• Slaying the Great Protein Myth (immediately below)
• COMPLETE PROTEIN~TRUTH OR MYTH?
• Raw Veganism & Protein Myth
• The Protein Mythby Genesa Wright, CMT 
• Our Food - Plant-Based Sources of Protein and the "Protein Myth"
• PCRM org: The Protein Myth
• Protein: Myth vs. Fact

Slaying the Great Protein Myth

In the past, many people believed that one could never get too much protein. Even today, some people worry that they may not be getting enough. Yet the reality is that the average American takes in far more protein than he or she needs. Americans now consume about 100 grams of protein a day. That is anywhere from two to five times higher than what we need.

Why the obsession with protein in this country? It is the legacy of outdated advice from well meaning health professionals, now appropriately called "The Protein Myth."

The idea that one has to eat protein-dense foods for good health has carried on despite a mountain of evidence showing that it isn't true. For example, The Worid Health Organization has established a minimum daiiy requirement for protein to be approximately 5 percent of daily calorie intake. For a man consuming 3,000 calories a day, that would be 37 grams of protein, and for a woman consuming 2,300 calories a day, that would be 29 grams -- 60 to 70 grams less than Americans consume in an average day.

The National Academy of Sciences has set the RDA for protein at 63 grams per day for adult men, and 50 grams per day for adult women. But the Academy admits that it added another 45 percent to the true minimum requirements in order to leave a substantial margin of safety for mostpeople. In fact, studies have shown that people can lead healthy, active lives while consuming only 2.5 percent of calories a day as protein; equivalent to 20 grams a day for an adult male, and even less for an adult female.

Except for malnourished people in third-world nations (whose diets are low in all nutrients) protein deficiency is virtually unheard of. Nevertheless, in the United States, where we are practically drowning in a sea of protein, people still feel the need to load up on protein-rich foods, consuming all the fat and cholesterol that usually come with them. Fortunately, there is a better way. You can get more than enough protein from high-fiber, low-fat, plant-based foods.

The Birth of A Second Myth,
The 1970s are remembered as the age of disco music, bell-bottom pants -- and the birth of a second myth that vegetarians had to carefully combine foods for their optimal protein value. Frances Moore Lappe's popular Diet For A Small Planet, originally published in 1971, encouraged people to eat beans and grains together to get their full protein value. While moving people away from animal products was a great idea, the idea of intentionally combining foods turned out to be a wrong turn.

The American Dietetic Association (ADA) in its 1988 position paper on vegetarianism, stated that intentional combining is not necessary. Even Lappe herself noticed how wrong she had been. In the revised edition of her book, published in 1982, she wrote, "In combating the myth that meat is the only way to get high quality protein, I reinforced another myth. I gave the impression that in order to get enough protein without meat, considerable care was needed in choosing foods. Actually, it is much easier than I thought."

A varied diet of grains, beans, and vegetables provides all the essential amino acids, even without intentional combining. As physician John A. McDougall, M.D. has written, "...the combination of amino acids in proper proportions takes place long before our foods reach the dinner table. Nature has designed vegetable foods to be complete. If people living before the age of modern dietetics had to worry about achieving the correct protein combinations in their diets, our species would not have survived for these millions of years."

Dr. Denis Burkitt, the researcher who discovered the value of fiber in the diet, had two words to sum up the controversy: 'Forget protein."

Gerardus Johannes Mulder coined the term protein in 1838 (from the Greek meaning "in first place".) He obviously couldn't foresee the myths and misinformation that would follow over the next century and a half. But if he had, he might instead have chosen words from the Greek language meaning 'don't believe the hype."

For a free brochure on healthy eating, your readers are invited to call 1-800-US-LIVES.

-David Wasser, Media Director 
June 20, 1995

source
For additional information or membership, contact PCRM at: 

PCRM
5100 Wisconsin Avenue, Suite 404
Washington, DC 20016
Phone: (202) 686-2210
FAX: (202) 686-2216 

COMPLETE PROTEIN~TRUTH OR MYTH?
source

Dr. Alfred Harper, Chairman of Nutritional Sciences of the University of Wisconsin, Madison, and of the Food and Nutrition Board of the National Research Council says, "One of the biggest fallacies ever perpetuated is that there is any need for so-called complete protein." 
 

There is a lot of faulty information out there pertaining to protein that I'd like to discuss with you today. A very common question I get asked is, "Do I need to combine foods with protein in order to be sure I'm getting *complete* protein?"

First, let's take a look at how this erroneous protein theory came to be taught as truth (sounds a lot like the evolution theory too, doesn't it!?) 

In 1914 there was a rat study that led people to believe that the only way one could obtain *complete protein* was to eat meat. Then along came Frances Moore Lappe, author of Diet for a Small Planet, who originally proclaimed the "gospel" of complementary proteins back in the 1970's. She has since printed a correction, which I will share with you in a moment, but the theory tenaciously lives on. Recently I was reading a book written in 2002 entitled, "What Would Jesus Eat?", and in it the author promotes this outdated and erroneous information as well. No wonder people are confused!! 

I was a student of nutrition in the 70's and I too was swept along with Frances Moore Lappe's theory. I was *religiously* combining my rice with tofu and sesame seeds as she taught that one must have three foods with *incomplete* proteins combined in one meal. What bondage! Now that I'm a follower of Y'shua (Jesus), my eyes have certainly been opened to the vanity~and folly~ of following MAN.....and this *complete protein theory* is the perfect example of that. Today, we know how very unhealthy this is. Excess protein in our diet has been shown to set the stage for all kinds of diseases in the human body. 

In Frances Moore Lappe's 10th anniversary edition of Diet for a Small Planet, she writes:

"When I first wrote Diet for a Small Planet in 1971, the idea that people could live well without meat seemed much more controversial than it does today. I felt I had to prove to nutritionists and doctors that because we could combine proteins to create foods equal in protein usability to meat, people could thrive on a non-meat or low-meat diet. Today, few dispute that people can thrive on this kind of diet. In fact, more and more health professionals are actually advocating less meat precisely for health reasons, reasons I discussed in 'America's Experimental Diet.' In 1971 I stressed protein complementarity because I assumed that the only way to get enough protein (without consuming too many calories) was to create a protein as usable by the body as animal protein. In combating the myth that meat is the only way to get high-quality protein, I reinforced another myth. I gave the impression that in order to get enough protein without meat, considerable care was needed in choosing foods. {Emphasis mine, Editor}

Actually, it is much easier than I thought. 

With three important exceptions, there is little danger of protein deficiency in a plant food diet. The exceptions are diets very heavily dependent on fruit or on some tubers, such as sweet potatoes or cassava, or on junk food (refined flours, sugars, and fat). Fortunately, relatively few people in the world try to survive on diets in which these foods are virtually the sole source of calories. In all other diets, if people are getting enough calories, they are virtually certain of getting enough protein." 
 
 
 
 

Now, let's look a little closer at protein. ALL plants have protein, however when we eat protein our body cannot use it *as is*. In other words, it does not absorb the protein. The body must first digest it and break it down into amino acids. Amino acids are the building blocks of protein. There are 23 different amino acids. Our body produces 15 "Non-Essential" amino acids~meaning that they can be manufactured by the body. Eight amino acids must be obtained from the food in our diet, and is why they are often referred to as "Essential Amino Acids". They are all *essential* to our health, but 8 MUST be provided by our diet. Therefore, you can see that we actually eat protein for the amino acids our body needs. 

Our body stores these amino acids in an *amino acid pool* in the blood and the liver. As we obtain them from our fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, beans/legumes, grains and meat, the body stores them until the cells need them. We do NOT have to obtain them all in one sitting, or get them from eating animal products alone. 
 
Let's think about this for a moment from a Biblical perspective. Meat is NOT a *superior* protein. If it were so, Adonai would have provided it for man long before the Flood. He would have given it to man in the Garden. We know that man survived very well on a pre-Flood diet of plant foods. 

Our Creator tells us to eat freely of the foods He created for us to eat. He doesn't instruct us to combine foods a certain way. If it were so, then He would have given us explicit instructions in His Word on how to do that~ but He did not! We are not to follow the foolishness of the world by eating any of the fashionable ways that man comes up with. 

Here are some examples of the world's "wisdom": Eating a fruit only diet; a mono diet; weigh your food type diets; count calories; high protein diets that are back in *style* again; the blood type diet.......need I go on?! NO. HaShem wants us to eat from the foods He DESIGNED for us......and FREELY. This is freedom and good health as long as we truly follow His Health Laws. We get into trouble nutritionally when we stray from Father's teachings, which are always for our benefit. Listening to men instead of HaShem by eating altered foods so that they have a long shelf life will ultimately damage our health. 
 
 
 
 

I find it interesting that this culture is so obsessed with protein in the first place. How do you think that came about? Yes, the propaganda by the meat, egg and dairy industry. Why do I say this? Because protein is very easy to get enough of when we are consuming enough calories...in fact, it's almost impossible to be protein deficient on a calorically adequate diet! 

If you do not eat any meat in your diet, or choose to eat meat as in Biblical times~in moderation and for special occasions, such as on Shabbat and for Adonai's Feasts ~ be sure to get enough calories in your diet each day which will ensure that you are getting all the protein in your diet that you body needs. 
 

In Health!
Fern Guyer 
CNH, Herbalist 
©1999-2003 by Fern Guyer.  "Copyright by Mrs. Fern Guyer. Used by permission. All rights reserved." 
 

Raw Veganism & Protein Myth
by Touch with excerpts from Dr. Walker's Diet & Salad
 

We here at Rawganique.com think that the raw vegan diet is a very sensible diet for our fragile planet, especially in light of the challenges faced by planet in the past 100 years as a result of chemicalization of our world in the name of technological/scientific progress. The result of this advancement is that we humanity have never been sicker, our environment has never been in such sorry state, and our fellow creatures have never been subjected to such cruelty and harm. The pain is widespread and the cry of misery is jarringly loud and clear. Is there anything anyone can do? Yes, a lot! We can start by eating only vegan organic foods, wearing only hemp and organic cotton clothes and shoes, and living a sustainable life of renewable and replenishment (reuse; recycle; grow your own; plant fruit trees; become paper via hemp paper).

For our own health as well as that of our planet, there really isn't a better choice than a diet of organic, vegan, and raw living foods--except of course a life full of hemp (a wonder of a plant: read all about hemp in Hemp Facts). :)

Many people become vegans (people who eat only food derived from plant sources) out of concern for the environment. The correlation between the two may not be obvious at first, but if you consider that it takes 12 times the acreage to raise one pound of beef as it does to raise one pound of grain, the relationship between the health of our planet and veganism become clear. Not only does cattle raising (the same is also true with the raising of any other meat--poultry, pork, fish, etc...) require tremendous amount of natural resources, many of them non-renewable, such fresh water and fossil fuel, it also pollutes the environment. In the US, it is telling that the cattle population exceeds the human population by many times, resulting in a very real problem with waste removal--mountains of dung need to be disposed of. Thanks to antibiotics, hormones, and other chemicals that are fed to cattle to increase yield and control diseases which are the result of crammed quarters and unnatural conditions that the cattle are subjected to, cattle manure also poses a direct challenge to our health and well-being, because the nitrates in cattle wastes get into our rivers, lakes, and ground water, contaminating a precious resource. We are using up this natural resource at an unsustainable pace and polluting what is left. This can only result in a global disaster.

In light of drought and water shortages in the western states, it is appalling to observe that 5000 gallons of water is required to raise one cow, whereas only 49 are required to water an apple tree per year.

Compound this with the cruelty and inhumanity routinely practiced on meat animals and a larger picture of unsustainability quickly emerges. 

Heart disease claims one death every 32 seconds.

Protein is composed of Amino Acids. Amino acids are chains of atoms which, when combined, act, not only as building blocks for the building or construction of protein, but also have certain active functions which they perform, so long as there is life in the atoms composing such protein.

In other words, amino acids are not only the building blocks making up the protein, but comparing them to an office or any other building, figuratively speaking, they represent all the activities that go on in such buildings.

In a building we have brick and mortar, lumber, hardware, etc., but we also have elevator service, hot and cold water, air circulating systems, sewage, lights, telephones, etc.

So in the protein of a live human or animal, the amino acids are the means of such a vast field of activities that no physical function is possible without them in live, vital, organic form.

The importance of VITALITY in the atoms composing the amino acids can best be appreciated by realizing that within 6 minutes after life leaves the body all the atoms in body cease to be live, organic atoms, and their function and activity consequently comes to a stop. So long as life is present in the body, the live atoms therein have the vital spark of life which enables them to carry on their work.

Atoms are not like animals whose life is apparent and perceived in active animation. Nevertheless, the vital life principle either is, or is not present in an atom. If it is present, then the atom is a live organism capable of furnishing vital force and energy. If life is not present in it then the atom is inorganic and as such belongs to the mineral kingdom.

Nothing in Nature ever stands still. Things either progress, advance and develop, or they degenerate and disintegrate.

The mineral kingdom contains all the atoms composing this world, in inorganic form. Each of these atoms, while in the mineral kingdom state, has certain definite rates of vibration, but no life-principle is present. Their progress and development, we might say, is in reverse. As inorganic element compounds, they cannot develop constructively of their own account. They do however disintegrate, and when disintegrated they are collected by vegetation and by this means alone do they become instilled with the life-principle. It is only by means of this plant development that atoms can possibly become impregnated with life.

The very purpose of the creation of the vegetable kingdom was, and is, to give life to atoms, of converting mineral inorganic atoms into vital live organisms. When the life of vegetation is destroyed by heat, the atoms composing such vegetation automatically revert to the mineral kingdom state, as we cannot have life and death in anything at one and the same time.

To analyze some of the activities in which the amino acids are involved, we find that they are essential in the formation and growth of the blood, the normal operation of the glands, the healthy condition of the skin, of the hair, of the cartilage of the joints, the normal activities of the liver, and innumerable other functions which are regulated by the activity of one or more of the various amino acids, individually and collectively.

The protein composing the flesh of animals, fish and fowl, was built up in the respective bodies from the live, organic atoms in the raw food they were nourished with. Such flesh, of course, is a complete protein. Before the body can digest such protein, however, it must break it down not only into the original amino acids, but also into the original atoms in order that it may build up its own protein from these original atoms and primary amino acids.

It would be an insult to the intelligence of any normal individual to try to convince him/her that a dead horse can be ridden as efficiently as one that is living. Yet we find that the majority of people, including those who really should know better, still insist that the human body needs meat as an essential part of diet. In the first place the meat is poisoned when the animal is slaughtered, because of the poisons through the terrified fear of the killing. In the second place such meat is a dead product deteriorating every second after the death of the animal. In addition, the meat and amino acids are still further destroyed by the heat in cooking.

Nevertheless, because of the habit of eating devitalized foods and existing in spite of this, it is difficult to convince people generally that the atoms in our food must be live, organic atoms if we hope or expect to build for ourselves a vital body free from sickness and disease. The lifeless, inorganic atoms in cooked and processed foods, by their very nature cause the degeneration and disintegration of the body.

Just as life is dynamic, magnetic, organic, so is death static, nonmagnetic, inorganic. It takes life to beget life, and this applies to the atoms in our food. When the atoms in amino acids are live, organic atoms, they can function efficiently. When they are destroyed by the killing of the animal and the cooking of the food, the vital factors involving the atoms in the functions of the amino acids are lost.

All vegetables and fruits contain the necessary atoms from which amino acids are formed in the system. The human body cannot utilize for constructive purposes flesh products of any kind in the form of "complete proteins," but it can gather from the fresh vegetables and their juices, when these are fresh and properly made, the finest atoms from which to construct its own vital amino acids and protein.

The eating of meat, or any flesh products or extracts, in the very nature of things, results in the accumulation of excessive amounts of acid. The most damaging is uric acid which the muscles absorb like a sponge absorbs water. As soon as the accumulation of this uric acid has reached the saturation point, it crystallizes, and the uric acid crystals form which result in rheumatism, neuritis, sciatica, etc.

Animals build larger, huskier and healthier bodies form the amino acids obtained from vegetation than man does by eating meat.

Dr. Norman Walker, whose insights were interspersed throughout, lived to a ripe happy old age of 106 years on a diet composed primarily of fresh fruits and vegetables and their juices.

Your friends at Rawganique.com
Touch, Klaus, Nok & Chao 

"Loyalty to a petrified opinion never yet broke a chain or freed a human soul."
Mark Twain

As I meet with more and more individuals who are trying to cut more (or
all) consumption of meat and dairy products out of their diet, the same
question always arises. The question of Protein. How do you know you're
getting enough? How can you possibly get enough protein if you don't eat
meat and especially if you also cut down the consumption of cheese, milk
and eggs?

The fact is, we have always been told we need much more protein than is
even good for us. There is a growing body of scientific research that
points to the serious health consequences of ingesting too much protein.

For instance, it is a common belief that we should drink more milk and
eat more dairy products because they are high in calcium. Calcium is, as
we all know, necessary for strong teeth and bones. And it is true that
more women die today from the effects of osteoporosis (loss of bone
density due to calcium deficiency) than from breast and cervix cancer
combined.

In current nutritional research it has been found that osteoporosis is
caused by more than one factor but the most important of these is the
consumption of excess dietary protein!

These scientific findings by independent research teams were concluded
by studying the effects of low-and high-protein diets on calcium
balance. Their studies have shown two things:

"(1) Low-protein diets create a positive calcium balance, meaning bones
are not losing calcium; and (2) High-protein diets create a negative
calcium balance, meaning osteoporosis is developing."

In every study it was found that the more protein ingested, the more
calcium loss in the body. This was true even with a calcium intake of up
to 1400 milligrams per day. Dr. John McDougall, a leading medical
authority on dietary associations with disease, sums up the medical
research on osteoporosis:

"I would like to emphasize that the calcium-losing effect of protein on
the human body is not an area of controversy in scientific circles. The
many studies performed during the past fifty-five years consistently
show that the most important dietary change that we can make if we want
to create a positive calcium balance that will keep our bones solid is
to decrease the amount of proteins we eat each day. The important change
is not to increase the amount of calcium we take in."

Obviously our present beliefs in protein consumption are not justified.
Other objective authorities such as the World Health Organization, the
Food and Nutrition Board of the National Academy of Sciences, and the
National Research Council say that at the very maximum we need only 8
percent of our total daily calories from protein. The average American
consumes 90 to 120 grams of protein as opposed to 20 to 40 grams per day
which would be a more ideal intake.

"Human Mother's milk provides 5 percent of its calories as protein.
Nature seems to be telling us that little babies, whose bodies are
growing the fastest they will ever grow in their lives, and whose
protein needs are maximum, are best served when 5 percent of their food
calories come as protein," writes "May All Be Fed" author, John Robbins.

Information from Nathan Pritikin, known the world over as a health and
nutrition expert coupled with information from a member of a Harvard
team of researchers, concludes that it is practically impossible to get
below 9 percent of total calories in protein in ordinary vegetarian
diets "without resorting to high levels of sugar, jams, jellies, and
other essentialy protein-free foods" and junk foods. Researchers have
found it possible but "far from easy" to design a diet deficient in
proper levels of protein.

Contact Genesa at: genesa@advertisnet.com
source

source: bouncingolive.com.au

Cells are the building blocks of all our food. In order for a cell to exist it must have protein. It doesn't matter if the cell is from an animal or a plant-based source, it will still have protein. The only difference between animal and plant-based proteins is the level. Having higher levels, as we will soon find out, is not necessarily better for you.

 A Little Bit of Technical 'Stuff'

Proteins are broken down in our bodies to form amino acids. Plant-based foods contain all the essential amino acids required by our bodies. Some foods may be low in one kind of amino acid, such as grains are low in lysine. However, legumes such as lentils for example, are much higher in lysine. By eating a variety of food you will get all the amino acids, i.e. proteins, you need. In fact, soy protein is equivalent in value to proteins of animal origin and can be used as a sole source of protein.

 Plant-Based Diets Have Been Validated

The American Dietetic Association has said in its Position Statement on plant-based diets:

"Plant sources of protein alone can provide adequate amounts of the essential and non-essential amino acids, assuming that dietary protein sources from plants are reasonably varied and that caloric intake is sufficient to meet energy needs. Whole grains, legumes, vegetables, seeds and nuts all contain essential and non-essential amino acids". 

 Less is Better than More

You may think that it is better to get more protein because it is better for your body. The only problem though with eating too much protein is that the body can't store it. If you eat more protein in a meal that what your body can use your body has to excrete the excess. 

This is fine until you realise that the by-product your body creates after it has digested protein is ammonia. As you know ammonia may be good for cleaning your toilets but it's not that hot when it's in your blood stream!

Ammonia is converted by the liver into a less toxic substance - uric acid. Because uric acid is still very acidic to our bodies it can affect the use of alkaline nutrients in the blood stream such as calcium. Hence there is a strong link now emerging between osteoporosis and excessive protein consumption. The kidneys eventually excrete the uric acid as urea in the urine.

 Babies only need 1.03% Protein to turn into a Bouncing Toddler

The chart below shows the standard protein amounts for a selection of foods including human breast milk. As can be seen, a baby only requires 1.03g of protein per 100g to grow rapidly into a bouncing young toddler as nature intended.

Obviously as adults we need far less protein than a growing baby who's weight more than doubles in a few months.

 The 'Real' King of the Jungle

If we want to look further into the protein myth we only need to look at nature and at the jungle. Which do you think is the most powerful animal in the jungle? If you were to say a lion then why do lions stay away from and fear elephants? Maybe it's because elephants are around thirteen times heavier and goodness known how much stronger than male lions! 

Elephants only eat plant-based foods and live for 55-65 years where lions and tigers live around 20 years - three times shorter! Compare also the sleep time of an elephant to that of a lion and we get an even more interesting picture. Elephants sleep on average around three hours a day compared to 13 hours for a lion.

 Increase Your Own Energy and Health

More and more people are increasing their consumption of plant-based foods ands reaping the benefits of increased short and long-term health as well as increasing their energy at the same time.
 

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 9 essential amino acids which cannot be produced by the body must be obtained from the diet. A variety of grains, legumes, and vegetables can also 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.1 As long as the diet contains a variety of grains, legumes, and vegetables, protein needs are easily met.

Protein Requirements

With the traditional Western diet, the average American consumes about double the protein her or his body needs. Additionally, the main sources of protein consumed tend to be animal products which are also high in fat and saturated fat. Most individuals are surprised to learn that protein needs are actually much less than what they have been consuming. The Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) for protein for the average, sedentary adult is only 0.8 grams per kilogram of body weight.2 To find out your average individual need, simply perform the following calculation:
Body weight (in pounds) X 0.36 = recommended protein intake

However, even this value has a large margin of safety, and the body’s true need is even lower. Protein needs are increased for women who are pregnant or breastfeeding. In addition, needs are also higher for active persons. As these groups require additional calories, increased protein needs can easily be met through larger intake of food consumed daily. Extra serving of legumes, tofu, meat substitutes, or other high protein sources can help meet needs that go beyond the current RDA. 

The Problems with High-Protein Diets

High protein diets for weight loss, disease prevention, and enhanced athletic performance have been greatly publicized over recent years. However, these diets are supported by little scientific research. Studies show that the healthiest diet is one that is high-carbohydrate, low-fat, and moderate in protein. Increased intake of whole grains, fruits, and vegetables are recommended for weight control3 and preventing diseases such as cancer4 and heart disease.5 High-carbohydrate, low-fat, moderate-protein diets are also recommended for optimal athletic performance.6 Contrary to the fad diets currently promoted by some popular books, a diet that is high in protein can actually contribute to disease and other health problems.

Osteoporosis. Diets that are rich in protein, especially animal protein,7 are known to cause people to excrete more calcium than normal through their urine and increase the risk of osteoporosis. Plant-based diets, which provide adequate protein in addition to calcium through the consumption of leafy green vegetables, beans, and fortified fruit juices, can help protect against osteoporosis.

Cancer. Although fat is the dietary substance most often singled out for increasing one’s risk for cancer, animal protein also plays a role. Specifically, certain proteins present in meat, fish, and poultry, cooked at high temperatures, especially grilling and frying, have been found to produce compounds called heterocyclic amines. These substances have been linked to various cancers including those of the colon and breast.8-10 A diet rich in whole grains, fruits, and vegetables is important in decreasing cancer risk,4 not to mention adding more healthful sources of protein in the diet.

Kidney Disease. When people eat too much protein, it releases nitrogen into the blood or is digested and metabolized. This places a strain on the kidneys which must expel the waste through the urine. Kidney problems may result in individuals who are susceptible to disease.

Cardiovascular Disease. Diets high in fat and saturated fat can increase one’s risk of heart disease. High-protein diets often encourage consumption of meat, eggs, and dairy products, which are all high in cholesterol, fat, and saturated fat. The most popular of the high-protein diets have been described as containing excessive amounts of these artery-clogging products.11 Adequate protein can be consumed through a variety of plant products which are cholesterol-free and contain only small amounts of fat. 

Weight Loss Sabotage. Many individuals see almost immediate weight loss as a result of following a high-protein diet. In fact, the weight loss is not a result of consuming more protein, but by simply consuming less calories. Over the long run, consumption of this type of diet is not practical as it can result in the aforementioned health problems. As with any temporary diet, weight gain is often seen when previous eating habits are resumed. To achieve permanent weight loss while promoting optimal health, the best strategy involves lifestyle changes including a low-fat diet of grains, legumes, fruits, and vegetables combined with regular physical activity. 

Protein Checklist

High protein diets are unhealthy. However, adequate but not excess amounts of protein to maintain body tissues, including muscle, are still important and can be easily achieved on a vegetarian diet. If you are uncertain about the adequacy of protein in your diet, take inventory. Although all protein needs are individual, the following guidelines can help you to meet, but not exceed, your needs.
Aim for 5 or more servings of grains each day. This may include 1/2 cup of hot cereal, 1 oz. of dry cereal, or 1 slice of bread. Each serving contains roughly 3 grams of protein.
Aim for 3 or more servings of vegetables each day. This may include 1 cup of raw vegetables, 1/2 cup of cooked vegetables, or 1/2 cup of vegetable juice. Each serving contains about 2 grams of protein.
Aim for 2 to 3 servings of legumes each day. This may include 1/2 cup of cooked beans, 4 oz. of tofu or tempeh, 8 oz. of soymilk, and 1 oz. of nuts. Protein content can vary significantly, particularly with soy and rice milks, so be sure to check labels. Each serving may contain about 4 grams to 10 grams of protein. Meat analogues and substitutes are also great sources of protein that can be added to your daily diet.

References
1. Position of the American Dietetic Association: vegetarian diets. J Amer Diet Assoc 1997;97(11):1317-21.
2. Munoz de Chavez M, Chavez A. Diet that prevents cancer: recommendations from the American Institute for Cancer Research. Int J Cancer Suppl 1998;11:85-9.
3. Position of the American Dietetic Association: weight management. J Amer Diet Assoc 1995;95:809.
4. World Cancer Research Fund. Food, Nutrition and the Prevention of Cancer: A Global Perspective. American Institute for Cancer Research. Washington, D.C.: 1997.
5. Ornish D, Brown SE, Scherwitz LW. Can lifestyle changes reverse coronary heart disease? Lancet 1990;336:129-33.
6. Position of the American Dietetic Association: nutrition for physical fitness and athletic performance for adults. J Amer Diet Assoc 1993;93:691.
7. Zemel MB. Calcium utilization: effect of varying level and source of dietary protein. Am J Clin Nutr 1988;48:880-3.
8. Potter JD. Nutrition and colorectal cancer. Cancer Causes Control 1996;7(1):127-46.
9. Giovannucci E, Goldin B. The role of fat, fatty acids, and total energy intake in the etiology of human colon cancer. Am J Clin Nutr 1997;66(6suppl):1564S-71S.
10. De Stefami E, Ronco A, Mendilaharsu M, et al. Meat intake, heterocyclic amines, and risk of breast cancer: a case-control study in Uruguay. Cancer Epidem Biomark Prev 1997;6:573-81.
11. Titchenal CA, Dobbs JC, Hetzler RK. Macronutrient composition of The Zone diet based on computer analysis. Med Sci Sport Exer 1997;29(5):S126.

07/12/99

When beginning to change your lifestyle to a plant-based diet, one of the first questions anyone will ask is "Where will you get your protein?", or "You need to include some meat or cheese to be sure you get enough protein." These 2 concerns are what we will address in this handout.

Myth #1 : You need to eat a lot of protein in order to be healthy. 

Fact #1 : The average American consumes over 100 grams of protein a day, which is three to five times as much as experts now say is necessary. Yes, protein is an essential nutrient, but most of us have not been told that excessive amounts of protein can be hazardous to our health, they can in fact be fatal! The most recent (1994) nutrition labels for food do not include a minimum daily requirement of protein because nutritionists now know it would be very unusual for a person to not meet his or her protein requirements. Many nutritionists now feel that 20 grams of protein a day is more than enough. 

Myth #2: You have to eat animal products to receive "complete" protein

Myth #3: In order to obtain "complete" proteins from plants, you must combine foods in specific ways.

Fact #2 &3: Both of these beliefs are based on erroneous and out-dated studies and theory. The first was a rat study done 1914 which found that rats grew faster on animal protein than on plant protein. It was in the mid 1940's that researchers found that 10 essential amino acids are required for a rat's diet, and that meat, dairy and eggs supplied all 10 of these amino acids, whereas wheat, rice and corn did not. The meat, dairy and egg association capitalized on both of these studies with little regard for the fact that nutritional requirements for rats are very different than for humans. It was not until 1952 that it was discovered that humans required only 8 essential amino acids and that fruits and vegetables are an excellent source of all of these. As for food combining, in 1971 in the book Diet for a Small Planet , Frances Moore Lappe wrote that food combining with vegetable proteins, such as beans and rice was necessary in order to obtain all 8 essential amino acids at one meal. But by 1981, additional research showed that combining vegetarian foods was not necessary to get proper protein. In fact, Dr. John McDougall warns that efforts to combine foods for complete protein are not only unnecessary, but dangerous, because "one who follows the advice for protein combining can unintentionally design a diet containing an excessive and therefore harmful amount of protein. The reason we do not need all 8 essential amino acids from one food or one meal is that our body stores amino acids for future use. From the digestion of food and from recycling of proteinaceous wastes, our body maintains an amino acid pool, which is circulated to cells throughout the body by our blood and lymph systems. These cells and our liver are constantly making deposits and withdrawals from this pool based on the supply and demand of specific amino acids.

Myth #4: When I eat plenty of animal products, I am assured of getting all of the protein I need in order for my body to function optimally.

Fact #4: There is a difference between protein that has been cooked and protein in its raw (living) form. Protein is composed of amino acids, and amino acids are made up of chains of atoms. These atoms that make up amino acids that make up protein literally become the building blocks for our body. The problem is that cooking kills food and de-natures or rearranges the molecular structure of the protein, causing amino acids to become coagulated, or fused together, and it even changes the vibration of the atoms. Dr. Norman Walker notes that within 6 minutes after death, our atoms change their vibration and are no longer in a live, organic form. So the difference between cooked and raw protein is the difference between the life and death of the atoms that make up 15 % of our body. "When the atoms in amino acids are live, organic atoms, they can function efficiently. When they are destroyed by the cooking of the food, the vital factors involving the atoms in the functions of the amino acids are lost." Protein is destroyed at 150 degrees. At this temperature the chemical bond and structure of protein is de-natured, and once this and once this happens, there is nothing we can do to "un-de-nature" protein. In his 1988 book, Improving on Pritikin, Ross Horne notes, "there is an association between the cooking and processing of food and the incidence of cancer, and conversely, it is a fact that cancer patients make the best recoveries on completely raw vegetarian food ... This show that when vital organs are at their lowest state of function, only raw foods make it possible for them to provide the body chemistry to maintain health." In addition, in another book, Horne writes, "Cooked protein is difficult to digest, and when incompletely digested protein enters the colon it putrefies and ammonia is formed. Ammonia behaves like chemicals that cause cancer or promote its growth. It kills cells, it increases virus infection, it affects the rate at which cells divide, and it increases the mass of the lining of the intestines. What is intriguing is that within the colon, the incidence of cancer parallels the concentration of ammonia. Ammonia, which is produced in great amounts as a by-product of meat metabolism, is highly carcinogenic and can cause cancer development." 

Myth#5: Eating meat will give me more energy and stamina

Fact #5: Look at the animal kingdom, the strongest animals and those with the most stamina are the plant eating animals. Protein is for building cells. Fuel for providing our cells with energy comes from the glucose and carbohydrates of fruits and vegetables. In a 1978 issue of the JAMA, athletes are warned against taking protein supplements, noting" Athletes need the same amount of protein foods as non-athletes. Protein does not increase strength. Indeed, it often takes greater energy to digest and metabolize the excess of protein." Protein is important. Our best source of protein is from the same raw fruits and vegetables that provide all the other nutrients- vitamins, minerals, enzymes, and carbohydrates- we need. The best way to get all these nutrients, including protein, is to eat a good variety of fresh, raw fruits and vegetables. For more information read God's Way to Ultimate Health.