Reduce your meat consumption by Growing protein at home

Did you know you can grow protein at home? Well it’s true, you absolutely can, Fortunately for us gardeners, there are plenty of options to choose from and help you to reduce your meat consumption in the process. The reason I am writing about this topic is because one of the reasons people claim they eat so much meat is because of the protein it contains. It is true that meat contains high amounts of protein, however there are plenty of other food sources that also contain protein, many of which we can grow at home in our gardens.

But first I’m going to start with a few facts about protein and why it is important and then the importance of adopting more plant proteins as opposed to animal proteins.

Protein is an important part of a healthy diet

Proteins are made up of chemical 'building blocks' called amino acids.
Your body uses amino acids to build and repair muscles and bones and to make hormones and enzymes. They can also be used as an energy source.

(Source)

The importance of consuming less animal protein

It’s a pretty common known fact that livestock, particularly industrial raised cattle living in feed lots, are causing huge problems to the global environment. This isn’t just terrible for the environment but it is also incredibly cruel to the animals. A total diet change to vegetarianism is probably the most sustainable option but it’s likely not realistic to expect that the majority of people will do this, myself included.

I am not an advocate for going completely vegan and I don’t believe we even need to become a vegetarian but I do believe that we need to drastically decrease our meat consumption. A primarily plant-based diet with a much smaller portion of meat is probably the most practical option. Organic, grass-fed beef from local regenerative farming sources if possible is best. The way I look at it is to flip the famous phrase, meat and three veg around, to three veg and meat. In other words, make veggies the main and any meat the side dish.

Like I said I don’t think it is necessary to completely cut meat out of our diets, but we definitely need to shrink our meat portion sizes down, we in the west in particular are eating way too much.

According to the Mayo Clinic “Contrary to all the hype that everyone needs more protein, most people in the U.S. meet or exceed their needs. This is especially true for males ages 19–59. The Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2020–2025 indicate that men in that age range are exceeding their protein recommendations, especially from meat, poultry and eggs.” (source)

Exact protein requirements depend on age, gender, height and weight but according to the Dieticians Australia website the approximate protein requirements per day are as follows:

Adult women: 0.75g/kilogram of body weight/day.
Adult men: 0.84g/kilogram of body weight/day.
People who are pregnant, breastfeeding or over 70 years old: 1g/kilogram of body weight/day.

How much protein is in beef?

Red meat is one of the most protein-rich foods you can consume and while it depends on the cut of beef, generally a piece of lean beef will contain about 26g of protein per 100g. This is a great amount of protein, but there are many vegetarian sources we can grow at home which contain close to that amount.

Red meat, beef in particular is not the only animal protein either of course.

Red meat alternatives

There are many alternative meat choices with smaller carbon footprint than cows, chickens are one and even here in Australia, kangaroo is even less intensive. Other sources include duck, goat, turkey, lamb and pork, but again all of these also have their own environmental concerns to be aware of.

Growing protein at home

The ability to grow proteins at home is exciting and a great alternative to animal proteins. It’s an easy way to add more diversity to your diet and to get all other essential nutrients, vitamins and minerals that seeds, nuts, vegetables, grains, legumes and other animal protein sources provide.

Seeds and nuts

Pumpkin seeds

Pumpkins are one of those foods that have multiple purposes. Not only are the pumpkins edible, but the leaves, flowers and seeds are also edible making them a versatile crop. Pumpkin seeds contain 19g of protein per 100g.

Sunflower seeds

Sunflowers are beautiful flowers, popular with pollinators but their seeds can be collected, dried and eaten on yoghurt or baked into bread or muffins. Sunflower seeds contain about 21g of protein per 100g.

Almonds

Almonds are actually seeds, and are grown on trees, related to peaches. Dwarf trees are available, perfect for growing in pots. Some almond trees require a pollinator partner, while some are self-fertile. Almonds contains approximately 21g or protein per 100g.

Beans and legumes

Chickpeas

Chickpeas or garbanzo beans contain about 19g of protein per 100g.

Lentils

Lentils contain about 9g of protein per 100g.

Beans

Beans are easy to grow and are perfect for those in small spaces because they can be grown in pots. All beans contain protein, but some contain more than others, mung beans, pinto beans, adzuki beans and kidney beans contain more than 20g per 100g.

Edamame

Edamame beans are immature soybeans which must be cooked before eating. They are an excellent source of protein because they contain all amino acids. They contain about 17g of protein per 100g.

Peanuts

Peanuts are not actually nuts, but instead legumes. To grow them successfully they need a warm climate. They contain approximately 26g of protein per 100g.

Vegetables and leafy Greens

There are a number of vegetables and leafy greens that contain protein. The protein content isn’t nearly as high as animal sources or the beans, legumes, seeds and nuts noted above but they are still worth mentioning, especially if they are all eaten in a varied diet. All the below vegetables also contain other super healthy nutrients that our bodies thrive on.

Spinach

A 100-g serving of spinach contains 2.9 g of protein.

Brussels sprouts

A 100g serving of Brussels sprouts contains 3.4 g of protein.

Sprouts alfalfa

Sprouts are easy to grow at home indoors in a glass jar. You can grow a never ending supply of alfalfa sprouts by strategically starting a new batch every week or so. Use in salads or on sandwiches. A 100g serving of alfalfa sprouts contains about 4g of protein.

Watercress

Watercress is probably the hardest things to grow on this list as it requires moist soil. As the name implies it grows naturally in an around aquatic areas. Watercress can be grown in ground, in ponds or in pots that are kept continually moist. A 100g serving of watercress contains 2.3 g of protein.

Mustard greens

Mustard greens are in the brassica family, the same family as broccoli, cauliflower and kale. It has the distinct flavour of mustard, hence the name and can be grown at home in ground or in pots and is best cooked in Indian or Chinese dishes. Mustard greens contain about 2.9g of protein per 100g.

Mushrooms

Mushrooms are really easy to grow at home, mushroom kits are available to buy online or at your local garden centre. All they require is damp conditions. Placing them in the garage or under your kitchen sink is perfect. Mushrooms contain about 3.1g of protein per 100g.

Animal sources

I also thought I would include some animal sources because it is possible to provide your body with sustainable, ethically homegrown animal proteins, no matter the size of your yard.

Eggs

Those who are lucky enough to have the space to raise chickens or even quail can easily get protein from eggs. Eggs contain approximately 13g of protein per 100g.

Crickets

Maybe a surprise to some, but another way to get protein is to farm your own insects. Crickets in particular are a complete protein source and contain all nine amino acids. They also consume infinitely less resources than any of the aforementioned animal proteins, do not need much space, do not produce methane gas and can be kept indoors in containers and tanks. Crickets contain approximately 20g of protein per 100g.

Meal worms

Another edible insect incredibly high in protein are meal worms. Meal worms are about 2.5cm long and just like crickets can be farmed indoors at home in containers. They are also extremely low maintenance and are nowhere near as destructive to the world like intensive animal farming. Meal worms contain about 24g of protein per 100g and also have all nine amino acids our bodies need.