How Much is Enough Protein? / was Beans and Rice = Protein?

[Guest guest]

Hi Kathleen,

 

(Forgive me if I answer you at some length and repeat some things which you

already know here, please. I am writing not just for you but for other members

who may be interested in this discussion, including those who have just become

vegetarian or vegan or who are still 'thinking about it' and worrying about how

they are going to 'get enough protein'.)

 

You are right that Frances Lappe's _Diet For A Small Planet_ discusses the

combining of legumes with grains at great length. Lappe thought that you needed

to have both in the same meal, later she came to realize (and actually

'recanted' as it were) that any time in the day was fine as long as you had

both. Now it is realized that it is not even that rigid a requirement. Now I'm a

bit old-fashioned, so I like to make sure I have both at some time in a 48-hr

period - it's hard to get rid of those 'first' understandings for me (and I read

Lappe back when I was much younger and just starting on the vegetarian path).

Besides, I like to eat both, so it pleases me to do so.

 

That said, many very healthy modern vegans do not worry about such 'combining'

of proteins and do just fine. The fact that warnings about eating too much

protein is directed mainly at omnivores and ovo-lacto vegetarians cannot be

disputed - after all, how many of the so-called First World's people are

strictly vegan in diet?! However, even vegans are reminded these days by various

reliable and much honoured experts in the field that we should not overload on

protein. It is considered that, like fat/oil (and I'm speaking about plant-based

fats and oils now), protein should be no more than 10 per cent of our daily

calories. Working that out takes a little bit of oldfashioned arithmetic, but

think of it this way: the omnivores among us (I'm speaking of North America now)

eat on average between 10 and 20 per cent of their calories in protein. (Eating

10 per cent according to WHO, the (American) NRC and others, is certainly

sufficient - and that has a good

margin of safety built in.) Others (eg. Dr. T. Colin Campbellof _The China

Study_ shows that 5 per cent protein, just from plants alone, is more than

plenty for excellent health. It would be desperately difficult to eat plants day

in and day out without getting at least 5 per cent of one's calories in protein.

Most of us probably equal or exceed 10 per cent, and working at putting 'more

protein' into the diet would be a health error. It's not protein deficiency we

need to worry about but excess protein, you see

 

Okay, I'm off to watch something on cruelty to animals on the TV. Take care,

everyone!

 

Love, Pat

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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http://www.vegandonelight.com/spice

http://beanvegan.blogspot.com

http://river-rambles.blogspot.com

" The world is a stage, but the play is badly cast. " (Oscar Wilde)

 

 

 

 

________________________________

Kathleen Pelley <kmpelley

 

Saturday, February 21, 2009 11:11:39 PM

Re: Beans and Rice = Protein?

 

My understanding is the magic combination is:

 

Legumes and grains equal a complete protein. The one exception that I

know of as far as legumes is peanuts--they do not create a complete

protein when combined with grains. I am not sure what they are missing.

 

So, I try to always have a bean and vegetable stew in the fridge to

heat up. I am allergic to gluten so I usually have some other grain,

like rice, quinoa, etc.

 

The vegetarian classic book, Diet for a Small Planet discusses this ad

nauseum. Yes, in our culture most people get way too much protein, but

that is more aimed at meat eaters and lacto-ovo vegetarians.

 

Kathleen

 

 

> Do beans and rice equal protein?

> I have heard this and so I did a Google search and found out a lot of

answers.

> This is a site you may be familiar with that seems a good source for

information.

>

http://www.bbc.co.uk/food/vegetarian_and_vegan/vegetarianproteins.shtml<

http://www.bbc.co.uk/food/vegetarian_and_vegan/vegetarianproteins.shtml>

 

 

 

 

 

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