"Plant" protein - is it "good" for us?

So what exactly is this "plant protein" everyone's talking about???

Well . . . it's exactly what it sounds like . . . "protein" that comes from a plant.

As we know . . . "proteins" are considered "essential" nutrients and classified as "macronutrients" , . . with "fats" and "carbohydrates" also being macronutrients for optimal health.

And these "plant proteins" include pulses (which are chickpeas, lentils, bean like black, kidney and adzuki beans) and split peas, tofu, soya, tempeh, seitan, nuts, seeds and certain grains.

Now . . . a diet high in "plant" protein such as the vegetarian or vegan diet . . . have been linked to many health benefits such as lower body weight, lower cholesterol and lower blood pressure levels. They also have a lower risk of stroke, cancer and death from heart disease.

So now you ask . . . what's the difference between "animal" and "plant" proteins???

Well . . . in terms of components . . . there's no difference. They are both made up of amino acids . . . but . . . "meat" is more likely to contain "all" the "essential" amino acids.

You see . . . the problem with a strictly "plant" based diet . . . is that the body "can" produce "non-essential" amino acids . . . BUT . . . it "can't" produce "essential" amino acids which we need for optimal health and we get from our diet. These elements are not available in this type of diet, which can lead to many health issues. Meaning, we don't get these "essential" amino acid from "plant" proteins.

One other element that we need to talk about . . . are the "protein powers" that we find everywhere in today's dieting world. The problem is this . . .

When consuming "plant protein powders" on a daily basics . . . it may harm the kidneys. The kidneys are instrumental in helping the body remove waste created during "protein synthesis".

But . . . due to the excess amount of protein ingested with "protein powders" . . . it may be overworking the kidneys causing a strain and possible damage.

So please . . . be aware of how much "protein powder" you're consuming. I know it's fast and easy to make and consume . . . but the outcome could be detrimental to optimal health.

Okay . . . so the last issue with "plant protein" diets would be . . .

When adding "high plant proteins" such as quinoa, beans and lentils into the diet . . . and eliminating "meat proteins" . . . we are actually consuming and adding more grams of "carbohydrates" to the diet than actual "proteins".

This now becomes an issue with consuming too many "lectins" and the extra "carbohydrates" can actually cause and "increase" in weight gain . . .

"IF" the body is not functioning properly and "CAN'T" eliminate the "LECTINS".

And remember . . . with this type of strict diet . . . we're not getting the "essential" amino acids for optimal health.

Okay . . . so tomorrow . . . we'll talk about "fatty acids" and weight loss.

As always, feel free to contact me here