If
I don't feed my children meat, where are they going to get the protein
they need? There
are two primary sources of protein, animals and plants. Plant
source include legumes and grains. The major concern with the
avoidance of animal proteins has been the loss of complete amino
acids. There are nine essential amino acids in meat protein, and
no single plant product delivers a complete protein. However,
by eating combinations of vegetables and grains, you can provide
the equivalent protein that is found in meat. For instance, rice
and beans eaten together, whole wheat bread with hummus (chick-pea
spread), or even rice cakes with a spoonful of almond butter will
provide as complete a protein as beef. It's not important that
you eat all the essential amino acids in one meal. You can spread
out your intake throughout the day.
It's important
for you to understand how much protein we actually need: much
less than most of us eat. On an average day, a child is given
three times the amount of protein necessary for growth. The correct
ratio is about one gram of protein per pound of body weight during
the first year of life. This drops to about half a gram of protein
per pound in the second through fifteenth year. There are 28 grams
to an ounce so we're not talking about very much in volume. If
you weigh 135 pounds, you need only 2 ½ ounces of protein a day!
Where do you get
this protein? Right from your cupboards. Grains, cereals, pastas,
tofu and beans are all excellent sources of protein. As I've said,
soybeans, from which tofu is made, provide the most complete of
the plant proteins. A stir-fry meal made with tofu, instead of
meat, and served on a bed of natural brown rice will provide plenty
of good protein for children and adults.
Another good source
of protein is a good, grainy pasta. Pasta dishes are universal
favorites for children. Try making lasagna with tofu instead of
ricotta cheese or stuff whole wheat pasta shells with spinach
and tofu, cover them with a fresh tomato sauce and bake the shells
in the oven.
Legumes are another
excellent source of protein. Meatless chili, hummus on pita bread,
or almost butter on whole grains bread will supply your children
with adequate protein as well as healthful fiber.
In any good bookstore,
you can find booklets that will give you the protein, cholesterol,
carbohydrate, fat, and sodium breakdowns of almost any food you
could want to serve.
The list below
shows the percentage of protein that each type of food contains.
Here is a general guide to help you reach your nutritional goals
for yourself and your family. Look to vegetables and grains as
sources of carbohydrates. Legumes provide protein and carbohydrates.
Nuts are a source of protein but usually contain so much fat that
this outweighs the protein benefit. Meats and milk supply protein
and fat. However, I am not recommending dairy or meat products.
Vegetables |
|
|
Legumes/Nuts |
|
Brussels
Sprouts |
16% |
|
Almonds |
12% |
Cabbage |
17% |
|
Kidney
Beans |
26% |
Carrots |
10% |
|
Peanuts |
18% |
Corn |
12% |
|
Tofu (soybeans) |
34% |
Potatoes |
11% |
|
|
Tomatoes |
16% |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Grains |
|
|
Meat/Fish/Poultry |
|
Bread
(whole wheat) |
16% |
|
Eggs |
33% |
Brown
Rice |
8% |
|
Lobster |
88% |
Oatmeal |
16% |
|
Pork |
42% |
Spaghetti
(whole wheat) |
14% |
|
Turkey |
68% |
|
|
|
Beef |
26% |
|
|
|
Chicken |
61% |
Milk |
|
|
|
Breast
Milk |
5% |
|
|
Cow's
Milk |
21% |
|
|
|