Protein Options

Protein seems to be such a concern or worry these days. What is so funny is we need a ton less than we think we need, and protein is so easy to attain in our daily diets. We complicate our lives worrying about how much protein we need. It does vary person to person. It changes from male to female as well as activity level. It stands to reason that an athlete requires much more protein than someone who leads a sedentary lifestyle.

One of the easiest ways to get enough protein is to have a varied plant based diet. Most people think that you have to consume large amounts of animal protein, especially meat, to get adequate protein. This simply isn't true. Don't get me wrong, protein is definitely a core part of our daily diets. Nor is it a bad thing to consume a small amount of healthy animal protein like organic grass fed beef, or organic pastured free range poultry and eggs. We wouldn't  be able to stand up straight or have proper muscle growth without it. It's just important to know that you have a lot of choices for a healthy diet.

The more plant foods you consume the better off your body operates. The amino acids that make up the proteins in plant foods are much more sustainable for the environment and our bodies. Plant protein is easier to digest. Most plant foods are lacking all eight amino acids that are considered a complete protein. It's fairly simple to remedy that by being sure to eat a multitude of different colors and types of plant foods. You don't have to keep a close number count or even fret over each meal. Consuming too much protein can cause major health issues in the body as well.

 There are a number of plant foods that have all eight amino acids. These would be great additions to a regular healthy meal plan.

• Quinoa
• Hempseed
• Amaranth
• Buckwheat
• Fermented soybeans