Where Do You Get Your Protein on a Plant-Based Diet?
~ by Tera Warner
“Where do you get your protein!?” This is by far the question people ask me the most. Questions like this are classic for revealing that we actually know very little about protein, at all.
What’s the big deal about protein? Most people talk about “protein,” but what we should be addressing are the amino acids ~ the building blocks of protein. Whenever we digest foods that contain protein, it has to be broken down into amino acids, and peptides.
Getting Enough Protein? Too Much?
A protein is really just a huge compound containing hundreds of thousands of amino acids connected in very complex ways. Protein is one of the three macronutrients we consume. In many ways, it doesn’t really make sense that we are so concerned about our protein. Take a look at the gorilla, a close genetic relative to humans and a creature with a very similar anatomical structure, and you’ll see that it’s perfectly possible to get sufficient protein on a plant-based diet. I mean, look at the elephant. No one would say that animal is missing any protein, and the elephant feeds almost exclusively on leaves!
Now, while you’re not an elephant, your body’s anatomical structure is a lot closer to that of the gorillas, it’s still a fascinating observation. Plants can definitely provide enough protein. If you’re getting enough calories in general and eating a wide variety of wholesome, natural foods, there’s no reason you should worry about protein at all!
In fact, your body actively recycles protein. People who reduce their protein intake often need to eat a lot less protein because they recycle their protein much more efficiently. On a regular basis, you will excrete protein from your dying cells in your gut and then reabsorb those proteins. You also have some protein/amino acids secreted in your bile and you reabsorb that. As well, you have enzymes, secreted by your pancreas, and all those digestive enzymes are made of protein, which you reabsorb. So you are very good at recycling your protein and therefore don’t need that much; especially if your intake is fairly low.
Where Do You Get Your Protein?
All plant materials contain amino acids, with no exceptions, and therefore, there should never be a lack of amino acids in your diet. However, watery greens have much less protein (2 – 3% of total calories) than cruciferous vegetables (such as cauliflower, cabbage, Brussel sprouts, or broccoli), which have about 10% of their calories coming from protein (which is exactly what the food and drug administration recommends). Green leafy vegetables even have a higher percentage of calories coming from protein.
When getting protein, it’s better to be in the form of amino acids which are easier to digest. So we don’t really want protein, we want amino acids. Of course some of the reasons many of us choose not to consume our protein from animal sources is because of the negative consequences (including cortisol, putrefaction, toxicity, ammonia, acids, loss of minerals, etc.), as well as increased toxin creation within the animal meat, such as many nitrates, nitrosamines, and nitrites, created during the cooking and preparation of meat.
Nonessential amino acids are far more important than the essential ones. Nevertheless, we do need to get a certain amount of essential ones, and it is easy to get them from green leafy vegetables, legumes, some grains, broccoli, cauliflower, nuts and seeds. They have adequate amounts of amino acids in them for everyone’s needs if you eat a sufficient amount of them.
What About Protein for Children?
The recommended daily allowance for Americans is between 46 grams and 53 grams, but most people average 100 grams a day. The World Health Organization recommends protein as only 6% of the total caloric intake.
For children, it still goes by percentage of body weight or by percentage of calories received through protein as a part of the diet. Even mother’s milk has very little protein.
So as long as children are consuming enough calories, and as long as they don’t have metabolic disorders or a lack of appetite as a result of a neurological imbalance, they shouldn’t have a problem getting sufficient protein for all of their needs.
What About Protein Powders?
Most protein powders used in muscle-buffing sports drinks contain “whey protein isolate.” Whey protein isolate can possibly damage the kidneys, cause allergic reactions, increase cancer risk, and prostate disease in men. Building muscle does not require tons of protein. (Gorillas and elephants are 100% vegan and are far stronger than any human being.)
You don’t need to add fancy things to your smoothies, or pump up your salads with protein powders. Just eat what makes sense, according to nature, and observe the results yourself when you start eliminating excess protein from your diet. You can add whole hemp seeds or spirulina powder to your smoothies if you want to boost your protein quotient. .
Make gradual changes to your diet. Add whole foods, juices, and smoothies, at a rate that works for you. Be nice to yourself as you make the changes. Listen to your body for what it needs. Your organs don’t have voice boxes. But they do speak to you by how you feel. Listen to your body, and when you choose simple foods from Nature, then trust you’re on the right track.
No one is saying that a plant-based diet has to be right for you, but before you decide it is or it isn’t, give plants a chance and see how you feel. Ultimately at the end of the day, that’s what’s more important!