Which is the best choice: Animal Protein or Plant Protein?

Protein builds and maintains muscle, repairs tissues, and supports our immune system. Many people don’t realize or haven't been told that the source of your protein matters.

Most of us have been taught that animal protein was considered the best form of protein. Research shows that plant protein is healthiest for your body

Examples of plant protein are: beans, lentils, peas, soy foods, whole grains, nuts, and seeds. Eating a variety of different plants provides us with all the amino acids needed for muscle maintenance, tissue repair, and overall health.

Research shows that one of the great benefits to eating plants is having lower rates of heart disease, high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, and certain cancers. 

Plant proteins are powerhouses because they are full of fiber, antioxidants, and vitamins that support long-term health. Also help reduce inflammation which many of us suffer from. 

Another awesome side effect from eating plants is it helps create a healthy microbiome. (Gut Health) When we have a healthy microbiome it helps with immunity, metabolism and overall health.

Our goal is to choose protein that helps our bodies thrive. By making beans, lentils, peas, tofu, tempeh, nuts, seeds, and whole grains regular parts of your everyday meals, you are supporting a healthier version of you for years to come. 

It can be overwhelming to switch to plant base foods, especially if you have only eaten animal protein all of your life. Learning a new way of cooking and preparing meals can seem daunting. That's why I tell my clients to take one step at a time. Maybe that looks like starting with no meat Mondays, or having all your breakfasts for a few weeks be plantbased. Create small doable changes and it won’t feel so overwhelming.

I also find that batch cooking makes my life so much easier. I often cook beans. Lentils etc in the instant pot on the weekends. I also chop all the veggies I planned on eating that week. Some weeks that's all I do and then during the week I combine ingredients to create a recipe. Other weeks I prepare all recipes on a weekend day and then I have no stress from being too tired to prepare a meal.

I created a “nugget” recipe when I couldn’t find one I liked. These have been tested on my grandbabies (who eat meat) and they love them. So give them a try.

Plant-Based Nuggets the Whole Family Will Love

2 cans of navy beans

¾ cup oatflour (you can make your own in a food processor) If you make your own, make sure you measure the flour after you put it through the food processor. The measurement is not the same from oats to flour. :)

2 tablespoons of “not chicken bouillon” can be found with regular bouillon in stores.

1 tablespoon garlic

1 tablespoon onion power,

⅓ cup of nutritional yeast (not bakers yeast)

1 regular size potato mashed, about one cup

Nugget nut coating

2 cups of almond meal  You can buy this or make it yourself. 

1/2 tablespoon of paprika

½ tablespoon garlic

½ tablespoon onion power

To make the nuggets use hands (may be sticky) and roll them into desired shape and then place the nugget into the coating. I place into the mixture, press lightly down and do the same to the other side. Coat both sides and set on a silicone sheet.  Bake at 350 for about ten or so minutes on each side.