By Rhonda Jones
With all the talk nowadays about how we need lots of protein, I found it refreshing to run across an article that told the truth about protein. The Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee announced their dietary guidelines for 2025 through 2030. Their recommendations have shifted in favor of a whole food plant-based diet, and they recommend that we get most of our protein from plant sources rather than animal products.
This recommendation was based on research that linked animal protein to adverse health outcomes. The committee recommended adding beans, peas, and lentils to the diet to boost protein, along with soy, nuts, and seeds.
Of course, I have been recommending these foods for 16 years now, so I was thrilled to see the government begin to realize that Americans must eat healthier. Around 80% of Americans are overweight or obese, and the extra pounds lead to all sorts of health issues. I was actually shocked when I was in Tahiti to learn that the same statistic applies to the Tahitians. Even with the beautiful variety of fruits and vegetables they are able to grow, they still import lots of items, including food, and most of that food is pre-packaged. Along with fast food restaurants popping up, they have imported our bad habits and obesity.
Some good sources of plant protein include soy, tempeh, lentils, edamame, black beans (all beans have protein), nuts, natural peanut butter, quinoa, and whole-wheat pasta. Several grains have protein, and many vegetables, such as broccoli, have protein. In addition to the protein, these foods also have fiber and antioxidants, and unlike their animal counterparts, they have no cholesterol or fat.
Many note that vegetables cannot provide all the nutrients needed because B12, for example, is only found in some animal meat. However, B-12 would only be found in meat from an animal that had been allowed to graze on grass or possibly free-range chicken because B-12 is a bacteria found in dirt. Unless these animals are in contact with food growing in the ground, they will not take in B-12 and have little to no B-12 in their body.
It is easy to take a B-12 supplement to ensure that B-12 is in your diet. Actually, anyone over 50 should take a B-12 supplement as a lack of B-12 in the diet can cause severe nerve issues that cannot be reversed. Supplementing B-12 is a good idea, and getting B-12 checked at your annual check-up is another good idea.
So, I mentioned that if you are over 50, you should be taking a B-12 supplement. Older adults do need more protein, and the recommendation is 1 gram of protein per kilogram of body weight or about .45 grams per pound of body weight. But, as a whole, most people get way more protein than their body needs. When that is the case, the body just turns the protein into sugar and then stores it as fat. I know you thought that stomach and hips came from carbohydrates (and, yes, donuts would cause that) but, more than likely, it came from that overabundance of animal protein that you have been eating. Also, give your kidneys a break. Digesting protein is so hard on your kidneys as it gives off uric acid when protein is broken down. Over a period of time, your kidneys will suffer.
An average adult needs about 0.8 grams per kilogram of body weight of protein a day. For a 150-pound adult, that is about 54 grams a day. Eat plant protein and keep your body healthy, strong, and disease-free.
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