Super 7 System

Aloha Doug,

At last month’s Art Walk in Old Kapa`a Town, I spoke with some very nice folks at their booth promoting the benefits of veganism. They were extremely knowledgeable, but I wanted to get your professional opinion on the matter. I love fruits and veggies, but where am I going to get my protein? Mahalo for your thoughts!

Kau Kau in Kapa`a

Aloha, my foodie friend in fitness. I chat regularly with Mr. Matt & Dr. Stephanie during many First Saturday Art Walks in Kapa`a. Their passionate inspiration for all things vegan is commendable. Plus, I always appreciate their wonderfully-healthy snacks! 

I have written a lot about the intricacies of nutritive fitness over the years. All of my columns are available on my website for free, so that you can easily digest the information in bite-sized chunks.

Outlining the nuances of a properly-proportioned vegan dietary plan is beyond the scope of a single column, especially for individuals with specific concerns. However, although I am often only a vacillating vegetarian, and less often a vigilant vegan, I do have many thoughts as to why many of the most popular objections toward veganism are nothing more than a bunch of baloney… beginning with your concern for protein.

WHERE'S THE BEEF?

“But I need my protein…” is probably the most common objection to a plant-based diet. I’ve written about this particular misconception often. In a nutshell, foods that grow can pack a powerful protein punch! The notion that “complete protein” foods must be eaten from a single source, or in a single sitting, is old school and old news. Eating a wide variety of healthy, nutrient-dense, non-animal sources of nourishment will more than suffice for nearly all individuals, athletes included.

Our country’s over-obsession with protein is completely unwarranted; focusing exclusively on animal products for protein is also not necessarily necessary. Do you realize that most steaks are less than one-third protein, and often more than two-thirds fat? The same goes for eggs, milk, and definitely for cheeses… all mostly fat and, of that, all mostly saturated fat. 

In the animal world, eating lots of “high-protein” foods actually forces the consumption of unnecessary, and unhealthy, fats. Even the stereotypical health-conscious “diet foods,” such as yogurt and cottage cheese, are typically only 20% or so protein, by calorie.

Although eating certain types of fish might offer some higher sources of protein without a concomitant increase in saturated fat, diving into the practice of pescatarianism, a subset of vegetarianism, is opening up a big can of worms in a column strictly about veganism. But, since we’re here, perhaps we can transition to going green with the tiny power plants known as microalgae, blue-green algae, or spirulina.

If you want some serious concentration, these superfoods come in at 60-70% protein. Add a scoop to your smoothies, along with and handful of spinach, which is 55% protein. Pea sprouts, mung beans, broccoli, and kale are all around 50% protein. Even lentils and many beans have a higher protein content (> 30-35%) than the aforementioned “all-protein” animal products (< 20-25%), by calorie. Nuts and seeds also have beautifully-bioavailable protein, with super duper doses of healthier fats and fatty acids, too. 

Keep in mind that vegan sources of protein are generally able to be consumed in their raw and optimally-bioavailable state. On the other hand, when animal protein is cooked, the complex 3D protein structures are denatured, reducing the amino acids’ bioavailability and utilization. Furthermore, extremely harmful compounds (Heterocyclic Amines and Advanced Glycation End Products) can be formed during the cooking process. If you research the side effects of that charbroiled crunch (like DNA mutations, cancer, inflammation, kidney damage, and premature aging), it should give everybody some serious cause to pause. As Kapa`a’s dynamic duo of veganism often quip, “stick that in your grill and smoke it.” haha 

Wow… we’re all out of time and I’ve only covered one topic, protein. I guess that my next column will start right off with fiber… as number two!! Yes, all of the low-fat, plant-based, high-protein foods are also chock full of fiber… as well as hydration, enzymes, vitamins, minerals, and literally thousands of beneficial phytonutrients and polyphenols. 

In everything that you eat, nutrient density is key. Plants pack the most punch per calorie. It certainly now makes more sense that the first book in the Good Book says, “…behold, I have given you every herb bearing seed (and every green herb)… to you it shall be for meat.” Amen? Amen!