March 07th, 2018

I'm answering the #1 question I get, not only because it comes up so often, but because I feel it is vital that everyone has the facts about this overwhelmingly, misguided perception perpetuated by the media and the-billions-of-dollars-a-year meat industry:

Where do you get your protein?
I wish I had a dollar for every time someone has asked me this question...I could buy a billboard! First, I will discuss why we need protein, second, sources of protein and more importantly, third, I will explain why too much protein is bad NOT good.

In 1839, protein was discovered and since then has been revered as “THE” most important nutrient for the human body. (I could write pages on just protein; so, I'm going to try and control myself and make this as user-friendly as possible. I encourage you research this topic; check out the sources that I have cited at the end.) Protein is found throughout the body—in muscle, bone, skin, hair, and virtually every other body part or tissue. It makes up the enzymes that power many chemical reactions and the hemoglobin that carries oxygen in your blood.
​Protein is made up of amino acids. There are a total of 20 amino acids; essential and nonessential. Nonessential amino acids (11) are the ones our bodies manufacture themselves and we do not need to find in our diets. Essential amino acids (9) are the ones that we must consume through food sources. Animal sources of protein are complete proteins, which means they contain all the essential amino acids. Plant based proteins can be incomplete; whereas, not every plant contains all of the essential amino acids, but some do! (No worries about plants and amino acids! We'll discuss this later) Wait?! “Did you just say animal protein is better?!” NO! I said it was a complete protein. Yes, it contains all the essential amino acids; however, animal products are not a good source of protein. Animal products cause diseases. Check out some of these facts:

• The consumption of animal products has been shown to increase the risk of heart disease.
  • Our bodies make cholesterol all on their own and any added through the diet coats our arteries and clogs them up causing heart disease. Cholesterol is found in all foods that come from animals: red meat, poultry, fish, chicken, eggs, milk, cheese, yogurt, and other dairy products1. Choosing lean cuts of meat is not enough; the cholesterol is mainly in the lean portion1. Many people are surprised to learn that chicken contains as much cholesterol as beef1. Every 4-ounce serving of beef or chicken contains 100 mg of cholesterol. Most shellfish are also very high in cholesterol1. No foods from plants contain cholesterol, since plants do not have a liver to produce it. Every 100 mg of cholesterol in your daily diet adds roughly five points to your cholesterol level, although this varies from person to person. In practical terms, 100 mg of cholesterol is contained in 4 ounces of beef or chicken, half an egg, or three cups of milk1.
  • All animal products contain high amounts of fat which contributes to heart disease. I've said it before and I'll say it forever: The Fat You Eat is the Fat You Wear! Most importantly, animal products contain saturated fat, which causes the liver to create more cholesterol, more UNNECESSARY cholesterol. Saturated fats are easy to spot, they are the ones that are solid at room temperature. Even the leanest cuts of beef and chicken contain 25-30% saturated fat!! Cheeses contain 45-80% fat! And butter, margarine, oils 95-100% FAT!!
  • The Physician's Committee for Responsible Medicine says: “A diet to lower cholesterol based on plant foods—grains, beans, vegetables, and fruits—is the best way to keep saturated fat intake low and to avoid cholesterol completely. A vegan diet is free of all animal products and yields the lowest risk of heart disease.”
• Animal products are CARCINOGENIC to the human body2. I could give you the details of how and why animal products cause cancer, but these statistics have a greater impact:
  • A study of 477,000 people over a decade, found a 72% increased risk in pancreatic cancer for every fifty grams of chicken consumed daily3. That's just under 2 ounces-about a quarter of a chicken breast!!
  • Researchers at the Ontario Cancer Institute conducted a study on the effects of dietary fat and fat-containing foods on breast cancer risk. They found significant increases in risks for meat and saturated fat intake; with high meat intake increasing breast cancer risk by 17 percent and high saturated fat intake increasing breast cancer risk by 19 percent4.
  • Women who eat more grilled, barbecued, or smoked meats over their lifetimes may have as much as a 47% higher odds of breast cancer3!
  • The Cancer Prevention Study II, involving 148,610 adults followed since 1982, found significant correlation between meat consumption and colorectal cancer. In the “highest” red meat and processed meat consumption group, equivalent to 1 hamburger and 1 slice of deli ham daily for men and women (let that sink in), found a 40-50% increased risk of colon CANCER4!
  • Men who consume LESS than a HALF an egg a day may have an 81 percent increased risk from dying of prostate CANCER3!
  • The University of Oxford studied sixty thousand people over 20 years and found that those who consume a plant-based diet are less likely to die of all forms of cancer, but the greatest protection appeared to be against blood cancers like leukemia, lymphoma, multiple myeloma3. Those eating vegetarian had a 50 percent decrease in risk from blood cancers3!
• The people who ate the most meat had the highest risk of type 2 DIABETES5. Intakes of red meat and processed meat were associated with 21 and 41 percent increased risk, respectively5.

Ok, Ok, you are seeing it, right? Scientifically and clinically, the consumption of animal products has been shown to increase risk of all diseases. So play it safe and get your protein from plant sources.

Protein is found throughout the plant kingdom and shocking as this may be for some people, some plants have more protein than meat! GASP!! Now, don't go believing that myth that you have to eat “complementary proteins” meaning you have to eat certain plants in specific combinations to meet your amino acid needs. Eating a diet rich in plants will meet ALL of your needs. Jeff Novick, RD explains it best on his website: http://www.jeffnovick.com/RD/Articles/Entries/2012/3/28_The_Myth_Of_Complimenting_Proteins.html 

So what plants can we eat? ALL OF THEM!! Here's a great info-graphic showing the protein in plant foods. This graph is based on the percentage of protein per calorie. As you can see, plant foods are rich in protein. A majority of them containing between 20-30% protein!!

​Now that you've got all the facts, STOP worrying about protein! Protein deficiency in the United States is extremely rare and only happens in persons not getting enough calories to meet their daily needs. The Center for Disease Control estimates that the average woman and man needs only 46-56g of protein per day, with the physically active individuals needing slightly more.

​Something you do NEED to be concerned with is TOO MUCH protein! The majority of Americans get MORE than the recommended daily allowance! The body takes excessive amounts of protein, coverts them to fatty acids, which are then stored as fat. Also, the excess could be filtered through the liver and kidneys adding extra stress to these detoxifying organs. The consumption of higher amounts of protein have been linked to increased cancer rates, bone disorders, kidney problems (specifically kidney stones and cancer), liver diseases, and heart disease. 

Peace, Love, Plants,
​Cristy

Cited Sources

1. Physician's Committee for Responsible Medicine, http://www.pcrm.org/health/health-topics/cholesterol-and-heart-disease
   
2. Cambell, T. Colin and Cambell, Thomas M.
   
3. Greger, Michael M.D., How Not to Die, 2015
   
4. Physician's Committee for Responsible Medicine, http://www.pcrm.org/health/cancer-resources/diet-cancer/facts/meat-consumption-and-cancer-risk
   
5. Physician's Committee for Responsible Medicine, http://www.pcrm.org/health/medNews/meat-consumption-increases-risk-of-diabetes