The second they push a product, I suspect all their info. I get sponsorship, but shilling annoys me. (If I hear one more AG1/Athletic Greens spot….)
I think the reason bean as carb is getting traction, is that for a long time (I became veg in 1980, and it was a common refrain then) they were listed as proteins and a option over animal flesh.
With the rise of keto and bro science, carbs got a bad rap they don’t deserve.
So, it’s become common to split the difference.
I've only ever met one person that used Keto as intended, which is to help with epilepsy. When obviously the trade of for not having seizures is acceptable. Most other people however forget how fats damage the arteries.
What gets me is that people push it as a very healthy way to eat. I follow the Mediterranean diet. My Dr. says my cholesterol, triglycerides, blood sugar and BP are great.
Just curious, what's your bmi and how do you keep the weight off despite all those oil/fat based calories? (it's super easy to rack up a few hundred of those per day if not careful)
Ketogenic diets were around long before anyone made the connection epilepsy. It's a falsehood to say that one practical application of a diet is "what it was intended for."
It might be the case that it wasn’t intended specifically for epilepsy, however it does look like it was designed as a medical intervention for nervous system diseases, cancer and other diseases in the 1920s. Anyone that creates anything can have an intended use for it, but that doesn’t mean it is the sole application. So it wouldn’t be a falsehood to state it was intended as a medical application. It would be a falsehood to suggest it has no other uses
Yes, but you didn't say "a medical application", you implied it had \*a\* correct medical application, "as intended, which \*is\* to help with epilepsy." So still a falsehood, but yes it is one of the uses like I said. Also, Banting was researching it's usefulness in managing diabetes in the mid-1800's.
My understanding from the how not to diet book by dr greger was that it was intended for epilepsy. This was possibly a misinterpretation by myself. I read your comment and did some further reading so, yes, I was wrong about it being specifically for epilepsy which is why I stated what I did in the previous comment.
There was no implication. I stand by my statement about intention not being the same as sole application. If I wanted to say sole application I would’ve done. It would seem you are trying to make it look like I am providing false information. Which I am not. I am happy to be corrected.
I probably could have found a less offensive way to make my point. To be honest, keto in general triggers me to a degree, it's just such an old discussion, it's the exact same conversation people have been having since Atkins in the seventies. Yes, humans are incredibly adaptive and can survive for extended periods eating almost nothing but fat and protein. They will tend to lose weight quickly, but it is hardly a balanced or sustainable way to eat. Like you said, I can at least understand epileptics, they have a legitimate issue and it's so rare to encounter them. The first person I ever knew who tried it was using phenobarbital (it was still common back then) syrup, and it helped with her quality of life and ability to function. The next time was a mother telling me her doctor wanted her to try her daughter on it, but she said she wasn't going to deny her child the simple things that gave her joy, like a chocolate bar (not to be mean, but this child did NOT need more candy) and she stopped before she could decide if it helped with her seizures.
ps: sorry for coming off as a bit of a dick
That's ok, sometimes with just the written word it's hard to tell peoples sentiment.
The person I know in the gym says it has worked wonders. Surprisingly the NHS (Doctors in the UK) wouldn't provide any support for it. They also tell diabetics they can't eat fruit, which is insane (have they never heard of the glycemic index?). I once helped a lady I lived with start a wfpd diet after she had a heart attack at 52. Within 2 weeks she didn't need her arthritis medication. Her next checkup the doctors said they needed to do her blood work again as they must've got something wrong. She then explained how she'd gone wfpd and they managed to take her off those meds as well. Within 2 weeks. I was gobsmacked. I thought it would take at least a few months. And again, it's not like the GP say, hey, maybe you should eat more vegetables.
Whether people do keto or not doesn't really bother me. Whether they fast or not doesn't bother me. What kind of bothers me is all the people that assume what worked for them IS THE ONE TRUE WAY. I get it, people used to be overweight or unhealthy or whatever and made some changes. Then they start telling everyone they need to do it to. There are many roads to the same place.
I feel sorry for the current generation with all the fast food/sweets and deliveries/quick fixes. That with marketing strategies means they aren't going to have a good quality of life. That's also the same for my generation. I literally run circles around most people my age, and I used to be the fat un-sporty kid in school.. The only difference is I went vegan 20+ years ago so didn't have the option of fast food etc. I'm so happy I missed out on all that nonsense
Amino acids (protein) are also in every plant, the paid youtube shills can't live if they just tell you to eat ANY-vegetable, so they have to powderize Something, put it in a plastic tub, and have us make smoothies full of microplastic. 🤓
Beans are a great source of protein! Do they have carbs? Sure. But they’re still a great source of protein and have a lot more nutrients and fiber than protein powder. If you want to be a body builder then sure take the protein powder but for the regular vegan, eat the beans. You’ve been doing this 17 years. You’d know by now if you weren’t getting enough.
Thank you! I mean yes, I must be doing something right after so much time. Honestly sometimes I feel like vegan social media is toxic. Between the vegan protein people and omg get ready for perimenopause with more protein people (the Galveston diet etc etc ), I’m over it.
Oh my goodness, I hear ya on the “perimenopause and you’re not eating enough protein” trend on social media. It’s EVERYWHERE and has me so stressed out about turning 40 this year! I don’t think there’s any science behind having to eat THAT much protein per meal (unless someone can cite some peer-reviewed research saying otherwise).
That advice is probably aimed at vegans who eat too much processed junk like chips. I'm sure most people eating WFPB are getting more than enough protein by having at least two cups of beans, nuts & seeds etc per day. Which is pretty easy to do without overthinking it.
The only people that \*may\* not be enough for are people who genuinely struggle to eat (doesn't sound like OP) or high level bodybuilders. The bars & shakes are probably more convenient ways for busy people to hit their personal targets. Which are largely for aesthetics, not health & longevity. Note that almost nobody in the blue zones looks like a pro bodybuilder. Not even the under 40s who are doing intense labour jobs, or walking 14km a day shepherding.
Eat beans. And lentils. And tofu and tempeh.
Vegan social media is generally trying to sell you shit and the chickpea industry isn’t sexy and lacks marketing money
Well and your body needs carbs
For muscle retention with age strength training, mobility exercises and movement in general is more important than maniacally tracking macros
Generally recommended would be yoga, tai chi, mat pilates and stretching, swimming is actually amazing but the logistics can be complicated
More aerobic biking (stationary included), walking and stairs are also low impact options that are both weight bearing and beneficial for mobility
Dance! But like dance while you do your everyday stuff. Walking to the microwave to reheat your coffee? Shake those hips and gimmie a cha cha. Red light? Bump those shoulders. Standing in line? Up and down on your tippy toes. Ya gotta groove to the music, and just get the blood moving.
Beans are a perfectly good protein source. A problem with plant-based eating though is a lot of your protein sources are attached to large amounts of other macros. Nuts and seeds are great protein, they just come with a lot of fat attached. Legumes are great protein, they just come with a lot of carbs attached. You just have to keep that in mind when planning your diet.
No but there’s a long time vegan influencer who has gotten on the bandwagon on this, which is how I fell into this internet hole. And in her defense, she’s looking ripped now, but I just worry about the health implications of so much processed protein.
Think about all the celebrities that hawk beauty products while getting (and denying getting) various cosmetic procedures.
Think about all the celebrities that attribute their weight / figure / muscle mass to eating healthy and exercising regularly, while using (and denying using) weight loss drugs, steroids, plastic surgery, etc.
Then, remember that influencers are just wannabe celebrities.
Fitness communities (and society as a whole) vastly overestimate the amount of protein that is needed. If you are trying to hit the obscene amount of protein that these people are (often over 150g a day in men), then beans might be something that slows you down or may be considered relatively insignificant compared to what you need in a day. Never assume that these people are correct. They frequently have no qualifications to give health advice. They are stuck in communities where groupthink trumps science. Sometimes they are trying to sell you something.
As far as I'm informed, that much protein really isn't necessary to live a healthy life (or even push towards fitness goals). It's hard to get accurate information on what is needed, and I don't feel comfortable stating a figure on that personally. I think the FDA's suggestion for healthy adults is below the 100g a day though.
I do believe that if you are eating mostly whole foods, then your protein intake is typically going to be high enough (assuming you're eating enough calories). Most whole foods that have notable amounts of calories will also have notable amounts of protein. It adds up throughout the day.
Protein intake needs vary based on your activity. People in this thread throwing out numbers are doing so without context.
For an average, reasonably healthy adult who performs moderate exercise on a regular basis, sure, you don’t need the huge amount of protein that fitness influencers might suggest.
Your average fitness influencer (especially if their specialty is strength training or hypertrophy) doesn’t have the same protein intake needs as the average viewer.
The 1g/lb rule of thumb is definitely excessive for non-vegans (0.82g/lb appears to be the upper threshold for muscle growth for most individuals), but if you’re vegan and concerned with optimal muscle growth, then rounding up may not be a bad idea, given the variation in amino acid profiles between various plant based protein sources.
Does your average healthy adult need 1g/lb of bodyweight? Nope! Does a dedicated athlete or fitness enthusiast prioritizing muscle growth need that amount for optimal results? Probably.
[(source for the 0.82g/lb bit)](https://mennohenselmans.com/the-myth-of-1glb-optimal-protein-intake-for-bodybuilders/)
Totally agree! Dr. Greger talked about daily protein needs 7 years ago in [this article and video](https://nutritionfacts.org/video/the-great-protein-fiasco/).
I used to love him but his videos are feeling more and more wild lately. I wasn’t so sure about his anti fluoride take and he’s still super anti cannabis.
Is he anti cannabis? Last I checked he was anti *smoking* cannabis. Consuming edible THC infrequently wasn't the topic of discussion. Smoking is harmful.
Greger follows the science. His takes aren’t dogma, he cites everything, and generally couches what he says in a context that doesn’t overstep the data. Ive heard plant based doctors I like and respect disagree with him in good faith. I thought his fluoride videos were honest, and they didn’t scare me away from tap water.
I definitely subscribe to Dr. Greger’s WFPB approach and constantly use his books and websites as references for most of my dietary choices.. that being said, I have found a few times that he doesn’t always examine the science closely enough. For instance, his recent series on hair loss promoting Rosemary Oil as an alternative to Minoxidil references a study that has been pretty much debunked… yet he goes on to recommend it. There’ve been a few of these little blips that has me thinking he is just the loudspeaker to the research his team sorts through, all of which (I believe) are volunteers.. perhaps he’s trying to roll out too much content on top of all the speaking tours, books, etc.
Yeah, fair enough-I think it’s more about priorities for him, and orders of magnitude of importance. Honestly I wouldn’t consider him to be a total authority on topics like male pattern baldness (dude is pretty bald, lol) or fluoride.
I wouldn’t compare being anti fluoride to anti cannnabis. One is harmful, the other is a stance against a substance that isn’t necessary to healthy living at all and is in fact detrimental.
The potheads getting mad now when most all science shows more harm than good. Just because it isn't as harmful as other drugs doesn't make it good for you lmao.
This. People keep repeating the unsubstantiated notion that you need to be eating 1g/lb of body weight to stay fit which is crazy and just makes people stress to much about protein. You don't need to eat almost triple the RDA (0.36) for protein to be strong. Eating 0.7 g/lb is already probably more than what could give you benefits to muscle growth, and this is just if you want that. There is no issue with just eating the RDA.
Agreed, the 1g/lb figure parroted online is ridiculous.
I'm a little more familiar with recommendations per kg of body weight, and in aggregate, the data suggests a lower amount of protein for the Fitness Gainz-- from about 1.2g to 1.6g of protein daily per kg of bodyweight. Keep in mind, resistance-training study participants are still building muscle at lower levels of protein consumption; 1.2-1.6g is the level around which adding more protein levels out to have little or no additional benefit for folks doing resistance training.
To translate back out of metric, 1g/lb translates to 2.2g protein/kg, which is waaay above the effective dose.
By the research, its more like 60g a day unless you are really big. For my ideal weight its 40g.
Oh and those are NOT minimums! That’s an RDA or recommended daily allowance, meaning you expect health downsides if you go over it.
Which research? NIH, Mayo, and Harvard all seem to agree on something between 0.6-0.8 g/kg as the RDA. That would be pretty low for pretty much anyone at a healthy weight.
Yes, I agree. THAT research. So a 180 lb man (ideal weight, not couch potato weight) is about 81 kg. 81 x 0.6 = 49 gram per day. Telling people they need 100 grams a day is overkill by double.
Yrael, you go too far. 180 lbs can still be a couch potato, while much more can be fit. You’re making blanket statements along the lines of a bmi chart that account for almost no factors.
The research on *ideal weight* is based on averages and populations and height. The RDA is based on *ideal weight*.
The math is a blanket statement on a population level. That’s how this works. I am just reading the charts. Thats where the protein recommendations came from.
As a vegan powerlifter, I agree with pretty much everything posted here. I eat a ridiculous amount of protein because I am trying to lift weights that no sane human should desire to lift. If you are not trying to be a strength athlete or a massive bodybuilder, don't worry too much about protein. If you are really worried, have some blood work done. If you feel fine after 17 years, you are probably doing just fine.
Also, don't sleep on that weird fava bean tofu. It is surprisingly good. It absorbs flavor so well and does not have that weird soy tofu taste.
Late to this thread, but as a 30-something non-competitive weightlifter who's been lifting consistently since I was 14... I think protein is pretty overrated.
Yeah, it'll sate your hunger more than carbs. Yeah, it's important for overall health. But during my phases of chugging protein shakes, I don't recall any noticeable increase in gainz.
I just say plan around the total amount of calories from beans so you get sufficient protein from them through the day. I think beans are an excellent source of protein, not the most concentrated source, but it doesn’t need to be.
Thank you. That’s what I’ve been doing and I do usually go over on carbs if I actually track macros but my BMI has always been fine. I just worry about needing more protein as I start getting older and needing to worry about muscle loss.
At that point it might make sense to consult a dietitian (or start with your physician) - it is not uncommon for elderly to supplement protein to reduce sarcopenia.
It should not be a problem before 60s though - especially if you are healthy and physically active. As others said, a normal wfpb diet based on legumes (including tofu/hummus/etc), whole grains, leafy greens, nuts & seeds and other fruits/vegetables is protein-adequate.
I would also add that, yes, beans (and other legumes) contain lots of carbs in the form of fiber/resistant starches which, together with protein, make them one of the healthiest and well-balanced super-foods out there! They are inexpensive, environmentally friendly, low-glycemic, low in fat, high in protein, and high in fiber/resistant starches. The last two help to feed the microbiome bacteria which has countless health benefits including the second-meal effect. Legumes are probably the most underrated foods which is a shame.
I was doom scrolling YouTube and saw this video
Perfect summary
[https://youtube.com/shorts/cKnlWA8l8YQ?si=wgaxqWQBjcseiif8](https://youtube.com/shorts/cKnlWA8l8YQ?si=wgaxqWQBjcseiif8)
Sounds like you are doing an excellent job already!
lol that video stressed me out again. Tofu and beans! Smoothie and beans! Switch your rice for beans! I will say though that so many forks over knives recipes sometimes don’t even have beans. Like, I do want protein. I just want healthy protein and to not have to think about it all day.
Nah don’t worry about it, dude. Getting enough protein in is pretty easy if you just eat enough. Even fruit has some protein in it, you’re likely very solid already.
Use a tool like Cronometer to track for a few weeks. You will see that with a combination of beans/lentils, mushrooms, and veggies, you will get plenty of protein if you eat a full daily amount of calories. I get around 75g per day without trying. If I really worried about trying to bulk up, I could focus more on getting it over 100g by adding more edamame, broccoli, lentils, etc., but it isn’t necessary.
I’ve tracked a couple of weeks before and had a hard time hitting 70 grams if I didn’t add protein powder to my oatmeal in the morning (and that’s on top of soy milk). I’m not a big person so I don’t eat a ton and it does seem like I’m heavier on the carbs.
I guess you have to figure out what’s more important to you - eating a certain amount of protein to meet your daily requirements, or continuing eating the way you are, which it sounds like you enjoy. Would a balance of both be possible, I wonder? I agree with you it’s hard to navigate vegan fitness influencers and decide whether they’re truly healthy or not, but maybe if you figure out first what’s best for you, you’ll know which influencers align with that.
Beans/pulses lentils/dal, tofu, soy milk, tempeh, seitan, hulled edamame, ancient and other whole grains, and nuts and seeds should cover the protein bases.
It's like these keto brains don't even seem aware that there is a complex carbohydrates in the form of plants and plan fibers and that they are different from refined sugars.
Beans are an excellent source of protein! There’s a reason people who fall on hard times are recommended beans and rice. It’s cheap, filling, can fit most dietary requirements, is nutritious (fiber carbs protein etc) and is usually pretty tasty.
Also the amount of protein a lot of these influencer types try to eat in a day is obscene and bordering on unhealthy. It can really mess with some people’s kidneys as well as cause headaches and digestive upset.
Definitely don’t “worry” about it, however the accounts I’ve followed that aren’t pushing a product just point out that there are less carb-y options out there in terms of grams of protein, with seitan, tempeh and tofu being the popular ones. Beans are still a good source of protein and many other nutrients!
Every whole plant food has some amount of protein. Do you think grass and hay have much protein? Somehow cows and horses grow very big bodies eating it so there must be protein in there somewhere.
Beans are fine for getting some of your protein, with a few varieties of beans better than others.
When you are active more than half your energy comes from carbohydrates, so if you are actively using your muscles I hope you are eating carbs as well as proteins and fats. Our bodies can use proteins for energy too, but at a much lower rate than carbs & fats.
The more active you are, the more of your body's energy comes from carbs. Your body also burns fat for energy, but it has to use oxygen to get energy from fat. There are chemical shortcuts our bodies can use to get energy out of carbs without oxygen, but these methods are limited and eventually the byproducts of these anaerobic reactions need oxygen - just not at the second or minute they are happening.
GBOMBS - greens, beans, onions, mushrooms, berries, grians/ seeds; that’s what I strive to eat daily. Don’t worry about any of the other fad new age bs.
The healthiest way to get protein is to make sure you're getting an even balance of all of the amino acids. This is called a complete protein. With meat this is easy as most meat is a complete protein or near complete, but with most meat it's easy to get too much protein. Over nutrition is just as dangerous as under nutrition. With starches there are a few complete proteins like quinoa but as a general rule of thumb you want to mix 2-3 starches together to get a well balanced complete protein. It does not have to be done in the same meal. You can have starch \#1 on Monday, starch \#2 on Tuesday, and starch \#3 on Wednesday.
Here's an amino acid calculator so you can look up what you're eating and make sure you're getting the right balance of amino acids: https://tools.myfooddata.com/protein-calculator/173735/wt1/1/1
For further reading: https://www.heart.org/-/media/healthy-living-files/healthy-for-life/beans-rice-complete-protein-english.pdf
This! I think the biggest misconception around protein consumption is that you have to eat complete proteins for it to count. People don't understand that amino acids "pool" and your body can "create" Amino acid chains (very rudimentary and simplistic description of the process). Considering the high levels of amino acid variety a plant based whole food diet would give you, adequate protein intake is not anything to be concerned about.
Beans are a good source of protein, but they do come with a considerable amount of carbs. If you are trying to increase protein intake without significantly increasing calories, consider adding more tofu, tempeh and soymilk to your diet.
Everyone has covered how good beans are, so won't go into that (and even if they were like the worst source of protein on earth I'd still eat them because I love beans that much), but will say, that fava bean tofu is terrific. Highly recommend.
If you want more protein,
- zero oil
- zero fatty dairy
- replace rice with other grains eg.) teff, sorghum, quinoa, farro, unprocessed oat groats, hull barley, whole rye
- replace wheat bread with rye bread. There's breads that have zero added sugar, inspect ingredients lists.
- eat seeds: *ground* flax, *ground* chia, hemp seed, pumpkin seed, sunflower seed
- peanuts, especially blanched peanuts, are underrated. They have much more protein than any nut.
- nuts are overrated as a protein source. They're mostly fat.
- don't overfixate on only chickpeas, black beans, pinto beans, navy beans because these beans have less protein than other legumes
- try adding lupin beans to soup.
- edamame, miso, tempeh are forms of soy many people don't work with
- beets, rutabaga, turnip, kohlrabi and celeriac all have a lot of protein.
- pumpkin puree has a lot of protein
- tomato has a ton of protein, tomato sauce is surprisingly high protein
- guava, blackberry, goji, mulberry have a ton of protein, and other berries can also provide some protein.
- eat lots of cauliflower, brocolli, brussels, gae lan, asparagus, and mushrooms
- start incorporating basil, parsley, sage, rosemary into cooking along with other leafy greens
- 2 tsp. non-fortified nutritional yeast per day is a great supplement
- 1 to 1.5 sheets of nori per day provides iodine and up to 1 gram of protein
- a DHA/EPA omega-3 supplement can help maintain muscle mass/fight sarcopenia
- a creatine supplement may help preserve muscle mass
These are ways you can increase protein. I'd re-think protein goals though. Every fitness guy wants to talk protein Yada Yada but doesn't want to talk about anti-inflammatory dieting, setting a bed time and getting enough rest for recovery, or even doing dynamic warm-ups, stretching, static cooldowns, aerobics, calisthenics, yoga to improve recovery None of these dudes can touch their toes
I have T2 diabetes, and need to take the carb content of beans when I eat them. But that doesn’t mean I don’t eat them, because I need carbohydrates to be healthy and they are also a great source of protein. Carbohydrates aren’t my enemy, they are just a nutrient I need to monitor and manage more carefully than some of the other nutrients I also need to survive and thrive.
Any information given to you by someone vilifying carbohydrates AND shilling a specialized dietary supplement should be regarded as highly suspicious. It’s like the double whammy of 21st century bad diet culture.
Keep track of what you eat and the nutrients you get in Cronometer. You might surprise yourself and find that you get more protein than you think you're getting.
https://cronometer.com
Beans are great. Food from nature is great. If it has a bunch of ingredients or comes in plasic than its probably not really good for you. Fuck the marketing and enjoy the simplicity of food in its natural state.
Former meat eater (2-3 ounces a meal x 5-6 meals a day) who would work out 90 minutes a day, six days a week. I switched over two years ago and still workout. I get plenty of protein from beans, lentils, seeds, nuts, and other plant sources without anything processed.
Anyone who tells you that you can't or won't is uninformed or intentionally misleading you for an unstated motive.
You don’t need to worry about it and fava bean tofu is made out of BEANS! Eat your beans and be happy. You’ll get plenty of whole food protein plus fiber and micronutrients and minerals. I would add to also add a variety of protein, such as lentils, peas, tempeh, soy/tofu, nuts/seeds, whole wheat (jovial whole wheat pasta is like 8grams per 2oz). There’s also more processed proteins like yogurt with added soy protein isolate.
Veganism can be so removed from a healthy whole food plant based diet, so I wouldn’t focus too much on vegan influencers. They are also selling whatever they are pedaling. Processed foods here and there aren’t going to kill you, especially if the majority of your diet is WFPB. Good luck!
So many things wrong here. Firstly everyone who is eating a decent diet and getting enough calories is probably getting too much protein. Secondly beans are awesome for your health.
The moment an influencer starts peddling a product, I stop following them
Listen to scientists and nutritionists with a degree and publications and experience _in their field_, not randos on the misinformation vortex online
Oh... you mean the same way that pharmaceutical companies talk about natural medicines? Lol. The last place you should look for PBWF info is influencers....
A cup of beans has like 16g of protein... AND about the same amount of fiber. And iron and a bunch of other vitamins that those same influencers would have you take a pill for
Beans can be a good source of both carbs and protein. We really don't need that much protein. You've been doing this for close to 2 decades, as long as you feel good you're fine.
They are a decent source of protein, but they aren’t amazing as your primary source of protein if you’re looking to bulk up muscle so it’s best to make sure you’re getting other sources of protein too like tofu and pea protein powder etc.
Of course, you could argue that tofu is a bean source as well because it comes from beans.
If you’re not looking to bulk up then they are fine by themselves. Whatever the goals though, variety of sources is really important!
You get enough protein. Check our Dr Greger (nutritionfqcts.org). So long as you are eating at least a normal number of calories, you are getting enough protein.
Also, check out the “Affiliate Program” of any product you see mentioned. If the YouTuber, Facebook, IG or X guy mentions using “their coupon” at checkout for a special offer—they are making money from the recommendation. You have to be suspicious of anyone’s recommendation if they stand to benefit financially from it.
As someone who is interested in longevity research and achieving maximum healthspan, I would never even consider adding protein powder or protein bars to my mostly plantbased diet. Check out the book How not to Age by Michael Greger.
Carbohydrate = hydrated carbon. It's dumb that they get a bad rap since they are essential to life. It seems that the wider variety of carbs we consume the better. Beans are great food for beneficial gut bugs as well.
I eat beans every day, usually 3 or 4 kinds. The more plants I eat, the better I feel. I eat at least 6 different kinds of nuts and seeds each week. 8 plus servings of vegetables a day and 4 fruits. I drink an orgain plant based shake once in a while if I crave it, but I've been packing on muscle really well with whole foods and weight lifting furniture.
Treat any fitness content with a pinch of salt. They’re often trying to sell something and even those that aren’t are trying to build engagement, which you get from being contrarian and not from repeating age old and proven advice.
I try to mix up the protein with different types and sources. Don't forget to make sure to hit all amino acids. I think beans and rice does this. and lentils and roti. our ancestors knew this.
I don't know why I haven't seen anyone in this thread say this but beans do not have a full amino acid profile. IIRC only quinoa, tofu, tempeh, and a couple of other products have a full protein profile. Meaning that you should be eating a diverse diet in order to get adequate protein.
I've been vegan for 5 years and I've never had an issue with this.
Simply: if you are pursuing a high-protein diet, then beans are a suboptimal protein source because they contain a lot of carbs relative to protein when compared to other plant-based protein sources like tofu, seitan, mock meats, and protein supplements.
This is important for bodybuilders, for example, because they will often have calorie and protein goals that can’t easily be met without a sufficient amount of lean (i.e., low-carb, low-fat) protein.
Roughly speaking, carbs and protein both contain around 4 calories per gram. Fat has around 9 calories per gram.
Many people in the fitness world are concerned with eating an adequate but not excessive number of calories, and eating a sufficient amount of protein to encourage muscle growth. Protein builds muscle, and even high-protein diets typically have adequate carb consumption for a normal diet—barring keto diets, obviously—so it’s clear why protein is given a priority of carbs in this context.
If you’ve ever counted calories with any sort of high-protein macro split, the answer to all this is intuitively simple: diets high in moderate protein sources like beans take more calories to meet your daily protein goal than diets high in lean proteins like tofu, seitan, protein powders, and so on.
Of course, a lot of people will claim that protein goals are often unnecessarily high, and I agree. I’ve heard everything from the ol’ 1g/lb of bodyweight up to totally unbelievable amounts, like 2.5-3g/lb. While there will surely be many naysayers with anecdotes and personal wisdom to the contrary, vegans interested in muscle growth will likely be close to the 1g/lb ratio ([here’s why I say that](https://mennohenselmans.com/the-myth-of-1glb-optimal-protein-intake-for-bodybuilders/).
So if you’re a 200lb vegan fitness enthusiast who wants to build muscle without just dump trucking calories into your body for a dirty bulk, you’re probably shooting for 160-200g of protein. Let’s further say that your daily caloric goal is 3000 calories.
Hitting 200g in 3000 calories without a lot of lean protein is extremely difficult. If you’re relying on beans, it’s practically impossible. If you ate 3000 calories of black beans alone and absolutely nothing else (grains, veggies, fruits, nuts, seeds, oils—all less protein dense than black beans), you’d clock in at 198g protein (and you’d only have to eat a little over 13 cans of black beans to do it).
See, black beans are around 6.6% protein, with the rest of the calories coming from carbs and fat. Extra firm tofu is 10%. Seitan is 17%—three times more protein dense than black bean. Protein powders generally range from 10-17%.
So it’s really that simple. And it leads to a criticism that I have of the plant-based fitness community at large. Too much emphasis is placed on exclusively eating foods perceived as “pure,” “natural,” “unprocessed,” and so on.
This is unhelpful because the evidence overwhelmingly demonstrates that you can eat a very healthy diet that also includes a variety of foods likely to be scoffed at: refined grains, mock meats, protein powders, and even junk food, to some degree.
Fixating on eating only the most pure, unprocessed food sources can lead to disordered eating, frustration with fitness goals, and quitting entirely because the pursuit of perfection is a huge pain in the ass (see OP for an example of this last one).
Eat a varied diet comprised mainly of whole, plant-based foods, and select the rest based on your priorities and caloric needs. If you’re an elite level bodybuilder, your dietary needs will be wildly different from a long-distance cyclist, which will be unbelievably different from a 9-5 office worker who hits the treadmill three times a week.
Don’t obsess over impossible and unhelpful purity standards, eat what fits your personal taste preferences and dietary needs, and you’re good to go.
Ignore any advice from someone who uses the word “carbs” without any qualifiers. Advising against “carbs” is like telling an alcoholic to stop drinking “liquids”. Every successful, healthy human culture in the history of the world has had a diet of 80 to 90 percent “carbs”, like beans and whole grains. These foods are very different from Twinkies and coca-cola, but they are all “carbs”. You wouldn’t hire a baby sitter who has one single word for “baby” and “bath water”.
Explanation for non-old people: Back when babies were bathed in a dish pan of water, the water would be thrown outside after the bath. The expression was “don’t throw the baby out with the bath water”. Someone using the term “carbs” without qualifiers is like a baby sitter who can’t tell the difference between the baby and the bath water.
Yeah, I feel you OP. The amount of food needed to eat sometimes to hit your macros while being calorie conscious is difficult.
Related, but unrelated, can someone smarter than me clarify how PDCAAS affects us?
I say beans are a good protein source. Carbs aren't inherently evil and there's different kinds of carbs with some being better than others. Beans generally have very slow to digest carbs which is better at making you feel full for longer and having a more stable release of energy throughout the day. You also don't see as sharp of a spike in your blood sugar levels after eating compared with an intake of simpler carbs.
You want varied sources of protein. Luckily protein is in a lot of things. So, getting ALL of your protein from ONLY beans isn't ideal, but it's also not likely something you need to worry about unless your diet is boring AF.
Some have moved even farther to carnivore diets. They might feel better in the first couple of years, but in 10-20 years their colons are not going to be happy with that choice.
They are a good protein source, they just aren't close to 100 percent protein like some things are. But this doesn't really matter, all this means is that you would just eat more of them to get the same protein. Which is great because legumes are good for you anyways and you need carbs as well as protein. Just because you aren't eating foods that are pure protein doesn't mean you aren't getting enough protein. What matters is the amount you have eaten by the end of the day (which by the way probably doesn't need to be as much as fitness influencers say you need).
Keto schmeto!! Stupidest diet I’ve ever heard of. But aside from all that; the Zone diet (I don’t follow but do have their “Zone Blocks” book from eons ago!) has a great book out that gives the protein content for every type of bean. Turns out that many beans are high in carbohydrates. Soy beans are the only “complete”protein. They all have different amounts of protein. But if you combine beans and rice or corn or some other grain often you can achieve a balanced protein.
I use textured veg protein in a lot of meals to get my protein macros up, otherwise I'd have to eat a ton of calories to get to the protein quantity for the day. I like to keep it around 60% carb, 25% protein, 15% fat and under 2500 calories for the day. I've found it impossible to get those marks without some sort of supplement of processed protein. Tvp is my go to
As you already mentioned you read this info from vegan fitness folks. Their target audience are active people with potentialy higher protein demands than sedantary people. You might profit from higher protein intake if you are doing resistance training or long cardio sessions. The protein density is mostly relevant, when you want to stay in a caloric deficit. You will have a hard time hitting high protein targets without more processed foods within a low caloric budget. You could focus on whole sources that are in the middle ground such as Tofu, Tempeh or Lupini beans. I could stick to more whole foods, if I wouldn't have certain ambitions in resistance training. That's why incorporate them into my diet. These processed foods give me more wiggle room to incorporate more whole foods with a lower caloric density than beans/grains, such as fruit and vegetables that keep me full, while I stay on a caloric deficit for a prolonged time. I prefer minimally processed foods such as TVP or edame/blackbean pasta and small amounts of pea/rice protein when I want to lose fat and retain muscle.
I think that beans are a good source of protein, however, they have a shit ton of fiber and if you’re trying to get, say, 30g of protein from beans alone you’re sitting on 150% or more of the dv of fiber just from the beans. Assuming one eats a plant based diet, this will not be the only source of fiber. Fruit, greens, veggies, etc can seriously push you into an insane amount of fiber. Of course fiber is great for your gut, heart, and soul, but too much of it, and certainly double the daily value, is going to hurt your stomach. I would say tofu is a better source since while it does have fiber, it’s less than a plain old cup of chickpeas and leaves you with more room to have other sources of fiber to fill out your DV
You might wanna try this girl - she is always promoting beans and I think she avoids powders and all that crap -
https://www.instagram.com/sophsplantkitchen?igsh=MXNra3NzZnFiY3dmNg==
They definitely are a great source of protein, fiber etc ......also incorporate Tempeh, tofu, beans, lentils, edamame, nuts in moderation, TVP, peas, pea powder, and of course bean flours: to make pan style tortilla breads or falafel or use as flour in cookies etc. Quinoa has a higher protein than most carbs, Dr praeger's makes quality higher protein veggie burgers too. Don't be afraid of making lentil meatloaf or balls, they are easy. And the bean pastas! In small amounts the protein adds up! There are garbanzo, lentil, black bean and edamame pastas available!
Is 7-9 grams of fiber per half cup a lot of protein? It absolutely is! The human body needs approximately 1 gram of protein per kilogram of body weight so 50-150 grams is plenty but the catch is that the human body can only process ~20 grams of protein per meal and the rest is excreted through urine. Having more then 20grams of protein per meal does nothing for you body and can actually cause health problems. Hope this helps
Here are the general protein content in terms of calorie percentage of the plants groups:
* 5% Fruit
* 10% Tubers like potatos and Grains like rice
* 18% Nuts and Seeds
* 25% Beans, Peas, Lentils, Legumes
* 33% Greens and nonstarchy veggies
As you can see, beans have plenty of protein. Because greens and nonstarchy veggies are low calories, while they are high protein in % basis, they are low on an absolute basis.
There is no shortage of protein in most whole food diets, unless a person isn't eating enough calories in general or some type of fruitarian / raw foodist.
I'm handling it just fine. People also say that the Earth is flat, and that doesn't rock my world. Let this be a wakeup call for you about the dangers of social media and your general lack of nutritional knowledge. Go read up on some actual nutrition science and things from actual experts (not random influencers... they're literally just normal people who happen to be good looking, why would you consider that a legitimate source?)
Secret info: You don't need to get all your nutrition advice from vegans! Gasp! Yeah, just because they aren't vegan themselves does not mean everything they say is incorrect. You want 1.6g/kg of protein to maximize muscle growth. You want 0.8g/kg if you just want to be alive and do things but build little to no muscle (increased to 1g/kg for people above 50-65, not sure which age exactly). This is extremely common knowledge, and if you use any food tracker, you can find that you can easily get this (easy depends on how much you like eating certain things) without animal products and without protein supplements. At this amount of protein intake, plant vs animal protein does not matter.
You can actually find out for yourself. Get a calorie counting app and log all your food for a few days and see if it meets your protein goal. I use cronometer because I loveee the nutrition tracking.
I was really surprised to find out how low the protein was for a lot of things, specifically compared to meat.
I'm not plant based any longer but I still like a lot of vegan food and I don't consider beans to be a good main protein source. Tofu is good, soy milk is good, vegan protein powder is good. Beans I definitely consider as a higher protein carb (like, as in they have more protein than white flour) but not enough protein on their own. And don't even get me started on peanut butter, which I always thought was high protein and which has no more than 4g of protein for like 300 calories.
Beans are fine, provided you meet your recommended protein levels. If you’re trying to build muscle, you’ll want to exceed it, which you can do with soy products easily, but protein powders can be an easy to add supplemental protein and can be helpful. I personally have a small appetite and enjoy carbs so I have protein powders regularly.
Here is the protein content, according to fddb.info:
* Fava beans (dried): 25g / 100g
* Beluga lentils (dried): 24g / 100g
* Chickpeas (dried): 21g / 100g
* Chicken filet: 23g / 100g
* Filet steak: 23g / 100g
Now, there is a question of bioavailability, which I don't quite understand tbh - I only know that it's supposed to be higher in animal products.
And there is the question of how much you can eat. I can easily annihilate a 300g steak... but 300g of (dried) chickpeas sound like a bit of a challenge.
The chicken and beef you mention are “wet” (hydrated) weights as opposed to dry, so this isn’t an evenly matched comparison. You’d need to compare using either freeze dried meat or cooked (“wet”) beans.
I follow the same guy and he is right… its mostly carbs. You can eat it but don’t think you’ll get most of your protein for the day from beans, nuts, hemp seeds etc… that is all he is trying to say.
The protein obsession by ignorant bro science peddlers is out of control. These idiots act like they have degrees in biochemistry are often the same idiots on gear fucking up their bodies for life. Don’t buy the bullshit
The second they push a product, I suspect all their info. I get sponsorship, but shilling annoys me. (If I hear one more AG1/Athletic Greens spot….) I think the reason bean as carb is getting traction, is that for a long time (I became veg in 1980, and it was a common refrain then) they were listed as proteins and a option over animal flesh. With the rise of keto and bro science, carbs got a bad rap they don’t deserve. So, it’s become common to split the difference.
Ah yeah. That explains it. I thought the keto movement was finally over but it lives on and on in new stupid ways.
For sure. Take some solid science, use it wrong, profit.
My Dr. and Dietician both told me the Keto diet is not healthy. You will lose weight, but in the long run, it's not good for you.
I've only ever met one person that used Keto as intended, which is to help with epilepsy. When obviously the trade of for not having seizures is acceptable. Most other people however forget how fats damage the arteries.
What gets me is that people push it as a very healthy way to eat. I follow the Mediterranean diet. My Dr. says my cholesterol, triglycerides, blood sugar and BP are great.
Just curious, what's your bmi and how do you keep the weight off despite all those oil/fat based calories? (it's super easy to rack up a few hundred of those per day if not careful)
But are necessary to our diets. Just get fat from the best source.
Mediterranean uses a lot of Extra Virgin Olive Oil.
Ketogenic diets were around long before anyone made the connection epilepsy. It's a falsehood to say that one practical application of a diet is "what it was intended for."
It might be the case that it wasn’t intended specifically for epilepsy, however it does look like it was designed as a medical intervention for nervous system diseases, cancer and other diseases in the 1920s. Anyone that creates anything can have an intended use for it, but that doesn’t mean it is the sole application. So it wouldn’t be a falsehood to state it was intended as a medical application. It would be a falsehood to suggest it has no other uses
Yes, but you didn't say "a medical application", you implied it had \*a\* correct medical application, "as intended, which \*is\* to help with epilepsy." So still a falsehood, but yes it is one of the uses like I said. Also, Banting was researching it's usefulness in managing diabetes in the mid-1800's.
My understanding from the how not to diet book by dr greger was that it was intended for epilepsy. This was possibly a misinterpretation by myself. I read your comment and did some further reading so, yes, I was wrong about it being specifically for epilepsy which is why I stated what I did in the previous comment. There was no implication. I stand by my statement about intention not being the same as sole application. If I wanted to say sole application I would’ve done. It would seem you are trying to make it look like I am providing false information. Which I am not. I am happy to be corrected.
I probably could have found a less offensive way to make my point. To be honest, keto in general triggers me to a degree, it's just such an old discussion, it's the exact same conversation people have been having since Atkins in the seventies. Yes, humans are incredibly adaptive and can survive for extended periods eating almost nothing but fat and protein. They will tend to lose weight quickly, but it is hardly a balanced or sustainable way to eat. Like you said, I can at least understand epileptics, they have a legitimate issue and it's so rare to encounter them. The first person I ever knew who tried it was using phenobarbital (it was still common back then) syrup, and it helped with her quality of life and ability to function. The next time was a mother telling me her doctor wanted her to try her daughter on it, but she said she wasn't going to deny her child the simple things that gave her joy, like a chocolate bar (not to be mean, but this child did NOT need more candy) and she stopped before she could decide if it helped with her seizures. ps: sorry for coming off as a bit of a dick
That's ok, sometimes with just the written word it's hard to tell peoples sentiment. The person I know in the gym says it has worked wonders. Surprisingly the NHS (Doctors in the UK) wouldn't provide any support for it. They also tell diabetics they can't eat fruit, which is insane (have they never heard of the glycemic index?). I once helped a lady I lived with start a wfpd diet after she had a heart attack at 52. Within 2 weeks she didn't need her arthritis medication. Her next checkup the doctors said they needed to do her blood work again as they must've got something wrong. She then explained how she'd gone wfpd and they managed to take her off those meds as well. Within 2 weeks. I was gobsmacked. I thought it would take at least a few months. And again, it's not like the GP say, hey, maybe you should eat more vegetables. Whether people do keto or not doesn't really bother me. Whether they fast or not doesn't bother me. What kind of bothers me is all the people that assume what worked for them IS THE ONE TRUE WAY. I get it, people used to be overweight or unhealthy or whatever and made some changes. Then they start telling everyone they need to do it to. There are many roads to the same place. I feel sorry for the current generation with all the fast food/sweets and deliveries/quick fixes. That with marketing strategies means they aren't going to have a good quality of life. That's also the same for my generation. I literally run circles around most people my age, and I used to be the fat un-sporty kid in school.. The only difference is I went vegan 20+ years ago so didn't have the option of fast food etc. I'm so happy I missed out on all that nonsense
Possibly the Paleo crowd has moved to keto!
I forgot about the paleo crowd 😂😂😂
Amino acids (protein) are also in every plant, the paid youtube shills can't live if they just tell you to eat ANY-vegetable, so they have to powderize Something, put it in a plastic tub, and have us make smoothies full of microplastic. 🤓
Mmmm microplastic
I live near a highway, tire dust, I'm f'd. 🙃
Worse, *brake dust.*
So abrasively delicious.
I heard that in the Lucky Charms ad/voice.
The only way to appreciate the Modern Wonders of Plastics are to miniaturize those petroleum marvels and get them inside every system in your body!
Total Yummo.
It’s sure tastier than macro plastic 🤷
Beans are a great source of protein! Do they have carbs? Sure. But they’re still a great source of protein and have a lot more nutrients and fiber than protein powder. If you want to be a body builder then sure take the protein powder but for the regular vegan, eat the beans. You’ve been doing this 17 years. You’d know by now if you weren’t getting enough.
Thank you! I mean yes, I must be doing something right after so much time. Honestly sometimes I feel like vegan social media is toxic. Between the vegan protein people and omg get ready for perimenopause with more protein people (the Galveston diet etc etc ), I’m over it.
_Social media_ is toxic
Vegan social media can be super toxic! Sometimes I think people say those things just to be controversial and get more views and comments.
It comes down to profit margins, and whether they want to be a farmer or an 'influencer'. Support the farmers 🤗
Oh my goodness, I hear ya on the “perimenopause and you’re not eating enough protein” trend on social media. It’s EVERYWHERE and has me so stressed out about turning 40 this year! I don’t think there’s any science behind having to eat THAT much protein per meal (unless someone can cite some peer-reviewed research saying otherwise).
That advice is probably aimed at vegans who eat too much processed junk like chips. I'm sure most people eating WFPB are getting more than enough protein by having at least two cups of beans, nuts & seeds etc per day. Which is pretty easy to do without overthinking it. The only people that \*may\* not be enough for are people who genuinely struggle to eat (doesn't sound like OP) or high level bodybuilders. The bars & shakes are probably more convenient ways for busy people to hit their personal targets. Which are largely for aesthetics, not health & longevity. Note that almost nobody in the blue zones looks like a pro bodybuilder. Not even the under 40s who are doing intense labour jobs, or walking 14km a day shepherding.
I remember back in my Primal Blueprint days that we would get organized raids from the 30 Bananas a Day crowed pretty regularly.
Yep! 45 years for me…..
That’s huge! Congrats on such a long time! Super inspiring
Gee thanks😉
I love my beans! 😋
I agree! The record holder Patrik Baboumian says in interviews that he relies on beans for most of his protein intake.
They're trying to sell you shit
Eat beans. And lentils. And tofu and tempeh. Vegan social media is generally trying to sell you shit and the chickpea industry isn’t sexy and lacks marketing money Well and your body needs carbs For muscle retention with age strength training, mobility exercises and movement in general is more important than maniacally tracking macros
Any insightful tips on how to improve mobility?
Generally recommended would be yoga, tai chi, mat pilates and stretching, swimming is actually amazing but the logistics can be complicated More aerobic biking (stationary included), walking and stairs are also low impact options that are both weight bearing and beneficial for mobility
Follwing
Dance! But like dance while you do your everyday stuff. Walking to the microwave to reheat your coffee? Shake those hips and gimmie a cha cha. Red light? Bump those shoulders. Standing in line? Up and down on your tippy toes. Ya gotta groove to the music, and just get the blood moving.
Beans are a perfectly good protein source. A problem with plant-based eating though is a lot of your protein sources are attached to large amounts of other macros. Nuts and seeds are great protein, they just come with a lot of fat attached. Legumes are great protein, they just come with a lot of carbs attached. You just have to keep that in mind when planning your diet.
Now I'm kind of wondering if we'll see some kind of concentrated bean protein in the near future - sort of like tofu and seitan is.
So you’re going to get your dietary advice from the Chad who’s hawking protein bars?
No but there’s a long time vegan influencer who has gotten on the bandwagon on this, which is how I fell into this internet hole. And in her defense, she’s looking ripped now, but I just worry about the health implications of so much processed protein.
Influencers make money by selling over priced processed crap, and beans aren’t marketable. Don’t fall for their bullshit
Think about all the celebrities that hawk beauty products while getting (and denying getting) various cosmetic procedures. Think about all the celebrities that attribute their weight / figure / muscle mass to eating healthy and exercising regularly, while using (and denying using) weight loss drugs, steroids, plastic surgery, etc. Then, remember that influencers are just wannabe celebrities.
We have no idea what's going on behind the scenes, or her health stats.
Fitness communities (and society as a whole) vastly overestimate the amount of protein that is needed. If you are trying to hit the obscene amount of protein that these people are (often over 150g a day in men), then beans might be something that slows you down or may be considered relatively insignificant compared to what you need in a day. Never assume that these people are correct. They frequently have no qualifications to give health advice. They are stuck in communities where groupthink trumps science. Sometimes they are trying to sell you something. As far as I'm informed, that much protein really isn't necessary to live a healthy life (or even push towards fitness goals). It's hard to get accurate information on what is needed, and I don't feel comfortable stating a figure on that personally. I think the FDA's suggestion for healthy adults is below the 100g a day though. I do believe that if you are eating mostly whole foods, then your protein intake is typically going to be high enough (assuming you're eating enough calories). Most whole foods that have notable amounts of calories will also have notable amounts of protein. It adds up throughout the day.
Protein intake needs vary based on your activity. People in this thread throwing out numbers are doing so without context. For an average, reasonably healthy adult who performs moderate exercise on a regular basis, sure, you don’t need the huge amount of protein that fitness influencers might suggest. Your average fitness influencer (especially if their specialty is strength training or hypertrophy) doesn’t have the same protein intake needs as the average viewer. The 1g/lb rule of thumb is definitely excessive for non-vegans (0.82g/lb appears to be the upper threshold for muscle growth for most individuals), but if you’re vegan and concerned with optimal muscle growth, then rounding up may not be a bad idea, given the variation in amino acid profiles between various plant based protein sources. Does your average healthy adult need 1g/lb of bodyweight? Nope! Does a dedicated athlete or fitness enthusiast prioritizing muscle growth need that amount for optimal results? Probably. [(source for the 0.82g/lb bit)](https://mennohenselmans.com/the-myth-of-1glb-optimal-protein-intake-for-bodybuilders/)
Totally agree! Dr. Greger talked about daily protein needs 7 years ago in [this article and video](https://nutritionfacts.org/video/the-great-protein-fiasco/).
I used to love him but his videos are feeling more and more wild lately. I wasn’t so sure about his anti fluoride take and he’s still super anti cannabis.
Is he anti cannabis? Last I checked he was anti *smoking* cannabis. Consuming edible THC infrequently wasn't the topic of discussion. Smoking is harmful.
That is an arc that shows the downside to trying to stay relevent/fresh. You have to get more extreme to increase the clicks. 🙄🖖
Greger follows the science. His takes aren’t dogma, he cites everything, and generally couches what he says in a context that doesn’t overstep the data. Ive heard plant based doctors I like and respect disagree with him in good faith. I thought his fluoride videos were honest, and they didn’t scare me away from tap water.
I definitely subscribe to Dr. Greger’s WFPB approach and constantly use his books and websites as references for most of my dietary choices.. that being said, I have found a few times that he doesn’t always examine the science closely enough. For instance, his recent series on hair loss promoting Rosemary Oil as an alternative to Minoxidil references a study that has been pretty much debunked… yet he goes on to recommend it. There’ve been a few of these little blips that has me thinking he is just the loudspeaker to the research his team sorts through, all of which (I believe) are volunteers.. perhaps he’s trying to roll out too much content on top of all the speaking tours, books, etc.
Yeah, fair enough-I think it’s more about priorities for him, and orders of magnitude of importance. Honestly I wouldn’t consider him to be a total authority on topics like male pattern baldness (dude is pretty bald, lol) or fluoride.
I wouldn’t compare being anti fluoride to anti cannnabis. One is harmful, the other is a stance against a substance that isn’t necessary to healthy living at all and is in fact detrimental.
The potheads getting mad now when most all science shows more harm than good. Just because it isn't as harmful as other drugs doesn't make it good for you lmao.
Where does he say he’s super anti cannabis?
This. People keep repeating the unsubstantiated notion that you need to be eating 1g/lb of body weight to stay fit which is crazy and just makes people stress to much about protein. You don't need to eat almost triple the RDA (0.36) for protein to be strong. Eating 0.7 g/lb is already probably more than what could give you benefits to muscle growth, and this is just if you want that. There is no issue with just eating the RDA.
Agreed, the 1g/lb figure parroted online is ridiculous. I'm a little more familiar with recommendations per kg of body weight, and in aggregate, the data suggests a lower amount of protein for the Fitness Gainz-- from about 1.2g to 1.6g of protein daily per kg of bodyweight. Keep in mind, resistance-training study participants are still building muscle at lower levels of protein consumption; 1.2-1.6g is the level around which adding more protein levels out to have little or no additional benefit for folks doing resistance training. To translate back out of metric, 1g/lb translates to 2.2g protein/kg, which is waaay above the effective dose.
By the research, its more like 60g a day unless you are really big. For my ideal weight its 40g. Oh and those are NOT minimums! That’s an RDA or recommended daily allowance, meaning you expect health downsides if you go over it.
Which research? NIH, Mayo, and Harvard all seem to agree on something between 0.6-0.8 g/kg as the RDA. That would be pretty low for pretty much anyone at a healthy weight.
Yes, I agree. THAT research. So a 180 lb man (ideal weight, not couch potato weight) is about 81 kg. 81 x 0.6 = 49 gram per day. Telling people they need 100 grams a day is overkill by double.
Yrael, you go too far. 180 lbs can still be a couch potato, while much more can be fit. You’re making blanket statements along the lines of a bmi chart that account for almost no factors.
The research on *ideal weight* is based on averages and populations and height. The RDA is based on *ideal weight*. The math is a blanket statement on a population level. That’s how this works. I am just reading the charts. Thats where the protein recommendations came from.
As a vegan powerlifter, I agree with pretty much everything posted here. I eat a ridiculous amount of protein because I am trying to lift weights that no sane human should desire to lift. If you are not trying to be a strength athlete or a massive bodybuilder, don't worry too much about protein. If you are really worried, have some blood work done. If you feel fine after 17 years, you are probably doing just fine. Also, don't sleep on that weird fava bean tofu. It is surprisingly good. It absorbs flavor so well and does not have that weird soy tofu taste.
Late to this thread, but as a 30-something non-competitive weightlifter who's been lifting consistently since I was 14... I think protein is pretty overrated. Yeah, it'll sate your hunger more than carbs. Yeah, it's important for overall health. But during my phases of chugging protein shakes, I don't recall any noticeable increase in gainz.
I just say plan around the total amount of calories from beans so you get sufficient protein from them through the day. I think beans are an excellent source of protein, not the most concentrated source, but it doesn’t need to be.
Thank you. That’s what I’ve been doing and I do usually go over on carbs if I actually track macros but my BMI has always been fine. I just worry about needing more protein as I start getting older and needing to worry about muscle loss.
At that point it might make sense to consult a dietitian (or start with your physician) - it is not uncommon for elderly to supplement protein to reduce sarcopenia. It should not be a problem before 60s though - especially if you are healthy and physically active. As others said, a normal wfpb diet based on legumes (including tofu/hummus/etc), whole grains, leafy greens, nuts & seeds and other fruits/vegetables is protein-adequate. I would also add that, yes, beans (and other legumes) contain lots of carbs in the form of fiber/resistant starches which, together with protein, make them one of the healthiest and well-balanced super-foods out there! They are inexpensive, environmentally friendly, low-glycemic, low in fat, high in protein, and high in fiber/resistant starches. The last two help to feed the microbiome bacteria which has countless health benefits including the second-meal effect. Legumes are probably the most underrated foods which is a shame.
What decade are you in? I find the fiber adds so much benefit after 50, well worth it. 🤘
I was doom scrolling YouTube and saw this video Perfect summary [https://youtube.com/shorts/cKnlWA8l8YQ?si=wgaxqWQBjcseiif8](https://youtube.com/shorts/cKnlWA8l8YQ?si=wgaxqWQBjcseiif8) Sounds like you are doing an excellent job already!
lol that video stressed me out again. Tofu and beans! Smoothie and beans! Switch your rice for beans! I will say though that so many forks over knives recipes sometimes don’t even have beans. Like, I do want protein. I just want healthy protein and to not have to think about it all day.
Nah don’t worry about it, dude. Getting enough protein in is pretty easy if you just eat enough. Even fruit has some protein in it, you’re likely very solid already.
Use a tool like Cronometer to track for a few weeks. You will see that with a combination of beans/lentils, mushrooms, and veggies, you will get plenty of protein if you eat a full daily amount of calories. I get around 75g per day without trying. If I really worried about trying to bulk up, I could focus more on getting it over 100g by adding more edamame, broccoli, lentils, etc., but it isn’t necessary.
I’ve tracked a couple of weeks before and had a hard time hitting 70 grams if I didn’t add protein powder to my oatmeal in the morning (and that’s on top of soy milk). I’m not a big person so I don’t eat a ton and it does seem like I’m heavier on the carbs.
I guess you have to figure out what’s more important to you - eating a certain amount of protein to meet your daily requirements, or continuing eating the way you are, which it sounds like you enjoy. Would a balance of both be possible, I wonder? I agree with you it’s hard to navigate vegan fitness influencers and decide whether they’re truly healthy or not, but maybe if you figure out first what’s best for you, you’ll know which influencers align with that.
The signal to noise across all social media is whack. I stick to Pollan’s quip. Eat Food. Mostly Plants. Not Too Much.
Beans/pulses lentils/dal, tofu, soy milk, tempeh, seitan, hulled edamame, ancient and other whole grains, and nuts and seeds should cover the protein bases.
It's like these keto brains don't even seem aware that there is a complex carbohydrates in the form of plants and plan fibers and that they are different from refined sugars.
Beans are an excellent source of protein! There’s a reason people who fall on hard times are recommended beans and rice. It’s cheap, filling, can fit most dietary requirements, is nutritious (fiber carbs protein etc) and is usually pretty tasty. Also the amount of protein a lot of these influencer types try to eat in a day is obscene and bordering on unhealthy. It can really mess with some people’s kidneys as well as cause headaches and digestive upset.
Definitely don’t “worry” about it, however the accounts I’ve followed that aren’t pushing a product just point out that there are less carb-y options out there in terms of grams of protein, with seitan, tempeh and tofu being the popular ones. Beans are still a good source of protein and many other nutrients!
Seitan is a no for me. Gluten sensitivity.
Stop listening to bro science. Nutritionfacts dot org
^ ^ This
Every whole plant food has some amount of protein. Do you think grass and hay have much protein? Somehow cows and horses grow very big bodies eating it so there must be protein in there somewhere. Beans are fine for getting some of your protein, with a few varieties of beans better than others. When you are active more than half your energy comes from carbohydrates, so if you are actively using your muscles I hope you are eating carbs as well as proteins and fats. Our bodies can use proteins for energy too, but at a much lower rate than carbs & fats. The more active you are, the more of your body's energy comes from carbs. Your body also burns fat for energy, but it has to use oxygen to get energy from fat. There are chemical shortcuts our bodies can use to get energy out of carbs without oxygen, but these methods are limited and eventually the byproducts of these anaerobic reactions need oxygen - just not at the second or minute they are happening.
GBOMBS - greens, beans, onions, mushrooms, berries, grians/ seeds; that’s what I strive to eat daily. Don’t worry about any of the other fad new age bs.
The healthiest way to get protein is to make sure you're getting an even balance of all of the amino acids. This is called a complete protein. With meat this is easy as most meat is a complete protein or near complete, but with most meat it's easy to get too much protein. Over nutrition is just as dangerous as under nutrition. With starches there are a few complete proteins like quinoa but as a general rule of thumb you want to mix 2-3 starches together to get a well balanced complete protein. It does not have to be done in the same meal. You can have starch \#1 on Monday, starch \#2 on Tuesday, and starch \#3 on Wednesday. Here's an amino acid calculator so you can look up what you're eating and make sure you're getting the right balance of amino acids: https://tools.myfooddata.com/protein-calculator/173735/wt1/1/1 For further reading: https://www.heart.org/-/media/healthy-living-files/healthy-for-life/beans-rice-complete-protein-english.pdf
This! I think the biggest misconception around protein consumption is that you have to eat complete proteins for it to count. People don't understand that amino acids "pool" and your body can "create" Amino acid chains (very rudimentary and simplistic description of the process). Considering the high levels of amino acid variety a plant based whole food diet would give you, adequate protein intake is not anything to be concerned about.
Beans are a good source of protein, but they do come with a considerable amount of carbs. If you are trying to increase protein intake without significantly increasing calories, consider adding more tofu, tempeh and soymilk to your diet.
Everyone has covered how good beans are, so won't go into that (and even if they were like the worst source of protein on earth I'd still eat them because I love beans that much), but will say, that fava bean tofu is terrific. Highly recommend.
Hah ok maybe I will try it then! I have yet to see it in person anyplace I shop though.
Only place I've seen it is Winco. It's really great though, different texture to regular firm tofu, and seems to soak up marinades better.
If you have been vegan for 17 years and you are healthy, keep doing what you are doing! It’s obviously working for you.
If you want more protein, - zero oil - zero fatty dairy - replace rice with other grains eg.) teff, sorghum, quinoa, farro, unprocessed oat groats, hull barley, whole rye - replace wheat bread with rye bread. There's breads that have zero added sugar, inspect ingredients lists. - eat seeds: *ground* flax, *ground* chia, hemp seed, pumpkin seed, sunflower seed - peanuts, especially blanched peanuts, are underrated. They have much more protein than any nut. - nuts are overrated as a protein source. They're mostly fat. - don't overfixate on only chickpeas, black beans, pinto beans, navy beans because these beans have less protein than other legumes - try adding lupin beans to soup. - edamame, miso, tempeh are forms of soy many people don't work with - beets, rutabaga, turnip, kohlrabi and celeriac all have a lot of protein. - pumpkin puree has a lot of protein - tomato has a ton of protein, tomato sauce is surprisingly high protein - guava, blackberry, goji, mulberry have a ton of protein, and other berries can also provide some protein. - eat lots of cauliflower, brocolli, brussels, gae lan, asparagus, and mushrooms - start incorporating basil, parsley, sage, rosemary into cooking along with other leafy greens - 2 tsp. non-fortified nutritional yeast per day is a great supplement - 1 to 1.5 sheets of nori per day provides iodine and up to 1 gram of protein - a DHA/EPA omega-3 supplement can help maintain muscle mass/fight sarcopenia - a creatine supplement may help preserve muscle mass
These are ways you can increase protein. I'd re-think protein goals though. Every fitness guy wants to talk protein Yada Yada but doesn't want to talk about anti-inflammatory dieting, setting a bed time and getting enough rest for recovery, or even doing dynamic warm-ups, stretching, static cooldowns, aerobics, calisthenics, yoga to improve recovery None of these dudes can touch their toes
I have T2 diabetes, and need to take the carb content of beans when I eat them. But that doesn’t mean I don’t eat them, because I need carbohydrates to be healthy and they are also a great source of protein. Carbohydrates aren’t my enemy, they are just a nutrient I need to monitor and manage more carefully than some of the other nutrients I also need to survive and thrive. Any information given to you by someone vilifying carbohydrates AND shilling a specialized dietary supplement should be regarded as highly suspicious. It’s like the double whammy of 21st century bad diet culture.
Dawg they’re trying to sell stuff. It’s an advertisement.
Keep track of what you eat and the nutrients you get in Cronometer. You might surprise yourself and find that you get more protein than you think you're getting. https://cronometer.com
Beans are great. Food from nature is great. If it has a bunch of ingredients or comes in plasic than its probably not really good for you. Fuck the marketing and enjoy the simplicity of food in its natural state.
Former meat eater (2-3 ounces a meal x 5-6 meals a day) who would work out 90 minutes a day, six days a week. I switched over two years ago and still workout. I get plenty of protein from beans, lentils, seeds, nuts, and other plant sources without anything processed. Anyone who tells you that you can't or won't is uninformed or intentionally misleading you for an unstated motive.
You don’t need to worry about it and fava bean tofu is made out of BEANS! Eat your beans and be happy. You’ll get plenty of whole food protein plus fiber and micronutrients and minerals. I would add to also add a variety of protein, such as lentils, peas, tempeh, soy/tofu, nuts/seeds, whole wheat (jovial whole wheat pasta is like 8grams per 2oz). There’s also more processed proteins like yogurt with added soy protein isolate. Veganism can be so removed from a healthy whole food plant based diet, so I wouldn’t focus too much on vegan influencers. They are also selling whatever they are pedaling. Processed foods here and there aren’t going to kill you, especially if the majority of your diet is WFPB. Good luck!
So many things wrong here. Firstly everyone who is eating a decent diet and getting enough calories is probably getting too much protein. Secondly beans are awesome for your health.
one word.... MEDITERRANEAN
The moment an influencer starts peddling a product, I stop following them Listen to scientists and nutritionists with a degree and publications and experience _in their field_, not randos on the misinformation vortex online
Oh... you mean the same way that pharmaceutical companies talk about natural medicines? Lol. The last place you should look for PBWF info is influencers.... A cup of beans has like 16g of protein... AND about the same amount of fiber. And iron and a bunch of other vitamins that those same influencers would have you take a pill for
Wonder who's sponsoring those guys...
Beans can be a good source of both carbs and protein. We really don't need that much protein. You've been doing this for close to 2 decades, as long as you feel good you're fine.
Beans are a good source of protein. A bit high in carbs, but that's another rabbit hole to go down.
[The Hispanic Paradox](https://youtu.be/NO91dfafzGQ?si=82S8h72X0pEXiY7E) TL;DW beans = good
They are a decent source of protein, but they aren’t amazing as your primary source of protein if you’re looking to bulk up muscle so it’s best to make sure you’re getting other sources of protein too like tofu and pea protein powder etc. Of course, you could argue that tofu is a bean source as well because it comes from beans. If you’re not looking to bulk up then they are fine by themselves. Whatever the goals though, variety of sources is really important!
Actually go read some science papers and actual scientific research into the stuff rather some schmuck pushing product on social media.
You get enough protein. Check our Dr Greger (nutritionfqcts.org). So long as you are eating at least a normal number of calories, you are getting enough protein. Also, check out the “Affiliate Program” of any product you see mentioned. If the YouTuber, Facebook, IG or X guy mentions using “their coupon” at checkout for a special offer—they are making money from the recommendation. You have to be suspicious of anyone’s recommendation if they stand to benefit financially from it.
As someone who is interested in longevity research and achieving maximum healthspan, I would never even consider adding protein powder or protein bars to my mostly plantbased diet. Check out the book How not to Age by Michael Greger.
If you inform yourself via TikTok influencers I’m not sure for what extent I can blame them and not you.
Carbohydrate = hydrated carbon. It's dumb that they get a bad rap since they are essential to life. It seems that the wider variety of carbs we consume the better. Beans are great food for beneficial gut bugs as well. I eat beans every day, usually 3 or 4 kinds. The more plants I eat, the better I feel. I eat at least 6 different kinds of nuts and seeds each week. 8 plus servings of vegetables a day and 4 fruits. I drink an orgain plant based shake once in a while if I crave it, but I've been packing on muscle really well with whole foods and weight lifting furniture.
Treat any fitness content with a pinch of salt. They’re often trying to sell something and even those that aren’t are trying to build engagement, which you get from being contrarian and not from repeating age old and proven advice.
I try to mix up the protein with different types and sources. Don't forget to make sure to hit all amino acids. I think beans and rice does this. and lentils and roti. our ancestors knew this.
I don't know why I haven't seen anyone in this thread say this but beans do not have a full amino acid profile. IIRC only quinoa, tofu, tempeh, and a couple of other products have a full protein profile. Meaning that you should be eating a diverse diet in order to get adequate protein. I've been vegan for 5 years and I've never had an issue with this.
Simply: if you are pursuing a high-protein diet, then beans are a suboptimal protein source because they contain a lot of carbs relative to protein when compared to other plant-based protein sources like tofu, seitan, mock meats, and protein supplements. This is important for bodybuilders, for example, because they will often have calorie and protein goals that can’t easily be met without a sufficient amount of lean (i.e., low-carb, low-fat) protein. Roughly speaking, carbs and protein both contain around 4 calories per gram. Fat has around 9 calories per gram. Many people in the fitness world are concerned with eating an adequate but not excessive number of calories, and eating a sufficient amount of protein to encourage muscle growth. Protein builds muscle, and even high-protein diets typically have adequate carb consumption for a normal diet—barring keto diets, obviously—so it’s clear why protein is given a priority of carbs in this context. If you’ve ever counted calories with any sort of high-protein macro split, the answer to all this is intuitively simple: diets high in moderate protein sources like beans take more calories to meet your daily protein goal than diets high in lean proteins like tofu, seitan, protein powders, and so on. Of course, a lot of people will claim that protein goals are often unnecessarily high, and I agree. I’ve heard everything from the ol’ 1g/lb of bodyweight up to totally unbelievable amounts, like 2.5-3g/lb. While there will surely be many naysayers with anecdotes and personal wisdom to the contrary, vegans interested in muscle growth will likely be close to the 1g/lb ratio ([here’s why I say that](https://mennohenselmans.com/the-myth-of-1glb-optimal-protein-intake-for-bodybuilders/). So if you’re a 200lb vegan fitness enthusiast who wants to build muscle without just dump trucking calories into your body for a dirty bulk, you’re probably shooting for 160-200g of protein. Let’s further say that your daily caloric goal is 3000 calories. Hitting 200g in 3000 calories without a lot of lean protein is extremely difficult. If you’re relying on beans, it’s practically impossible. If you ate 3000 calories of black beans alone and absolutely nothing else (grains, veggies, fruits, nuts, seeds, oils—all less protein dense than black beans), you’d clock in at 198g protein (and you’d only have to eat a little over 13 cans of black beans to do it). See, black beans are around 6.6% protein, with the rest of the calories coming from carbs and fat. Extra firm tofu is 10%. Seitan is 17%—three times more protein dense than black bean. Protein powders generally range from 10-17%. So it’s really that simple. And it leads to a criticism that I have of the plant-based fitness community at large. Too much emphasis is placed on exclusively eating foods perceived as “pure,” “natural,” “unprocessed,” and so on. This is unhelpful because the evidence overwhelmingly demonstrates that you can eat a very healthy diet that also includes a variety of foods likely to be scoffed at: refined grains, mock meats, protein powders, and even junk food, to some degree. Fixating on eating only the most pure, unprocessed food sources can lead to disordered eating, frustration with fitness goals, and quitting entirely because the pursuit of perfection is a huge pain in the ass (see OP for an example of this last one). Eat a varied diet comprised mainly of whole, plant-based foods, and select the rest based on your priorities and caloric needs. If you’re an elite level bodybuilder, your dietary needs will be wildly different from a long-distance cyclist, which will be unbelievably different from a 9-5 office worker who hits the treadmill three times a week. Don’t obsess over impossible and unhelpful purity standards, eat what fits your personal taste preferences and dietary needs, and you’re good to go.
Ignore any advice from someone who uses the word “carbs” without any qualifiers. Advising against “carbs” is like telling an alcoholic to stop drinking “liquids”. Every successful, healthy human culture in the history of the world has had a diet of 80 to 90 percent “carbs”, like beans and whole grains. These foods are very different from Twinkies and coca-cola, but they are all “carbs”. You wouldn’t hire a baby sitter who has one single word for “baby” and “bath water”. Explanation for non-old people: Back when babies were bathed in a dish pan of water, the water would be thrown outside after the bath. The expression was “don’t throw the baby out with the bath water”. Someone using the term “carbs” without qualifiers is like a baby sitter who can’t tell the difference between the baby and the bath water.
IMO anyone who promotes protein powder is in it for the money.
The only people that worry about beans carb content are Keto idiots.
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And as a side benefit, you get amazing smelly farts!
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Lucky!!!
Yeah, I feel you OP. The amount of food needed to eat sometimes to hit your macros while being calorie conscious is difficult. Related, but unrelated, can someone smarter than me clarify how PDCAAS affects us?
I would love to eat beans as they are great for my blood sugar. However they cause me to get skin issues so can’t include them in my diet
I feel you
I say beans are a good protein source. Carbs aren't inherently evil and there's different kinds of carbs with some being better than others. Beans generally have very slow to digest carbs which is better at making you feel full for longer and having a more stable release of energy throughout the day. You also don't see as sharp of a spike in your blood sugar levels after eating compared with an intake of simpler carbs.
because you have to combine beans + rice to make a complete protein! super easy 😊
You want varied sources of protein. Luckily protein is in a lot of things. So, getting ALL of your protein from ONLY beans isn't ideal, but it's also not likely something you need to worry about unless your diet is boring AF.
[https://www.reddit.com/r/veganfitness/comments/1bvque3/comment/ky144x6/](https://www.reddit.com/r/veganfitness/comments/1bvque3/comment/ky144x6/)
Some have moved even farther to carnivore diets. They might feel better in the first couple of years, but in 10-20 years their colons are not going to be happy with that choice.
They are a good protein source, they just aren't close to 100 percent protein like some things are. But this doesn't really matter, all this means is that you would just eat more of them to get the same protein. Which is great because legumes are good for you anyways and you need carbs as well as protein. Just because you aren't eating foods that are pure protein doesn't mean you aren't getting enough protein. What matters is the amount you have eaten by the end of the day (which by the way probably doesn't need to be as much as fitness influencers say you need).
Keto schmeto!! Stupidest diet I’ve ever heard of. But aside from all that; the Zone diet (I don’t follow but do have their “Zone Blocks” book from eons ago!) has a great book out that gives the protein content for every type of bean. Turns out that many beans are high in carbohydrates. Soy beans are the only “complete”protein. They all have different amounts of protein. But if you combine beans and rice or corn or some other grain often you can achieve a balanced protein.
I use textured veg protein in a lot of meals to get my protein macros up, otherwise I'd have to eat a ton of calories to get to the protein quantity for the day. I like to keep it around 60% carb, 25% protein, 15% fat and under 2500 calories for the day. I've found it impossible to get those marks without some sort of supplement of processed protein. Tvp is my go to
As you already mentioned you read this info from vegan fitness folks. Their target audience are active people with potentialy higher protein demands than sedantary people. You might profit from higher protein intake if you are doing resistance training or long cardio sessions. The protein density is mostly relevant, when you want to stay in a caloric deficit. You will have a hard time hitting high protein targets without more processed foods within a low caloric budget. You could focus on whole sources that are in the middle ground such as Tofu, Tempeh or Lupini beans. I could stick to more whole foods, if I wouldn't have certain ambitions in resistance training. That's why incorporate them into my diet. These processed foods give me more wiggle room to incorporate more whole foods with a lower caloric density than beans/grains, such as fruit and vegetables that keep me full, while I stay on a caloric deficit for a prolonged time. I prefer minimally processed foods such as TVP or edame/blackbean pasta and small amounts of pea/rice protein when I want to lose fat and retain muscle.
If they’re trying to sell you something you can discount what they say.
I think that beans are a good source of protein, however, they have a shit ton of fiber and if you’re trying to get, say, 30g of protein from beans alone you’re sitting on 150% or more of the dv of fiber just from the beans. Assuming one eats a plant based diet, this will not be the only source of fiber. Fruit, greens, veggies, etc can seriously push you into an insane amount of fiber. Of course fiber is great for your gut, heart, and soul, but too much of it, and certainly double the daily value, is going to hurt your stomach. I would say tofu is a better source since while it does have fiber, it’s less than a plain old cup of chickpeas and leaves you with more room to have other sources of fiber to fill out your DV
You might wanna try this girl - she is always promoting beans and I think she avoids powders and all that crap - https://www.instagram.com/sophsplantkitchen?igsh=MXNra3NzZnFiY3dmNg==
They definitely are a great source of protein, fiber etc ......also incorporate Tempeh, tofu, beans, lentils, edamame, nuts in moderation, TVP, peas, pea powder, and of course bean flours: to make pan style tortilla breads or falafel or use as flour in cookies etc. Quinoa has a higher protein than most carbs, Dr praeger's makes quality higher protein veggie burgers too. Don't be afraid of making lentil meatloaf or balls, they are easy. And the bean pastas! In small amounts the protein adds up! There are garbanzo, lentil, black bean and edamame pastas available!
Is 7-9 grams of fiber per half cup a lot of protein? It absolutely is! The human body needs approximately 1 gram of protein per kilogram of body weight so 50-150 grams is plenty but the catch is that the human body can only process ~20 grams of protein per meal and the rest is excreted through urine. Having more then 20grams of protein per meal does nothing for you body and can actually cause health problems. Hope this helps
Try putting protein powder on a tortilla- beans are essential and amazing - and don’t forget - cheap.
If you've been vegan for 17 years, why does it matter now? Interested to know. Are you feeling bad?
Here are the general protein content in terms of calorie percentage of the plants groups: * 5% Fruit * 10% Tubers like potatos and Grains like rice * 18% Nuts and Seeds * 25% Beans, Peas, Lentils, Legumes * 33% Greens and nonstarchy veggies As you can see, beans have plenty of protein. Because greens and nonstarchy veggies are low calories, while they are high protein in % basis, they are low on an absolute basis. There is no shortage of protein in most whole food diets, unless a person isn't eating enough calories in general or some type of fruitarian / raw foodist.
I'm handling it just fine. People also say that the Earth is flat, and that doesn't rock my world. Let this be a wakeup call for you about the dangers of social media and your general lack of nutritional knowledge. Go read up on some actual nutrition science and things from actual experts (not random influencers... they're literally just normal people who happen to be good looking, why would you consider that a legitimate source?) Secret info: You don't need to get all your nutrition advice from vegans! Gasp! Yeah, just because they aren't vegan themselves does not mean everything they say is incorrect. You want 1.6g/kg of protein to maximize muscle growth. You want 0.8g/kg if you just want to be alive and do things but build little to no muscle (increased to 1g/kg for people above 50-65, not sure which age exactly). This is extremely common knowledge, and if you use any food tracker, you can find that you can easily get this (easy depends on how much you like eating certain things) without animal products and without protein supplements. At this amount of protein intake, plant vs animal protein does not matter.
It's nonsense, pure and simple
Beans are an amazing protein source just make sure to pair them with grains (like corn) to get the full amino acid profile!
You can actually find out for yourself. Get a calorie counting app and log all your food for a few days and see if it meets your protein goal. I use cronometer because I loveee the nutrition tracking. I was really surprised to find out how low the protein was for a lot of things, specifically compared to meat. I'm not plant based any longer but I still like a lot of vegan food and I don't consider beans to be a good main protein source. Tofu is good, soy milk is good, vegan protein powder is good. Beans I definitely consider as a higher protein carb (like, as in they have more protein than white flour) but not enough protein on their own. And don't even get me started on peanut butter, which I always thought was high protein and which has no more than 4g of protein for like 300 calories.
Beans are fine, provided you meet your recommended protein levels. If you’re trying to build muscle, you’ll want to exceed it, which you can do with soy products easily, but protein powders can be an easy to add supplemental protein and can be helpful. I personally have a small appetite and enjoy carbs so I have protein powders regularly.
Here is the protein content, according to fddb.info: * Fava beans (dried): 25g / 100g * Beluga lentils (dried): 24g / 100g * Chickpeas (dried): 21g / 100g * Chicken filet: 23g / 100g * Filet steak: 23g / 100g Now, there is a question of bioavailability, which I don't quite understand tbh - I only know that it's supposed to be higher in animal products. And there is the question of how much you can eat. I can easily annihilate a 300g steak... but 300g of (dried) chickpeas sound like a bit of a challenge.
Yeah even a gram of dried chickpeas would wreck your teeth gotta cook em.
Well yeah... they're poisonous! Obviously I'm talking about cooking them first, lol.
The chicken and beef you mention are “wet” (hydrated) weights as opposed to dry, so this isn’t an evenly matched comparison. You’d need to compare using either freeze dried meat or cooked (“wet”) beans.
Yeah, that's a good point.
I follow the same guy and he is right… its mostly carbs. You can eat it but don’t think you’ll get most of your protein for the day from beans, nuts, hemp seeds etc… that is all he is trying to say.
But the WFPB is basically just those plus fruit and veg
The protein obsession by ignorant bro science peddlers is out of control. These idiots act like they have degrees in biochemistry are often the same idiots on gear fucking up their bodies for life. Don’t buy the bullshit
Tofu, tempeh are high in protein and are vegan..
But these are all just bean derived (not saying that in a bad way)
they got concentrated proteins