Can animal protein replace plant protein?

Abstract: The main sources of animal protein are dairy products and meat, while the main sources of plant protein are beans and soy products, as well as nuts and rice noodles.

Keywords: plant protein, animal protein, soy protein, health, environment, nutrition

Related products for this article: soy protein

Protein is the material basis of life. Without protein, there is no life. Protein is one of the three major nutrients, and a high-protein diet also has many benefits in terms of weight management, improved metabolism and healthy aging.

Previous studies have found that high-protein diets are easier to feel full and can help lose weight and fat. Substituting protein for some carbohydrates can improve blood pressure, blood lipids and blood sugar and other indicators of cardiovascular disease.

According to the source classification, protein can be divided into plant protein and animal protein. The main sources of animal protein are dairy products and meat, while the main sources of plant protein are beans and soy products, as well as nuts and rice noodles.

At present, there is a “plant wind” sweeping the world, so what are the advantages of plant protein compared with animal protein?

Plant-based uses plant protein formed through photosynthesis as a substitute protein and applied to foods and beverages to achieve the experience that can replace animal products in terms of structure or taste. Because of its “plant-derived” characteristics, it has become a trendy lifestyle of consumers based on personal health and global ecosystem concerns.

Judging from the current market, plant-based application products are mainly concentrated in five categories: plant meat, plant eggs, plant dairy products, plant drinks and plant ice products.

The popularization of plant-based products can reduce the demand for feed and slaughter animals. It is of great significance in protecting and caring for animals, reducing the area of arable land, reducing carbon emissions and water consumption.

Compared with animal protein, plant protein has obvious advantages in environmental protection and sustainability. At present, more than 30% of global greenhouse gas emissions are from red meat (especially beef), and a large amount of land and water resources are needed to produce animal feed. To produce 1 kg of soy protein isolate, the carbon dioxide emitted to the environment is 2.4 kg, while the production of the same amount of beef protein is 178 kg! The greenhouse gas emissions of other animal proteins such as chicken and pork are also much higher than soybeans.

It takes 8 square meters of arable land for one year to produce 1 kg of soy protein isolate, and 1311 square meters of beef protein! In the past year, the burning of the Amazon rainforest, the Australian fires, the high temperatures in summer in Europe, the melting of glaciers in the Arctic and the Arctic, etc., have made more and more people aware of the urgency of reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

Plant-based products have no cholesterol, no lactose, and no burden to eat. At the same time, they can meet the human body’s demand for protein; it is suitable for people with lactose intolerance and people with digestive disorders.

From the perspective of the state of protein in food, plant protein is often combined with carbohydrates (non-starch polysaccharides and dietary fiber), while animal protein mainly coexists with fat.

These factors will bring about the difference in the nutritional value of plant protein and animal protein. For example, the intake of animal protein is often accompanied by the intake of a large amount of saturated fat; the consumption of soybeans contains both soybean protein and functional ingredients such as dietary fiber, isoflavones, and soybean phospholipids.

Compared with animal protein, plant protein has more health benefits, including reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes and certain tumors. For example, milk protein has the effect of controlling weight and lowering triglycerides, while soy protein isolate has a more obvious effect on lowering blood lipids than milk protein.

In addition, the popular “ketogenic diet” and “primitive diet” on many social networks now advocate eating a lot of meat, which is harmful or even dangerous to the health of the planet and individuals in the long run.

The world’s authoritative nutritionist Dr. Campbell’s research found that: plant-based diets are good for improving and preventing a series of chronic diseases; plant-based diets can even reverse the course of chronic diseases without the use of drugs; plant-based foods Diet can resist the health effects of some harmful substances.

To sum up: The biggest feature of plant-based protein is to replace animal protein in foods and beverages with plant protein. From the point of view of the name, it will have a more natural connection with us and bring its own goodwill; from the point of view of function, its Popularization will have great environmental significance to the environment and animals. At the same time, compared to animal protein products, plant-based products are more in line with the new generation of consumers’ pursuit of healthy diets.

Tip: Although the advantage of vegetable protein is more conducive to health, the biggest difference between vegetable protein and animal protein is amino acid. Generally speaking, the ratio of amino acid of animal protein is close to that of human body, while vegetable protein will compare some amino acids. Deficiencies, such as the lack of lysine in grains and the lack of methionine in soybeans. Because many amino acids cannot be synthesized by the body itself, for those who are vegetarians, the sources of plant protein should be diversified to avoid nutritional deficiencies.