By far the most common question I hear is:
“If I don’t eat meat, or so much meat, where do I get my protein?” Sounds familiar?
Let’s get to the point: the search for protein. I am a simple girl, so I ask simple questions. I don’t make it complicated, the complicated confuses me and the last thing I need is to be more confused. That is a scary thought.
Just for smiles and giggles, let’s have fun with protein and see if my common sense speaks to your common sense.
8 very simple questions about protein:
Common Sense Protein Question # 1: “Do elephants eat hamburgers?”
As you know, protein is used for growth, among many other things. Like the growth of muscles. Have you ever heard of an elephant, giraffe, ape, cow, or horse eating hamburgers, chicken, fish, or even protein drinks to get enough protein to build big muscles? Of course not.
If elephants can eat plant foods for a lot of protein, we can also do so with our relatively small muscles and bodies.
# 2 Common Sense Protein Question: “Do elephants have to mix and match plant foods to get a ‘complete protein’?”
Yeah, of course. I can only see it now. An elephant that makes sure to eat the right plant foods to get the right mix of protein. I do not believe it.
My brain says: if they don’t have to mix and match, neither do we.
# 3 Common Sense Protein Question: “But aren’t we different from elephants?”
Good question. Yes, elephants are a little different from us. No, duh, like the kids say. But this is the common sense point:
If a small variety of plant foods can provide the adequate quantity and quality of protein necessary for the growth and maintenance of a large mammal such as an elephant, then isn’t it logical that plant foods, and a much larger variety, can provide to the people? with enough protein to grow and maintain our muscles, bones, tissues and relatively small organs?
My common sense says, “Yes.” What does your common sense tell you?
# 4 Common sense protein question: “At what point in life do humans require the most protein?”
Well then you can’t understand the fact that elephants and humans can be compared, that can be a big leap, from elephants to people. That’s fair enough. So I’ll tell you what, let’s just talk about people, little people, like in babies.
Our cute babies tell the whole story of protein. See for yourself.
Again, what is the purpose of protein?
You have it! Increase. When do we grow the most? From 0 to 2 years. Truth?
What is the best food for children ages 0-2? Mom’s milk.
How much protein do you think is in mother’s milk? 15%, 25% or 30% protein? Guess again.
This may blow your mind, but breast milk contains only 4.5% to 5% protein, that’s it.
If 4.5% to 5% protein is enough protein to meet the growing needs of babies, then that same amount of protein, and even less, is enough for us greats. We have stopped growing.
# 5 Common sense protein question: “How much protein is in an orange?”
hold on. Shock factor is coming. An orange has 8% protein. Wow! Isn’t it amazing? An orange with 8% protein?
Remember, fast growing babies only require 4.5% to 5% protein. At 8% protein, oranges not only have enough protein, they actually have a large amount of protein.
What about other plants?
Spinach: 49% protein
Broccoli: 33%
Cauliflower: 26%
Romaine Lettuce – 36% (imagine so much protein in that watery green stuff!)
Corn: 11%
Kale: 22%
Cucumber: 24%
Potato: 11%
Carrot: 10%
Melon: 9%
Grapefruit: 8%
Berries: 7%
Tomato: 16%
Almonds: 13%
Pumpkin seeds: 17%
Brown rice: 8%
Oats: 15%
Beans: 26%
It seems to me that we get a lot of protein from eating plants.
We don’t “have to” eat animal protein, which also comes with a lot of fat, cholesterol, extra calories, extra weight, added disease, and added heart pain. In fact, we don’t even have to eat beans, tofu, or any other high-protein plant food to get enough protein.
Fruits and vegetables abound. Interesting, don’t you think?
# 6 Common Sense Protein Question: “But isn’t meat protein superior to plant protein?”
In a word, “No.” That is a complete myth that has been perpetuated for almost 100 years. No matter how much this disturbs our washed brains, meat protein is not superior to plant protein. Amino acids, or the building blocks that make up proteins, are the same whether they come from a plant or an animal.
Protein is protein is protein is protein, no matter what the source is. If we eat enough food (not a problem in the US), we get enough “right” protein, even if the food sources are just plants.
# 7 Common sense protein question: “But don’t I need more protein for strength and energy?”
Okay, let’s go back to our friend, the elephant. Where do elephants get their strength and energy? Not from eating cows or protein bars, that’s for sure. The power of an elephant comes from plants, that’s all.
Our best source of energy comes not from protein at all, but from carbohydrates found in whole, unrefined plant foods like fruits and vegetables. Fruits and vegetables capture the sun’s energy and then generously transmit it to us.
The central energy that we have (or do not have) today comes from the plant foods that we ate (or did not eat) yesterday; not the so-called energy protein bar or steak (or that dark, runny drink) we ate today.
8. Common sense protein question: “How much protein does the World Health Organization recommend?”
Good thought. The WHO recommends, not exactly a coincidence, the same amount of protein found in human breast milk: 4.5% to 5% protein. Remember, oranges are 8% protein.
Is the protein fog starting to lift a bit? There are many true experts out there, much smarter than me, who agree:
Plants provide us with a large amount of protein for superior health and fitness; it’s that easy. Bango bingo.
You can choose to eat beef, chicken, fish, and protein drinks, but you don’t “have to.” Are we not fortunate to have the gift of choice? What is not so fortunate is that many of us forget that consequences follow decisions, sometimes immediately and sometimes many years later.
Good decisions beget good consequences; Bad decisions, especially day after day, bring painful consequences.
It is your body and your life. You have the incredible power to fuel your body and your life or the power to drain your body and your life.
Will your next bite feed you or drain you? It’s your choice.