Plant-based diet offers enough protein
Q: You talk about how we would be healthier if we ate a plant-based diet, but I cannot figure out how to get the protein I need to work out and feel good. Help! — Joe J., Roanoke, Virginia
A: Here’s the short course in plant protein sources — and rest assured you can get enough protein to fuel any workout if you follow a plant-based diet that relies on minimally processed foods.
According to the Tufts School of Nutrition Science and Policy, you can build complete proteins from plant sources by increasing the intake of legumes such as beans, lentils, chickpeas, peas and peanuts. One halfcup of legumes can deliver 10 grams of protein when combined with other plant powerhouses. And make sure to eat a handful of walnuts daily: They have 4.3 grams in an ounce.
You’re looking to take in something around 56 grams of protein a day for the average sedentary man; 46 grams a day for the average sedentary woman.
Q: My doctor says there’s nothing much I can do about having osteoarthritis except wait for a joint replacement. There has to be something to ease the progressively worsening joint pain in my hands, knees and hips. — Katie D., Seattle
A: Osteoarthritis is the erosion over time of protective cartilage in your joints that cushions the ends of your bones. But it is not a passive “wear and tear” process; it also sets off deterioration in the bone itself, as well as in connective tissues.
While it is true that there is no “cure” for osteoarthritis, that doesn’t mean you can’t take steps to slow the progression or ease the pain.
When British researchers looked at 68 studies, they concluded that 1 gram a day of DHA omega-3 does help ease joint pain. Their study also concluded that there’s an association between elevated lousy LDL cholesterol and joint pain. They found that a healthy diet and medication such as a statin, which reduces cholesterol, ease joint inflammation.
Your move: Slash saturated fat consumption from dairy and meats. Increase your intake of Dha-rich foods such as salmon and ocean trout, and up vitamin K consumption from kale, spinach, turnip greens, collards, Swiss chard, mustard greens, parsley, romaine and green leaf lettuce, as well as Brussels sprouts, broccoli, cauliflower and cabbage.
You also want to eliminate fried and sugar-added foods and embrace the anti-inflammatory powers of a diet that is plant-based.
Email questions for Mehmet Oz and Mike Roizen to youdocsdaily@sharecare. com.