Where Do You Get Your Protein - Rethinking Food

By Sharon Leontine Wallenberg

"Where Do You Get Your Protein? Rethinking Food" is about protein, where it comes from, what kinds there are, what happens when it is consumed. It also explores the history, mentality, and origins of food as well as the implications of diet on health. The book proves that protein comes from plants, and individuals who obtain their prot

• Language: English
• Publisher: Liberty 61 Books
• Release date: Mar 5, 2024
• ISBN: 9798988261834

Book preview

Where Do You Get Your Protein?

Rethinking Food

Sharon Leontine Wallenberg

Liberty 61 Books

    Copyright Sharon Leontine Wallenberg

          All Rights Reserved.  No portion of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted by any means without the written permission of the Author except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews. 

          Library of Congress Catalogue in Publication data

          ISBN 979-8-9882618-3-4

REVIEWS:

'Where do you get your protein?' is the most common question I have been asked as a vegan athlete for more than a quarter of a century. But over the years, this question is being asked less frequently, because of people like Sharon, and books like this, which sufficiently answers the question, based on evidence. Sharon Wallenberg outlines how easy it is to reach our protein requirements on a plant-based diet. Not only have I been following a plant-based diet and vegan lifestyle for more than 25 years, but I became a champion bodybuilder in the process. If a champion bodybuilder can get enough protein on a plant-based diet, you can too. No meat has been no problem for me. I was able to build my body with plants, and show the world that plants have all the protein we need. This book will open your eyes to the wonderful world of plants. 

Robert Cheeke, New York Times Bestselling Coauthor of The Plant-Based Athlete, and Vegan International Advisory Board Member

          "Readers, please read this book and benefit from it. It’s a very great book about healthy and happy living has been released. Thank you for the mentioning about us athletes. I hope that people will get some great ideas from here that they can apply in their lives. Many aspects have been touched upon. You get to know where to get your protein from this book.  Thank you for making people aware of the achievements of our athletes who eat the right protein. Athletes are better than what we eat and it must have been written in details.  Read about the real nutrition and animal suffering and find out how you can enjoy a meatless diet.  Equip yourself with the right protein information and recharge you. Now athletes have a good written description of what we eat. Particularly the international vegan food section is so good. Seasoned food and author’s own kitchen secrets are sure to inspire anyone. Athletics careers are born from the lives of athletes and no differences. I hope you will find out that the hard work, agility, and courage of our athletes are the result of the right protein. 

Budjargal Byambaa, Mongolian Ultra Marathon Champion,

And Vegan International Advisory Board Member

          "There are times when a belief is held to be self-evident and goes unquestioned, only to later become revealed to be so ill-founded that it seems unthinkable that it was ever believed. This is true of our society’s preoccupation with animals as food sources.  In this book Sharon Wallenberg dismantles the myth section by section, establishing the truth behind the assumptions.  All the headlines you will have heard are discussed in a no-holds barred evaluation.  We discover that plants have protein.  You can live healthily as a vegan.  You can avoid disease.   Veganism is no barrier to elite sports performance.  Animal agriculture is not compatible with environmental sustainability.  Animal farms are not acceptable regarding welfare standards.  Milk is not better.

From here we have to see what vegans eat, and if you thought it was just lentils and lettuce, Sharon has good news!  By drawing recipes from around the world, she discovers some meal suggestions that everyone will benefit from. The time has come to question why animal food products have become established as the norm, and what the alternative is.  The journey to discovery lies in this book."

Chris Iles, Co-Founder Great Vegan Athletes

          We know that the solution to our health crises, our climate crises and of course to save whatever is left of our biodiversity from extinction is go vegan. But then there is the question, where would I get my protein? In case you have ever been deterred by this question, this book gives you all the answers to this and a myriad of other questions that just may hamper the most important decision that could save your life. This book will give you so much food for thought that you will never be the same again. Nandita Shah, M.D., Founder of SHARAN, India, and 

Vegan International Advisory Board Member

          This book is for people who wish to advance their health and longevity, and at the same time learn about veganism. It identifies famous people in sports and other endeavors who declare themselves to be vegans and how veganism impacted their various careers. The photos are informative, and some are indeed enlightening. When you finish the book, you will know that ‘You are what you eat’.

Ira J. Raab, New York State Supreme Court Justice (Retired), and Vegan International Legal Advisor

Dedication

          This book is dedicated to all inhabitants of our home, planet Earth:

          Those individuals seeking protein;

          Those individuals seen as protein (and apparel, entertainment, test subjects, inferior individuals, and otherwise disposables); and

          Those enlightened individuals who know protein comes from plants, and who have the courage to change the world, our precious home. planet Earth!

          Acknowledgements

Ira J Raab, NYS Supreme Court Justice, Retired, for being a Wonderful Friend and for editing all my books.

Purpose

The purpose of this book is to offer proof that protein comes from plants, and that those individuals who obtain their protein from plants are not only equally healthy as those who do not, but often excel in physicality way beyond the many individuals relying on secondary protein.  Additionally, guidance and support are offered to individuals seeking to obtain their protein from plants by adopting a plant-based lifestyle without being overwhelmed by mundane and boring details.

Introduction

This book is about protein, where it comes from, what kinds there are, what happens when it is consumed. It also explores the history, mentality, and origins of food as well as the implications of diet on health.  It hopes to encourage the Reader to experiment with the lessons learned, proactively explore, and experiment with imagination and courage.  It strives to give the Reader a new view on an old topic.

This book is a food enlightenment book and not a cookbook.  Before you close the book and walk away, take heart!  Also included are many of your favorite foods made plant-based, as well as festive and decorative holiday cakes that are totally plant-based, gorgeous, and delicious. It has festive holiday menus, and guidance for eating out.

Additionally, it tells the facts behind the way we eat, who benefits and who does not, what the long-range outcomes are for ourselves, others, and the planet if we pursue obtaining our protein from the destructive SAD (Standard American Diet).

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Table of Contents:

1:  Where Do You Get Your Protein

2:  Photosynthesis: Source of All Protein

3: What the Experts Say About Protein

4: Sugar: Empty Calories Not Diabetes

5:  Carbohydrates – Good & "Bad Carbs

6:  Fat & Cholesterol, Not What You Thin

7:  Anything Else? Vitamins, Minerals, Fiber, Microbes

8:  Meet The Vegan Athlete

9:  Protein: Winners and Losers

10:  Understanding Zoonotic Disease

11:  Earth’s Limited Resources

12:  Dairy Is Scary

13: Eggs – Good Source of Cholesterol - Not Protein

14:  Meet Your Bacon

15: Animal Agriculture: Source of ‘Protein’ or Impending Disaster?

16: Meet The Sea Individuals

17: Food’s Humble Beginings: Creativity, Resourcefulness, Imagination

18: Raw Food for Strength and Endurance

19: Adventures in Produce Shopping

20:  A Field Trip To The Supermarket

21:  Breakfast: The Beginning

22:  Soup First

23: Salads: Verdant and Versatile

24: What’s For Lunch?

25:  Dinner: An Adventure in Innovation and Imagination

26:  Herbs and Spices: The Little Giants

27:  Cooking Basics: Steam, Broil, Sautee

28:  Around The World Without Leaving The Kitchen

29:  The Three Sisters, Ancient Wisdom for the Digital Age

30:  The Four Seasons

31: Dessert - Elegant Endings

32:  Holiday Menus

33:  Baking - Yes You Still Can!

34: Agriculture: Conventional, Organic, and Veganic

35: Let’s Eat Out!

36: My Vegan Kitchen

37: Conclusion

Glossary

Antioxidants - compounds that inhibit oxidation, a chemical reaction that can produce free radicals and chain reactions that may damage the cells of organisms.  It is in substances such as vitamin C or E and removes potentially damaging oxidizing agents in a living organism.

MMA - Mixed Martial Arts sometimes referred to as cage fighting, no holds barred, and ultimate fighting, and originally referred to as Vale Tudo is full contact combat sport based on striking, grappling and ground fighting, incorporating techniques from various combat sports from around the world.

NASM - National Academy of Sports Medicine an American fitness training provider founded in 1987.  Its headquarters is in Gilbert Arizona.

NCD – Non-Communicable Diseases including Heart Disease, Diabetes, some cancers, overweight and obesity which are linked to the meat and dairy diet.

Photosynthesis the process by which green plants and some other organisms use sunlight to synthesize foods from carbon dioxide and water.  Photosynthesis in plants generally involves the the green pigment chlorophyll and generates oxygen as a byproduct. 

Selenium - a photosensitive element that occurs in both crystalline and amorphous forms.  It is an essential component of various enzymes and proteins, called selenoproteins, that help to make DNA and protect against cell damage and infections, these proteins are also involved in reproduction and the metabolism of thyroid hormones.

Synthesize – to make something or combine a number of different pieces into a whole. 

Chapter 1:  Where Do You Get Your Protein?

A picture containing tree, outdoor, plant Description automatically generated

We begin our adventure of exploring PROTEIN!

Elephants are the strongest animal in the world.  They eat leaves. 

Horses are one of the fastest animals in the world.  They eat grass. 

Animals raised for human food would also eat some form of vegetation in their natural environment.

Vegan Athletes comprise the minority of athletes according to GreatVeganAthletes.com, and yet win the majority of competitions!  Why?  Because they get their PROTEIN FROM PLANTS!

Food has three categories: Protein, Carbohydrates, and Fat. All three are essential for life. The human body also requires vitamins, minerals, and fiber for optimal good health. The Whole Food Plant Based Diet contains all of these without unnecessary and harmful additional fat, cholesterol, antibiotics, hormones, and harmful microbes in the meat and dairy based diet.

Protein provides the functional and structural components of the human body, and the synthesis of hormones and neurotransmitters.  Digestion breaks down protein into amino acids, which are then used by the body. 

Amino acids are categorized as essential, conditionally essential, or nonessential.  There are 22 amino acids, only eight of these amino acids are considered essential.  They are: histidine, isoleucine, lysine, methionine, phenylalanine, threonine, tryptophan, valine, methionine, and phenylalanine.  The amino acid arginine is considered essential when fighting cancer.

Essential amino acids are organic.  In Chemistry, compounds that contain carbon, hydrogen, nitrogen, and oxygen are classified as organic, and those that do not contain carbon are classified as inorganic.  Amino acids contain carbon, nitrogen, hydrogen, and oxygen, along with a variable side chain group.  Essential amino acids cannot be made by the body.  They must be obtained by diet.  Plants are the primary source of essential amino acids.  Animals, who get their own protein from plants, are a secondary source of protein.

There is sufficient protein in vegetables and fruit, especially in the traditional combination of grains and legumes which contains all the essential amino acids, for humans to survive and flourish.

Beans belong to a family of high-protein plant foods called legumes.  Although different beans provide varying amounts of nutrients, they all contain a similar balance of essential amino acids.  Black beans and kidney beans contain concentrations of all essential amino acids.  All beans are a good source of lysine.  Beans provide all nine essential amino acids except methionine. 

Grains are generally high in methionine.  Grains include rice, corn, oats, wheat, and quinoa.  The bean and grain combinations are traditionally rice and beans or corn and lima beans. 

Both the successful vegan athletes