Plant Based Proteins

What is a Protein called?

A protein is a naturally occurring, extremely complex substance that consists of amino acid residues joined by peptide bonds. Proteins are present in all living organisms and include many essential biological compounds such as enzymes, hormones, and antibodies.

Protein synthesis occurs in the ribosomes of cells. In eukaryotic cells, ribosomes are found as free-floating particles within cells and are also embedded in the rough endoplasmic reticulum, a cell organelle.

Proteins are not stored for later use in animals. When an animal consumes excess proteins, they are converted into fats (glucose or triglycerides) and used to supply energy or build energy reserves. If an animal is not consuming sufficient protein, the body begins to break down protein-rich tissues, such as muscles, leading to muscle wasting and eventually death if the deficiency is severe.

Why Proteins are Needed?

• Proteins are essential for life and are essential for a wide range of cellular activities.
• Protein enzymes catalyse the vast majority of chemical reactions that occur in the cell.
• Proteins provide many of the structural elements of a cell, and they help to bind cells together into tissues.
• Proteins, in the form of antibodies, protect animals from disease, and many hormones are proteins.
• Proteins control the activity of genes and regulate gene expression.

What is plant-based meat?

Plant-based meats are products designed to imitate animal meat. While earlier products like tofu and seitan were meant to replace animal meat, newer products mimic its taste, texture, smell, and appearance.

Ingredients commonly found in plant-based food include legumes, soybeans or lentils, quinoa, vegetable proteins like peas, coconut oil, and vital wheat gluten, better known as seitan.

Plant-Based Meat Has Roots in the 1970s. Americans looking to cut back on meat are following a movement forged by a ground breaking book, 'Diet for a Small Planet.

In 1943, Kellogg made his first soy-based meat analog, called Soy Protose, which contained 32% soy.

In fact, The Impossible Whopper from Burger King is lower in calories, fat and cholesterol than your traditional Whopper. On the other hand, many plant-based meat replacements, like the Impossible Whopper, are higher in sodium than their meaty counterparts, and excess sodium is its own health concern.

• Pros and cons: Is plant-based meat healthier than animal meat?
• Pro: Healthy heart. Swapping for plant-based options might be good for your heart health in the long run.
• Con: Added sodium.
• Con: Might lack essential nutrients.

Plant-based meat emits 30%–90% less greenhouse gas than conventional meat (kg-CO2-eq/kg-meat). Worldwide, animal agriculture contributes more to climate change than exhaust emissions from the entire transportation sector.

Why plant-based Proteins? What is the hype?

• In recent years, the benefits of a plant-based diet have been widely publicised. Lowering heart disease, fighting acne, maintaining weight. These are all claims linked to making the switch. And with all this hype, it’s inevitable that many people are asking the question: when can I start?!
• But as with any dietary choice, it’s important to separate fact from fiction. Or at least fact from unproven claim. For instance, “going plant-based can cure cancer” is yet to be proven on a scientific level. There’s also continued debate over what diet our ancestors evolved to thrive on.
• Since most of these foods are low in calories, and other whole foods (such as beans) provide protein, the plant-based approach can help reduce calorie consumption whilst still providing adequate nutrition.
• Reduced calories can mean weight loss, improved digestion and lowered blood pressure and cholesterol.

What are they?

• Plant protein is simply a meaningful food source of protein which is from plants.
• This group can include pulses, Soya tofu, soya, tempeh, seitan, nuts, seeds, certain grains and even peas. Pulses are a large group of plants, which include chickpeas, lentils, beans (such as black, kidney and adzuki beans) and split peas.
• Plant proteins, mostly globulins, have been obtained chiefly from the protein-rich seeds of cereals and legumes. Small amounts of albumins are found in seeds. The best known globulins, insoluble in water, can be extracted from seeds by treatment with 2 to 10 percent solutions of sodium chloride.

Types of plant-based protein:

Soy-based: tempeh, tofu, edamame, Impossible Burger, soy milk, soy crumbles (textured vegetable protein)

• Bean- or legume-based: lentils, beans and rice, chickpeas, black beans, bean burgers, eggless eggs
• Pea protein-based: Pea protein, pea milk
• Grain-based: seitan, Ezekiel bread, whole wheat flour, spelt, teff
• Nut- and seed-based: almonds, cashews, Brazil nuts, pistachios, chia seeds, flax seeds, quinoa
• Veggie-based: potatoes, sweet potatoes, spinach, broccoli, asparagus
• Other: mycoprotein, spirulina

Sources of plant-based proteins:

• Almond Butter
• Amaranth
• Black Beans
• Buckwheat
• Chia Seeds
• Chickpeas
• Green Peas
• Hemp Seeds
• Kale
• Kidney Beans
• Lentils
• Nutritional Yeast
• Oatmeal
• Pumpkin Seeds
• Quinoa
• Spirulina