Lentils/Grains are a not a source of protein.

 

Lentils are a not really source of protein. They do contain a little bit of protein, but that does not mean they are a source of protein. When I was vegan and living in India, lentils were a staple in my diet for all meals. Most of my patients would come in to my office with various health issues, and they claimed to eat a healthy vegetarian diet. Little did I know that that is an oxymoron.

Let's explore this concept further.

What is a protein?

Protein is the building block of life. Proteins are comprised of a chain of amino acids. There are 2 types of amino acids - ESSENTIAL and NON-ESSENTIAL. 

ESSENTIAL needs to come from the diet, whereas NON-ESSENTIAL is made by the body. However, it is best to even get non-essential ones from the diet, so that your body is under less pressure to produce the amino acids.

How much protein do you need in a day?

To prevent malnourishment you need about 0.8g/kg body weight. If you are below this you are guaranteed to get metabolic complications related to fatty liver, diabetes, etc. There is a paediatric condition called kwashiorkor where you do not get enough protein, but most of your calories from carbohydrates. This causes muscle wasting, fatty liver, and a bunch of other issues. This condition represents 'Metabolic Syndrome' in adults which correlated with diabetes, heart attacks, fatty liver, cancer, dementia, etc.

The government guidelines recommend this low protein intake because it is just enough to prevent malnourishment, but it does not mean you will be healthy. This is convenient and profitable, because you will definitely be sick enough to go to your doctor, and be started on the pharmaceutical treadmill.

For optimum health, about 1.2-1.5g/kg body weight is recommended.

As an athlete, I am for between 1.5-2 g/kg body weight, but I almost never hit my protein targets in a day.

Why Lentils are Not a Source of Protein.

1. They are a source of carbohydrates, not protein.
   
   It is a misconception that lentils are a source of protein, when they are primarily a source of carbohydrates, fibre and a little bit of protein.
   
   100 g of cooked lentils contain:
   21 grams of carbohydrates
   9 grams of protein.
   
   Realistically, most people cannot eat more than 150-250 grams of cooked lentils in one meal, until your stomach feels like it might explode.
   This amounts to about 50 grams of carbohydrates and about 18 grams of protein.
   
   
2. The protein in lentils is not bioavailable. This means it is not really available to use in the body for essential functions.
   
   DIAAS score is a measure of protein quality, which tells you how much amino acids from a certain food is absorbed by the body and used for essential needs.
   
   Lentils have a DIAAS of 0.5, which means only 50% of the protein in lentils can actually be used by the body. So that 200g of cooked dahl only gives you 9 grams of available protein.
   
   If you eat 3 meals of lentils a day, that gives you only 27 grams of protein in a day, which is MALNOURISHMENT.
   
   

   

   Amongst Plant-based foods, Soya has the best DIAAS score. All other plant-based foods are poor quality proteins. 
   Animal-based foods such as meat, eggs, fish and dairy have a perfect DIAAS score which means 100% of the protein you eat is absorbed and utilized by the body.

   
   
3. They are not the most evolutionarily appropriate source of protein.
   
   Humans started eating lentils only since the dawn of agriculture, and evidence suggests that lentils became a part of our diet since about 8000 BCE [1] We as a genus, have been around for 2 million years, and Homo sapiens have been around for 30,000+ years. On an evolutionary scale, this is nothing. Historically, lentils were used as peasant foods during periods of draught. This is why I am not convinced lentils are an evolutionarily appropriate food for humans, and certainly not for people who have chronic disease. Our genes are still not equipped to deal with evolutionarily new foods such as lentils and grains. This is why the AIP/Paleo diet eliminates lentils and grains. Eliminating lentils from my diet has saved my life, and my digestion. My farts don't smell like WW III anymore. 
   
   
   
4. They do not contain all 9 essential amino acids.
   
   Not only is about 40-50% of the amino acids gone to waste, but they do not even contain most of the amino acids that one needs. For instance, Lysine is limited in grains, Methionine low in legumes.
   
   This is why it is recommended to combine grains with legumes in order to create a complete protein. But remember, grains are a rich source of carbohydrates, so Obesity and Diabetes guaranteed! If you are not convinced, look no further than the Indian Subcontinent. It is the 3rd most obese country after USA and China. Most of the urban population is overweight. The British colonizers imposed these foods of lentils and grains onto us, and now most Indians are diabetic, obese and get heart attacks in their 40s and 50s. Interestingly, it was IMPOSSIBLE to be vegetarian in India until 2000 years ago [2] In terms of food shortage, poor quality foods such as grains would provide some form of calories to people, but this is a recipe for poor health outcomes.
   
   
   
   
5. They do not contain essential fatty acids, and fat-soluble vitamins. Instead they contain too much of the wrong, inflammatory fatty acids.
   
   Yes, fatty acids are essential, and needed by every single cell in the body.
   Fatty acids are also a building block for life. There are various types of fatty acids, but all of them are essential. Saturated, Mono-Unsaturated, Omega-3 and Omega-6. Too much omega-6 is quite dangerous and causes inflammation in the body. Plant-based foods contain predominantly omega-6.
   
   Animal Fat contains Vitamin A, D3, E K2. These fat-soluble vitamins are essential for immunity, preventing against heart disease, dementia etc. They are virtually ABSENT in plant-based foods including plant oils.
   
   
6. They do not contain enough amino acids to trigger muscle synthesis.
   
   Muscle mass is very important not just to look good, but to live a long healthy life with sustained energy levels. In fact, it even predicts dementia onset. Poor muscle mass means poor overall health in terms of falls, osteoporosis, cancer, dementia, diabetes. This is why lifting weights is an excellent way to lose weight and beat diabetes.
   
   Needless to say, protein is essential for building muscle mass. And remember - the heart is the most important muscle in the body.
   
   
7. They contain anti-nutrients which inhibit nutrient absorption.
   
   So they do actual harm in the body - they contain anti-nutrients such as phytates, oxalates, lectins, saponins, protease inhibitors, amylase inhibitors, goitrogens. These chemicals are linked to a variety of health outcomes from kidney stones, to thyroid problems and digestive issues. 
   
   Grains, Nuts and seeds, and Lentils are basically seeds of plants. And believe it or not, plants are sentient beings that communicate via chemicals. The seed is protected with these anti-nutrients so that they can propagate.
   
   
   The evolutionary purpose of a seed is to PROPOGATE, not to be eaten. Therefore, it is equipped with chemical mechanisms to survive.
   If you look at this diagram above, combining OYSTERS (A rich source of Zinc) with lentils or grains completely inhibits the absorption of this mineral.
   
   
8. They lack other essential nutrients such as vitamins and minerals.
   Vitamins and Minerals only found in Animal-Based Foods:
   Vitamins: A (Retinol), D3, E, K2 
   Vitamin B complex
   Minerals: Heme Iron, Zinc, Selenium, Iodine, Phosphorus, Calcium
   Other nutrients: Carnosine, Taurine, Creatine, Omega-3 fatty acids
   
   
   
9. But what about Fibre!
   Because they are rich in fibre and resistant starches, they are really filling, and you feel physically quite full afterwards.
   I will write a separate article on this. But FIBRE is not an essential nutrient. You can live without it. Read this article on fiber.

HOW TO EAT LENTILS, GRAINS, NUTS AND SEEDS?
In #7 I talk about the anti-nutrients present in plant-based seeds. This is because the purpose of the seed is to become a plant, not to be eaten by an animal. When put in the right conditions (water, temperature, sunlight), these seeds start to sprout or germinate, and the anti-nutrients get de-activated.

I recommend traditional methods of preparing them such as:

• Soaking, sprouting, fermenting.
  EG. Fermented sourdough bread, sprouted grain breads and porridges.
• Hulling and removing the outer bran of the grain/nut/seed
• Pressure cooking after soaking for at least 12 hours.
• Corn for instance should be nixtamalized - this is an indigenous method of preparation to remove mycotoxins, and improve taste and nutrition of corn. Otherwise, corn is a very poor quality food with very little nutrition and lots of anti-nutrients.

High Protein Lentil options with a good DIAAS score, and low in carbohydrates.
Note: These are still very high in fiber, and NOT appropriate for those with IBS/Gut issues or those with autoimmune conditions who are on an elimination diet.

• Black Soybean - A staple in Asian cuisines. 
• Lupini Bean - Used in Mediterranean Cuisine. Go for the sweet varieties.
  
  Please soak, sprout and pressure cook this before eating to maximize nutrition and digestibility.

Black Soybean

Lupini Bean

References:

[1] The History and Origin of Lentils

[2] The Story of Our Food - KT Achaya