Background:

Protein is one of the most important nutrient that a body needs. Proteins are needed to build muscles, hormones, bones and blood too. They help in repairing tissues present in the body. Hence, it is important to have diet rich in protein.

The Problem

The amount of protein needed is very easily achieved with a normal diet. But the meat and poultry industry has used a number of successful marketing campaigns to trick you into believing that

• your child is not getting enough protein, and
• that a child needs meat in his/her diet to grow up healthy.

Remember the commercials for the “incredible, edible egg”? or “Beef – It’s what for dinner?”, or “Chicken – a white meat?”

We are being systematically programmed to consume more meat for the benefit of the meat industry.

Furthermore, meat accounts for nearly 60% of all greenhouse gases from food production. If you care about climate change and Mother Earth and the future that we leave for our kids, think long and hard about the food that you consume.

The Reality

Plant based Protein

Tofu – Containing 8.08g of protein per 100g, tofu is a source of minerals, including calcium, magnesium, and iron. 

Edamame beans are whole, bright green, immature soybeans. Grocery stores typically sell them frozen for people to steam and add to stir-fries, soups, or salads. One cup of edamame beans contains 18.4g of protein and all the essential amino acids. Additionally, they are a good source of calcium, magnesium, and vitamin K.

Lentils are a popular protein choice for people eating a plant-based diet, with one cup of cooked lentils providing 17.9g of protein.

Chickpeas or garbanzo beans are a versatile and tasty source of plant-based protein. A 253g can of chickpeas contains 17.8g of protein. In addition, chickpeas are a low-fat, high-fiber food providing a good source of calcium and magnesium.

A 50g serving of rolled oats contains 7g of protein. Furthermore, someone can increase the protein content of breakfast oatmeal by adding chopped nuts and seeds.

Hemp seeds are rich in protein and omega-3 fatty acids. Three tablespoons of hulled hemp seeds provide 9.48g of protein.

brown bread 7.9g

oatmeal 11.2g

brown wheat flour 12.6g

wholegrain rice 6.67g

buckwheat flour 6.67g

almonds 21.1g

walnuts 14.7g

hazelnuts 14.1g

One cup of cooked quinoa contains around 8g of protein and all the essential amino acids, classifying it as a complete protein. 

Per cup, green peas have an impressive 7.86g of protein. They also provide additional nutrients such as calcium, iron, and vitamin C.

The Meat Industry

Meat is not essential for life. One Himalayan tribe has practiced veganism for more than 5,000 years. Even Neanderthals might have eaten more plant-based foods than animal products, and since our guts are more closely aligned with apes and other monkeys.

To keep meat in your diet, the meat industry companies donated a total of $1.7 million to federal political candidates.

The meat industry is the enormous corporate system that commercializes animals as meat and other by-products. Animals like cows, chickens, pigs, and turkeys aren’t viewed as sentient creatures with lives to live, but as breasts, legs, thighs, flanks, and short loins.

From dairy cows to farmed chickens, these animals face cruel lives from birth and often die long before they would in their natural environments. If you’ve never visited a factory farm, you might be shocked at what the housing conditions for animals look like. Smaller animals are kept in tiny cages or grouped together in pens so tightly they can’t move. Many go lame and fall down because they’re fed too many calories, and the larger animals stand in stalls or pens where they can’t move around or even lie down comfortably.

Factory farmed animals have no say in their fate. They can’t fight for themselves or stop the cruel process. Learn more here.

Animals deserve Love and Respect. If dogs, cats, rabbits, hamsters, and guinea pigs are deserving of our love and respect, then so too are hogs, bulls, buffalo, and other animals that die at the hands of humans. Numerous philosophers, humanists, and even economists have opined about the ability of money to distort our morals and corrupt our decisions. The meat industry is a prime example.

The Takeaway

We simply follow the lifestyles our parents and grandparents before them led and never questioning the validity of their choices. It is time to be a conscious consumer and do better for our child and the planet that they will inherit from us.

Experts advise that someone eating a plant-based diet can meet their protein requirements by ensuring they consume a variety of healthy foods.

• Curtail and substitute meat with plant based protein.
• Don’t buy products that have undergone animal testing
• Become part of the animal rights movement and donate your money, time, or resources to these organizations. They need your help.

Source: Internet, CDC, Medical News & Others

The views expressed in this article should not be considered as a substitute for a physician’s advice. Always make sure to seek a doctor or a professional’s advice before proceeding with the home treatment plan.