Vegan Diet and Protein
November 14th, 2008
Proteins are considered to be the most important nutrient for our body and rightly so. The importance of proteins in maintenance of our nutrition level can not be overemphasized.
Typically, most people relate protein intake to the consumption of meat, which is just a myth. In fact proteins acquired through vegan diet are in no way inferior to that derived from meat. The conclusions of numerous studies have substantiated this fact. The need is to see this in right perspective. The facts are:
- In all respects the proteins derived from vegan diet and that from non-vegetarian food stuff are similar. However, the vegan diet proteins have an edge. They are better for health as they do not contain fats or toxic residues.
- A balanced vegan diet comprising of proteins, minerals, fats and carbohydrates protects our body and makes sufficient protein available for it to function smoothly.
- One needs to maintain balance in the diet. As for everything, excess of protein too is bad. An excessive consumption of proteins may result in heart ailments, diabetes and digestive disorders. In contrast, a well-planned vegetarian and vegan diet are an established drug-free remedy for heart diseases, cancer, high blood pressure and many such health issues.
To put it simply, a vegan diet fulfils all our protein requirements. Most of the vegetables, grains, nuts or seeds have ample proteins. A vegan diet consisting of vegetables, nuts and fruits will provide enough proteins. The important issue to be borne in mind is balance which can be achieved by including all kinds of food in the diet. One should also pay attention to the body weight and ensure appropriate calorie intake to maintain ideal weight.
Nutrition specialists opine that ideal protein intake for an adult would be between 50 and 80 grams per day. It is advisable to combine the following sources of protein in one’s vegan diet to meet the protein requirements of the body:
Beans, Black eyed peas, Veggie burger, Soy milk, Chickpeas, Bagel, Peanut butter, Spaghetti, Spinach, Soy yogurt, Sunflower seeds, Walnuts, Almonds, Cashew, Rice and Potatoes.
A large number of people have the misconception that we are not getting proteins in adequate quantity. As per the data collected by studies an average adult consumes seven times more protein than necessary. It is sad that the accurate facts about protein have not been conveyed to people at large. The reason appears to be fierce competition among meat-sellers who through their deceitful ads would have us believe that we are not getting sufficient proteins and should increase our intake of meat to rectify it. This has resulted in health problems, world hunger, environmental issues and several such challenges.
The mankind will be in far better health and overall life condition if we adopt vegan diet or a combination of green food, meat and dairy products. The role of meat in providing protein to the body needs to be reviewed and the facts brought to the fore.
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