What can replace meat in the diet?

Meat in the diet of most people occupies a significant place. Approximately 10 to 30 percent of the food consumed falls on meat and meat products. Of all the products we consume, meat is most abundant in protein, and also with microelements, primarily iron.

The main building material for the body is proteins, which account for up to 20% of the mass of our body. But, as we all know from the school biology course, the human body consists of about 70% water. Consequently, if somehow the water from the body was removed, then in the dry residue there would be basically a protein, from which our organs and tissues are composed. Proteins, in addition, are a reserve source of energy: in the absence of fats and carbohydrates, the body receives energy by splitting proteins.

And because all the cells of our body are continuously updated, then we need the protein all the time. With a lack of protein in the body, problems with the activity of the muscles and, first of all, the heart muscle begin. The food we consume is for us a source of proteins, fats and carbohydrates, vitamins and minerals. One of the principles of proper nutrition is the balance of food in terms of the content of all the necessary substances.

But is meat such an indispensable source of protein? And how much meat is consumed in food? Or, as a last resort, than it is possible to replace meat in a diet? In addition to protein and iron, meat is high in fat and cholesterol, which is considered by many researchers as one of the main causes of cardiovascular diseases. When digesting meat, more toxins are released than from plant foods - hence the diseases and disorders in the work of the gastrointestinal tract.

The widely held view that the proteins contained in meat are the most suitable for assimilation and do not have an alternative is nothing more than a delusion. A study of the causes and conditions of longevity has established a characteristic feature: in the diet of long-livers, meat is either not available at all, or occupies an insignificant part. And according to the structure of the organism, a person is closer to herbivores than predators: the length of the human intestine is six times greater than that of his body, which is characteristic of the digestive apparatus, adapted for digesting and assimilating plant food.

In fact, all the proteins and micronutrients necessary for the body are contained in plant foods, which were the basis of nutrition at all times. An alternative to meat food should be cereals and legumes. In the diet must prevail various cereals and soups of legumes and cereals, seafood, salads, vegetables, fruits, nuts.

Among cereals, buckwheat occupies the first place in useful properties, yielding only protein to legumes, which is rich in iron and other microelements, rich in vitamins. No wonder that buckwheat, which improves blood formation and gives strength and endurance, is widely used in folk medicine and sports nutrition. Oats are rich in fats, removes cholesterol and normalizes blood pressure. Among all cereals, wheat is the main grain crop in the agricultural crop complex. But a significant part of vitamins and biologically active substances is contained in bran, i.e. in cereal shells, which in the process of production of flour go into waste.

Bean cultures, sometimes called food of the 21st century, are valuable, primarily high protein content, and soy protein content (40%) even exceeds meat. In addition, legumes are rich in vitamins of group B (with the exception of vitamin B12) and trace elements, and since they contain a large amount of fiber and fibers, they have a beneficial effect on digestion. Peas traditionally used to make soups, mashed potatoes, porridge. And pea flour is made noodles, boiled jelly and bake pancakes. Peas, like all legumes are rich in trace elements, vitamins and protein, only slightly inferior to beef in its content. Peas possess anti-cancer properties and promote the removal of radioactive and carcinogenic substances from the body. Beans, in addition to a high content of protein and vitamins, has hypoglycemic properties, so it is indispensable for diabetics. Among the leguminous crops, soya is a special place, which is sometimes called the meat of the 21st century - its protein is absorbed by the body by 90 percent or more. In this case, the body receives vegetable protein without the accompanying meat cholesterol and fat. Soy sauce, which is fermented, i.e. fermented product, contains up to 8% vegetable protein and can replace salt, thanks to a salty taste. By the amount of protein, one kilogram of soybean corresponds to three kilograms of beef.

Already a few weeks after refusing to consume meat in favor of legumes, the blood levels of cholesterol decrease.

The main argument of the proponents of eating meat is that vitamin B12, which actively participates in hematopoiesis, metabolism and nervous activity, is almost exclusively found in meat, mainly in beef liver and kidneys, and is practically not contained in vegetable products. In comparison with any other vitamins and trace elements, the body's need for vitamin B12 is quite small - only 2-3 micrograms per day, but without it one can not do without. However, in the tops of plants this vitamin is contained, albeit in small quantities, and, in addition, in seafood and dairy products. Therefore, the body's need for vitamin B12 can be fully provided by eating lettuce, fish, sea kale, squid, and fermented milk products.

Now you know what can replace meat in the diet. It proves that this will not only not bring harm to health, but in many respects will contribute to the restoration and strengthening of health and the increase in life expectancy. As you can see, nature is so rich that you can find an alternative to everything. And, having weighed all the pros and cons, each for himself can make a conclusion to eat meat for food or completely abandon it. But, making up your diet, you should always remember the words of the founder of medicine, the famous doctor of antiquity Hippocrates: "Food should serve as medicine for us".