Proteins are made of a chain of simpler elements – amino acids – of 20 different types. Some amino acids are essential because our body is not able to synthesize them and for this reason they must be introduced through the diet.
There are 8 essential amino acids. Lysine, netionine, tryptophan, phenylalanine, isoleucine, leucine, threonine, valine (plus 2 others, essential only during the growth phase and are histidine and arginine).
From these amino acids our organism obtains the others and builds the proteins it needs.
All essential amino acids are present and abundant in plant foods.
Vegetarian diets, including vegan diets, generally meet – or even exceed – the recommended protein quota if calorie requirements are met. The terms complete and incomplete are misleading when referring to plant-based protein. Protein from a variety of plant foods consumed throughout the day provides sufficient amounts of all essential (essential) amino acids when caloric requirements are met.
“Position of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics: Vegetarian Diets.” Journal of the Acaddemy of Nutrition and Dietetics. 2016 Dec; 116(12):1970-1980
Before use, proteins are all broken down into amino acids.
Animal foods have a very high protein content, so in an omnivorous diet i end up taking in more than our bodies need and this can cerate health problems. Moreover, animal proteins are always accompanied by saturated fats and cholesterol, unlike vegetable proteins which are accompanied by useful nutrients and substances, such as complex carbohydrates, fiber, phytocompounds.
Plant proteins increase glucagon production and help reduce insulin levels, a risk factor for both obesity and possibly cancer.
A person following a plant-based diet as a percentage of calories consumed (not food weight) – about 60% complex carbohydrates, 30% fat, 10% or at most 15% protein. In grams; those who follow a plant-based diet need about 1 g per kg of body weight per day. For those who practice physical activity, the requirement may vary from 1.3 grams to 1.8 grams per kilogram of weight depending on the activity practiced. For children in the weaning phase the requirement is 1.5 grams of protein per kilogram of weight.
An excess of protein leads to kidney disease, kidney stones, tumors, liver damage as well as increased body weight. Kidney diseases occur due to an excess of nitrogen resulting from the exaggerated introduction of protein foods and this subjects the kidney to an excessive work to eliminate nitrogenous wastes with urine, which in the long run damages the kidney.
A diet rich in fats and proteins and poor in carbohydrates in the long run leads to the production of ketone bodies by the liver and this determines a metabolic imbalance for overwork of the liver, kidneys that must face an overwork to expel with urine ketone bodies.
Proteins of animal origin, if consumed in the right doses, help to keep weight under control, but be careful not to exaggerate.
