In this day and age, so many of us as African-Americans are becoming more health conscious and deciding to live a vegan lifestyle. You’ve probably heard so much about how living a vegan lifestyle can jump start weight loss, clear your skin, give you that much needed energy, and improve your overall health. You may have even been excited and wanted to share the news with others, but the reaction you got wasn’t as positive as you’d hoped. Instead of getting encouraging comments like “Wow that sounds exciting!” you may have gotten bombarded with questions like “Is that really healthy,? How will you get your protein?”
I get drilled with questions like these every time I tell someone I am vegan. Do they really believe that animal flesh is the only source of protein on the planet? The questions are asked so often that they’re cliché. It’s so interesting that people never stop to think about how cows get their protein. I can guarantee you that it’s not by eating other animals.
Most meat-eating humans eat animals that get protein from the same plant sources that vegans get theirs from. Even pigs get their protein from plant based sources. If the protein source is sufficient for animals, why can’t humans remove the animals from the equation and get the protein directly from the source, plants?
The bottom line is that plants have proteins and are a great source of protein. Most green veggies have just as much protein as meat. In fact, eating the proper amount and variety of fruits and vegetables provides a better source of protein than meat. Some of our favorite and most common vegetables like broccoli have just as much protein as steak. The most obvious plant-based sources of protein include beans, nuts, soy and every vegan’s favorite, tofu.
So, the next time someone asks, “How do you get your protein?” You can respond by singing, “greens, beans, potatoes, tomatoes…. If that’s not enough, tell them you get your protein, but without hormones and antibiotics.]]>
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