| There have been many studies that have discredited the older recommendation of a daily intake of protein around 0.8 g/kg. Their conclusions correspond to a recommendation around 1.1 to 1.2 g/kg. The majority of the people living in developed countries eat 1.4 g/kg of proteins per day or more. Eating 1.2 to 1.3 g/kg of proteins per day from a balanced diet restricted to vegetable food to which no special methods for separating the proteins from starch or fat are applied, results in over 3000 kcal per day. If I eat more than around 1800 to 1900 kcal per day, I gain weight very quickly. Removing about 75% of the starch from my bread removes at least 1000 kcal per day, which brings the total to less than 2000 kcal. I have experimented twice with eating only around 0.75 g/kg of proteins per day, and after a few weeks the concentration of albumin in my blood has decreased (low albumin levels in blood can be noticed even without a blood analysis, because they cause swollen feet). While this was a little lower than the old recommended value, it was close enough that bad effects were not expected. Now I always eat at least 1 g/kg of proteins per day, and up to 1.3 g/kg. The only parts of plants that have high protein content are the seeds. Excluding soy, the other seeds of legumes have at least a 3 to 4 times higher calorie content than corresponding to the protein content, while most cereals have at least a 6 to 8 times higher calorie content than their protein content. When someone does heavy physical work, so 3000 kcal per day or more is OK, then yes, a diverse vegan diet without any special cooking methods is good enough. On the other hand, for a sedentary life it is not possible to reduce the energy intake from vegan food to 2000 kcal/day or less, without some special protein extraction method. |