So Who Do you Believe?

     I was on Facebook the other day, and had posted something to my wall, about high fructose corn syrup, and somehow got on the subject of meat.   I didn't post anything that to me was offensive, but one of my friends who is a doctor "resident" said that I should be careful what I post, that most of what I post is untrue.

     With the research that I have been doing about meat, I had stated that it wasn't good for you,   because of the saturated fat, and that it was artery clogging.  She stated that meat is the only way to get protein, and vitamin B12, and Omega 3s.  First of all, there is lots of protein in plants. I don't know where people come up with saying that you can only get protein from meat.  This is a myth.  Ok, I'm not a doctor, but we will cover that at the end of the article.

     Lets look at the ways to get protein without animal products:

1. Nuts:  I love nuts, and they are packed with protein.  There are 4 grams of protein in 1 tablespoon.  Also nut milks like almond, cashew are packed with protein, and more calcium that cows milk.  Also nut butters are wonderful.

2. Seeds: Lots of ways to get your seeds during the day.  Hemp seeds have 10 grams of protein per 3 tablespoons.  I enjoy these on my salads.  Put some ground sunflower seeds in your veggie burgers.

3.  Beans:  Legumes which include pinto, black, lentils, chickpeas, lima. and several more.  I try to include some kind of bean in my diet everyday.  1/2 cup of beans gives you 20 grams of protein!  Oh and don't forget the fiber!

4.   Soy:  Not a huge fan of soy, but I do eat tofu occasionally if I can't taste it.  lol  In a cup of soy there is 68 grams of protein. There is a great debate about soy, and this article is very informative   http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=79

5.  Cereal:  Check your labels to see how much protein your cereal contains.  I eat oats every morning, and there is 6 grams of protein per cup.  Don't forget your ground flax seed!  Flax contains your Omega 3s. Which you need in your diet.  1-2 tablespoons is recommended everyday.

6.  Supplement or protein bars:  Also read your labels.

7.  Green leafy vegetables:  Now I don't eat a lot of these because they cause kidney stones in my body.  Moderation for me.  There is only .9 grams of protein per cup of spinach, but you can get a punch if you drink a green smoothie.

So how much protein do we really need?  For men they need 63 grams per day, and females need 52 grams.  Here is a chart to show you how much protein you can get every day.

Breakfast:	1 cup Oatmeal	6
	1 cup Soy Milk	7
	1 medium Bagel	10
Lunch:	2 slices Whole Wheat Bread	7
	1 cup Vegetarian Baked Beans	12
Dinner:	5 oz firm Tofu	12
	1 cup cooked Broccoli	4
	1 cup cooked Brown Rice	5
	2 Tbsp Almonds	4
Snack:	2 Tbsp Peanut Butter	8
	6 Crackers	2
TOTAL		77 grams
Protein Recommendation for Male Vegan		63 grams
[based on 0.9 gram of protein per kilogram body weight for 70 kilogram (154 pound) male]
Breakfast:	2 slices Whole Wheat Toast	7
	2 Tbsp Peanut Butter	8
Lunch:	6 oz Soy Yogurt	6
	2 Tbsp Almonds	4
	1 medium Baked Potato	3
Dinner:	1 cup cooked Lentils	18
	1 cup cooked Bulgur	6
Snack:	1 cup Soy Milk	7
TOTAL		59 gram

     Ok, so what about the vitamin B12 that we need for our brains?  My doctor recommended a sub-lingual "under the tongue" vitamin of 2500 mcg every week.  Boom baby!  

     I think we all need to do our own research.  Talk to your doctor, read etc.  The book that I'm reading called How Not To Die (incidentally an awesome read!)  by Michael Greger MD states that med school students only receive 1% of the training they need in nutrition.  This is because there is no money in preventative!  Doctors get reimbursed from pharmaceutical companies for prescribing their medications.  Doctors now don't have the time to sit down with you and discuss how a diet rich in plants can prevent and reverse diseases.  Sad really, because the US and other countries could really use it.   

     I don't recommend arguing with anyone about diet, and I don't think that one diet fits all.  Just be an example to those around you, and do your research for yourself!  If this works for you awesome, but if you want to try something else great!  This is working for me!  18 pounds are gone.  Feeling great!  

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