If you’re committed to eating a plant-based diet, you probably won’t be getting your protein from animal sources. However, you may be wondering why plant-based sources are so much better.
Animal proteins (such as whey, eggs, meat, and fish) place quite a bit of stress on the body — much more than plant-based proteins — because they’re highly acidic (especially red meat and dairy). It also takes much longer for your body to digest and assimilate them into usable protein.
When excess animal protein (from eating too much meat) breaks down in the digestive system, it breaks down into ammonia, which is toxic. The body protects itself by converting it into less-toxic urea (better known as urine) to be excreted by the kidneys. Too much urea stresses the kidneys and poisons the blood, potentially leading to kidney inflammation and failure.
Aside from naturally occurring protein found in animals and plants, protein also comes in synthetic forms, which can be damaging to your health. They’re not only processed, but the protein in them has been so denatured that your body has a difficult time digesting and absorbing them.
Be sure to read labels and watch out for products containing these unnatural forms of protein:
Whey protein powders
Soy isolates
Textured vegetable protein