number of serious health problems :
• Kidney Disease : When people eat too much protein , they take in more nitrogen than they need . This places a strain on the kidneys , which must expel the extra nitrogen through urine . People with kidney disease are encouraged to eat low-protein diets . Such a diet reduces the excess levels of nitrogen and can also help prevent kidney disease .
• Cancer : Although fat is the dietary substance most often singled out for increasing cancer risk , protein also plays a role . Populations who eat meat regularly are at increased risk for colon cancer , and researchers believe that the fat , protein , natural carcinogens , and absence of fiber in meat all play roles . The 1997 report of the World Cancer Research Fund and American Institute for Cancer Research , Food , Nutrition , and the Prevention of Cancer , noted that meaty , high-protein diets were linked with some types of cancer .
• Osteoporosis and Kidney Stones : Diets that are rich in animal protein cause people to excrete more calcium than
Breakfast
3 oatmeal pancakes with applesauce topping , calciumfortified orange juice , fresh fruit
Lunch
Bean burritos : black beans in corn tortillas , topped with chopped lettuce , tomatoes , and salsa , spinach salad with tahini-lemon dressing
Dinner
Chinese stir-fry over brown rice : tofu chunks , broccoli , pea pods , water chestnuts , and Chinese cabbage ( bok choy ), cantaloupe chunks drizzled with fresh lime juice
Snack
Dried figs sample menus
normal through their kidneys . Worth noting , countries with lower-protein diets have lower rates of osteoporosis and hip fractures .
Increased calcium excretion increases risk for kidney stones . Researchers in England found that when people added about 5 ounces of fish ( about 34 grams of protein ) to a normal diet , the risk of forming urinary tract stones increased by as much as 250 percent .
For a long time it was thought that athletes needed much more protein than other people . The truth is that athletes , even those who strength-train , need only slightly more protein , which is easily obtained in the larger servings athletes require for their higher caloric intake . Vegetarian diets are great for athletes .
To consume a diet that contains enough , but not too much , protein , simply replace animal products with grains , vegetables , legumes ( peas , beans , and lentils ), and fruits . As long as one is eating a variety of plant foods in sufficient quantity to maintain one ’ s weight , the body gets plenty of protein .
Breakfast
1 cup oatmeal with cinnamon and raisins , ½ cup fortified soymilk , 1 slice toast with 1 tablespoon almond butter , ½ grapefruit
Lunch
Whole wheat pita stuffed with hummus ( see recipe on page 14 ), sliced tomatoes , and lettuce , carrot sticks
Dinner
1 cup baked beans , baked sweet potato , 1 cup steamed collard greens drizzled with lemon juice , baked apple
Snack Banana soymilk shake whew !
Cooking without
Eggs
Many people choose not to use eggs in their diet . About 70 percent of the calories in eggs are from fat , and a big portion of that fat is saturated . They are also loaded with cholesterol — about 213 milligrams for an average-sized egg . Because egg shells are fragile and porous and conditions on egg farms are crowded , eggs are the perfect host for salmonella — the bacteria that is the leading cause of food poisoning in this country .
Eggs are often used in baked products because of their binding and leavening properties . But smart cooks have found good substitutes for eggs . Try one of the following the next time you prepare a recipe that calls for eggs :
• If a recipe calls for just one or two eggs , you can often skip them . Add a couple of extra tablespoons of water for each egg eliminated to balance out the moisture content of the product .
• Eggless egg replacers are available in many natural food stores . These are different from reduced-cholesterol egg products , which do contain eggs . Egg replacers are egg-free and are usually in a powdered form . Replace eggs in baking with a mixture of the powdered egg replacer and water according to package directions .
• Use 1 heaping tablespoon of soy flour or cornstarch plus 2 tablespoons of water to replace each egg in a baked product .
• Use 1 ounce of mashed tofu in place of an egg .
• In muffins and cookies , half of a mashed banana can be used instead of an egg , although it will change the flavor of the recipe somewhat .
• For vegetarian loaves and burgers , use any of the following to bind ingredients together : tomato paste , mashed potato , moistened bread crumbs , or rolled oats .
PCRM 5