Here's the Low Down On Protein.

I have been some form of a vegetarian since I was 13 years old. I tried several times to become vegan, though my heart desperately wants to be vegan the rest of my body does not.

When I was a kid, I was constantly being asked “where do you get your protein from if you don’t eat meat?”. Trying to hide my annoyance I would keep the eye roll to a minimum and say you know elephants are vegetarians and they don’t seem to have trouble getting enough protein for their 5,000lb body. I still say that.. inset eye roll here.

Yes, protein is a very important nutrient for our body.

• It makes up 20% of our body weight

• Is the primary component of our muscles, hair, nails, eyes and internal organs

• Is needed by our immune system for the formation of antibodies

• Hemoglobin, the oxygen carrying red blood cell is a protein

• Many of our hormones that regulate metabolism (thyroid and insulin) are proteins

• Protein is needed for growth and maintenance of body tissues

• Is needed for communication, information processing and cell signaling

• Amino acids (the building blocks of proteins) can carry messages from nerve to nerve in many regions of the nervous system and these are called Neurotransmitters.

Each food contains different combinations of amino acids which is why it is important that we eat a varied and balanced diet to get a good protein balance.

It is NOT difficult to get enough protein while eating a plant based diet if the foods are whole foods which include beans, nuts, seeds, grains and a variety of vegetables.

By combining different foods you can get all of the amino acids needed, for example:

• Grains + beans or seeds, like in my Smashed Chickpea Sandwich or my Granola

• Soybeans + rice or sesame

• Corn + wheat or rye

• Grains + legumes or leafy greens

The good news is that food combining doesn’t have to be perfect at each meal, in fact it can happen over the course of 1-2 days, but this only applies to those who are health and have an adequate supply of proteins and amino acids.

“You are not what you eat, but what you digest.” I am not sure who said that, it wasn’t me! But, its true.

Protein is digested by stomach acid and enzymes. The role of gastric juices is very important to the digestion of protein and is commonly compromised due to low stomach acid.

Reasons for compromised stomach acid can include:

• Stress

• Poor diet

• Excessive food intake

• Age

• Antacid use

Did you know that the liver is the main site and regulator of amino acid metabolism? Be kind to your liver, it has over 500 functions, it is one busy organ! It is important that we fully digest our food in order to avoid a whole slew of issues (more on that later).

Despite what the Paleo and Ketosis diets say, it is possible and is common to over consume protein, this it is not a good thing. It can lead to cardiovascular disease among others. Read more on why I completely and totally hate these diets, in an earlier blog on Ketosis and Paleo .

Protein requirements are 0.8g/kg of body weight. Here’s the math for a person weighing

• 70kg (154lbs) would need 56g of protein per day

• 50kg (110lbs) would need 40g of protein per day

The average North American consumes roughly twice the requirements of protein, 100-200g/day. Over consuming protein can cause many issues including cardiovascular disease, obesity, colon cancer, disorders of renal function, disorders of bone and calcium metabolism among others.

Try this Stuffed Yam with Black Beans for a protein rich meal or these Delicious Bowl Ideas

Feel free to contact me if you have questions concerns or want to talk more about protein!

Happy Eating!!

Sarah

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