The Truth About Vegetarian Protein
By line: By Kardena Pauza
URL: www.EasyVeggieMealPlans.com
The most common question people ask me about my vegetarian diet is, "How do you get enough protein?" You have a toned body and how do you build muscle without eating meat?”
Well, while I agree it is important to have protein in your diet, there are two things to know.
1. We really DON'T NEED as much protein as most people think.
2. It’s actually quite easy to get all the protein you need from a plant-based diet.
It’s amazing how many people are concerned about a lack of protein, but in our Western culture, almost NO ONE needs to worry about suffering from a lack of protein.
We've been brainwashed by supplement companies and magazine ads into thinking we need one gram of protein per pound of bodyweight, but science has NEVER shown that level of protein intake to be needed.
In fact, what we really see is people eating excessive amounts of protein and sometimes so much that they get fat and very ill!
Like I said, getting enough protein has not been a concern in our country, we see very few cases of protein deficiencies and the few cases typically are in poverty stricken areas.
Typically in this situation there is an overall deficiency of calories and most nutrients not just a lack of protein.
But as long as you follow a whole food meal plan giving you at least 1600 calories, you will easily get enough protein.
According to the World Health Organization (W.H.O) you need to consume a minimum of 10% of your daily caloric intake from protein to be healthy and build lean muscle. The
World Health Organization is the leading authority on human health and is dedicated to improving the quality of people’s lives around the world.
The only places the W.H.O discovered minor protein deficiencies were in underdeveloped countries that did not have access to a variety of foods and protein and consequently these people had a lack of over all nutrients not just protein. The W.H.O is attempting to deliver more legumes to these areas to balance their diet and insure they get enough protein.
Countries that eat a sufficient amount of calories and variety don’t see protein deficiencies. A variety of foods everyday is what will give you a well balanced diet.
Let’s take a look at an example as we review protein needs. As I mentioned in the above paragraphs, the recommended amount of protein for a vegetarian is a minimum of 10% of your daily calories.
Example of Protein Needs. Continue reading next page..
