Vegan Sources of Protein

I was buying groceries last night and the cashier goes “Are you vegan?” when she saw tons of cucumbers, celery, leafy greens, fennel, etc. I was like yes. I will be juicing all these for my daily green juices. 

I briefly said it’s healthy and I’ve been juicing for over 10 years now and it’s my health insurance literally. And that I am medicine-free since 2010. 

Of course, the main question was - BUT WHERE DO YOU GET YOUR PROTEIN? I was saying - from all of that you see that I am buying here plus legumes, seeds, beans, nuts. And that’s way more than enough protein that any human needs. 

We’ve been brainwashed to believe that:

1.  Protein only comes from meat. NOT TRUE

2.  That one can’t get enough protein if we stay on a plant-based lifestyle. NOT TRUE. 

From HMI Nutrition school (www.hminutrition.com):

“According to Dr. Joel Fuhrman, the average American is consuming more than 50% of the protein they should be! What's scary is that multiple scientific studies have shown that whey supplementation can increase tumors and certain types of cancers”

- excess protein ages you!!! Have you seen people who work out so hard and also load on protein a lot too and they look “dry” kind of? 

- Excess protein getting stored as fat

- Excess protein has to be eliminated thru the kidneys and this in turn causes calcium to leach and cause kidney stones

HOW MUCH PROTEIN DO WE NEED?

From the HMI Nutrition school: 

“The Institute of Medicine recommends that adults get a minimum of 0.8 grams of protein for every kilogram of body weight per day to keep from slowly breaking down our tissues. That's 8 grams of protein for every 20 pounds of body weight, or 60 grams for a 150 pound person who is not an athlete. Some of those whey supplements have 50 grams per shake!

For example, A small 6-ounce steak has 40 grams of protein. But, it also comes with a whopping 38 grams of fat, 14 of them saturated! 

Whereas a cup of lentils provides you with 18 grams of protein, but under 1 gram of fat.”

PLANT-BASED SOURCES OF PROTEIN:

- leafy greens

- vegetables

- beans

- sprouted grains 

All these are excellent choices because they come with healthy fiber and lots of phytonutrients.

“When is the best time to eat protein?

After a workout, your body is better able to assimilate protein. Resistance exercise breaks down muscle, and an intake of amino acids is required shortly after your workout to repair and rebuild muscle. Protein also helps build enzymes that allow your body to adapt to endurance sports.

When is not a good time to consume protein?

Protein should not be consumed prior to exercise. Proteins draw water and blood into the stomach and can diminish your exercise performance. Due to increased time of gastric emptying and digestion, proteins should be eaten at least two hours before a cardio workout.”

More facts on protein as researched by the HMI Nutrition School: 

“The average American consumes about double the protein needed. To find out your average individual need:

Body weight (in pounds) X 0.4 grams = recommended protein intake (in grams). Protein needs increase for women who are pregnant or breastfeeding, and for very active people.

PROBLEMS WITH HIGH-PROTEIN DIETS:

~ Osteoporosis. High protein intake leads to urinary calcium losses. Calcium-rich plant foods include leafy green vegetables, beans, and some nuts and seeds.

~ Cancer. Certain proteins in meat, fish, and poultry, cooked at high temperatures, especially grilling and frying, produce compounds called heterocyclic amines. These substances are directly linked to various cancers including colon and breast. Long-term intake of meat is associated with a significantly increased risk of colorectal cancer.

~ Impaired Kidney Function. When people eat too much protein, it releases nitrogen into the blood or is digested and metabolized. This places a strain on the kidneys, which have to eliminate the waste through the urine. Harvard researchers reported recently that high-protein diets were associated with a significant decline in kidney function. As many as one in four adults in the United States may already have reduced kidney function, most people who have renal problems are unaware of that fact and do not realize that high-protein diets may put them at risk for further deterioration. The kidney-damaging effect was seen only with animal protein, plant protein had no harmful effect.

~ Heart Disease. High protein diets are extremely high in dietary cholesterol and saturated fat. These diets pose additional risks to the heart, including an increased risk for heart problems immediately following a meal. Evidence indicates that meals high in saturated fat adversely affect the compliance of arteries, increasing the risk of heart attacks.”

Vegetable Proteins Can Stand Alone, Dennis Gordon, M.Ed,R.D., Journal of the American Dietetic Association, (March 1996, Volume 96, Issue 3), pp. 230-231

Complementary Protein Myth Won't Go Away!, Jeff Novick, M.S., R.D., Healthy Times (May 2003)

Young VR, Pellett PL (1994). "Plant proteins in relation to human protein and amino acid nutrition" (PDF). The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition 59 (5 Suppl): 1203S-1212S. PMID 8172124.”

SOURCE- www.hminutrition.com