Granted, I was in a program to get my Master's Degree in 11 months while simultaneously student teaching full-time, so to my credit, the faster deduction was all I had time for...
But why did I immediately blame the protein instead of taking a closer look at my diet? And when we tell people we are vegan/vegetarian, why are they so quick to shout: “But what about your protein? You have to get enough protein! Stop right now! Eat some meat!”
We have been brainwashed as a society to eat protein, protein, protein. Protein to lose weight. Protein to gain muscle. Protein to save the world.
“The average 19- to 30-year-old American consumes 91 grams a day, nearly twice the recommended daily amount (56 grams for an adult male, 46 for an adult female)…Too much protein stresses the kidneys…and can leach calcium from the bones.” – Scott Jurek, Eat and Run
“It is a complete myth that we need a massive amount of protein,” write Barnouin and Freedman.
As a matter of fact, over-consumption of protein – especially animal protein- “can impair our kidneys; leach calcium, zinc, vitamin B, iron, and magnesium from our bodies; and cause osteoporosis, heart disease, cancer, and obesity.”
Can you remember the last time you heard of someone being hospitalized for a protein deficiency (kwashiorkor-is the clinical term)? Never heard of it. How about cancer, kidney failure, heart disease, osteoporosis, obesity? Now those sound familiar…
And on quality of life: “High amounts of protein can damage our tissues, organs, and cells, contributing to faster aging. People in other cultures consume half the amount of protein that we do, yet they live longer, healthier lives.” – Skinny Bitch
According to Rip Esselstyn, as a vegan, “not only will you get all the protein that you need, for the first time in your life you won’t suffer from an excess of it.”
Even the strongest animals in nature – gorillas, elephants, hippos, bison –are plant eaters. And they don’t seem to have any trouble growing and thriving while eating only veggies.
According to the American Dietetic Association, “eating a vegetarian diet provides twice the amount of protein needed daily.”
Carl Lewis, winner of 10 Olympic medals in track, said that his best year competing was the first year he ate a vegan diet.
Strength trainer Mike Mahler says, “Becoming a vegan had a profound effect on my training…My bench press excelled past 315 pounds, and I noticed that I recovered much faster. My body fat also went down, and I put on 10 pounds of lean muscle in a few months.” – From Quantum Wellness Cleanse (That's him to the left.)Beans, nuts, seeds, lentils, whole grains, soy products, fruits, and many vegetables have plenty of protein.
Those Skinny Bitches tell us, “If you want an extra boost, treat yourself to spirulina, a high protein algae that contains omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids, B-12 (important for vegetarians), enzymes, and minerals. It also supports the immune system, fights cancer, and helps with hypoglycemia, anemia, ulcers, diabetes, and chronic fatigue syndrome. Spirulina also contains all nine essential amino acids.”
In The Kind Diet, Alicia creates a chart that is very illuminating, so I’m sharing. This chart demonstrates the protein in steak vs. the protein in beans.
Steak vs. Beans
20% of calories from protein 25% of calories from protein
80% of calories from fat (mostly saturated) 5% of calories from fat (unsaturated)
0% of calories from complex carbs 70% of calories from complex carbs
Contains excess hormones Help discharge excess hormones
Raises cholesterol Lower cholesterol
No fiber High in Fiber
Contains steroids, antibiotics If organic, contains no chemicals
Constipates Keep you regular
Unsustainably produced Sustainably grown
Depletes the earth Beans add needed nitrogen to soil
$5-$10/lb (1 serving) $2-$4/lb (4 servings)
Another thing you've probably heard is that “animal proteins are complete proteins and plants are not.”
According to Esselstyn, “The myth that [plant proteins are not complete] or are of a lesser quality than animal proteins, dates back to experiments performed on rats in the early 1900s. Forget the fact that rats aren’t humans, have different nutritional requirements, and need more protein than humans to support their furry little bodies. The meat, dairy, and egg industries have marketed the hell out of this ancient research and …most every Dick, Tom, and Jane thinks the only way to get complete protein is through meat, eggs, or dairy.”
So don’t worry about protein. Now you are free to focus on world peace.
Another resource on vegan protein power meals for athletes: http://www.mikemahler.com/online-library/articles/nutrition-programs/power-vegan-meals.html
Thanks for the spirulina tip, Zeljka. I just ordered a pound of it online to put in smoothies!
Here is a protein-packed dinner:
Cilantro Tomatillo Rice and Beans
3 Tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 medium onion, diced
3-4 cloves garlic, diced small
1-2 serrano peppers or 3 jalapenos, de-seeded and diced (less if you don’t like the heat)
½ bell pepper (any color you like)
4-6 tomatillos, diced
2 (15 oz) cans of black beans, drained
1 can pinto beans, drained (you can swap these if you like pinto better than black)
1 Tablespoon water
½ cup fresh chopped cilantro
Juice from ½ lime
Salt to taste
2 teaspoons chili powder
2 teaspoons cumin
Brown rice
1 avocado, diced
1 tomato, diced (mix avocado and tomato together with more chopped cilantro)
1. Prepare brown rice according to package (When I prepare 1 cup dry, I have some rice leftover for other recipes.)
2. Heat oil on medium high. Add onion and sauté for 2-3 minutes. Add peppers, tomatillos, chili powder, cumin, and salt. Add garlic and reduce heat to low. Simmer for about 5-7 minutes, until onions are translucent and tomatillos are softening.
3. Add beans and water. Cover and cook until beans are heated through (5-15 minutes depending on how soft you like your beans. I tend to go more towards the longer side.
4. Stir in cilantro, lime juice, and salt. Cook for 2 minutes and check seasonings to see if you need to add more chili powder, cumin, or hot sauce. Serve over rice or mixed into rice.
5. Top with avocado/tomato mixture. You may also want to add green onions. Yum!
Note: Yours will probably not look like mine in the picture. I actually messed up and it was still delicious. I thought I had the recipe memorized and cooked the beans on a higher heat for a long time and ended up with more of a sauce. I added a little bit of cornstarch and served it over the rice instead of mixed in like I usually do. I mixed some with rice and left some as sauce, then made enchiladas out of the leftovers the next day, similar to the recipe here: http://laurajnovak.blogspot.com/2012/07/day-4-whats-wrong-with-gluten.html. I filled the tortillas with bean mixture, rice mixture, then topped with bean mixture and baked. It was quite delicious!
This is great served with a salad on the side – I like to reserve half of the avocado/tomato mixture and serve it over lettuce. Then I mix up my own dressing:
Mexican Dressing
2 TB chopped cilantro
½ cup peanut or canola oil
1 tsp honey
½ tsp chili powder
½ tsp cumin
1 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp salt
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