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General News · 14th May 2006
Jade deTrey
Vegetarian protein forms; wow there are lots of cool options and some things to watch out for...

Beans
Some people love them and others cant digest them at all.Beans are easiest to digest when soaked over night, by skimming off the top cooking foam, cooking them a lot (refried beans are great as theyve been cooked several times) or simply eating smaller portions of them can aid digestion. Beans are good medicine; sometimes a little portion can do you better than a huge one and chew!

Grains
Grains have some protein in them. Quinoa, millet and buckwheat contain the highest concentration of protein (these three grains by the way only take about 15 minutes to cook and even less if you soak them the night before).

Nuts and seeds
Chew them well and savour their flavour. You need only small amounts as they are high in fat and in too large amounts are hard on the liver. Watch out for rancidity. You can taste rancidity in old nuts or even smell it like an old oil smell. Sometimes nuts turn yellow or lose their inner white beauty when they are rancid. (Chuck em if you suspect rancidity.) One interesting note is that pumpkin seeds (the raw kind you can get in bulk not the already cooked puffed up kinds from large grocery chain stores) contain tryptophan which is a hormone that helps to calm nerves and has a mild anti-anxiety affect.

Soy
Some people have trouble digesting soy, finding it to cause bloating, fatigue, upset stomach or a heavy feeling. Some people suggest cooking it well to aid digestion. It comes in the form of tofu, tempeh (fermented soy beans made into a patty which you can fry or bake), miso (fermented soybean paste) and tamari ( good quality soy sauce). On a personal note I digest soy with pleasure and gusto, often eating slices of it raw from a fresh organic package. I do find I feel heavy if I eat too much of it though. On the package look to see that it is organic and made with Non-genetically modified ingredients or buy the freshest kind and send it some good positive thoughts.
Protein powders
are not a whole food. They are refined and manipulated by man to be suitable for the body. Over time they can be hard on the liver to digest. Be careful of low quality ingredients. Probably a good idea to inquire with a health food store expert. Use them sparingly.

Protein bars
can be harmful or helpful. Check the ingredient label. Be weary of sugar and too many long, weird and artificial sounding ingredients. Find ones made of high quality ingredients. Do not regularly rely on them as a meal replacement. Often they are no more than glorified chocolate bars and double the price. They can be great occasionally when you know you do not have time for a whole meal.

Soy milk
Read the label to see how many ingredients are inside. Store bought cartons of soymilk are highly refined. This means that there has been lots of energy expended in the making of. See if you can find a palatable soymilk that has no sugar of any kind and is mainly just Organic Non-genetically-modified soybeans and water. Non-genetically modified means that the soybean is in its natural form and has not been spliced and hampered with by humans to make it grow quicker or bigger than it normally would. Some people feel tired or sleepy after drinking soy or rice milks. Some people do OK with it.

Protein Snacks
Perhaps you already know what works for you as snacks Interesting snacks to try might be good quality organic yoghurt in small portions, a half or whole boiled egg, seeds and nuts that are fresh. Not protein but a healthy alternative is raw, cooked and dried fruit in small portions dried fruit is a highly concentrated form of fruit sugar so enjoy small amounts! A note about snacking Some people do well with small snack sized meals through out the day. Some people snack out of habit; it is what they do in the car on the way home, late at night, or out of boredom. What is your reason to snack? Genuine hunger, old habit, oral pleasure.

Seaweed actually has a good amount of protein and really high levels of minerals in it. Sheets of nori are fun to snack on and can give the tongue a nice work out if you let the sheet melt in your mouth. In health food stores you can buy all sorts of seaweed. They are a great thyroid medicine. You can flavour cooking beans, soups, rice, stir-frys, casseroles etc. with seaweed. You can use it as a healthy alternative to using salt.

Wowee there is so much information about protein!

With many choices and varieties you should never be bored with eating and cooking. What ever you eat, attempt to eat it with presence and gratitude. Chew well. Digest well. Be well.

With radiance and love,
Jade

P.S. I always welcome comments or questions about the food news I write about.
PPS. The invitation to you to a free one hour health consultation via phone with me is still wide open! Just let me know and well make it happen.