I have a beautiful picture of a real cow, but decided that it was just too close to home for this post. Because that poor cow probably is going to end up on someone’s dinner plate and personally, I am just not ok with that. On the other hand, we do not judge here. This is a place to explore healthy eating. A place for you to find wonderful, nutritious healthy alternatives to the SAD (standard American diet) diet. If that leads you to the path of not eating animals, that makes me happy. But this isn’t about me…it is about you. And the best way for you to make your own decision is to equip yourself with correct information. Let’s start with protein.

For starters, we don’t need any where near as much protein as we have been conditioned to believe. Most people are getting 60 to 125 grams a day when really you only need about 20 to 45 grams a day. The over consumption of animal protein causes many health problems. The proteins from plant based sources fuel our bodies without the toxic effects that animal proteins can have.

We have been taught to believe that animal protein is the only complete protein. That too, is not correct. Whether or not a protein is considered “complete” depends on the amino acids present. Many vegetables, nuts and seeds have the 8 essential amino acids required for them to be complete proteins. The interesting part is that plant protein is much easier for your body to digest. So, you get high quality protein that is easy to digest.

Great places to find protein in from plants include seeds, nuts, sprouts, sprouted grains and especially green leafy vegetables. And don’t forget your chia seeds! Just one ounce contains over 4 grams of protein. It’s always a good idea to be aware of what you are eating, and make sure you are balancing your diet. Just rest assured, you do not need anywhere near as much protein as you have been led to believe and you can get high quality protein from plants.