Secrets of Vegan Protein for Healthy Living

A variety of vegan protein sources is essential for those who don't eat meat.

After water, protein is the second largest contributor to body weight. Protein is in our body including our skin, tendons, glands, muscles, hair, and fingernails.

It is possible to get all of one's sources of protein from the natural world without violence or losing nutrients through cooking.

The FDA recommends that 10% of daily calorie intake come from protein and that a variety of protein sources are consumed to get all 20 amino acids.

The body produces 10 out of the 20 amino acids which build protein in our bodies. A variety of protein sources are important because different combinations produce different protein structures.

The amino acids produced by our bodies, the non-essential amino acids, are: alanine, arginine, asparagine, aspartic acid, glutamic acid, glutamine, glycine, praline, serine, and taurine.

The amino acids we need from outside sources, essential amino acids, include: phenylalanine, valine, tryptophan, threonine, isoleucine, methionine, histidine, arginine, leucine, lysine.

Many vegetables are made up of 10% or more of protein. The best way to get enough vegan protein is to eat a variety of vegetables. By eating lots of vegetables, especially leafy greens, which are 10% or more protein, and it will be easy to consume 10% or more of daily calories from protein.

A microbiologist I spoke to recently says the easiest way to get a complete source of vegan protein is to eat grains and beans at the same meal. Together, these two provide the same combination of amino acids as a piece of chicken, the full spectrum of amino-acids needed to thrive.

Soy protein is a complete source of amino acids.

Other plants high in protein include lentils, yellow peas, nuts, beans, seeds and other vegetables.

Soy as a Source of Vegan Protein

Soy protein is a unique source of vegan protein because it is one of the only vegetables which contain all essential amino acids. It may be important to include soy in a vegetarian or vegan diet to ensure that the synthesis of protein is optimized.

Studies done on soy have found that it reduces risk of cancer. Soy is a source of isoflavones, a type of phytoestrogen. Phytoestrogens are structures similar to estrogen but produced outside of our body. Isoflavones are believed to decrease rates of breast cancer.

However, high levels of soy given to mice has caused higher rates of cancer as well as abnormal growth of breast tissue in males.

This evidence concludes that it is essential to consume soy in moderation. If one is consuming a variety of fresh vegetables one needs only include a little bit of soy in the diet.

Meat as a Protein Source

Animal products are not necessarily the best source of protein for health. It has long been tradition for one's main sources of protein to be from animal products. Meat, milk and eggs have long been the traditional sources of protein.

For those of you who are meat-eaters, try not eating meat for one week to feel a difference. Eating meat puts a huge amount of stress on the digestive system. Physiologically humans are more similar to herbivorous animals than meat eaters.

Biological Reasons Why Humans are Vegetarians

Physiologically humans are more similar to herbivorous animals than meat eaters.

1. Stomach acidity - Our stomach has a ph of 4 or 5 with food in it, the same as herbivores and less acidic than carnivores or omnivores with a ph of 1.

2. Saliva - Our saliva has carbohydrate digesting enzymes. So does the saliva of herbivores but the saliva of omnivores and carnivores do not.

3. Shape of Intestines - Our intestines are 10 to 12 times the length of our body. The intestines of met eating animals are 3 to 6 times the body length. Our intestines are predisposed to fermenting food, fermented animal products are detrimental to our health.

4. Cholesterol - Humans have no dietary need for cholesterol because our body naturally produces as much as we need. Plant based diets contain no cholesterol. Cholesterol is responsible for many health problems.

5. Claws and Teeth - Meat eaters have very sharp teeth and claws for hunting their prey and tearing through hides and flesh. Humans have flattened nails like herbivorous animals who also have flattened nails or blunt hooves. Humans are not naturally equipped with tools for hunting.

6. Mouth Opening vs. Head Size - Humans have a small mouth opening to head size ratio compared to animals who eat meat.

7. Thermostasis - Humans cool themselves with perspiration unlike hyperventilation, the way in which meat eaters cool themselves.

Source: Comparative Anatomy and Taxonomy http://www.tierversuchsgegner.org/wiki/index.php?title=Taxonomy

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