# Eliminating animal protein **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [April 12, 2019, 2:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/eliminating-animal-protein/832426 "2019-04-12T02:11:05Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Ambivalid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a5b964/32.png) [@Ambivalid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ambivalid)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2019, 7:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/eliminating-animal-protein/832426/21 "2019-04-13T19:38:15Z")
> [@Hari\_Seldon](#): > > My wife makes a wonderful “ground-nut stew”. It is best with fresh ground peanuts with no sugar or salt added. > > Can someone explain how animal protein differs from any other. A protein is just a polymer of amino acids and the digestion process breaks it into the constituent acids. Then the body (specifically, the ribosomes) build the proteins the body needs. Since we are animals, I assume that the proteins from animal sources are a better match to the amino acids we need than plant proteins, assuming they are actually different. Animal proteins carry a higher risk for a number of ailments, such as cancer, cardiovascular disease, cholesterol elevation and more. Im sure someone else will be along with a more detailed answer. ---
**Author:** ![Bill\_Door](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/50afbb/32.png) [@Bill\_Door](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bill_Door)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2019, 8:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/eliminating-animal-protein/832426/22 "2019-04-13T20:23:16Z")
> [@Hari\_Seldon](#): > > My wife makes a wonderful “ground-nut stew”. It is best with fresh ground peanuts with no sugar or salt added. > > Can someone explain how animal protein differs from any other. A protein is just a polymer of amino acids and the digestion process breaks it into the constituent acids. Then the body (specifically, the ribosomes) build the proteins the body needs. Since we are animals, I assume that the proteins from animal sources are a better match to the amino acids we need than plant proteins, assuming they are actually different. In my case it’s because there is documented evidence that plants, even those that are high in purines have much less effect on gout flare-ups than meat does. I’m trying to get off allopurinol. ---
**Author:** ![Broomstick](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/broomstick/32/246_2.png) [@Broomstick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Broomstick)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2019, 9:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/eliminating-animal-protein/832426/23 "2019-04-13T21:37:43Z")
> [@Ambivalid](#): > > Animal proteins carry a higher risk for a number of ailments, such as cancer, cardiovascular disease, cholesterol elevation and more. Im sure someone else will be along with a more detailed answer. How the meat is treated also is a big factor - cured, smoked, or otherwise heavily processed meats are more of a health risk due to high sodium, various chemicals added as preservatives (nitrates, nitrites, the ones formed during smoking, etc.) _What sort_ of meat consumed is a factor - the leaner the meat the less risky it is. Nor is it as simple as red meat vs. white meat - something like venison is a red meat but is extremely lean and less prone to cause problems than, say, chicken livers which are a high cholesterol food, as is all liver. Where on the food chain you’re eating has an effect - long lived fish and predator fish are more prone to build up toxins, as are bottom feeders. Even with short-lived fish, where they live can be a problem - as an example, tilapia can survive in heavily polluted waters, but any heavy metals, chemicals, etc. they consume will be passed on to you when you eat them. So if you eat farmed fish pay attention to where they were farmed and under what conditions. The cancer risk can come from toxins/contaminants the animal ate in life, compounds formed during heat treatment (smoking, cooking, etc.), or having too much of one thing in your diet and not enough of another for long enough it starts to cause problems for you, making all sorts of illnesses more likely. So… the biggest thing to remember about animal protein is _don’t eat too much_. Which is easy to do, it being such a concentrated source of protein and so available in the modern world. Perhaps think of it more as a condiment to vegetables and grains than a major part of the meal. Any animal flesh is at least one step higher on the food chain than a plant so there are more contaminants per unit of food. But even something like liver - which is full of cholesterol, lipids, and any toxins the animal was exposed to in life, or kidneys, which as waste filters can also accumulate toxins - can be healthy _in moderation_ because of their protein content, vitamins, and minerals. Even their fat content - there are some vitamins (the fat soluble ones) that require fat in your diet for your body to use them. The problem is that no one seems to remember what the hell “moderation” means Getting enough fat is NOT a problem for modern omnivores, but it can sometimes be an issue for strict vegans (who can get their fat from plant sources). There’s no minimal cholesterol intake because your body can make its own cholesterol - it’s a vital component of things like hormones and cell membranes but too much and you get into trouble. anymore! And, of course, anyone with something like diabetes or kidney disease is likely a special case and should listen to their doctor and/or professional dietitian. ---
**Author:** ![TruCelt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/trucelt/32/523_2.png) [@TruCelt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TruCelt)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2019, 5:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/eliminating-animal-protein/832426/24 "2019-04-14T05:18:11Z")
> [@panache45](#): > > In addition to going vegan, I also have to cut way back on sodium, potassium, phosphorus and vitamin C. > > I’ve been eating more protein and fewer carbs, both in order to lose weight and to treat my diabetes. I’m gonna have to rethink this. > > And yes, I’ll look into seeing a dietitian. I’m so sorry you are going through this. They really should, at that point, have given you some idea of what _to_ eat. I second (or third) the suggestion of seeing a dietitian. This is exactly what they are good for. In the mean time, here’s an old thread with a lot of great suggestions for vegan and vegetarian meals: [http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?p=14290325&highlight=lentil#post14290325](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?p=14290325&highlight=lentil#post14290325) If you have favorite foods that you want to convert for your new diet, feel free to post them and I’ll tell you what has worked for me. I’m not a dietitian, and am no longer a vegetarian, but I was for many years. ---
**Author:** ![Bill\_Door](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/50afbb/32.png) [@Bill\_Door](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bill_Door)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2019, 10:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/eliminating-animal-protein/832426/25 "2019-04-14T10:29:20Z")
**panache45** , you be you, but there’s a nephrologist in Toronto named Jason Fung who has been able to help a lot of type II diabetics lose weight, reverse diabetes, and halt the progression of kidney disease through diet. He has several books out and you may want to look into them. I’d start with \*The Diabetes Code \* and _The Obesity Code_. Careful on Amazon, there are a couple of people who want to sell summaries of the books with deceptively close titles. ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2019, 1:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/eliminating-animal-protein/832426/26 "2019-04-14T13:16:27Z")
> [@Enola\_Gay](#): > > And the kidney failure diet seems very contradictory to what I’ve always considered ‘healthy’. Check out these foods to avoid: > > [17 Foods to Avoid If You Have Kidney Disease](https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/foods-to-avoid-with-kidney-disease#section19) :eek: Yes, all the great foods that I’ve been loving are slowly killing me. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/eliminating-animal-protein/832426.md?page=1)