{"id":7325,"date":"2016-10-30T10:47:34","date_gmt":"2016-10-29T21:47:34","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ascensionkitchen.com\/?p=7325"},"modified":"2017-06-17T15:30:01","modified_gmt":"2017-06-17T03:30:01","slug":"protein-plant-based-diet","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ascensionkitchen.com\/protein-plant-based-diet\/","title":{"rendered":"Protein on a Plant Based Diet"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"Protein<\/p>\n

This is the fifth in a series of posts I am sharing on plant based nutrition. I have personally enjoyed a plant based diet for close to ten years. Some of which have been as a vegetarian, and some as vegan. I have experienced numerous deficiencies during my journey, partly due to malabsorption, though I believe a lack of education was at the heart of it all. Yes, you can be healthy and well on a conscious and compassionate diet – but it takes careful planning and awareness of what your own unique body needs.  <\/p>\n

[bctt tweet=\"Get enough quality protein on a plant-based diet. Learn more here.\"]<\/p>\n

What you need to know<\/h2>\n

Proteins are made up of individual amino acids, and are the main building blocks of the body. Plant based diets provide ample protein providing the diet is varied and balanced. It is true that for the most part, plant proteins are not complete – meaning there is one or more limiting amino acid (for example lysine in grains and methionine in legumes), however it is a myth that these foods must be combined like once thought. In actuality – there are quite a number of complete plant proteins available to us – these include soy (organic is best!), spirulina, hemp and chia seeds, and the gluten free grains; buckwheat, quinoa and amaranth. Favouring plant proteins over animal proteins is associated with a lower risk for many chronic diseases, such as heart disease, obesity, metabolic syndrome and type 2 diabetes.<\/em><\/span> <\/strong><\/p>\n

RDI:
\n <\/strong><\/h2>\n

64 g\/day<\/strong> for adult men (19-70 yrs)<\/p>\n

46 g\/day<\/strong> for adult women (19-70 yrs)<\/p>\n

These RDI’s are based on 0.84 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight per day for men, and 0.75 grams per kilogram of body weight per day for women. The RDI is higher for those with greater protein needs – infants, children, pregnant and lactating women, and those over the age of 70 [1].<\/span><\/p>\n

Although there is no set upper limit for protein intake, more is not necessarily better. Firstly, consuming large quantities of protein will naturally displace and crowd out other important nutrients from foods, and secondly, some studies suggest excess intake may<\/em> lead to osteoporosis and kidney disease [2].<\/span> However, the issue of bone and kidney health in relation to high-protein diets is controversial and as yet, inconclusive.<\/p>\n

For the full list of recommendations by life stage and gender, including pregnancy and lactation, visit the Nutrient Reference Values for Australia and New Zealand here.<\/a><\/p>\n

[3]. <\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Introduction<\/h2>\n

Proteins are the<\/em> most important biological compounds. They’re essential for every single living cell in the body – all 37.2 trillion of them. Over 40% of protein is found in our muscles, 25% or more is found in our internal organs, and the rest is found mostly in skin and blood [2].<\/span><\/p>\n

They make up the structural component of the human body (the skeleton, connective tissue, muscle and skin), and hormones such as insulin and human growth hormone. They make up enzymes (substances responsible for facilitating all biochemical reactions in the body), they perform transportation duties (think haemoglobin – the protein that carries oxygen around the blood to tissues), they have a role in immune health, protecting against disease (think the formation of antibodies against foreign antigens), they help our blood clot (think the clotting protein fibronectin), they store materials (think how the protein ferritin stores iron<\/a> in the liver), and they regulate the expression of genes [4].<\/span><\/p>\n

Proteins can also be used by the body for fuel, but it is not the preferred energy source. With insufficient glucose, protein will be sacrificed – tissue proteins and muscle mass will be broken down in order to make amino acids available for energy or glucose production [1].<\/span><\/p>\n

What are proteins made of?<\/h2>\n

Proteins are made from chains of individual amino acids linked together with peptide bonds. They can be assembled in any number of combinations (in fact, it is thought that there are over 100,000 different proteins in the body!), and can be as short as two – or as long as several hundred [1, 4].<\/span><\/p>\n

Essential, non-essential and conditional amino acids<\/h2>\n

Of the 20 amino acids used to build proteins (there are many more non-protein forming amino acids), nine are essential<\/strong> to our diets as the body can’t produce them endogenously. These include;<\/p>\n

    \n
  1. Histidine<\/li>\n
  2. Isoleucine<\/li>\n
  3. Leucine<\/li>\n
  4. Lysine<\/li>\n
  5. Methionine<\/li>\n
  6. Phenylalanine<\/li>\n
  7. Threonine<\/li>\n
  8. Tryptophan<\/li>\n
  9. Valine<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    Additionally, there are 11 non-essential amino<\/strong> acids that the body can synthesize itself:<\/p>\n

      \n
    1. Alanine<\/li>\n
    2. Arginine<\/li>\n
    3. Asparagine<\/li>\n
    4. Aspartic acid<\/li>\n
    5. Cysteine<\/li>\n
    6. Glutamic acid<\/li>\n
    7. Glutamine<\/li>\n
    8. Glycine<\/li>\n
    9. Proline<\/li>\n
    10. Serine<\/li>\n
    11. Tyrosine<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

      Sometimes, some of the non-essential amino acids become conditionally essential.<\/strong> This occurs when their synthesis is impaired (either due to a lack of precursor amino acids or impaired conversion), particularly during times of rapid growth, illness, extreme stress or trauma (for example, after a surgery, or if an organ fails to function properly). As an example, the body will use the essential amino acid phenylalanine to make the non-essential amino acid tyrosine, but if that precursor is unavailable (for example, not provided by the diet), then tyrosine becomes conditionally essential [1, 2].<\/span><\/p>\n

      Where do we get amino acids?<\/h2>\n

      Amino acids come from proteins – our bodies produce some, and our diet provides the rest.<\/p>\n

      Animal sources of protein<\/strong> include meat, fish, poultry, eggs and dairy. Plant sources of protein <\/strong>include legumes, nuts and seeds, grains and vegetables.<\/p>\n

      \"Protein<\/p>\n

      Complete proteinS<\/h2>\n

      The term complete protein <\/strong>refers to a food source that provides all of the nine essential amino acids in approximate amounts needed by the human body [2].<\/span><\/p>\n

      Meat, fish and poultry are complete proteins. For vegetarians – eggs, milk, yoghurt and cheese also provide complete proteins. Gelatin however is not complete – it lacks the essential amino acid tryptophan [2].<\/span><\/p>\n

      For the most part, plant foods are not complete protein sources<\/strong>, though there are some exceptions:<\/p>\n