Vegan Fitness with Brendan Brazier – Myth-Busting The Whole(food) Truth About Protein, Fat and Carbs Part 1

中文版

Last lesson you learned about nutrition and what foods deliver the highest nutritional net-gain to your body. This lesson we’re going to dig a little deeper and break through some common nutritional myths, plus learn how to balance your diet to meet your nutritional needs. You will learn:

• Why you don’t need animal protein
• Where to get the most complete, synergistic protein sources
• How to choose quality carbs that will provide you with energy
• What the difference is between good fats and bad fats

Macronutrients

All food has a macronutrient content made up of some combination of protein, carbohydrates and fats. This might seem pretty basic, though it gets more complicated when you’re trying to determine exactly how much and what types of each you should consume. Some popular diets tell you to avoid fats, while others tell you to avoid carbohydrates—but which diet will give your body what it needs for optimum health?

The easiest approach to this topic is to remember that protein, carbohydrates and fats each have a specific purpose—which makes them all necessary. Instead of trying to avoid consuming any of these outright, you should choose the best proteins, carbs and fats possible—in balanced proportion to each other.

The Protein Myth

It’s a common misconception that animal protein is the optimal form of protein because it’s the most complete. Many vegan or vegetarian athletes—like vegan bodybuilder Robert Cheeke and professional UFC fighter Mac Danzig—will assure you this is false. What is important when it comes to protein intake is to look for synergistic protein from a wide variety of sources. You benefit most when you choose protein sources that complement each other, providing a balanced amino acid profile.

Plant-based Protein

Plant-based proteins have many benefits: easy to digest and alkaline-forming, plant-based proteins are also low in saturated fat and promote a healthy body weight. In contrast to proteins from meat or dairy sources, your body is very efficient when digesting plant-based protein. In fact, plant-proteins digest so efficiently that you actually net higher total energy by virtue of this conservation—instead of burning extra fuel digesting animal-based protein.

Are there other benefits to plant-based proteins? You bet! They’re better for the environment (you’ll learn more about this in a later lesson). Plant-proteins are also free of the antibiotics, growth hormones and steroids found in conventionally farmed animal protein, or the mercury and heavy metals found in certain fish. Complete protein is comprised of ten essential amino acids. By definition, essential amino acids cannot be made by your body—you have to get them through dietary sources. Contrary to the protein myth, there are actually several complete plant protein sources, most notably hemp and chlorella. Quality plant-based proteins include:

• Hemp protein (one of the most complete amino acid profiles of any plant-based protein)
• Yellow pea protein
• Brown rice protein
• Flaxseed (also high in Omega-3s)
• Chlorella (a microscopic, freshwater green algae from Japan)
• Almonds, other nuts and seeds (preferably sprouted, since sprouting pre-digests the proteins in seeds, making the amino acids more available to your body)
• Legumes
• Pseudograins (including quinoa and buckwheat)

While many of these sources offer a complete amino acid profile, it’s to your advantage to consume several complementary sources of protein on a regular basis. For example: hemp, yellow pea and brown rice protein combined make up a superior amino acid profile that rivals any created in the animal kingdom.How can you work these proteins into your routine? One of the easiest ways is to add them to a healthy smoothie to create a complete, balanced meal (these proteins are commonly available in powdered form).

Why Isn’t Soy Protein on This List?

In spite of its popular use as a vegetarian alternative to animal proteins, soy has several faults you might not be aware of. Soy is often difficult to digest; counter-intuitively, it contains enzyme inhibitors that actually halt protein digestion!

Soy undergoes high-tech processing methods to extract its proteins and concentrates; however, this same process fails to remove naturally occurring toxins present in soybeans and can also leave behind carcinogenic residues.

With a pH of 5, soy protein is acid-forming in your body (you’ll learn why acidity is a problem next lesson). In addition, soy is a common allergen, causing symptoms which are challenging to identify and often go unrecognized.

What About Whey Protein?

Derived from dairy—another common allergen (especially the casein and lactose it contains)—whey is an isolate which undergoes multiple processes that destroy bioactive compounds along the way. A fractionated food, whey, like soy protein, is also acid-forming in your body.

Contrary to popular claims, whey is difficult for your body to digest (it only has about 70% digestibility) and absorb the nutrients. Low digestibility means your body can’t efficiently use whey’s protein, and low protein absorption results in the protein being stored as fat—counterproductive, considering it is most popularly used by bodybuilders or athletes looking to build muscle! On top of these drawbacks, whey is an animal-based food, unsuitable for vegans or vegetarians who exclude dairy.

Carbohydrates

Your brain’s main source of fuel is carbohydrates. Complex carbohydrates—easily found in the fiber-rich vegetables you learned about in our last lesson—are the best form because of their:

• Low glycemic index
• Ability to help stabilize blood sugar
• Sustained and long-lasting energy

You’ll enjoy getting more complex carbohydrates in your healthy regimen by adding whole grains, legumes (beans, lentils), fiber-rich vegetables, fruit, nuts and seeds.

The classic North American diet is high in simple, refined carbohydrates and sugars which cause blood sugar spikes. These refined-carb-induced blood sugar spikes lead to crashes which can result in low energy, hypoglycemia—and even type-2 diabetes. The culprits behind this cycle are the infamous “big white four”: white flour, white rice, white potatoes and white sugar.

If the “big white four” seem unavoidable, think again:

• Got a sweet tooth? Don’t stress yourself by thinking healthy eating means no more sweets! Instead, look for natural sweeteners like stevia and low-glycemic agave nectar.
• Will you really miss your favorite mashed potatoes? Don’t despair! Try yams, sweet potatoes or parsnips as healthy alternatives.
• Is rice your staple starch? Substitute organic brown rice wherever you would usually choose white rice—it’s tasty, filling and readily available.
• Love bread and baked goods? White flour can be swapped for buckwheat flour, brown rice flour or chickpea flour; other alternatives to white flour include those made from seeds (hemp and sesame flour can be delicious)!

Don’t try avoiding carbohydrates altogether—this can be even more detrimental as your body will burn muscle tissue for fuel without them! Instead, choose sensible alternatives to the big four. Your body will thank you every time you choose an unrefined, whole food source of complex carbohydrates.

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Brendan Brazier (born March 1, 1975, in Vancouver, British Columbia) is a Canadian endurance athlete, author, advocate of a plant-based diet for personal and environmental health, and creator of the Vega line of whole food nutritional products. Brazier is a former professional Ironman triathlete (1998–2004) and author of The Thrive Diet (Penguin, 2007) and Thrive Fitness (Penguin, 2009).

Brendan Brazier纯素健身 – 打破谬论，全面解密蛋白质、脂肪和碳水化合物 第一部分

翻译：May
审核：Lizzy

上一节课我们讲到了营养以及哪些食物可以给我们的身体输送高纯度吸收的营养。这节课我们将更深入地探讨这个话题，并打破一些常见的营养谬见。另外，我们还会告诉你怎样平衡饮食来满足身体的营养需求。从中，你将学到：
•为什么你不需要动物蛋白质
•从哪里获取到最完全、最有协同作用的蛋白质
•怎样挑选可以给你提供能量的优质碳水化合物
•优质脂肪与劣质脂肪的区别

大量营养素
所有的食物都含有大量的由蛋白质、碳水化合物以及脂肪组合而成的营养素。这看起来似乎很简单，但当你尝试去决定具体你要消耗多少能量，食用哪种食物时，这就变得比较复杂了。一些流行的饮食方法会告诉你不要吃脂肪食物，而有些又让你不要吃碳水化合物－究竟怎样的饮食方法才能满足你的身体需求，使其达到最佳状态呢？
最简单的方法就是记住蛋白质、碳水化合物和脂肪都有自己特定的需求点。为了避免过量摄入这些元素，你应该尽可能地摄入最佳的蛋白质、碳水化合物和脂肪－让每一种元素都达到平衡。

关于蛋白质的谬见
人们普遍认为动物蛋白是蛋白质的最理想形式，因为动物蛋白是最完全的。很多纯素食和素食运动员－比如纯素健身者Robert Cheek和UFC的专业拳手Mac Danzig－则会明确的告诉你这种观点是错误的。说到蛋白质的吸收，重要的是在各式各样的来源中找到具有协同作用的蛋白质。当摄入这种成分可以彼此互补并提供平衡的氨基酸构架的蛋白质时，你的身体就达到了最佳状态。

植物蛋白
植物蛋白有很多好处：易消化，呈碱性，饱和度低，利于保持健康体重。相对于肉类和奶制品蛋白，你的身体更能有效地吸收植物蛋白。事实上，植物蛋白的高效消化使你能够获得更多的能量－相反，动物蛋白则需要你消耗更多的能量去消化它。

植物蛋白还有其他好处吗？当然有！它们环保（关于这点，你可以在后面的课程里了解到更多）。植物蛋白不含抗生素，生长激素和类固醇这些常见于家养动物蛋白里的物质，也没有一些鱼类所含的水银和重金属物质。完整的蛋白质是由必要的氨基酸组成的。而人的身体自身并不能创造氨基酸－你必须通过食物获取到它们。与植物蛋白的谬见相反，事实上真有一些完全植物蛋白源，其中最显著的就是麻类植物和小球藻。优质植物蛋白包括如下：
大麻类蛋白质（最完整的植物蛋白氨基酸图谱之一）
黄豌豆蛋白质
糙米蛋白质
亚麻仁（富含欧米茄-3脂肪酸）
小球藻（日本的一种微小淡水绿藻）
杏仁、坚果以及种子（优选发芽的食物，因为芽提前消化了种子里的蛋白质，这使得氨基酸对你的身体更有效）
豆类
谷类植物（包括藜麦和荞麦）

许许多多的这些食物都可提供完整的氨基酸图谱，定期吃几种蛋白质可以互补的食物对你有利而无害的：像大麻植物、黄豌豆和糙米的蛋白组合就能形成最佳的氨基酸，这绝对胜过其他任何的动物蛋白。那么怎样让这些蛋白在你的日常饮食中发挥作用呢？最简单的一种方法就是把它们加到健康食品思慕雪里，这样的膳食营养完整且均衡（这些蛋白通常为粉末状）。

为什么豆蛋白不在榜单上呢？
豆类蛋白被广泛用做动物蛋白的素食替代物，但你可能还没有意识到它的弊端。豆类通常不易消化，因为它所含的抑制酶会阻止蛋白质的消化。

人们要使用高科技加工方法才能提取到豆类所含的蛋白质和浓缩物，而这一加工过程并不能有效地清除豆类所含毒素，且会残留致癌物质。

豆类的酸度PH值为5，所以豆蛋白在你的身体中是呈酸性的（下节课你会了解到酸度的弊端）。除此之外，豆类是一种普遍的过敏原，它的症状难以鉴定和不易辨识。

乳清蛋白是好还是坏呢？
从奶制品中分化出来的乳清蛋白是另一种常见的过敏原（特别是它所含的酪蛋白和乳糖）－乳清是在破坏了活性化合物的基础上一次次加工出来的独立食物。分馏食物、乳清，就如同豆蛋白一样，在身体中都是呈酸性的。

不同于普遍的说法，乳清是很难被你的身体消化（消化率大概为70%）和吸收营养素的。低消化率意味着你的身体不能有效地使用乳清蛋白，低蛋白吸收率会使蛋白转存为脂肪—这种反作用结果是事与愿违的，因为有很多健美者和运动员都想靠它来锻炼肌肉。撇开这些，乳清也是一种动物类食物，而这并不适合拒绝奶制品的纯素食或素食主义者。

糖类(碳水化合物)
大脑的主要能量来源于糖类。复合碳水化合物－常见于内含丰富纤维的蔬菜里，这一点你可以从我们上一节课程里了解到－是最好的形态，因为它们：
• 血糖指数低
• 有助于稳定血糖
• 能量维持时间长

在你的养生饮食中加入全谷物、豆类（黄豆和扁豆）、高纤维蔬菜、水果、坚果和籽粒，你会乐见其成的让身体吸收到更多的合成碳水化合物。

北美人的经典饮食非常简单，但精制的糖类会导致血糖受阻。这些精制糖引起的血糖阻滞会引发身体在低能量、低血糖、第二类型糖尿病中崩溃。而背后的凶手就是恶名昭著的“四大白骨精”：精白面粉、精白米、精白马铃薯以及精白糖。

如果难以放弃“四大白骨精”，那么就再想想以下几点：
吃些甜食？不要认为要养成健康的饮食习惯就得强迫自己一点甜的食物都不能碰。其实，有些天然的甜味剂，比如甜叶菊，低血糖的龙舌兰饮料还是可以摄入的。
是不是会很想念你最爱的土豆泥啊？不要垂头丧气！试试芋头、番薯或欧洲萝卜这些健康的替代食物吧。
米饭是你的主食吗？那么就用有机糙米替代你惯选的精白米吧－糙米美味、易饱、易吸收。
喜欢面包和烘烤的食物？那么就用荞麦粉、糙米粉或鹰嘴豆粉替代精面粉吧；那些由种子状食物制作出来的面粉（比如可口的大麻面粉和芝麻面粉）也可以用来替代精面粉。

不要彻底地回避碳水化合物－完全不要它们对身体是相当有害的，因为没有它们，你的身体会把肌肉组织当燃料来消耗。那么，你就要选择合理的替代物来代替“四大白骨精”。你的身体会时刻感谢你选了未经提炼的、纯天然的合成碳水化合物。

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Brendan Brazier（1975年3月1日出生于英属哥伦比亚温哥华市）是一个加拿大耐力运动员，作家，倡导以植物为主的饮食习惯，也是Vega系列营养食品的创立者。Brazier也曾是一位铁人三项运动员（1998-2004）以及《The Thrive Diet》（企鹅出版社，2007年）和《Thrive Fitness》（企鹅出版社，2009年）的作者。