All 9 of the essential amino acids necessary to build protein can be found in plant foods. Why do people just assume that animal protein is superior to plant protein? The amino acids in all animal protein comes from plants. What do people think the cow was eating?
Plants are pretty bad-ass if you think about it. We don't need any meat or animal products to get the essential amino acids. However, sometimes the protein in whole, natural plant foods are harder to digest than the processed or refined plant foods. This is where processed foods get to shine. Most people think that whole, natural foods are better for you, but in this instance, the processing of the protein makes it easier to digest than if it was unprocessed. Furthermore, these sources of protein are just as digestible as any animal protein.
These processed plant foods are the Protein Superstars of the Vegan World. Eat them and be happy! They are:
1. Tofu
Tofu was developed in ancient China from soybeans; the protein found in Tofu is easy to digest. Firm tofu has more protein than soft or silken tofu.
2. Veggie "meats"
Hooray for Tofurky and other meat substitutes! Not only do they taste really good, but they are fairly indistinguishable from the meats they are mimicking. Yes, some taste like crap, but there are some good vegan "meats" out there that are an excellent source of protein. One of my favorites is the Primal Stick. It is like a Slim Jim. It is great!
3. Refined grains
Who doesn't love refined grains in the form of white or whole wheat bread every now and then? I for one am a big fan of this Protein Superhero!
4. Lentils
If you don't like beans (for whatever reason... either they take too long to cook, they make you gassy, or whatever), lentils are the perfect source for protein needs. They are easily digestible and fast to cook.
I'm going to take a pass on the white bread, but everything else sounds great, and I will plan to try it. I would also like to pass along a great suggestion to you, if I could. Try Amy's Kitchen products. They are all organic/vegetarian, and many of the products are vegan. Look for them in your local natural foods market. http://www.amyskitchen.com/products/index.php
ReplyDeleteThanks TeeJay... Yes, Amy's Kitchen is great! Some of the products use cheese and eggs, but the vegan entrees are pretty frickin' awesome! :)
ReplyDeleteI forgot to add lentils in there...
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