Why You Should Prioritize Vegetable Protein over Animal Protein
When you hear the word protein, what types of food do you think of immediately? Meat, milk, chicken, eggs, fish? They are probably the same foods you associate with building muscle and perhaps weight loss on high-protein diets.
Am I right to assume that? I bet I am!
There are so many myths associated with the best sources of protein and how much you need. It is incredibly difficult to convince die-hard meat lovers that they don’t need as much protein as they think they do, and that vegetables are potentially better sources of this ‘highly-prized’ macro-nutrient.
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The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends that adults get around 10percent of their energy needs from protein. On average, this equates to approximately 35g for women and 44g for men per day. This is much less than the average 100g of protein, or even up to 200g for those on high-protein weight loss diets. There is not enough scientific evidence to back claims that high (animal) protein diets lead to kidney failure or osteoporosis, but there is sufficient evidence to show that high consumption of animal protein increases the risk of various cancers, heart diseases and obesity.
The trouble with animal sources of protein is not just that they are usually high in saturated fat, it is also that (if not organic) they are full of antibiotics, pesticides and hormones – all bad news for your health. The antibiotics in animal products is a significant contributor to the increase in antibiotic resistance in humans. The hormones in animal feed contribute significantly to hormone-related diseases like breast cancer, fibroids, ovarian cancer, prostate and testicular cancers.
You don’t need to avoid animal protein altogether but bear in mind that the best sources of protein are not necessarily those that are highest in protein. You need to assess the overall package of the food before you decide what is best.
A piece of lamb, for example, provides 25percent of total calories as protein and 75percent as fat, most of which is saturated fat. 50 percent of the calories in soya beans come from protein, so it is actually a better source of protein than lamb, but its real benefit is that the rest of the calories come from complex carbohydrates. It also contains no saturated fat, and it is a good source of fibre, vitamin C, folate, calcium, iron, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, and vitamin b2.
Quinoa is another excellent source of protein as it also contains calcium, essential fatty acids, B vitamins and vitamin E. Beans, lentils, millet, fonio (acha), green leafy vegetables, nuts (peanuts, almonds, cashews) and seeds are other great sources of protein and a variety of other vitamins and minerals that make them more desirable protein packages.
The take-home message here is that you should not prioritise animal protein over vegetable protein. Vegetable protein is in no way, shape or form inferior to animal protein, and you are far more likely to get a lot more nutrients from them than from animal protein. Dare I add that they are also much cheaper?
- …Athletes need moderately higher quantities of protein than the WHO recommended amounts to aid muscle repair and maintain performance.
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