PROTEIN-THE LIFE FORCE

C. Norman Shealy, M.D., Ph.D.

The essential nutrient for life is protein. We can make most fat and all the glucose needed from protein, but we cannot make protein from fat or carbohydrate! And there are some amino acids we simply cannot make from other amino acids. The essentials are:

• Histidine-for making histamine!
• Isoleucine, leucine and valine, the branched chain amino acids-for making muscle, protein synthesis and fat metabolism
• Lysine, essential for immune function and for making cartilage and collagen. Incidentally notoriously low in grains
• Methionine-essential for liver detoxification & healing. Requires B 12 ad folate or creates homocysteine, a serious cause of disease
• Phenylalanine-essential for building muscle and for adrenal function. Critical for mood, heart health, satiety, pain control
• Threonine-needed to make collagen, muscle, elastin, strong bones and teeth.
• Tryptophan-the building block for serotonin, the bright eyed bushy tail wake up neurotransmitter
• Taurine-is considered “conditionally essential”, but is deficient in 84% of depressed people! It is critical for maintaining the electrical charge on cells! It is found ONLY IN ANIMAL PROTEIN except for minimally modest amounts in hemp hearts!

BEST SOURCES OF QUALITY PROTEIN:

• Plain Greek yogurt (22 grams per cup)
• Whey protein or whey protein isolate (24 grams per scoop)
• Fish, fowl, beef, pork, lamb (23 grams per 3 or 4 oz.)
• Eggs-(6 grams per egg)

Although legumes are touted by vegans as great protein, they are relatively low in valine, methionine, lysine, threonine and leucine. AND THEY ARE TOTALLY LACKING IN B 12!!!

Although nuts have marvelous fatty acids, the protein content is relatively low in tryptophan, methionine, cysteine and lysine. No B 12.

The essential protein intake for an average adult is 50 grams of quality protein, with significantly more needed by athletes and those who do heavy work.

The bottom line—optimal health is better achieved with some animal protein!!!!! And for you vegans, you will die without B 12, which is made by animals. Yes, yeast is an animal. Interestingly, Ellen G. White, founder of 7^th Day Adventism, who supported a lacto-ovo vegetarian diet said “When you are sick you need meat.” And Edgar Cayce often recommended beef broth.