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The Need for Protein
Proteins are important for healthy bones, brain tissue,
skin, nails, hair, muscles, organs, hormones, antibodies, enzymes,
chemical messengers, blood cells, nerves, and the DNA and RNA
used to form the genetic code of life. According to studies from
the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, The World Health organization,
The Food and Nutrition Board of the National Academy of Sciences,
and the National Research Council (agencies independent of dairy
and meat industries) our need for protein ranges from 2.5 percent to
a little over 8 percent of our total daily caloric intake.
Vegetarians get complete proteins by eating whole
grains, such as brown rice, corn, oats and barley; legumes, such as
beans and lentils; and nuts and seeds, such as almonds, peanuts,
sunflower seeds and sesame seeds. Include foods from two or more
of these groups throughout the day and rest assured that you are
receiving more protein than your body needs.
The following is from Marilyn Diamond's "American
Vegetarian Cookbook":
To step away from the "fractionated" concept
of this-amino-acid-here and that-amino-acid-there, I'm
giving you a list of some very fine foods of significant
protein content. Where the figure for
the percentage of calories from protein for any given
food was available, I have included it in parentheses. Remember
our protein-need ranges from 2.5% to 8% of daily caloric intake.
| Almonds (12%) | Amaranth (20%+) | Apricots (8%) |
| Artichoke (22%) | Asparagus (38%) | Avocado (5%) |
| Bamboo Shoots(39%) | Bananas (5%) | Barley (11%) |
| Beechnuts | Beet Greens (37%) | Blackberries |
| Brazil Nuts (9%) | Broadbeans (32%) | Broccoli (45%) |
| Brussels Sprouts | Buckwheat (15%) | Butternuts (15%) |
| Cabbage, Chinese (34%) | Cabbage, Red (22%) | Cabbage, Savoy (22%) |
| Cantaloupe (9%) | Cashews (12%) | Cauliflower (40%) |
| Celery (21%) | Cherries (8%) | Chestnuts (6%) |
| Coconut, Fresh (4%) | Collards (43%) | Corn, Sweet(12%) |
| Cucumbers (24%) | Dandelion (24%) | Dried Legumes |
| Fennel | Figs (6%) | Filberts (8%) |
| Garbanzos (23%) | Garlic Clove (20%) | Grapefruit (5%) |
| Grapes (8%) | Green Beans (26%) | Green Peas (30%) |
| Hickory Nuts | Honeydew (10%) | Hot Red Peppers(17%) |
| Kale (45%) | Kohlrabi | Kohlrabi |
| Leeks | Lentils (29%) | Lettuce(s) (34%) |
| Limas (26%) | Legumes | Macadamias |
| Millet (12%) | Miso | Mung Beansprouts(43%) |
| Mushrooms (38%) | Mustard Greens (39%) | Oats (15%) |
| Okra (27%) | Oranges (8%) | Pumpkin Seeds (21%) |
| Quinoa (20% +) | Red Beans (26%) | Rice, Brown (8%) |
| Papaya (6%) | Parsley (34%) | Peaches (6%) |
| Pears (5%) | Pecans (5%) | Pepper, Grn Bell(22%) |
| Pine Nuts (pinon) (8%) | Pintos (26%) | Prunes (4%) |
| Rye (20%) | Sea Vegetables | Sesame Seeds (13%) |
| Soybeans (35%) | Soymilk | Spinach (49%) |
| Split Peas (28%) | Sprouted Soybeans(54%) | Sprouts |
| Strawberries (8%) | Swiss Chard | Tofu (43%) |
| Triticale | Turnip Greens (43%) | Walnuts(13%) |
| Watercress (46%) | Watermelon (8%) | Wheat Germ (31%) |
| Whole Wheat (17%) | Wild Rice (18%) | Zucchini (28%) |