Vegan Protein  
Essential. Complete.

The question probably every vegan has been asked at some time is “How do you get your protein?”

If it’s not from meat or other animal sources, where do vegans get their “vegan protein?”

Americans seem to be obsessed with protein. Animal or vegan protein.

This concern is misplaced and misguided. 

Although protein is an essential nutrient which plays vital roles in your body’s function, you don’t need huge quantities of it.

Only about 10 percent of your total calorie intake should to be from protein to maintain a healthy body. 

It is important to replenish protein daily as your body doesn’t store it like it does other nutrients. You need protein every day to build and repair cells, hormones, antibodies, enzymes and muscle tissue.

But too much is certainly not always better.

The standard American diet (SAD) - and sad it is - is way too high in protein. And it’s mostly from animal sources.

Over consumption of protein is associated with several diseases such as osteoporosis and kidney disease. 

Animal protein (in particular red meat) has recently been shown to be a major risk factor for developing heart disease, autoimmune disorders and atherosclerosis. Not to mention certain cancers, such as colon cancer.

Animal Protein Speeds up the Aging Process

Since this is of great interest to the audience of this website - you, the older adult, the senior, the young at heart  - I’ll explain a bit further…

Many experts consider all types of animal proteins to be damaging as they lead to critical pH imbalances in your body that sap you of your energy and drain minerals from your bones and cells, thereby speeding up the aging process.

In contrast to vegan protein which is alkaline, animal protein (yes, including eggs, milk and dairy products) is one of the most metabolically acidic foods humans ingest. 

Your body seeks to return to a balanced state of alkalinity through demineralization of the aforementioned bones and cells. This tendency is known as homeostasis.

Now you see why the dairy industry calcium-“fortifies” cow’s milk.  Because it robs your body of - you guessed it - calcium. What a racket…

Vegan Protein To The Rescue

Anyway, to reverse or at least slow down the aging process, plant protein comes to the rescue.

There are plenty - too many to list here - sources of vegan protein.

In fact, no list is needed - as most plant foods contain protein in some form.

Just make sure you eat a variety of them in the course of the day and throughout the week -- and you won’t have to worry about getting enough of this health-giving macronutrient.

Now is a great time to be or become a vegan.

Follow a whole foods plant-based diet - at least decide to “lean into” veganism.

You read on the page about Vegan Nutrition how the number of vegans grows. Which means the demand for vegan products increases along with it.

Satisfying this new demand, there is now a growing variety of nutrient-dense plant-based foods with a health-promoting protein content available.

I have to assume that you are a meat eater, following the SAD diet. Here’s some good news…

You can and should vary your protein sources, as you have so much to gain  - namely better senior health and longevity. 

You can work toward avoiding the above mentioned diseases by “leaning into” the vegan nutrition lifestyle. “Meatless Mondays” would be a good start.

You might just like it and adopt the vegan life altogether…

Vegan protein has undeservedly gotten a bad rap. But people are waking up to new facts, and they won’t so readily believe everything the powerful meat and dairy industry “dishes” up to them.

If you would like to make some changes in your health behavior, but find it challenging, I am offering you my guidance and encouragement.