Protein and WFPB GWilkerson11/02/2014 Plant Based Nutrition
Where do you get your protein? From the same place gorillas, elephants, hippopatomus’, rhinos and oxen get theirs. Also from beans. All plants have amino acids in varying amounts. Dark Leafy greens are very high in nutrient density, including protein, or amino acids. Why? We do need aminos to survive, though not near as much as we have been taught for most of our lives. The big problem is that protein seems to rhyme with Meat! In reality, animal protein is the worst form for us to consume. The casein, (a protein) in dairy milk is one of the biggest promoters of cancer in our world.
How Much Protein Do I Need? Studies have shown that rats injected with a powerful carcinogen; aflatoxin, and fed 5% casein in their diet did not have cancer tumors grow..but when fed to 20% casein protein in the diet tumors grew. Thus, cancer could be turned on and off like a light switch. The same effects do not exist when using plant-based protein. T Colin Campbell, PhD. explains this phenomena. Scientific American says: People who eat a high-protein diet during middle age are more likely to die of cancer than those who eat less protein. Diet High in Meat Proteins Raises Cancer Risk for Middle-Aged People T Colin Campbell, PhD. answers the protein/cancer question here: Animal Protein as a Carcinogen Although there are many arguments favoring the nutritional imbalance explanation of cancer, one of the more striking for me was the experimental animal studies discussed in Chapter 3 in The China Study. Namely, aflatoxin is a very potent carcinogen for the rat. However, after the Indian researchers showed that decreasing protein (casein) intake from the usual level of consumption of 20% to 5% completely prevented this carcinogen to cause cancer. He explored that finding in great depth and eventually confirmed their initial observation. That is, simple
adjustment of dietary protein (casein) within very normal ranges of protein intake controlled cancer growth and it worked not by one mechanism but by an array of mechanisms. I’ve read that we don’t need any more than 10% of our calorie intake to be from protein. The typical American diet contains far more than this with up to 100 grams per day in the 1900s. The Protein Myth from PCRM : In the past, some people believed one could never get too much protein. In the early 1900s, Americans were told to eat well over 100 grams of protein a day. And as recently as the 1950s, people were encouraged to boost their intake. Some diet books encourage high-protein intake for weight loss, although Americans tend to take in twice the amount of aminoes they need already. We can see how that is working out for weight loss. Also from PCRM: The Protein Myth The Building Blocks of Life Protein is an important nutrient required for the building, maintenance, and repair of tissues in the body. Amino acids, the building blocks of protein, can be synthesized by the body or ingested from food. There are 20 different amino acids in the food we eat, but our body can only make 11 of them. The nine essential amino acids, which cannot be produced by the body, must be consumed in the diet. A variety of grains, legumes, and vegetables can provide all of the essential amino acids our bodies require. It was once thought that various plant foods had to be eaten together to get their full protein value, otherwise known as protein combining or protein complementing. Intentional combining is not necessary to obtain all of the essential amino acids. From T Colin Campbell Center for Nutrition Studies: No Whey, Man. I’ll Pass on the Protein Powder Some level of amino acid is present in all foods, and in significant quantities in specific types of foods such as beans and other legumes, nuts, seeds, leafy green vegetables, other vegetables and grains. The amount of protein required by the human body at 510% of total calories per day is relatively low in comparison to carbohydrates. One last link if you care to check out this by One Green Planet; a message from T Colin Campbell, PhD. Are We Eating Too Much Protein? A Scientist Makes the Connection Between Protein and Cancer We’re constantly bombarded with the message that we might die if we don’t eat enough protein, but our country isn’t sick or dying from amino deficiency- we’re sick and dying from disease. Our intake as a country is also extremely high, with meat, dairy, eggs, toxic-filled whey protein powders, fish, pork, poultry, and highly-processed meat and cheese products ranking as some of the most popular in our culture today. It’s pretty easy considering that the media promotes a high protein diet and a McDonald’s and similar joints are on nearly every corner. I have had many tell me this. It’s astounding how so many of us retain the indoctrination from our younger years, on through adulthood and into later years, even after the facts have been shown to us. Conclusion
Years ago I saw a popular body builder on TV saying “We need far less protein than we think we do.� I believe that was actor Arnold Swarzzeneger in the 1980s. I suggest not consuming protein powder shakes. Most of them have milk or whey in them which include casein. When we consume a Whole Food, Plant-Based diet we are getting enough protein. Protein deficiency is extremely rare in the USA. I haven’t heard of anybody being deficient. Plant amino acids do not have the same detrimental effects as animal based proteins.
http://www.plant-strong-health-blog-by-gary.com/protein/