# Source Protien for Vegetarians? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [May 6, 2006, 8:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/source-protien-for-vegetarians/355698 "2006-05-06T20:47:08Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Mrs\_O\_Malley\_s\_Cow](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a3d4f5/32.png) [@Mrs\_O\_Malley\_s\_Cow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mrs_O_Malley_s_Cow)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2006, 8:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/source-protien-for-vegetarians/355698/1 "2006-05-06T20:47:08Z")
I have a question. My mom is going veg for health reasons (many gastro problems). My question centers on her getting enough protien. I have also determined that she is getting waaaayyy too much protien and it is causing major acid production in her system. So part of what I am doing is trying to get her eating more alkalized foods (instead of acidic) This may sound stupid Protien doesn’t have to come from animals but is the protien in peanut butter, etc inferior to animal based protien? Are their any supplements that she should be taking? I ask this here as I figure there are a few if not more vegetarians on here who are knowledgable about such things. Thanks 😃 ---
**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:** [May 6, 2006, 10:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/source-protien-for-vegetarians/355698/2 "2006-05-06T22:07:43Z")
> [@Mrs O'Malley's Cow](#): > > I have a question. My mom is going veg for health reasons (many gastro problems). My question centers on her getting enough protien. What you need for vegetable protein is legumes - peas and beans. So a pot of bean soup or lentil stew actually contains a fair amount of protein. For maximum use of protein, combine with grains. This is actually customary in many traditional dishes and ethnic cuisines. Beans and rice, for example. Bean soup/stew with bread. These combinations provide protein just as nutritious and healthy as anything you’d get from an animal. That’s a very general rule of thumb, but it’s one to remember. You don’t even need precise proportions provided you get a few servings of legume/grain combinations every day. By the way - peanuts, being legumes, also count. So a peanut butter sandwhich does have significant protein. However, peanut butter is also relatively high in fat and sugar so it may not be the healthiest source of protein. Mom does need either B12 supplements or the occassional bit of animal-origin food. This could be obtained by occassional bits of meat, fish, dairy, or eggs. Assuming she is doing this for health reasons, I’m assuming she would object to an occassional serving of any of the above. > [@](#): > > I have also determined that she is getting waaaayyy too much protien and it is causing major acid production in her system. So part of what I am doing is trying to get her eating more alkalized foods (instead of acidic) This may sound stupid It does. The acidity/alkilinity of the food you eat does not affect the pH of your interior systems, such as your blood stream. Really, it doesn’t. However, certain health conditions can affect your interior pH. Please consult a medical professional for advice in such matters. ---
**Author:** ![marginal\_prophet](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/dbc845/32.png) [@marginal\_prophet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/marginal_prophet)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2006, 10:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/source-protien-for-vegetarians/355698/3 "2006-05-06T22:32:55Z")
Rice and beans. When tired of that, try beans and rice. If you substitute pasta, be prepared to get fat. ---
**Author:** ![Exapno\_Mapcase](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/exapno_mapcase/32/1051_2.png) [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2006, 11:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/source-protien-for-vegetarians/355698/4 "2006-05-06T23:11:44Z")
Beans and rice is fine, but far too limiting. From [Milk Is Not for Every Body: Living With Lactose Intolerance, by Steve Carper](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0816031274/ref=nosim/104-7375460-8164765?n=283155) > [@](#): > > Plant proteins are “incomplete.” Most plants are missing or are very low in one or more of the essential nine [amino acids]… A plant that is high in lysine but low in methionine can “complement” one that is high in methionine but low in lysine. Most cultures around the world already have a staple dish that does this: corn-flour tortillas and beans in Mexico; soybean tofu and rice in China and Japan; lentils and rice in India; and Middle East hummus, made from chickpeas and sesame seeds. Peanut butter on wheat wheat (not white) bread does the same trick. > > As a rule of thumb, grains - rice, wheat, corn, rye, bulgar, oats, barley, buckwheat - should be combined with legumes - black-eyed peas, chickpeas, split peas, peanuts, lentils, sprouts, and black, broad, kidney, lima, navy, pea and soy beans - to create a meal containing all the essential amino acids. That should provide the base for dozens of different meals, and any number of vegetarian cookbooks can be used for recipes. The proteins do not have to be eaten in one meal for completion, BTW. Any time during the day should do. But thinking in terms of completing proteins within a meal makes the meals more interesting and ensures a good protein balance. ---
**Author:** ![Blake](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/a9a28c/32.png) [@Blake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Blake)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2006, 11:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/source-protien-for-vegetarians/355698/5 "2006-05-06T23:28:43Z")
> [@Mrs O'Malley's Cow](#): > > My mom is going veg for health reasons (many gastro problems). :dubious: Gastro problems so you are switching from easily digested animal products to toxin laden and indigestible plant products? Have you really thought about this? > [@](#): > > I have also determined that she is getting waaaayyy too much protien and it is causing major acid production in her system. And how have you ‘determined’ this? > [@](#): > > So part of what I am doing is trying to get her eating more alkalized foods (instead of acidic) This may sound stupid Yes, it does. Plant food in general are more acidic than animal foods. I’m assuming you’ve half-understood the term ‘amino acid’, focussing on the ‘acid’ part. What you presumably haven’t realised is that the ‘amino’ part refers to ammonia. An alkali. When the body has a surplus of protein it removes that amine group to float free in the bloodstream. How exactly do you figure that animal food is more acid than plant? > [@](#): > > Protien doesn’t have to come from animals but is the protien in peanut butter, etc inferior to animal based protien? Hang on a second. You really need to stop and think about this for just a few minutes. You want to reduce the intake of acid foods so you are talking about utilising peanut butter? Do you know how much oil is in that stuff? Do you know that oils are fatty acids? And unlike aminao acids there is nothing misleading about the term fatty acids. They are literal acids. ---
**Author:** ![Mrs\_O\_Malley\_s\_Cow](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a3d4f5/32.png) [@Mrs\_O\_Malley\_s\_Cow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mrs_O_Malley_s_Cow)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2006, 2:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/source-protien-for-vegetarians/355698/6 "2006-05-07T02:16:27Z")
I determined this by figuring out how much meat, peanut butter, etc she eats and then figuring out how much protien she gets. She also eats almost no vegetables. _sigh_ i think this is going to be my last post. You ask a simple question and just get lambasted. Can I get a refund on my subscription fee. It isn’t worth it. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2006, 2:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/source-protien-for-vegetarians/355698/7 "2006-05-07T02:30:28Z")
> [@Mrs O'Malley's Cow](#): > > I determined this by figuring out how much meat, peanut butter, etc she eats and then figuring out how much protien she gets. She also eats almost no vegetables. > > _sigh_ i think this is going to be my last post. You ask a simple question and just get lambasted. > > Can I get a refund on my subscription fee. It isn’t worth it. Well, you see, we are here to fight Ignorance, not spread it. Now, unless you’re a medical professional or a registered dietician, you should not be giving your Mother such advice. Advising her how to lose a few pounds, sure. But not diagnostic guesses about “getting waaaayyy too much protien and it is causing major acid production in her system. So part of what I am doing is trying to get her eating more alkalized foods (instead of acidic)” becuase that, combined with the questions you asked about protiens and amino acids has clearly shown you don’t know enough about this to be suggesting such a major change in anyones diet. My (free) professional advice is for your Mother to go see her primary care Physician, tell him her symptoms, and see what he advises. Based upon what you have said about her diet, _until her appointment comes up,_ it is likely a good idea for her to get more fiber and Probiotics\* in her diet, and cut back on junk food.(since this can be said of most Americans, it’s pretty safe 😉 ) \*live-culture yogurt is an excellent source of Probiotics. ---
**Author:** ![Exapno\_Mapcase](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/exapno_mapcase/32/1051_2.png) [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2006, 3:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/source-protien-for-vegetarians/355698/8 "2006-05-07T03:48:57Z")
If I haven’t said it specifically before, I think that American high schools should offer a required course that gives the basics of food, nutrition, and digestion. You may have written a simple question, but you surrounded it with a frightening load of medical ignorance. (And bad spelling. It’s protein.) I checked some of your other posts and found that you appear to be a college graduate planning to go to graduate school. This kind of ignorance is frightening; that you intend to subject your mother to these theories is criminal behavior. Now everyone here has answered the simple question that you asked. Despite what Blake said, a vegetarian diet can be exactly as healthy as nutritious as a meat-based diet. If your mother has to go vegetarian she can do so without any worries as long as she follows the simplest of rules. But find some decent information about the way food works in the body first. Don’t apply crazy theories of acidity to some helpless woman’s body. Ignorance is dangerous, but stupidity kills. That is a general rule of the universe. Ignore it at your peril. ---
**Author:** ![Blake](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/a9a28c/32.png) [@Blake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Blake)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2006, 4:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/source-protien-for-vegetarians/355698/9 "2006-05-07T04:16:22Z")
> [@Exapno Mapcase](#): > > Despite what Blake said, a vegetarian diet can be exactly as healthy as nutritious as a meat-based diet. And of course I never said otherwise. But feel free to misrepresent me with ignorant nonsense any time you wish. ---
**Author:** ![Speaker\_for\_the\_Dead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c77e96/32.png) [@Speaker\_for\_the\_Dead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Speaker_for_the_Dead)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2006, 5:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/source-protien-for-vegetarians/355698/10 "2006-05-07T05:28:50Z")
> [@Blake](#): > > And of course I never said otherwise. But feel free to misrepresent me with ignorant nonsense any time you wish. So basically what you’re saying is that you hate black people? ---
**Author:** ![Ms.Spunkmuffin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9f8e36/32.png) [@Ms.Spunkmuffin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ms.Spunkmuffin)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2006, 8:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/source-protien-for-vegetarians/355698/11 "2006-05-07T08:02:28Z")
She can also get a fair amount of protein from faux-meat products available at places like Whole Foods, if she doesn’t want to go the way of the bean… They’re not half bad! ---
**Author:** ![Auntbeast](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Auntbeast](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Auntbeast)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2006, 8:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/source-protien-for-vegetarians/355698/12 "2006-05-07T08:13:24Z")
> [@Speaker for the Dead](#): > > So basically what you’re saying is that you hate black people? I think he was implying that they don’t digest well. And will therefore cause the 3rd chakra to become misaligned with the clavicle and raise the ionic resistence of your thetan towards homeopathic invisible pink unicorns. That or you know, that maybe the OP was waiting for folks to say “oh, you are right on the money, good job.” Instead of our stated purpose, Fighting Ignorance. Alter the pH? Of a human? I’m into fish tanks. Trying to keep a tanks pH stable takes alot of work. No offense intended (that can be remedied in the Pit) but I think you are being a tad melodramatic. The responses you have gotten have been quite helpful, maybe not the answers you have been looking for, but maybe, just maybe, you didn’t research this enough before you took the shotgun approach to treating your mothers health. Have you made a food diary to see what she eats? Have you eliminated one item at a time to see if there is an improvement? Does she have any allergies? Has she had a thorough physical with bloodwork done? She eats almost no vegetables and yet you want to put her on a vegetarian diet? “Way too much protien”? Some cultures exist primarily on animal derived protein. We are omnivores, we are supposed to eat pretty much everything. Introduce some veggies to her life and see if it helps. I’m just sayin’…we are trying to fight ignorance here, even when it is our own. ---
**Author:** ![Auntbeast](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Auntbeast](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Auntbeast)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2006, 1:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/source-protien-for-vegetarians/355698/13 "2006-05-07T13:41:22Z")
My husband told me, and he knows everything, that altering the pH of the human body also leads to raping white women. Did you try Prell? ---
**Author:** ![Exapno\_Mapcase](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/exapno_mapcase/32/1051_2.png) [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2006, 4:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/source-protien-for-vegetarians/355698/14 "2006-05-07T16:48:16Z")
> [@Blake](#): > > :dubious: Gastro problems so you are switching from easily digested animal products to toxin laden and indigestible plant products? > > Have you really thought about this? Gosh. Somehow I managed to misinterpret this. :smack: What could I have been thinking? ---
**Author:** ![SmartAleq](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smartaleq/32/163_2.png) [@SmartAleq](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SmartAleq)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2006, 9:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/source-protien-for-vegetarians/355698/15 "2006-05-07T21:06:19Z")
> [@Mrs O'Malley's Cow](#): > > I have a question. My mom is going veg for health reasons (many gastro problems). My question centers on her getting enough protien. I have also determined that she is getting waaaayyy too much protien and it is causing major acid production in her system. So part of what I am doing is trying to get her eating more alkalized foods (instead of acidic) This may sound stupid A real problem with this post M O’MC, is that your terminology is very vague, and open to various interpretations. Now, when I read this part, my interpretation is that she is eating too much animal fat and getting “acid,” as in heartburn or indigestion. If this is the case, she may have gall bladder issues, which quite often manifest as severe indigestion after eating highly fatty foods. Myself, I don’t have anything major going on but I’m definitely less tolerant of animal fats than vegetable ones, so I limit my meat and cheese intake and have had good results in ameliorating the indigestion which used to occur regularly. So if this is what you meant, you might be onto something, but as written your post leaves much to be desired in the realm of clarity and I think the other posters can be excused if they’re less than supportive of what seems to be a pretty cavalier, non-scientific, mumbo jumbo approach to what could be serious medical issues in a woman who ought to be consulting with a nutritionist to correct her less than optimal diet. Also, [this site](http://womenshealth.about.com/cs/gallbladder/a/gallbladdissymp.htm) might prove useful in nailing down exactly what your mother’s symptoms are and what they might be indicative of. That being said, you shouldn’t be trying to fix your mom without a doctor involved in the decisionmaking. If her health is spotty, you could do her much more harm than good. And don’t be so touchy about people who are taking time out from their day to help you out with your inquiries. If you don’t like the answers you get, you might want to examine your question for clarity. Rule one of systems analysis is “define your outputs.” GIGO Lives! ---
**Author:** ![jjimm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba8739/32.png) [@jjimm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjimm)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2006, 9:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/source-protien-for-vegetarians/355698/16 "2006-05-07T21:15:08Z")
I hate to be a smart aleck, **Smart Aleq** , but it seems you’re [wasting your time](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=370506) responding, which is a shame given the effort you put into your response. ---
**Author:** ![Blake](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/a9a28c/32.png) [@Blake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Blake)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2006, 10:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/source-protien-for-vegetarians/355698/17 "2006-05-07T22:20:11Z")
> [@Auntbeast](#): > > I think he was implying that they don’t digest well. And will therefore cause the 3rd chakra to become misaligned with the clavicle and raise the ionic resistence of your thetan towards homeopathic invisible pink unicorns. Wel at least _somebody_ understood what I was saying. > [@Exapno Mapcase](#): > > Gosh. Somehow I managed to misinterpret this. What could I have been thinking? Is that your apology? If so, accepted. ---
**Author:** ![SmartAleq](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smartaleq/32/163_2.png) [@SmartAleq](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SmartAleq)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2006, 10:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/source-protien-for-vegetarians/355698/18 "2006-05-07T22:44:30Z")
> [@jjimm](#): > > I hate to be a smart aleck, **Smart Aleq** , but it seems you’re [wasting your time](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=370506) responding, which is a shame given the effort you put into your response. Ah well, good thing I can spin this stuff out my ass at a moment’s notice! As for the referenced thread, what a drama queen! And who, I may ask, is gonna clean up all these big ol’ assprints on my nice clean door? :smack: ---
**Author:** ![Weirddave](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/919ad9/32.png) [@Weirddave](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Weirddave)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2006, 2:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/source-protien-for-vegetarians/355698/19 "2006-05-08T02:49:48Z")
> [@Auntbeast](#): > > > [@Speaker for the Dead](#): > > > > So basically what you’re saying is that you hate black people? > > I think he was implying that they don’t digest well. Black people don’t digest well? I think it’s terrifying that you know this. ---
**Author:** ![fluff](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/5f9b8f/32.png) [@fluff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fluff)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2006, 5:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/source-protien-for-vegetarians/355698/20 "2006-05-08T17:59:57Z")
There is a pretty strong link between protein consumption and blood acidity—notably animal proteins and blood acidity. Here’s a link to start you off from the nice people at [Harvard School of Publich Health](http://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/calcium.html) that explains “…As your body digests protein, it releases acids into the bloodstream, which the body neutralizes by drawing calcium from the bones. Animal protein seems to cause more of this calcium leaching than vegetable protein does.” There’s a journal reference there to start you off if you want to get academic about it. No, I’m not a medical doctor either, but my understanding of the lit is that Americans get much more protein than they need, and what they don’t use immediately gets dumped into the bloodstream and causes problems such as osteporosis (while people in milk-free countries like most of Asia don’t get osteoporosis nearly as often). Just as `eat less junk food' is easy advice to give for most modern Americans, so is `consume less animal protein’. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/source-protien-for-vegetarians/355698.md?page=2)