sHEALyWellness

VEGETARIAN BLISS

C. Norman Shealy, M.D., Ph.D.

For decades I HAVE WARNED VEGETARIANS THAT THEY FACE TWO POSSIBLE NUTRITIONAL DEFICIENCIES—Taurine and vitamin B 12, both found in animal protein. Taurine is considered a “conditionally” essential amino acid. It is deficient in 84% of depressed individuals and in many with epilepsy. B 12 is ordinarily present only in animal protein.

Recently a Canadian friend introduced me to Hemp Hearts, essentially the shelled seed of simple hemp, a non-hallucinatory relative of marijuana.

Hemp fiber is the longest and strongest of all natural fiber and requires no fertilizer of pesticides, etc, to grow exuberantly. It produces 4 times as much fiber per acre as trees. Indeed, it is a superb source for making biomass alcohol,–far superior to corn!! In fact hemp is the oldest known agricultural crop, used as a source for rope, cloth and paper.

More importantly, hemp hearts, the unhusked seed of hemp, has an amazing 33% quality protein! That is slightly better than the best of sirloin tip beef and far better than fish or most other animal protein.

And it is the ONLY vegetable product containing TAURINE!

It is less expensive than whey protein isolate or dried Eggwhite powder.

So, vegans and vegetarians, rejoice and eat up.

Now for B 12, you can get B 12 out of home fermented vegetables! Of course, those fermenting bacteria are little animals. Kombucha is one of the best B 12 sources. It is also an excellent source of Vitamin C.

VEGGIE Bliss Breakfast

3 tablespoons Hemp Hearts

2 tablespoons old fashioned peanut butter

1 banana

4 oz Greek yogurt

63 grams of terrific protein

725 calories

Loaded with great essential fats, vitamins and minerals