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The Carletonian

The Carletonian

The Carletonian

    Food for Thought

    <w much protein should you be eating? To calculate your daily need of protein, multiply your weight (in lbs) by 0.37; this gives you how many grams of protein you should consume in a day.
    Protein does many things for your body from building and maintaining muscles to keeping your hair, nails, and skin healthy. Plant foods are beneficial in a variety of ecologic, economic, and health-related ways.

    Eating plant based protein is not just for vegetarians or vegans. It’s easy to get your daily dose of protein from the following foods:

    – legumes (like beans, peas, lentils or split peas)
    – nuts and nut butters
    – peanut butter (peanuts are technically legumes)
    – seeds
    – tofu
    -whole grains and whole grain breads
    -quinoa
    -dark, leafy veggies

    All of these foods can become part of a balanced diet with the right integration into your normal meals in the dining hall.

    In addition to kicking a high-protein punch, plant based proteins also contain a plethora of essential nutrients like potassium and folate, plus fiber, which is a key factor in healthy digestion.And they also contain little to no saturated fat, especially when compared to meat. 

    On an environmental and ecological level, substituting plant-based foods for meat or animal products can significantly reduce your carbon footprint when done regularly. For these reasons, a plant based diet can also be more cheap and economical.

    Think about making a switch; the benefits are many, both for your health and for the earth.

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