Americans Eat Too Much Protein
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“But where do you get your protein?” is something every vegetarian or vegan has been asked numerous times. It’s an absurd question given that there are plenty of vegan protein sources available, such as:
tempeh, tofu, seitan, lentils, black beans, chickpeas, pinto beans, quinoa, TVP, sunflower seeds, cashews, almonds, rice, lima beans, veggie burgers, veggie dogs, black eyed peas, peanut butter, almond butter, soy milk, hemp milk, vegan protein powders, hummus, soy yogurt, fortified foods like some breakfast cereals, amaranth, spirulina, chorella, split peas… the list goes on…
Protein isn’t a problem in a plant-based diet. It’s a non-issue, really. But many people believe they need more protein, not less. Well now more science is proving that Americans eat too much protein. The NY Times reports:
researchers note that fruits and vegetables are predominantly metabolized to alkaline bicarbonate, whereas proteins and cereal grains are metabolized to acids. The more protein people consume beyond the body’s true needs, the more acidic their blood can become and the more alkaline compounds are needed to neutralize the acid.
In one study by Dr. Dawson-Hughes and colleagues, published in January in The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism, 171 healthy men and women age 50 and older were treated with either bicarbonate or no bicarbonate. Those receiving bicarbonate, in an amount equivalent to nine servings of fruits and vegetables daily, experienced much lower levels of calcium loss in the urine, as well as a loss of N-telopeptide, the biochemical marker of bone resorption. [...]
The Dawson-Hughes team concluded that increasing the alkaline content of the diet by eating more fruits and vegetables should be studied as a safe and low-cost approach to preventing osteoporosis and improving bone health in older Americans.
The finding is consistent with current recommendations from several federal health agencies to consume nine servings daily of fruits and vegetables. That amount has been shown to lower blood pressure and has been linked to a reduced risk of developing heart disease, stroke, diabetes, some cancers and Alzheimer’s disease. Now prevention of osteoporosis might be added to the list.
The science shows that plant-based diets full of fruits and veggies are healthy and prevent disease, plain and simple.
(Thanks to Mimi for the link.)
ok so essentially you are saying by that photo that meat makes us fat and being vegan makes you skinny. i am pretty sure that is a discriminatory photo.
Vivian´s last blog ..Exposure to 1918 influenza virus activates memory B-cells
Vivian,
a) it’s a cartoon, not a photo
b) it’s implying that meat makes you fat, not that veganism makes you skinny
c) studies show that indeed, meat does tend to make people fat
d) I chose the cartoon because of the protein question
I totally agree with this article. Too many people are telling me I need to eat 180 grams of protein because I’m 180 pounds. I used to take protein drink mixes at 56 grams of protein per shake and thought to myself I’d have to drink 3 of these everyday just to get my 180 grams of protein. This is absurd. We don’t need that much protein in our daily diets. That’s too hard on the digestive system.