I am sure most of you would agree that ”But where do you get your protein?” is probably the most asked question by meat eaters, and this post contains important facts on protein, so I highly recommend you to read it.

One of the most common misconceptions is that one must eat animal products, such as meat, eggs and dairy, in order to get protein. If you are a vegetarian or a vegan, you’re probably used to non-vegetarians asking you where do you get your protein on a plant based diet.

Even though this myth has been debunked, many people still believe they ”need” animal protein.

People, especially athletes and bodybuilders, are often told that they need enormous amounts of dietary protein, in order to build muscles, which is a myth. What they actually need is more calories and growth hormone, not tons of dietary protein. Amazingly, animal products inhibit GH secretion, which is why many meat eating athletes and bodybuilders have to take synthetic GH or steroids. Many plant foods, on the other hand, can help increase GH secretion, so it’s still easier for a vegetarian to get big muscles, without taking synthetic GH and steroids.

Animal products also increase cortisol levels, leading to hypercortisolism, and cortisol is known to decreases amino acid uptake by muscle tissue, and inhibits protein synthesis.

People think that just because animal products contain a lot of protein, they are good for building muscles, but they are not. In fact, lots of athletes eat way too much animal protein, which leads to bone and muscle loss, as well as kidney problems, because it’s just too acidic for the human body. It’s a well-known fact that bone and muscle loss and kidney problems are very common among non-vegetarian athletes and bodybuilders.

Athletes and bodybuilders only need a bit more protein than the average human, but nowhere near as much as 300-500 g protein a day, as many people believe. The average human only needs 4% protein, and consuming more than 25% protein a day is very unhealthy.

Eating high quality plant based protein and strength training are obviously much easier and healthier ways to build muscles.

As a matter of fact, we have zero dietary requirements for animal protein. Animal protein is one of the worst things a human could eat. Animal protein is also the main cause of cancer and osteoporosis. For more info on animal protein and cancer, watch the Forks OverKnives documentary (http://www.tudou.com/programs/view/NCvziUb2ciY) and read The China Study.

In addition, high-protein diets, in general, cause premature aging, disease and shorter lifespans in humans and other animals, so I would not recommend anyone to eat a lot of protein. High-carb / low-protein raw fruitarian / vegetarian diets, on the other hand, are associated with health and longevity.

Most people probably don’t know it yet, but it’s hard not to get enough protein, no matter what diet you follow. Protein is in everything, even in fruits. If you follow nutrient rich diets, it’s impossible not to get your protein. In fact, most of us who follow plant based diets get even more protein than recommended.

It’s actually very easy to get your protein, as long as you are getting enough calories. Technically, there is no such thing as ”protein deficiency”, and protein intake can only be low if you don’t get enough calories. If you get 1500-2000 to 3000-4000 calories a day, depending on how active you are, you will not suffer from ”protein deficiency”, no matter what.

All fruit and veggies have at least 4% protein…most green leafy veggies have from 10-15% to 25-30% protein. Some greens have even more protein.

Stinging Nettles are one of the highest known sources of protein in a leafy green, and of superior quality than many other green leafy vegetables. They contain on average 22% protein. The dried leaf of Nettle contains 40% protein.

http://www.acupuncturebrooklyn.com/alternative-health/nettles

http://rawglow.com/blog/2010/01/20/how-to-prepare-and-enjoy-stinging-nettles/

http://www.herballegacy.com/Vance_Chemical.html

http://www.herbsarespecial.com.au/free-herb-information/nettle.html

http://cavemanfood.blogspot.com/2009/01/stinging-nettle-infusion.html

Brussels sprouts, watercress, kale, broccoli, Romaine lettuce and other types of lettuce, spinach, asparagus, collard greens, mustard greens, cauliflowers, parsley, okra, chicory, cilantro, alfalfa, etc. are some of the best protein sources among green leafy veggies. Not only they are great sources of protein, but they are also excellent sources of calcium. However, Stinging Nettles seem to have enormous amounts of calcium, compared to other greens. I have checked on http://cronometer.com/ and it appears that 500 g of Stinging Nettles have 2405,0 mg of calcium (200%).

There are also some plant foods that are considered ”protein concentrates”.

”INCOMPLETE PROTEIN” VS. ”COMPLETE PROTEIN” — One of the biggest lies that you’ve ever heard is that animal products are ”the only” sources of ”complete protein”. Well, that’s just another lie that comes from the meat, eggs and dairy industries. They’ve been promoting meat, eggs and dairy as ”the only” sources of ”complete protein” for years, and even many doctors and nutritionists still believe this myth.

Did you know that quinoa, hemp and algae are ”complete protein” sources too? So is soy, but I do not recommend soy products on a regular basis, as they can block nutrients absorption. Even amaranth and buckwheat are listed as ”complete protein” sources, as they contain all 9 essential amino acids in the right amounts.

But the funny thing is, we don’t need ”complete protein”, actually. Breaking down ”complete protein” does more ”harm” than good. The human body is supposed to combine by itself all amino acids from ”incomplete protein” sources, required for protein synthesis. You don’t even have to eat all essential amino acids at the same meal. Just make sure you eat a wide variety of fruits, veggies, legumes, nuts, seeds, whole grains, etc.

http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/002222.htm

http://www.care2.com/greenliving/10-protein-packed-plants.html

http://www.veganpeace.com/nutrient_information/nutrient_info/good_sources/good_sources_protein.htm
In fact, technically, all plants have ”complete protein”. The ”incomplete protein” was just a myth, as there is no such thing as ”incomplete protein”. If you check the numbers on Cron-O-Meter (http://cronometer.com/), you’ll see that you can get over 100% of each essential amino acid by just increasing the quantity. And if you think that eating a lot of plant foods is bad, well, let me tell you that many animal products (eggs, for example), don’t have enough of the essential amino acids per 100 g either, so you’d have to eat much more in order to get enough of all the essential amino acids, but the problem is, the more animal products you eat, the sicker you get. In other words, I’d rather eat a watermelon or 3 kilos of greens and potatoes than eating a lot of eggs or dairy. Meat may contain all the essential amino acids per 100 g, but that’s because it has a lot of protein per 100 g – chicken has like 30 g of protein per 100 g, while eggs have only like 6 g of protein per egg. However, eating meat can lead to protein excess, which is so bad for your health.
Eating lots of kg of fresh fruits and veggies, like other primates, is really the healthiest way to get good protein! Some people may prefer beans / legumes, grains, or seaweeds, as those are ”protein concentrates” – they have so much more protein than fruits and veggies per 100 g, and many of them have even more protein than meats, eggs and dairy per 100 g. But, like I said, best sources of protein are fresh fruits and veggies – they also have the right amount of protein, so we wouldn’t have to worry about protein excess if we ate only or mostly fresh fruits and veggies.

http://michaelbluejay.com/veg/protein.html

LYSINE – GOOD SOURCES — Lysine is one of the most important amino acids, which plays an important role in calcium absorption and bone health.

Amaranth and legumes (beans, chickpeas, peas / green peas, lentils, etc.), as well as peanuts, almonds, walnuts, hazelnuts, fenugreek seeds and oats, are among the best sources of lysine. Other good sources are: watermelons; avocados; beets; potatoes; corn; spinach; asparagus; pumpkin seeds & squash; yams; cashews (not recommended); dried peaches; apricots; Brussels sprouts; oranges; pecans, etc. Pineapples, tomatoes, figs, apples, carrots, pears, iceberg lettuce, celery, broccoli, eggplant, dates, strawberries, blueberries, mangoes, papaya and mushrooms also contain lysine, but in much smaller amounts. Also, note that this list is incomplete, as there are more foods that contain lysine, but it would be impossible to write them all.

Make sure you eat foods rich in lysine on a regular basis!

PROTEIN – GOOD SOURCES — Quinoa, nuts, seeds, legumes, amaranth, buckwheat, algae, mushrooms, and, of course, fruits and green leafy veggies, are all excellent vegan friendly sources of high quality protein.

Animal protein, on the other hand, is low quality and used protein, that was meant for the body of the animal who was killed. Why ”filter” your protein and other nutrients through others’ bodies, when you can get them in their PUREST form, directly from the natural source?!

More on The Protein Myth!!! =)

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