This post was last updated on November 29th, 2022 at 03:09 pm
The basic human diet requires protein to a great extent. Protein plays a central role in the general nutrition of a human being by providing a mechanism through which the body can regenerate and rebuild its cells. Since the basic structure of both proteins and cells is amino acids, the proteins are essential in building the body. Additionally, the body can use proteins as an energy source instead of carbohydrates through ketosis. Considering the indispensable role carbohydrates play in the body, you must have a sustainable source of protein to add to the diet.
Sustainable Sources of Protein
It is common knowledge that humanity is constantly exceeding its ability to obtain resources from the earth for various reasons, including the increase in population, overutilization and exploitation of existing resources, and climate change, leading to erratic and unpredictable seasons which impede efficient farming. Considering that traditional sources of protein are constantly experiencing depletion due to both natural and anthropogenic forces, humanity should identify sustainable protein for their regular consumption.
While there are various sources of protein that you can consider sustainable, as the article shall enumerate, one of the most common ones is soybean, lentils, nuts, hemp seeds, and chickpeas. Notably, the most sustainable of the foregoing is soybeans by virtue of the fact that the plant is available in large quantities from numerous suppliers, such as US Soy, who have been in the market for a long time.
Detailed Explanation of the Sustainable Sources of Protein
The traditional source of protein for human consumption has always been animal protein. However, the sustainability of animal protein for consumption for a long time, considering the drastic increases in the human population, is questionable. For that reason, sustainable proteins are likely to be of the plant protein variety, as seen below.
Soy Beans
Soybeans are increasingly becoming one of the most popular plant protein sources available in the market. The United States has made specific efforts towards increasing the supply of soybeans through agriculture by dedicating large tracts of land to soybean farming and material investments into the market. The popularity of soybeans as an appropriate plant protein also stems from the versatility of the product and the variety of uses you can have. For instance, soybeans produce soy oil, soy sauce, tempeh, tofu, and soy flour, which are beneficial for many people.
Lentils
As a rich source of protein and also available in large quantities globally, the sustainability of lentils as a source of protein is undoubted. Lentils can provide up to 9g of protein per serving, which is significantly more than many other plant-based proteins. Additionally, considering that the plant can grow in small tracts of land or even in controlled planting facilities such as greenhouses, the plant can be a good option for people with little arable land for planting.
Nuts
Nuts are popular as an additive for foods and as a snack. Very few people ever consider nuts as a rich source of protein, even though it is. Regardless of the nuts that strike your fancy, you are still likely to enjoy similar benefits from consuming them. The most popular nuts are cashew nuts, ground nuts, almonds, pistachios, hazelnuts, and walnuts. One of the advantages of nuts is their low costs and high availability in the market. Additionally, nuts provide a high quantity of protein at meager proportions.
Quinoa
Quinoa is a whole grain or seed often used as an alternative to rice and pasta. Consuming quinoa as part of your regular diet is not only highly nutritious but is also quite beneficial for someone seeking to avoid gluten in their regular diet. Notably, quinoa is versatile and can be part of your regular meal.
For instance, you can use it as an alternative to your regular breakfast cereal if you avoid processed foods, with your salad during lunch, or with a stew or soup as a filling dinner meal. Regardless of how you desire to use quinoa, the benefits are still realized since the plant is rich in protein in all its forms.
Eggs
Unlike other forms of animal protein, eggs are highly sustainable, considering they are the highest environmentally friendly choice and produce the least amounts of carbon fuel or require little to no emissions during generation. Chicken can produce even three eggs in a day, and as such, they are available for use by people even as populations continue to increase. Besides the protein content of the eggs, who doesn’t love the taste of good scrambled eggs with breakfast?
Parting Shot
Humanity is responsible to itself, future generations, and the environment to create the best sustainable practices. One of the ways to ensure sustainability is by using sustainable sources of protein, as opposed to traditional sources. As such, it is essential to add the sources of protein highlighted above to your regular diet to ensure that you enjoy rich sources of protein while conserving the environment.
