Protein – Find The Right Balance

Protein is an essential part of any diet. Your body needs it to build tissues and cells.

Some sources of protein are not as healthy as others. Animal sources, such as beef, pork and eggs, may contain saturated fat and/or cholesterol. The American Heart Association says saturated fats should make up less than 7 percent of your total daily calories. This means you should eat 16 grams or less of saturated fats if you eat 2,000 calories per day. Animal proteins also contain no fiber, and most Americans fall short of the recommended 25 to 35 grams of fiber needed per day.

On the other hand, plant, nut and seed proteins often have little to no saturated fat and cholesterol and usually contain fiber and valuable nutrients. Check out this “Vegan Sources of Protein” diagram for a list of good non-animal protein sources. Try replacing some of your animal proteins with these vegan-friendly sources.