Few people are aware just how indispensable protein is for the proper functioning of our bodies. Protein is made of amino acids, the building blocks needed for the regeneration of our cells. It is also required to keep hormonal balance and production.
Sources of animal protein include lamb, beef, poultry, fish, milk, and eggs. This type holds most of the amino acids needed to build body cells and tissues. Egg white is very rich in pure protein that can be easily assimilated by the body. Egg yolk contains cholesterol (fat) and vitamins. One egg a day is more than sufficient to supply you with protein and "good" fat, omega-3, if it comes from free-range chicken, naturally fed and drug-and-hormone-free. Fish and shellfish, too, are excellent sources of high-quality protein, fats like omega-3 oils, and iodine for the function of the thyroid glands. Evidence also suggests that people who eat plenty of fish tend to live a longer, healthier life.
Be moderate with proteins, however, because excess consumption can lead to liver and kidney problems and leach calcium from bones. On the other hand, protein deficiency can affect immunoglobulins, weakening the immune system. Both conditions can be damaging to health. Be wise in your choice of food.
Limit your consumption of beef and lamb due to their high saturated fat content. Also avoid organ meats mostly for their high concentrations of heavy metals and environmental toxins. If you wish to control your cholesterol level, fish and poultry without skin are your best choice of animal protein.
Cow's milk and its products, yogurt and cheese, are also a good source of animal protein and calcium for the bones, but beware of their saturated fat. Choose low-fat milk and yogurt. Casein in milk can cause intolerance in some people; others develop allergies. Have milk in moderation or substitute it with goat's or soy milk.
Plant protein is especially high in legumes (dry beans), nuts, and seeds. The legume family includes a wide variety of vegetable such as chickpeas, lentils, peas, beans like "foul" ( big brown beans), mung and kidney beans, red and black beans, and particularly soybeans. They are rich sources of protein, good fats, carbohydrate, some important vitamins (folic acid), fiber, and protective phytochemicals. The phytochemical in soybeans and its byproducts protect from some forms of cancer. Legumes require a long cooking-time, because raw they can be toxic. Their only inconvenience is the flatulence they cause. But you can add cumin seeds to the dish to minimize gases, as is done with foul.
By eating all sorts of legumes, you increase your intake of omega-3s, fibers, and protective phytochemicals and reduce saturated fat. I find them a good substitute for animal protein especially when cooked with whole rice or grains. Served in this manner, they supply you with richer proteins as they complement each other in amino acids.
Grains are sources of both protein and carbohydrate. Make sure you eat them whole, whether they are rice, wheat, barley, corn, or millet. Processing strips them of fiber and micronutrients. As I mentioned before, mixing them with beans makes a wholesome, tasty, and filling dish, if you prefer to reduce animal protein for health purposes. Complement them with a vegetable dish and you have a complete meal.
Nuts (walnuts, Brazil and pine nuts, and almonds) and seeds (sunflower, sesame, pumpkin seeds) contain good proteins but also a lot of fat, fiber, and micronutrients (vitamins, trace minerals). Eat your nuts raw or blanched in small amounts when you are hungry. In big portions, they make you gain weight. Please don't fry them but roast them instead before adding them to rice or salads. Sesame "tahini" makes a good accompaniment to dishes or can be added to a recipe, like in foul or hummus. If you include nuts and seeds in your diet, make sure you buy them fresh and store them in a cool place.
Mushrooms, though neither animal nor vegetable, are a great source of health. They contain protein, vitamins, and minerals. They come in a wide variety from small button mushrooms to the bigger Portobello mushrooms. Underground mushrooms in the Saudi Arabian deserts look like potatoes and they are good. Some of the Asian kind like shiitake, reishi, and maitake are not only rich in nutrients but can also be detoxifying to the body. Among their benefits is the reduction of cholesterol levels, enhancement of immunity, and protection against cancer. I recommend eating them cooked more often, because raw they can sometimes be toxic. There are many soups, vegetable and rice dishes, stews, meats and more that can be enhanced by mushrooms. Unfortunately apart from the white button mushrooms and the seasonal desert "fagaa", few mushrooms are available in our supermarkets.
A few tips to remember. The healthiest way to eat is by grilling, broiling, steaming, and poaching. Minimize frying, pan-roasting, or baking with too much fat or butter. Limit consumption of cured meats like hot dogs, bacon, and salami. They contain nitrates and nitrites, which can turn into carcinogens in the digestive tract.