The Real Issue With Protein In Vegans
The verdict’s in… and all proteins are simply not created equally.
In the developed world, most males consume twice their recommended daily intake of protein, and females eat about one and a half times their recommended daily intake. I’ll be the first to admit that, in industrialized nations where food is abundant, protein deficiency, even among vegetarians, is not an issue. Deficiency is not what this blog post is about. It is the quality, rather than the quantity of protein that really matters. So what makes one food product have a higher quality of protein than another? There’s a few different answers… |
Photo from http://www.leanandmuscular.org/7-benefits-of-protein.php
|
The Bear Bones Basics
By definition, proteins are long chains of carbon compounds called amino acids. There are 22 different proteinogenic (meaning chained together by some living organism—either a plant or an animal) amino acids, although, outside of the realm of proteinogenesis, there are estimated to be over 200 different types of amino acids at work in our bodies. Each amino acid is characterized by its distinctive chemical conformation, which also dictates its purpose in our bodies. In general, here are the main functions of proteins:
Animal products and soy are the only foods that contain all ten of the essential amino acids. Every other plant-based food only contains a few.
By definition, proteins are long chains of carbon compounds called amino acids. There are 22 different proteinogenic (meaning chained together by some living organism—either a plant or an animal) amino acids, although, outside of the realm of proteinogenesis, there are estimated to be over 200 different types of amino acids at work in our bodies. Each amino acid is characterized by its distinctive chemical conformation, which also dictates its purpose in our bodies. In general, here are the main functions of proteins:
- Serve as antibodies to fight off free radicals, such as viruses and bacteria
- Link together to form enzymes which are needed to execute chemical reactions in cells
- Form new molecules at the discretion of DNA
- Act as hormones that send messages between tissues
- Provide bodily structure and support that enables movement
- Store or transport molecules throughout the body
Animal products and soy are the only foods that contain all ten of the essential amino acids. Every other plant-based food only contains a few.
Why Proteins Should Not Be Treated Like Puzzle Pieces
There is a general idea in the vegan community that, because different amino acids are found in different plant foods, you can just eat foods that contain each of the amino acids and call it good. This is not the case. Because these proteins are not pieced together when they enter our digestive system, our body has to decide what configuration to put them in, then expend the energy to put them in that order. Think of our digestive system like a chef. A good chef puts all his ingredients together, then starts cooking, whereas a disorganized chef realizes while he’s cooking that he doesn’t have enough flour, and has to run to the story while his customers grow impatient. Eating complete, pre-formed proteins is like being the good chef, and is much more efficient in the grand scheme of our bodily processes, which are urgently trying to make use of the proteins as they come available. |
Photo from http://www.therawfoodmum.com/10-protein-sources-for-vegans/
|
Why Soy Should NOT Be Our Main Source of Protein
So if it’s complete protein we need, then vegetarians can just eat soy, right? Not so fast… Many believe that soy is a great choice because it has been said to counteract many common conditions such as heart disease, hot flashes, breast cancer, and cognitive decline with age. However, a 2014 Harvard article laid all of these myths to rest with evidence that exposed those health benefits as simply not accurate. Furthermore, several studies conducted in many different parts of the world found that soy actually has health risks.
The Reason Origin Matters
Furthermore, utilizing proteins is easier when they were formed by another animal’s digestive system, instead of by plants, because animals use the same configuration of protein that we do. If we were to continue with the chef example, think of every protein that enters our body being like a new recipe that our digestive system has to cook. Animal protein “recipes” are much simpler to read, whereas plant protein “recipes” are foreign, with all of the measurements in grams instead of the cup and tablespoon units we’re used to.
This phenomenon is explored in an article written by Collin T. Campbell. Does that name sound familiar? Those versed in the circus lingo that is vegan propaganda can identify him as the author of the book, The China Study, which attempts to push a vegan diet on the grounds of health. To write off this undeniable advantage of animal proteins over plant proteins, in the linked article, he says: “The important part of the protein proposition in the book is not to estimate the relative importance of protein versus other nutrients in producing various effects. Indeed, that would be highly variable and rather useless because it neither would be possible nor would be very informative.” So telling the truth is not informative enough? More on his clown act in a future blog post…
So if it’s complete protein we need, then vegetarians can just eat soy, right? Not so fast… Many believe that soy is a great choice because it has been said to counteract many common conditions such as heart disease, hot flashes, breast cancer, and cognitive decline with age. However, a 2014 Harvard article laid all of these myths to rest with evidence that exposed those health benefits as simply not accurate. Furthermore, several studies conducted in many different parts of the world found that soy actually has health risks.
- The Singapore Chinese Health Study, conducted in 2002, found that soy increased the risk for bladder cancer
- The American Chemical Society released a report in 2001 that explained why soy causes kidney stones
- The Ecological study of the association between soy product intake and mortality from cancer and heart disease in Japan, published in 2000, found that “soy protein intake was significantly positively correlated with colorectal cancer mortality rates in both sexes.”
- The Honolulu Heart Program conducted a 30-year study that found that consuming soy-based tofu during one’s mid-life causes accelerated brain aging or cognitive impairment
- The US National Library of Medicine published a 2006 study that found that soy interferes with the absorption of synthetic thyroid hormone, causing thyroid malfunctions
The Reason Origin Matters
Furthermore, utilizing proteins is easier when they were formed by another animal’s digestive system, instead of by plants, because animals use the same configuration of protein that we do. If we were to continue with the chef example, think of every protein that enters our body being like a new recipe that our digestive system has to cook. Animal protein “recipes” are much simpler to read, whereas plant protein “recipes” are foreign, with all of the measurements in grams instead of the cup and tablespoon units we’re used to.
This phenomenon is explored in an article written by Collin T. Campbell. Does that name sound familiar? Those versed in the circus lingo that is vegan propaganda can identify him as the author of the book, The China Study, which attempts to push a vegan diet on the grounds of health. To write off this undeniable advantage of animal proteins over plant proteins, in the linked article, he says: “The important part of the protein proposition in the book is not to estimate the relative importance of protein versus other nutrients in producing various effects. Indeed, that would be highly variable and rather useless because it neither would be possible nor would be very informative.” So telling the truth is not informative enough? More on his clown act in a future blog post…
In Conclusion
Protein is just one of the three macronutrients, and is just a drop in the water of all the chemicals we consume that affect our health. Because of this, it’s only a fraction of the factors to be considered when evaluating a healthy diet, but it has been brought consistently to the forefront of the vegetarian vs. omnivore debate, and with good reason. Protein has the unique ability to be flushed out of our body when available in excess, and so there are no known toxicity symptoms, which is good because of the surplus found in modern day diets. All things considered, high quality proteins should still be sought out to help the body function with maximum efficiency. |
Image from http://uglfitness.com/7-simple-reasons-need-protein-diet/
|
Other Sources
"How Many Amino Acids Are There | Amino Acid Information." AMINOACIDINFORMATION.COM. Ramacciotti Altervista, 22 Apr.
2016. Web. 15 Mar. 2017.
Wax, Emily, RD. "Amino Acids." MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia. US National Library of Medicine, 9 Mar. 2017. Web. 15 Mar.
2017.
"What Are Proteins and What Do They Do? - Genetics Home Reference." U.S. National Library of Medicine. National Institutes of
Health, 14 Mar. 2017. Web. 15 Mar. 2017.
"How Many Amino Acids Are There | Amino Acid Information." AMINOACIDINFORMATION.COM. Ramacciotti Altervista, 22 Apr.
2016. Web. 15 Mar. 2017.
Wax, Emily, RD. "Amino Acids." MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia. US National Library of Medicine, 9 Mar. 2017. Web. 15 Mar.
2017.
"What Are Proteins and What Do They Do? - Genetics Home Reference." U.S. National Library of Medicine. National Institutes of
Health, 14 Mar. 2017. Web. 15 Mar. 2017.