Kid’s breakfast this morning: strawberries, blackberries, almond milk, oatmeal, and smidgen of sucanant.
Recently I had an interesting discussion with one of my classes that I teach at a local university.
It started with the topic of germs and keeping your immune system healthy, primarily through proper “self-care” (get enough sleep, exercise, eat healthful foods, maintain a healthy weight, you know the standard answers we all know yet have a hard time following).
Then out of the blue a student asked, “So as a vegan, don’t you find that you get sick a lot since you don’t get vitamins from meat?” I asked this student to clarify which particular vitamins she was talking about. “Um, I don’t know, like protein?” Protein, I explained, is a macronutrient (as are carbohydrates, fats/lipids, water) while vitamins are micronutrients (along with minerals). So protein is not a vitamin. I thought it was interesting that this question in essence was more of a statement about how most Americans think: protein= meat, therefore, you don’t eat meat, you don’t get protein, which in turn makes you sick. On a side note, since being vegan I rarely get sick (maybe once a year) and if I do, the duration is very short. That said, just because you are vegan does not make you immune from all sickness/disease. If you’re on a strict low-fat whole foods vegetarian (vegan) diet, however, your chances for a strong immune system are much better than the alternative. Additionally, there are a lot of other factors involved in being healthy (remember this post?), diet being only one (albeit a large part) part of the whole picture.
What is the difference between a vitamin and protein?
Briefly, there are 13 vitamins divided into 2 groups: fat soluble (vitamins A, D, E, and K) and water soluble (vitamin C and B vitamins, which can be partially destroyed through cooking). Vitamins are needed by the body in very small amounts and with the exception of vitamin D (which your body can synthesize, or make through 15 minutes of daily sun exposure), can be found in unfortified whole foods. The fat soluble vitamins (except for vitamin K) as well as vitamin B-12 and B-6 can be stored in the body for later use, while the water soluble vitamins are generally lost from the body and therefore should be consumed on a daily basis. Vitamin C, for example, if not consumed for a long period of time (about 20-40 days), will result in a vitamin deficiency known as scurvy. Another deficiency, rickets, is caused by lack of vitamin D.
Vitamins help aid the body’s process and everyday functioning. Some of the functions of vitamins include: helping to see/vision, cell differentiation and growth, immunity (vitamin A); maintenance of calcium concentrations/bone health (vitamin D); act as an antioxidant which prevents the propagation of free radicals (vitamin E); prevents blood clotting (vitamin K). The best source of vitamins is through unprocessed, whole foods as they come in the complete package and in “safe amounts” (including fiber, water, and other vitamins & minerals). You really cannot overdose on a particular vitamin/mineral by eating them through foods. It is very possible, however, to overdose through supplements.
Protein, on the other hand, is required in much larger amounts (for most adults, about 50-60 grams a day). Proteins are formed by the bonding of amino acids. Without getting too complicated, breakdown of protein is this:
20 common amino acids are found in foods and 9 of these are “essential” meaning we must get them through foods. Animal protein contains all 9 of these essential amino acids, thus it is often labeled the “complete” protein. Plants contain amino acids, but aside from soybeans and quinoa, each plant food lack one of more of the essential amino acids. This means nothing significant in terms of quality protein, however. As long as you eat several different types of plant foods throughout the day (it doesn’t have to even necessarily be at the same meal), your body knows what to do and will put those amino acids together to from the complete protein required. This is why eating a VARIETY of grains (not just wheat, as most Americans are prone to do, and refined wheat at that) as well as legumes is important, not just for your palate but for your body as well. That said, a person could live on rice alone as long as there was some inclusion of vegetables, nuts/seeds, and or small amounts of legumes (as is typical of many rurual Asian diets).
Protein IS essential for our health and basic day-to-day functioning. It provides the basis for our muscles and plays a large role in our bone structure. Proteins also play a role in our blood, cell membranes, enzymes, and immune factors.
That said, that doesn’t mean we need MORE than the RDA (recommended daily allowance). An ideal amount is 10-18% (18% being rather high, more conducive for atheletes, body builders) of your total caloric intake (amount of calories from protein in relation to your total caloric intake).
As I’ve said before, more of a good thing, does not necessarily equate to a good thing. Overconsumption of protein, particularly animal protein, can have some not so desirable health consequences.
The protein concern continues to baffle me, and on occasion, is a little maddening. The obsession about whether or not you’re getting enough protein seems to be everywhere. I understand where it’s coming from as we are constantly feed misinformation from the media (popular magazines, talk shows, ect. are especially guilty of jumping on the next fad diet) and it doesn’t help that we are recently returning from Atkins-mania.
Most people’s main concern when it comes to nutrition is, “gotta get my protein,” not “gotta get my fiber (which is crucial to healthy bowel function and overall health), antioxidants (that help prevent free radicals that contribute to cancer/tumor growth, such as vitamin C & E), or phytochemicals (such as carotenoids which is converted to vitamin A and are thought to contribute to a reduced risk of cancer and cardiovascular disease and are only found in plants).”
We are obsessed with getting a particular nutrient but pay no attention to the trash we daily ingest that is harmful to our health, ie. dietary cholesterol, saturated fat and trans fats, harmful chemicals such as MSG, refined sugars and oils, and growth hormones & pesticides as well as antibiotics, heavy metals & other environmental pollutants found in all animal products, even if it is labeled organic, free range, ect. It’s not just about getting enough nutrients. It’s also about what we DON’T put into our bodies that is equally if not more important.
We’re so scared of not getting enough protein, because what would happen to us if we did? We might develop a protein deficiency, right? Look around you. Do you know of anyone with a so called protein deficiency? The technical term for protein deficiency is kwashiorkor, and is a disease that typically occurs in young children who have an existing disease and do not consume sufficient calories (thus protein) to meet their needs. Translation: starving children in places of the world where there is hunger & famine. Even among the most destitute and hungry in the U.S. there is very little incidence of kwashiorkor, or protein deficiency.
On that note, I would say, if you are not getting enough calories for a long period of time (hence, famine, starvation, anorexia) you are putting yourself up for kwashiokor, in addition to a multitude of other risk factors.
A more logical train of thought would be to look around you and see the more common diseases: obesity and heart disease, and think, “What can I do to not get THAT?”
As Dr. McDougall has said, in America, we do not see diseases of deficiency (rickets, scurvy, kwashiorkor), but rather diseases of excess (heart disease, the #1 killer in America; diabetes; prostate/breast cancer; hypertension; gallbladder disease). And the sad thing is, part of our obsession with protein is feeding these diseases. So maybe instead of worrying about whether or not you’re getting enough protein in your diet, try focusing your attention on whether or not you’re getting enough whole plant foods in your diet, because chances are, if you’re an American and you eat, you’re getting PLENTY of protein. Try replacing the animal flesh on your plate with some whole grains, legumes, and/or veggies. See how you feel, and who knows, call me crazy, but you just might feel better.
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