How to obtain protein from vegetables?

[arnoldpredator]

Hi

I was reading the properties of this plant:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alfalfa

As you can see in the bottom right table, it has 4 grams of protein per 100 grams. I was wondering it there is a process to get the protein, to process the plant only to get the protein. I ask this because I normally think on animal protein, you know birds, insects, rabbits etc but if plants also have protein it would be interesting to know a method to obtain it.

If I was unlucky hunting I could process several kilograms of plants to satisfy my needs, obviously I would not like to eat several kilograms of vegetables to get the protein.

Well, let's see if there is a method able to obtain the protein without complex chemicals or a laboratory, maybe in the woods without specific tools it is not possible to do this. I am not a chemist and I have no idea about such a process.

Thanks for your answers.


This is its nutritional value:

Nutritional value per 100 g (3.5 oz)
Energy 96 kJ (23 kcal)
Carbohydrates

2.1 g
Dietary fiber 1.9 g
Fat

0.7 g
Protein

4 g
Vitamins
Thiamine (B1)
(7%)
0.076 mg
Riboflavin (B2)
(11%)
0.126 mg
Niacin (B3)
(3%)
0.481 mg
Pantothenic acid (B5)

(11%)
0.563 mg
Vitamin B6
(3%)
0.034 mg
Folate (B9)
(9%)
36 μg
Vitamin C
(10%)
8.2 mg
Vitamin K
(29%)
30.5 μg
Trace metals
Calcium
(3%)
32 mg
Iron
(7%)
0.96 mg
Magnesium
(8%)
27 mg
Manganese
(9%)
0.188 mg
Phosphorus
(10%)
70 mg
Potassium
(2%)
79 mg
Sodium
(0%)
6 mg
Zinc
(10%

 

[rg598]

Why do you need that much protein? Recently there has been an obsession with protein for some reason. Your body can function just fine with minimal protein intake.

 

[Toddy]

What rg598 says ++

We need very little protein; this sudden obsession with obtaining all the calories from it is nuts, it is not 'caveman' or 'primitive' diet, it's just a fad.

Vegans and vegetarians survive quite happily on vegetable protein, just make sure you eat a variety to get all the building blocks and the body does the rest.

If you're desperate for veggie protein that's lightweight buy beans and corn, couscous, almonds and pumpkin seeds.

The guidelines for good health are;
Adult men need about 56 grams a day.
Adult women need about 46 grams a day (71 grams if pregnant or breastfeeding)




cheers,
Toddy

 

[ex-member BareThrills]

not sure but you will get much more protein per 100g from mushrooms (3.3g)

 

[xylaria]

in the span of human history we have survived eating some rubbish. We can go on quite while with below par nutrition.

The easiet way of getting protein from veggies is, wait for something furry to come and eat it along then bop it one. Otherwise there is a way of juicing and drying I saw a while back.

 

[mrcharly]

The easiet way of getting protein from veggies is to eat them.

FTFY
Check out protein levels in nuts, seeds, veg, grains. There is plenty.

Now the thing that is a bit difficult to get from veg is Vitamin B. Need to do some brewing to get that. Or eat something furry.

 

[arnoldpredator]

Why do you need that much protein? Recently there has been an obsession with protein for some reason. Your body can function just fine with minimal protein intake.

Well, I don't usually read the forum so this is not any kind of protein fever nor a fashion. It is a question I asked myself without reading anything about proteins anywhere.

What rg598 says ++
We need very little protein; this sudden obsession with obtaining all the calories from it is nuts, it is not 'caveman' or 'primitive' diet, it's just a fad.
Vegans and vegetarians survive quite happily on vegetable protein, just make sure you eat a variety to get all the building blocks and the body does the rest.
If you're desperate for veggie protein that's lightweight buy beans and corn, couscous, almonds and pumpkin seeds.
The guidelines for good health are;
Adult men need about 56 grams a day.
Adult women need about 46 grams a day (71 grams if pregnant or breastfeeding)
cheers,
Toddy

I didn't know that data, 56 grams of protein would entail eating 1,4 kilograms of ALfalfa. The point is, Can I do that without any risk of getting sick?

If the answer is yes I would stop searching information about food processing immediately, if the answer is no I will continue.

not sure but you will get much more protein per 100g from mushrooms (3.3g)

As I said alfalfa has 4g per 100g.

in the span of human history we have survived eating some rubbish. We can go on quite while with below par nutrition.

The easiet way of getting protein from veggies is, wait for something furry to come and eat it along then bop it one. Otherwise there is a way of juicing and drying I saw a while back.

But I am interested in long term survival situations and that means I will need to eat proper nutrition to stay healthy.

That process you talk about is meant to dry the vegetable? Does the plant lose any nutritious property? It looks interesting.

 

[Toddy]

Why would you only want to eat alfalfa for your protein?
It's grown as animal feed; it's not that tasty except as wee sprouts in a salad. It's a pain in the neck to get it's stems and roots to rot down after it's grown here Not a fan of it unless as sprouts, tbh.

Vegetarians and vegans combine vegetable protein sources to cover all of the bases, from trace minerals to vitamins. Much more practical than 1.4kgs of alfalfa a day.
Keep you regular though, and wear through your teeth in no time.

Humans have evolved to eat cooked food, most of the world has some version of porridge that is a staple part of the diet. Maybe a better bit of research figuring out which ones suit you and your lifestyle.

cheers,
Toddy

 

[ex-member BareThrills]

As I said alfalfa has 4g per 100g.

Sorry chap. Misread your table.

 

[arnoldpredator]

Why would you only want to eat alfalfa for your protein?
It's grown as animal feed; it's not that tasty except as wee sprouts in a salad. It's a pain in the neck to get it's stems and roots to rot down after it's grown here Not a fan of it unless as sprouts, tbh.
Vegetarians and vegans combine vegetable protein sources to cover all of the bases, from trace minerals to vitamins. Much more practical than 1.4kgs of alfalfa a day.
Keep you regular though, and wear through your teeth in no time.
Humans have evolved to eat cooked food, most of the world has some version of porridge that is a staple part of the diet. Maybe a better bit of research figuring out which ones suit you and your lifestyle.
cheers,
Toddy

You are right that it is not ideal, it is only an hypothetical situation where you can only get protein from that plant. And you are right too that I need to learn a lot about how vegans get their proteins.

If I learnt how to obtain protein from vegetables I would not need to hunt and that would be great to avoid problems with the law since here it is only possible to hunt some weekends several months per year.

Having the knowledge to survive eating only vegetables would be great, and knowing how to get the proteins is a basic step, that is why I was asking about this.

Sorry chap. Misread your table.

Ok.

 

[santaman2000]

What rg598 says ++

We need very little protein; this sudden obsession with obtaining all the calories from it is nuts, it is not 'caveman' or 'primitive' diet, it's just a fad.

Vegans and vegetarians survive quite happily on vegetable protein, just make sure you eat a variety to get all the building blocks and the body does the rest.

If you're desperate for veggie protein that's lightweight buy beans and corn.....

You're absolutely right in that many plants contain more than enough protein to satisfy normal dietary needs. It must be noted though that some of them (beans in particular) are incomplete proteins and the body cannot process them alone. However there is a simple solution (at least for beans) in that when eaten in conjunction with rice, they will constitute a complete protein that the body can use.

Yes vegans can indeed get sufficient nutrition but it's not quite as simple for them as omnivores; vegans need to pay a bit more attention to the balance of their diet.

 

[santaman2000]

To be honest, one of the simplest (easiest/cheapest to obtain and use) forms of vegan protein is peanut butter (assuming you aren't allergic to peanuts)

 

[rg598]

Dude, you have much more serious problems if you are trying to live in the wilderness long term than how to get protein from vegetables. I would be a lot more worried about getting the necessary calories than getting protein. Historically, many cultures have survived with minimal protein consumption. The average Roman for example ate grains almost exclusively.

I am not aware of any way to extract concentrated protein from vegetables that you can do in the woods.

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[santaman2000]

Dude, you have much more serious problems if you are trying to live in the wilderness long term than how to get protein from vegetables. I would be a lot more worried about getting the necessary calories than getting protein. Historically, many cultures have survived with minimal protein consumption. The average Roman for example ate grains almost exclusively.

I am not aware of any way to extract concentrated protein from vegetables that you can do in the woods.

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Agreed with your basic premise that calorie intake is going to be more important than protein, but the info I can find on the average Roman soldier is a bit different. The article begins by saying almost exactly what you've stated but then contradicts itself by saying they were issued a daily ration of about 1 pound of meat (usually bacon) and also heavily reliant on cheese.

 

[rg598]

I didn't mean soldiers. I was talking about the average Roman citizen. In many ancient cultures meat was a luxury. Recommended daily values aside, I'm pretty sure if a person can manage to consume enough calories in the wild, he would be getting sufficient protein to survive.

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[santaman2000]

I didn't mean soldiers. I was talking about the average Roman citizen. In many ancient cultures meat was a luxury. Recommended daily values aside, I'm pretty sure if a person can manage to consume enough calories in the wild, he would be getting sufficient protein to survive.

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Survive? Yes, very likely true. But in a "long term" situation you would need to think more in terms of "thriving" rather than just "surviving."

 

[Blaidd]

Hunting isn't easily legal in many places but mostly killing of vermin is allowed (I stand to be corrected.. hidden behind a chair to avoid the larger missiles sent my way). Would that be of any help? (Even if it is technically not answering the OPs question)

via Tapatalk mind control.

 

[Stingray]

The easiest way of getting protein from veggies is, wait for something furry to come and eat it along then bop it one.

Classic.Had to laugh out load at that one

 

[British Red]

Hunting isn't easily legal in many places but mostly killing of vermin is allowed (I stand to be corrected)l.

Not in this country it isn't

 

[santaman2000]

Not in this country it isn't

Like Blaidd, I stand to be corrected but...I understand that it's more difficult there to get approval to legally "hunt game" but if I understand correctly, you're generally more liberal concerning what is classified as "pest control" rather than "game hunting?" I.e. rabbits aren't considered game, thus no bag limits, easier to get appropriate licenses, etc? Though I believe more difficult to get landowner permission?