Powerful Plant Proteins Are Good For Your Health
Energy derived from proteins that fuel our body should include plant proteins, as these are powerful energy producers that benefit our health.
In the last few years, there’s been an undeniable surge in the number of people becoming vegan or vegetarian. Is it a coincidence that this is happening at the same time many are being spiritually awakened as well? Answering that would be pure speculation. If you’re an empath or healer and you ask me if you should be eating meat, my answer would be a question back to you, “How is your overall health?”
My own consumption of animal meat gradually declined to eating it a couple times a week to eating none. Then due to food allergies, I had to reintegrate fish into my diet. After my abrupt and full-blown awakening to the world of spirit, I followed the general consensus that eating meat is grounding, but it further agitated me. I finally realized I was reacting to the animals’ energies because I was too ungrounded at that time. To make a long story short, I found greater peace in not eating animal flesh at that time. Being aware of the practices we support insofar as to how the food we eat gets to our plate is one of the discriminate ways in which we choose what we eat.
There are many excellent healthy proteins and meat alternatives available to help us reach our body’s protein requirement. Contrary to what people may believe, protein intake among vegetarians often surpasses that of their meat-eating counterparts. The most important nutrients vegetarians need to be mindful of getting in sufficient amounts are B12 and iron.
Basically, getting enough protein is not an issue if you eat a variety of other good foods.
Protein Basics
Protein is a crucial macronutrient necessary for numerous functions in the body. We can think of them as building blocks. They’re energy producers necessary for cell and tissue formation and the manufacture of antibodies, enzymes, and hormones among other things. The body breaks down proteins into amino acids.
There are complete proteins and incomplete proteins. A complete protein will give you all nine essential amino acids your body needs. They’re called essential as they are not made by the body and must be obtained from the foods we eat. Meat is considered a complete protein, and delivers all the essential amino acids. Plant sources of complete proteins include buckwheat, soy, and quinoa. Chia seeds contain 2 grams of protein per tablespoon, and hemp seeds contain just over 3 grams of protein per tablespoon. Rice with beans or lentils, hummus with pita, spirulina with grains or nuts, are good combinations for complete meat protein substitutes.
The Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) of protein for women is 46 grams (g), and for men it is 56 g. A more precise measurement for adequate protein intake is 0.8 g for each kilogram of body weight for all adults. In pregnant women, the requirement goes up slightly to 1.1 g per kilogram of weight.
Research now shows a range of 1 g to 1.2 g would benefit adults who are 65 and over years of age. There are, however, no new recommendations to reflect these recent findings. The efficiency of muscle protein synthesis declines as people age. Exercise is a key component in keeping this synthesis operating optimally.
The link between muscle and bone health has been established. Muscle loss, a fact in aging, if coupled with decreased physical activity contributes to bone loss.
It does make sense that upping the amount of protein in the diet of older adults would help keep muscle mass and prevent bone loss.
Good sources of protein, other than animal meat, include grains, legumes, nuts, seeds, and some vegetables. Below you’ll find a list of some natural meat alternatives with the highest concentrations of protein.
Grains
Buckwheat (cooked) 1 cup = 6 g
Oats (whole, 40 g) ½ cup = 6.75 g
Oats (instant packets) ½ cup = 4.75 g
Oats, quick, 40 g ½ cup = 5.5 g
Quinoa 1 cup = 8 g
Rice, brown & white, cooked (short, medium & long grains) 1 cup = 4 g
Rice wild, cooked 1 cup = 7 g
Seitan (wheat gluten) ¼ cup = 36 g
Legumes
Beans
Adzuki, boiled 1 cup/230 g = 17.3 g
Adzuki, raw 1 cup = 19.9 g
Baked beans 1 cup/253 g = 14 g
Black 1 cup/194 g = 41.9 g
Edamame 1 cup/155 g = 16.9 g
Fava, boiled 100 g = 7.6 g
Fava, immature raw 1 cup/109 g = 6.1 g
Fava, raw 100 g = 26.1 g
Kidney 1 cup/177 g = 15.3 g
Lima, large, boiled 100 g = 7.8 g
Lima, large, raw 100 g = 21.5 g
Lupin, boiled 100 g = 15.6 g
Lupin, raw 100 g = 36.2 g
Mung, boiled 1 cup/202 g = 14.2 g
Mung, raw 1 cup/207 g = 49.4 g
Mung, sprouted, raw 340 g/12 oz. package = 10.3 g
Navy, boiled 1 cup/182 g = 15 g
Soy, boiled 100 g = 18.2 g
Soy, roasted 100 g = 38.5 g
Soy, sprouted, raw 100 g = 13.1 g
Soy, tofu ½ cup/4 oz. = 10.1 g
White, boiled 100 g = 9 g
White, raw 100 g = 23.4 g
Yellow, boiled 100 g = 9.2 g
Yellow, raw 100 g = 22 g
Other legumes
Chickpeas, boiled 100 g = 8.9 g
Chickpeas, raw 100 g = 20.5 g
Peas, green 1 cup = 7 g
Nuts
Most nuts provide 5 to 6 grams of protein per ounce. Nut butters are also good sources of protein.
Two tablespoons of almond butter contain 6 grams of protein.
Caution is advised when choosing roasted varieties as these could’ve been flavored with hydrogenated oils and too much sodium if salted. Sugar is sometimes added to nut flavor mixes.
Seeds
Chia 2 Tablespoons/1 oz. = 4.7 g
Flax ¼ cup/4 Tablespoons = 8.9 g
Hemp 3 Tablespoons = 10 g
Pumpkin ¼ cup/4 Tablespoons = 7 g
Poppy ¼ cup = 5.4 g
Sesame ¼ cup = 5.4 g
Sunflower ¼ cup = 7.3 g
Vegetables
Artichoke 1 each = 4 g
Broccoli, 1 stalk, boiled 280 g = 6.7 g
Brussel sprouts 1 cup = 4 g
Collard greens 1 cup = 4 g
Corn, cob 1 large = 5 g
Mushroom, oysters 1 cup = 5 g
Potato, with skin 1 each = 5 g
Spinach 2 cups = 2.1 g
Other foods to incorporate protein in our diets include non-dairy milks such as almond, oat, rice and soy. Unsweetened cocoa powder gives 1 gram of protein per tablespoon.
Source: Vegetarian Times Complete Cookbook