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Getting the right amount of protein and especially as it applies to vegetarians
The information on this page is from http://www.vegparadise.com
Is protein necessary? Protein is necessary for a healthy body, and it is important to replenish our store of protein every day. Because the body doesn't store protein as it does other nutrients, it must be replaced each day as a source of nourishment for building and repairing new cells, hormones, antibodies, enzymes, and muscle tissue. But just how much protein do we really need?
How much protein do we need? To calculate your own daily protein requirement, according to the U.S. RDA, multiply 0.36 (grams) by your body weight. That translates to about 44 grams for a 120-pound woman and 54 grams for a 150-pound male. In metric terminology, the RDA is 0.8 grams per kilogram of body weight. (This is for those who eat meat protein.)
For vegetarians, this would be slightly higher. In the book Becoming Vegan, it’s stated that 0.9 grams per kilogram of body weight to be more ideal for vegans eating whole plant foods such as legumes, whole grains, and vegetables. Multiplying 0.45 grams by your body weight in pounds will give you the approximate protein need for your body. These figures are a little higher than actual RDA requirements, but were considered necessary as a safety factor to account for reduced digestibility of whole plant foods versus more refined foods such as tofu, textured soy protein, and meat substitutes. With this slightly higher figure for vegetarians, a 120-pound person would need 54 grams of protein daily and a 150-pound person needs 67.5 grams.
Where do vegetarians get their protein? The plant-based diet includes a wide variety of whole foods consisting of beans, whole grains, fruits, vegetables, nuts, and seeds, along with products made from these natural foods, such as tofu and tempeh. It might surprise some to learn that plant proteins contain the same 23 amino acids as animal proteins.
If a person is eating a broad selection of plant-based foods and consuming adequate calories, it is unlikely he or she will be protein deficient. Deficiency is uncommon and is seen mostly in countries where serious shortages of food exist, and malnutrition is prevalent.
Can we eat too much protein? More common are the problems resulting from eating too much protein. In contrast to the U.S. RDA calculations, the average person in America consumes foods containing 100 to 120 grams of protein daily, mostly from animal products. Americans are also noted for their sedentary lifestyles. Excess protein, especially of animal nature, puts a great deal of stress on the kidneys. Some people, unaware that their kidneys are not operating optimally, could suffer premature aging of this important organ. A diet too high in protein could cause deterioration of the nephrons, which are the kidney's filtering system. That same diet places people at risk for developing kidney stones.
Other health conditions that may result from an overabundance of protein include excessive calcium leaching from the bones and causing osteoporosis, acid reflux, obesity, plaque build-up in the arteries, high blood pressure, pain from arthritis, high cholesterol, bad breath from sulfur-containing amino acids, and increased risk of cancer, especially colon cancer.
Protein in Plant Foods The charts below, using figures from the USDA Nutrient Database, list the protein content of the plant-based foods that comprise the vegetarian and vegan diets. People are often surprised to learn that all plant foods contain protein. In fact, it is protein that gives all plants their structure. Whether plants grow upright or sprawl on a vine, protein is a basic component of their cell structure.
Protein in Meat, Chicken, Fish Substitutes*
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