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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.
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Vegetables
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Legumes/Nuts
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Brussels
Sprouts
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16%
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Almonds
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12%
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Cabbage
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17%
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Kidney
Beans
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26%
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Carrots
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10%
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Peanuts
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18%
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Corn
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12%
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Tofu
(soybeans)
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34%
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Potatoes
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11%
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Tomatoes
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16%
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Grains
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Meat/Fish/Poultry
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Bread
(whole wheat)
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16%
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Eggs
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33%
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Brown
Rice
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8%
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Lobster
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88%
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Oatmeal
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16%
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Pork
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42%
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Spaghetti
(whole wheat)
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14%
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Turkey
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68%
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Beef
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26%
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Chicken
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61%
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Milk
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Breast
Milk
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5%
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Cow's
Milk
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21%
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