SewingSew

I don't always believe something is so just because I read it in a textbook. In spite of the fact that I eat meat, I believe that our bodies were built to eat a plant based diet, fish, and eggs. Not that we couldn't eat meat and dairy, but that we were designed to thrive on a plant based diet. Our "fangs" are not long enough or sharp enough, and our claws are not substantial enough to make me think otherwise. Compare your fangs and your claws to a tiger, or a wolf for example.

Most beans are not a complete protein. This is true. That is why you pair incomplete proteins together. You definitely don't need meat to eat complete protein. Let's take, as an example, Kidney beans and brown rice. These two incomplete proteins complement each other perfectly. Rice is weak in Lysine, and Kidney beans are strong in Lysine. Kidney beans are missing Methionine (I hope that I spelled that right.) and rice is loaded with Methionine. So,no meat, no problem. Corn is an incomple protein, but if you pair cornbread with Pinto beans, you have a healthy meal. If I make a pasta salad, and I add chickpeas or black beans, I have complete protein. Throw in some spinach, and it is loaded with good nutrients.

For anybody reading this who doesn't understand how protein works, here is a brief summary. Amino acids are the building blocks of life. Our bodies require 20 to make the protein that we require for tissue repair, body building, transporting nutrients, etc. Of those 20, 9 are essential. That means that we have to get those 9 amino acids extrinsically from food. Our bodies can intrinsically provide us with what we need for the other 11. Pinto beans, Kidney beans--add rice and you have all 9.

Soybeans are a complete protein, but 93% of soy on the market is genetically modified, and I don't want to start talking about gmos, or I'd never finish writing this. Gmos and also high-fructose corn syrup are not your friend. Buckwheat is a complete protein. Quinoa (a seed) is a complete protein. Eggs are a complete protein. Tofu (soy curd) is a complete protein. Anyhow, you don't have to eat meat to have a healthful diet.

In gardening, there is a term referred to as three-sisters. It is a term that originated with indians. First you plant corn. Two weeks later, you plant runner beans and squash. The significance is that indians were able to sustain themselves through times when meat was scarce because these incomplete proteins complemented each other to make a healthy diet.