If you are on a diet of fruits and vegetables only, it is likely that your total protein intake will have about 5% of calories or even slightly higher. Adding a small quantity of nuts or seeds results in a slight increase in protein intake percentage.
For example:
- A meal of 10 peaches (420 calories) yields 7 grams of protein.
- Another meal of 10 bananas (1,085 calories) supplies 12 grams of protein.
- A bowl of soup made from 3 tomatoes blended with 2 cucumbers calories) supplies more than 7 additional grams of protein.
- A pint of fresh-squeezed orange juice (225 calories) offers nearly 3.5 grams of protein.
- One medium head of lettuce (about 50 calories) provides about 5.5 grams of protein.
- Even if we have only eaten 1,930 calories so far, the total protein consumed is 35 grams (over 6% of calories).
In this case it is recommended for total calorie consumption to be higher than most official recommendations. This is because an increased calorie intake when accompanied by a commensurate increase in fitness activity results in an overall higher level of fitness and health. It is this increase in calorie consumption, from an intake of fruits and vegetables, that assures the consumer of nutritional sufficiency. In nature, we would have to be healthy in order to survive. We would also eat fruits and vegetables, the most nutritious of all foods. In order to be well nourished, we are designed to consume the significant quantities of fruits and vegetables that would be eaten by a healthy, fit, active person.
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