Protein is an essential macronutrient needed for the building, maintenance, and repair of almost all tissues in your body, including your bones, muscles, blood, hair, nails, and organs. Protein is needed to build strong muscles, produce neurotransmitters, boost energy, carry oxygen in the form of hemoglobin, blood clotting, vision, hormones, immune response, fluid balance and to make up the enzymes that power our chemical reactions. Protein is involved in at least 10,000 different processes in your body.
How Much Protein Do You Need
In the US, the official recommended daily allowance of protein is 0.36-.6 grams of protein for every pound of body weight. If you weigh 130 pounds, you need about 48 grams of protein per day. Roughly, adults should be getting between 45-80g of protein per day. An athlete is recommended .8 grams of protein for every pound of body weight to gain strength and maintain muscle.
Finding the Balance
Like everything in our body, we need to find a Balance. Too much of anything, there is a domino of negative effect. We do need protein. Plant sources are proven to be the best and healthiest sources of protein. Until you are ready to eat only plant proteins, clean, free-range animal protein sources can be used. Aim to use animal protein as the side dish and vegetables and plant protein sources as the main dish.
Studies show Plant Protein is the best! Too much animal protein intake has been linked to many health issues, including:
- Cardiovascular Risk: Researchers found the risk of cardiovascular deaths steadily climbed with higher consumption of animal protein and steadily fell with plant protein. [2]
- Cancer: When we consume too much animal protein, the body produces too much Insulin-Growth Factor 1. IGF is important for growth and development. Too much IGF is linked to advanced aging; and promotes the growth, proliferation, and spread of cancer cells. Research has also found many cancers can currently be prevented by eating a plant-based diet every day by reducing cancer growth, boosting our immune system and growth factors such as insulin, fight free radicals and oxidative stress, and it can even influence genes that signal cancer cell death.
- Inflammatory: Meat is high in heme iron and studies have shown that heme iron induces a pro-inflammatory environment, as it triggers the production of reactive oxygen species, oxidized lipids and proteins, and causes DNA damage. Animal protein also contains pro-inflammatory compounds such as arachidonic acid, saturated fat, and carnitine.
- Toxicity: You are eating whatever the animal ate. If they are eating pesticide sprayed plants… so are you. Know where your animal products are coming from. Buy from a local farmer and not at the local super-center.
- Nutrition: Animal protein does not provide the same level of nutritional support as plants. Plant protein provides health-promoting fiber, phyto-chemicals, vitamins, and minerals with every single bite. It provides all the essential amino acids you need and also reduces the risk of disease and extends lifespan.
As you can see, plant protein trumps animal protein in every aspect.
Clean Sources of Plant Based Protein
USRDA of Protein for Adults per Day is 0.36 – 0.41 grams of protein per pound that we weigh. Athletes can range from 0.36 – 0.86 grams per pound.
| Lentils, Cooked | 1 cup | 18 grams |
| Hemp Protein Powder | 3 Tbsp | 15 grams |
| Black Beans, Cooked | 1 cup | 15 grams |
| Kidney, Pinto, Chickpeas | 1 cup | 15 grams |
| Hemp Hearts | 3 Tbsp | 10 grams |
| Quinoa, Cooked | 1 cup | 8 grams |
| Spirulina | 2 Tbsp | 8 grams |
| Nutritional Yeast | 1/2 ounce | 8 grams |
| Pumpkin Seeds, Sprouted | 1 ounce | 7 grams |
| Almond Butter | 2 Tbsp | 7 grams |
| Almonds, Raw | 1 ounce (2 Tbsp) | 6 grams |
| GF Oatmeal | 1 cup | 6 grams |
| Sunflower Seeds, Raw | 1/4 cup | 6 grams |
| Kale, Chopped | 2 cups | 5.8 grams |
| Spinach, Cooked | 1 cup | 5.3 grams |
| Brown Rice, Cooked | 1 cup | 5 grams |
| Cashews, Raw | 1/4 cup | 5 grams |
| Green Peas | 1/2 cup | 4.2 grams |
| Goji Berries | 1 ounce | 4 grams |
| Broccoli, Cooked | 1 cup | 4 grams |
| Flax Seeds | 2 Tbsp | 3 grams |
| Mushroom | 5 Medium | 3 grams |
| Chia Seeds | 1 Tbsp | 2.24 grams |
| Cremini Mushrooms | 1 cup | 2.2 grams |
| Kale | 1 cup | 2 grams |
| Broccoli Sprouts | 1 ounce | 1 gram |
| Coconut Water | 1 cup | 1.9 grams |
| Banana | 1 | 1.2 grams |
| Orange | 1 | 1.2 grams |
| Berries | 1 cup | 1 gram |
| Flaxseed | 1 Tbsp | 1.3 grams |
References:
[1] The Role of Specific Components of a Plant-Based Diet in Management of Dyslipidemia and the Impact on Cardiovascular Risk pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32883047
[2] Patterns of plant and animal protein intake are strongly associated with cardiovascular mortality: the Adventist Health Study-2 cohort pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29618018
[3] Insulin-like growth factor (IGF)-I, IGF binding protein-3, and cancer risk: systematic review and meta-regression analysis https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/15110491
[4] Heme in Cardiovascular Diseases: A Ubiquitous Dangerous Molecule Worthy of Vigilance frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fcell.2021.781839/full
[5] Dietary intake of total, animal, and plant proteins and risk of all cause, cardiovascular, and cancer mortality: systematic review and dose-response meta-analysis of prospective cohort studies. ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7374797
