Proteins of plant origin
A wide range of foods of plant origin contains proteins. At the top are the Soy and its derivatives as tofu, tempe and others. Moreover, plant proteins present advantages as compared to those of animal origin.
The word protein comes from a Greek word meaning "first", "very important". Those are abundant molecules in living organisms, building about 50% of the dry weight of cells.
WHO (World Health Organization) said that their studies in the developed world consumes more than twice the daily requirements of needed protein. Meanwhile, the Third World suffers an alarming lack of protein. Moreover, even the WHO recommends a ratio of only 25% of animal protein and 75% of vegetable protein in our diet.
Often, people who practice a vegetarian diet are bombarded with the same question: "By not eating meat, how you provide the body the protein it needs?” The simple answer is because there is a wide range of foods that provide the necessary substances.
Indeed, in current times, with the mad cow disease or foot and mouth disease in the front pages of newspapers, many of which use the meat as the sole nutrient protein are seeking other sources.
Habit of eating beef, steak… is just that, a deep-rooted habit, before it was very difficult to access the necessary food, and meat was a life insurance. At present, people have access to markets in many plant foods rich in protein.
When digesting meat, what happens is that it eliminates all intermediate processes that cross the natural chemicals transmuted into proteins.
Benefits of plant proteins compared with animal
- Fewer acidifying our blood, because they are accompanied by more minerals.
- They contain fewer impurities and are removed the better.
- Fermented in the intestines and do not rot like the meat.
- They contain less fat and are unsaturated (good for health)
- Do not contain cholesterol
- Have fiber
- Overload the liver and kidneys less
- Easy to digest
- Ideal for low-calorie diets
- They are cheaper for our economy and the planet
The main sources of protein are: soy products, tofu, tempeh, soy sauce, miso, soybean sprouts, soy drinks and desserts, the gluten or seitan, Pulses , Nuts, Seaweeds, brewer's yeast.
Here are some:
Tofu
Soy, the main element in the development of Tofu, is a very nutritious food, not only for its high protein content (between 35 and 40%) but by the quality, as it contains all the essential amino acids, especially lysine, which are deficient in most cereals. However, it is not advisable to take Soy directly due to the slurry it contains, so the man has managed to take advantage of this great food, and Tofu has been one of its results.
Tofu is rennet were rushing to curdle the soy milk, which is also known as "tofu", this description remind both its texture and mild taste.
Benefits of Tofu
- Having removed the pulp and water soluble carbohydrates, the Tofu has a digestibility of 95% versus 65% Soybean cooked.
- Tofu is low in calories (72 cal/100 gr. ) and only contains 4.3% fat, of which 80% are unsaturated.
- Tofu, is not only cholesterol free but, because it is rich in linoleic acid, removes cholesterol deposits that may be present in the body.Tofu is rich in minerals and vitamins.
- If Tofu is curdled with natural magnesium chloride (nigari), tofu contains 23% more calcium than the cow's milk. It is also a good source of other minerals such as iron, phosphorus, sodium and potassium and B vitamins and vitamin E.
- Tofu is an excellent food combined with grains, because the NPU (Net Protein Use) result is much higher than they would separately.
- Tofu is free of toxic chemicals and the use is easy, fast and diverse.
- Despite having the same amount of water as cow's milk (85% and 87.5%) tofu milk contains more than twice the protein and very good quality (8% 3.5% tofu and cow's milk).
Tempe
The Tempe is the result of fermenting soybeans through a mold (Rhizopus oligosporus), located in the root of the plant. This product originated hundreds of years ago in central and eastern Java. Became the most popular food in Indonesia since 1975, is attracting a great interest in the West.
Conservation tips:
Tempe in packaging bag has a life of twelve days, we recommend boiling the whole piece even if not consumed throughout, keeping the rest in the refrigerator in a bag. The Tempe boiled (sterilized glass boat) has a minimum of 3 years maintenance. Once opened, keep the rest in the refrigerator, being ten days the period recommended for consumption.
Tempe Specifications
Tempe has a 19.5% high quality protein. It is free of cholesterol. Contains only 7.5% fat, almost all unsaturated and provides 175 calories per 100 gr. It is highly digestible by the enzymes produced during fermentation, as broken and partially digests the oils and soy proteins making it more similar. It synthesizes nicotinic acid and B vitamins, especially B12 (important in the formation of red blood cells) that is missing the vegetarian diet. Tempe contains 100 grams of an average of 120% of the recommended daily dose of vitamin B12. This crop produces natural antibacterial agents that act as antibiotics against some pathogenic microorganisms. This explains why the Indonesians recognize as half against dysentery and other intestinal diseases. Growth stimulant properties. It contains a natural antioxidant that prevents fat is damaged soybeans and preserves the biologically active vitamin E.
Sprouts
The nature in its purest. A complete food. No other food, consistent with the ecology, gives human beings so much zest for life and health. The sprouts are not a condiment to sprinkle over most of our plates, but are recommended to eat each day and in great quantities. As a complete food, the sprouts are a good alternative to excess animal products which harm the health of Western countries.
The sprouts are life
One of the great benefits of sprouts is their high protein content. The sprouts are free of harmful products (fertilizers, herbicides, insecticides, etc. ..), and its wealth of vitamins, minerals, trace elements, amino acids, enzymes and other biologically active substances, correct deficiencies caused by modern food, damaged by industrial processes. The sprouts contain everything needed by the human body to live. Always soft and fresh all year round, they retain their freshness and flavor for many days. They are also very low in calories, are always ready to eat, and are a potential health and energy.