Day 19 - All That Hype about Protein

The first time I went vegan (almost 3 years ago), I gained about 15 pounds.  Dismayed, I declared, “I must need more protein.”  The real trouble?  I told myself that since I wasn’t eating meat, I was “healthy” as I ate French fries.  Anything that wasn’t an animal product was fair game.  I ate all the bread I could get my hands on.  Dessert.  The only vegetables I would eat were broccoli, carrots, lettuce, tomatoes, potatoes, and corn.  Breakfast would be coffee.  Lunch would be a frozen meal, microwaved, with a side of French fries.  Dinner would be perogies or another easy, white starch.  Snacks: potato chips, candy bars, cappuccinos from a machine. Yeah, must have been the lack of protein…(can you detect the sarcasm?)

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

Day 16 – Your Love for Sugar is Unrequited

This is really awkward… I’m so sorry to have to be the one to tell you this, but your sweetheart, Sugar – she’s never going to love you back.  As a matter of fact, your SweetTart, your Love, your Sugar…has been trying to kill you for years.  I know it must be hard to hear.  But from what I can see (the attempted murder and all), I’m not sure it’s going to work out between you two…

“Sugar is like crack, and food manufacturers know that if they add it to their products, you’ll keep coming back for more.” – Skinny Bitch

White sugar, often called an “antinutrient” actually steals nourishment from your body.  It leaches vitamins and minerals from your blood and bones.  That’s why you get cavities, as I’m sure you know, but it also leads to bone loss, depression, and weak blood.

Additionally, “Refined sugar, a simple carbohydrate, has been linked to hypoglycemia, yeast overgrowth, a weakened immune system, hyperactivity, attention deficit disorder, enlargement of the liver and kidneys, mental and emotional disorders, cavities, and an imbalance of neurotransmitters in the brain.” – Skinny Bitch

Not bad enough?  White sugar is associated with cancer.  “Cancer cells swarm to sugar like bees to honey, because it is an important source of food for them.” – The Engine 2 Diet, Rip Esselstyn

Sugar contributes to insulin resistance and diabetes, where your “blood sugar remains high, but your cells are starving.” – Kind Diet

Also according to Alicia Silverstone: “Sugar makes you fat…Because excess refined sugar converts to fat, every soda, every cupcake, and every candy bar is going straight to your thighs.”

Rip Esselstyn agrees, “When sugars are refined, adulterated, and processed, they become empty calories: They contain almost no nutritional value, can raise cholesterol levels, and make a beeline for your waistline.”

Did you know that it was the arrival of refined flour and sugar that brought disease to isolated areas?  “Western diseases followed closely on the heels of the arrival of Western foods, particularly refined flour and sugar and other kinds of 'store food.'…When one Western disease arrived on the scene, so did most of the others and often in the same order: obesity followed by type 2 diabetes followed by hypertension and stroke followed by heart disease.” – In Defense of Food, an Eater’s Manifesto by Michael Pollan

According to Kathy Freston's Quantum Wellness Cleanse, “the most important thing to realize  is that no matter how out of balance your system is, even if you have type 2 diabetes, you can do a great deal to get healthy again by cutting out sugars, refined carbs, and high-fructose corn syrup, and by exercising regularly.” 

Continue to avoid:

• Soda (Deemed “Liquid Satan” in Skinny Bitch)

• Store-bought cookies, cakes, or pastries

• Candy

• Condiments that contain sugar or high fructose corn syrup (HFCS), which is processed even more than refined sugar

• Ice cream or frozen yogurt

• Other words for refined sugar on packages: evaporated cane juice, sugar, brown sugar, high fructose corn syrup, corn syrup, honey, barley malt, or beet sugar.

• Also, a tip from The Kind Diet: “All ingredients ending in “-ose” should be considered white sugar: Dextrose, glucose, sucrose, maltose, and fructose are all simple sugars.”

Kathy recommends avoiding fruit juice because “it contains high concentrations of naturally occurring sugar.”  If you really love your juice, I have a trick to share that was taught to me by my good friend, Arlyn.  Pour yourself ¼ glass of juice, then fill the rest with water or sparkling water.  You get the flavor, but much less sugar.  It’s especially good with pomegranate juice, which has a strong flavor.

If you get a craving for sweets, these are some delicious substitutes:

• A piece of fruit (mango, apple, peach, banana, grapes, whatever you like!)

• You might just be thirsty – have some water with a squeeze and slice of lemon (or soak some cucumbers, oranges, or lemons in water for a couple of hours in a pitcher- so refreshing!)

• A spoonful of unsweetened, natural peanut butter- this has been my lifesaver.  It tastes sweet and indulgent and the high protein and healthy fat keeps me full.

• Agave nectar (actually contains vitamins and minerals and does not affect blood-sugar levels), maple syrup, molasses, Stevia, brown rice syrup, Turbinado sugar, and raw sugar.  Do not use artificial sweeteners.  More on that tomorrow.

Today's meditation is below the recipe.

My dad used to start this sauce at 6am on Sundays to serve the family (early) dinner.  Everyone loved getting an invitation to Joe’s for pasta!  The longer it simmers, the sweeter it gets- that's one of the secrets.

Joe-Daddy’s Famous Sauce Goes Vegan!

2 TB olive oil
3 medium onions, diced large
4 cloves garlic, diced large
1 yellow bell pepper, diced small
9 roma tomatoes, skin peeled and crushed by hand (or a 32 oz can whole tomatoes)
1 small can tomato sauce (8 oz)
1 small can diced tomatoes (16 oz)
1 small can tomato paste (6 oz)
1 TB oregano + 1 tsp
1 TB basil + 1 tsp
2 tsp dried parsley + ½ tsp
½ TB garlic powder
½ tsp crushed red pepper
1 bay leaf
2 TB Molasses
Gluten-free Pasta of your choosing (quinoa pasta, brown rice pasta, etc.)

1.    Heat the oil on medium.  Once hot, add the onions.  After about 2 minutes, add the spices (oregano, basil, parsley, red pepper & garlic powder- use the first measurement – the second comes later.)  Stir.

2.    Once onions are getting soft (about 3 more minutes), add the garlic and stir for 30 seconds until fragrant.  Immediately add the crushed tomatoes.

3.    Add tomato sauce, diced tomatoes, tomato paste (fill can once with water & add), bay leaf, and Molasses.

4.    Bring to a gentle boil, then reduce heat to very low and simmer with lid tilted for 2.5 to 4 hours, stirring every 15-20 mins.

5.    Add diced yellow pepper and spice measurements after the “+” sign (oregano, basil, parsley) and simmer for another 1-2 hours.

6.    Make pasta according to package directions.  After straining, spoon 3 large scoops of sauce into the pan with the pasta.  Mix to coat.  Serve on plates and then add several generous scoops of sauce to top the pasta. Sprinkle with a dash of red pepper flakes, if desired.

Save some for tomorrow's recipe - you should have quite enough.

Today’s post on sugar is dedicated to my Love.  I caught that damn mistress Sugar trying to poison him again and I just wish he would stop loving her so blindly…
And to Jess G.  You can do it!

Dedicated especially to Joe-Daddy.  I didn’t share all your ingredients, so don’t worry!  I know you are chuckling about the ones I still don’t know…Thanks for teaching me to make real sauce.  I know you’re with me every time I make it and I hope you can hear me talking to you while I stir in a  little extra love.

Kathy’s Meditation:
“I choose wisely.  I am more than just a body on autopilot.  I am a thinking, rational, strong person who has pointed myself in the direction of ever-evolving wellness.  I am no longer willing to do things just because they feel superficially or temporarily good.  I want to experience a deeper sense of satisfaction now, which includes being responsible to myself and to the world around me.  I know that sweating it through this period of discomfort will pay off.    I choose wisely, and with each day, that wisdom lifts me to a higher level.”