Protein is super important to the human body and it’s good to know the difference between plant and animal proteins.
What Is the Difference?
To put it bluntly – the difference between plant and animal proteins is that plant proteins are better for you.
A steady diet of animal protein has been linked to decreased bone and calcium balances. It also has been linked to cancer and other diseases that affect our kidneys. The reason behind this is that overconsumption of animal protein can cause your body and your kidneys need to work harder. By putting that much pressure on your body, you can cause yourself serious harm.
Plant protein, on the other hand, has a range of positive benefits. Plant protein-based diets have shown positive effects on psychological disorders. This is because the consumption of them can increase our serotonin levels, which helps to combat any depressive mental illnesses. They also contain far less saturated fats than animal proteins. This is good news for your blood pressure, BMI and waistline.
How Do I Get Plant Proteins?
The variety of plant products that contain protein is astounding. There’s a myth that people who don’t eat animal protein (vegetarians/vegans) end up with a deficiency, but that’s certainly not true.
There are some delicious options available to keep up your protein intake while avoiding animal proteins. Lentils are a good option, as is tofu and black beans. Quinoa, soy milk and artichokes all make the list as well. The good thing about these ingredients is that they are base level. That means you can add to them if you want to turn them from a simple snack to a full meal.
In Conclusion
The saying that all proteins are good for you is clearly wrong here. It’s evident that plant and animal proteins have different levels of nutrition, with plant protein being the clear winner. You don’t need to completely eliminate animal protein altogether. It’s just important to understand that plant protein is available too.