Where do you get your protein?

Of all the misconceptions about plant-based diets, the protein issue is the most misunderstood. The truth is that so long as you consume adequate calories to meet your energy needs, it is virtually impossible to not get enough protein from whole plant foods.

In his article "Muscling Out the Meat Myth," Professor Emeritus of Nutritional Biochemistry at Cornell University T. Colin Campbell, Ph.D., writes, "Around the beginning of [the 20th] century, scientists came to believe--erroneously--that animal protein led to improvements in sport competitiveness." They believed that animal flesh, milk, and eggs stimulated body growth more "efficiently" than plant protein. Campbell continues, "Efficiency, in this sense, meant that by eating animal protein one could gain more body weight per pound of protein consumed. Efficiency, or high quality, can also mean speeding up all manner of body functions." Contemporary research links the consumption of animal protein with “speeding up” rates of chronic diseases, including heart disease, cancer, diabetes, and osteoporosis.

What are proteins?

Proteins are the building blocks of all life. The easiest way to explain protein is with the analogy of the alphabet. Amino acids represent the letters of the alphabet. There are 20 amino acids found in human proteins. When these amino acids (letters) are combined, we make words (proteins). Depending on the combination of these amino acids, we can come up with literally thousands of protein combinations specific to the human body. Only eight amino acids cannot be synthesized by the body, making them essential to the human diet. All the essential amino acids are present in plants, so a diet rich in whole plant foods will meet your amino acid needs.

How much protein do we need?

According to international scientific organizations, including the World Health Organization, human dietary protein needs range from 2-10% of total calories. The average American takes in 120-158% more than the recommended daily allowance. Even the USDA’s Dietary Guidelines for Americans says, “Protein is not limiting in vegetarian diets as long as the variety and amounts of foods consumed are adequate.” For an athlete consuming 2500 calories per day, 2-10% translates into 12.5-62.5 grams of protein per day, which is easily met on a whole food, plant-based diet.

Do athletes need more protein than the average person? Yes, but in direct correlation to an increase in calories consumed. Active people will need to consume more calories to meet their energy needs. These needs are easily met with whole plant foods. Many sports nutritionists recommend as much as 1.5 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight. This does not mean athletes should be eating concentrated protein foods like meat, fish, eggs, or protein supplements. In fact, according to Thomas Incledon, M.S., R.D. they should pay more attention to their calorie intake. It takes 2,700 calories of energy to produce 1 pound of lean muscle. Consider this: a 70 Kg (150 pound) sedentary male consumes a 2000 calorie diet of potatoes, beans, and broccoli. This gives him 56 grams of protein per day (0.8 g/Kg). He starts training for the Boston Marathon and increases his calorie intake to 4000 calories a day. Eating the same diet, he is now getting 112 grams of protein or 1.6 g/Kg.

Protein and Recovery

The body becomes stronger and faster with the adaptations from training; therefore, recovery is tantamount to athletic development. Protein is commonly and incorrectly viewed as an energy food that will help you recover faster. If you're feeling weak and tired, the thought goes, you need to eat more protein. Recovery does not occur because of increased dietary protein. Growth and repair happen best when the conditions needed for recovery are met: adequate nutritional intake of carbohydrates, protein, essential fats, vitamins and minerals, and sufficient rest and relaxation. The first of these conditions is best met on a whole food, plant-based diet, and insufficient rest and sleep are often overlooked as a cause of low energy and poor recovery.

Protein Supplements

The health and sports nutrition marketplace is clogged with protein supplements heralded as the elixirs that will help you recover fast or gain muscle. Many athletes will take a protein supplement just to be “sure” they get enough protein for recovery. Yet supplements are one of the most processed foods you can buy. Most of the nutrition that the original food had is lost in the refining process. Athletes should give their bodies exactly what they need nutritionally. Whole plant foods do just this.