Playing Chicken
As you can see above, plant foods provide plenty of protein—and the healthiest, most nutrient-rich
kind. Unfortunately, most people continue to think the key to better health and weight loss is not
eating more greens but eating more chicken.
The "grilled chicken" approach to health is partly responsible for the meteoric rise in U.S. chicken
consumption between 1970 and 2004, which more than doubled from 27.4 pounds per person to
59.2 pounds (boneless, edible weight)^163. That equates to more than one million chickens being
consumed per hour in the U.S. alone!^ On the other hand, Americans now only eat salad about three
times a month, 20% less often than we did in 1985. 164
The fact of the matter is that chicken is not a healthier choice, especially in comparison to the
lettuce it sits atop. Even though ounce for ounce chicken has less total fat, saturated fat and
cholesterol than beef, 165 it is still making us sick. This is because, despite popular belief, the most
harmful substance in all meat (even chicken) is protein, rather than fat.
In The China Study: Startling Implications for Diet, Weight Loss and Long-Term Health, Dr. T. Colin
Campbell, Professor Emeritus of Nutritional Biochemistry at Cornell University, explained that
animal protein is the most carcinogenic substance we consume. 166 According to his research,
animal products not only cause but also fuel cancer and other deadly diseases.
"The data from the China Project suggests that what we have come to consider as 'normal' illnesses
of aging are really not normal. In fact, these findings indicate that the vast majority, perhaps 80 to
90% of all cancers, cardiovascular diseases, and other forms of degenerative illness can be
prevented, at least until very old age, simply by adopting a plant-based diet" 167 that is nutrient-
rich.
Plants Are the Best Source of Protein
Here is a major reality check—all protein comes from plants. Plants make all of their own amino
acids (the building blocks of proteins). They start with glucose from photosynthesis and take
nitrogen from nitrates and ammonia in the soil and through a variety of chemical reactions
synthesize amino acids, which in turn are used to build proteins.
Animals, from chickens to humans, can only naturally produce a small number of the amino acids
needed to build proteins. The rest comes from what they eat. So a cow or a chicken gets the protein
(^163) Buzby J, Farah H. Chicken Consumption Continues Longrun Rise.
http://www.ers.usda.gov/amberwaves/april06/findings/chicken.htm. April 2006.
(^164) Nassauer S. The Salad Is in the Bag. The Wall Street Journal. Business; July 27, 2011. Available at
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424053111903999904576469973559258778.html?mod=googlenews_wsj
(^165) USDA National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference. http://ndb.nal.usda.gov/
(^166) Campbell TC. The China Study: Startling Implications for Diet, Weight Loss and Long-Term Health. Dallas, TX: BenBella
books, 2003.
(^167) Campbell TC. Why China Holds the Key to Your Health. http://www.vegsource.com/event/campbell.htm