easy to eliminate; foods that will give you energy instead of foods that will deprive you of energy. Think long-term, not immediate pleasure.
Parting Thought
Animal protein, such as found in milk, is only 50% digestible by the human body. Plant and human protein, such as found in breast milk, is 100% digestible. You do the math what's best for you! I know what works for us :)!
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| 100% vegan! 100% healthy! 100% beautiful! |
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