T1-Protein-P4

Topic 1 Protein -Part 4

Other Essential Protein Sources

Protein from where? more places than you’d think!

So everyone knows that unprocessed whole organically grass raised meat, wild-caught fish and grass fed dairy products are sources of protein (amino-acids). They have, importantly, the 8 essential amino-acids that we need for healthy survival.

Great but what about other non-animal sources of these essential proteins (amino-acids)?

Well the myth is that only animal protein really has all the essential proteins (amino-acids) and that if we don’t eat animal products we will be deficient in these essential proteins.

The reality is that quite a few plant based sources have all of the essential proteins (amino-acids) as well as vitamins and phytochemicals that are vital for optimal health. So in essence could arguably be better for our health. 1lb of Romaine Lettuce actually has 2X the amount of essential protein as 1lb of beef.

What are these mythical plant based sources?

Let’s start with Greens: Edible Seaweeds, Wheat-Grass, Most leafy green vegetables, Green Sprouts like sunflower sprouts, Algae.

Fruit: Fresh Olives, Acai and Goji Berries, Avocados.

Seeds, Grains & Nuts: Chia Seeds, Hemp Seeds, Buck Wheat, Quinoa, Amaranth, Ramon nuts.

Legumes: Fermented soy products- Tempeh, Tofu and Natto

Others: Bee Pollen, Cauliflower, Shiitake Mushrooms

So it just goes to show that you can definitely get your essential proteins (amino-acids) from plant based sources. But this is just one way, just because other plant based foods don’t have all of the essential proteins, they do have some, so as long as you eat a variety of plant based foods you will ingest the complete array of essential proteins.

This is called combination eating, making sure you eat the combinations of plant based foods to gain all of the essential proteins (amino-acids).

One note to take is that these proteins are more available to absorb into your body and are a better source when eaten in a raw state. Because of this you want to ensure that the least amount of toxins are present in these foods, organic, gown without pesticides, rodenticides, herbicides and insecticides.

Two things I want to leave this topic with that I’d like to talk about in the next topic.

1) The affect foods have on the acidity or alkalinity (base) of our body’s and the affect this may have on health. The heads up here is that generally animal products increase the inner body’s acidity while plant based food increase our inner body’s alkalinity (base). Something to think about, if the inner body is acid, where can the body, in the body, get a substance to regain the balance to more alkalinity (base)?

A clue-it’s white!

2) This is something I touched on a little in a previous protein topic. A little something called, ‘bioavailability’. This is the amount of a nutrient that you can actually digest and absob. For example the bioavailability of calcium in milk is 32-34% so even if you drink 100mg you’ll only actually absorb 32-34mg, whereas the bioavailability of calcium in Collard Greens is over 72%!

Okay, hope you liked this, until the next topic –

Be ACTIVE, EAT well and choose HEALTH