First and foremost, we need to distinguish between animal and plant proteins.
If we want to remain objective and coherent, we must ignore our prejudices and our Western education, which for just over a century have conditioned us to consume more animal proteins than plant proteins. Note that while legumes contain between 22 and 35% protein, oilseeds contain 12 to 13%, and meat 26%.
Meat and fish don't initially seem to be made for humans, who are frugivorous "animals". We generally consume them cooked, which causes them to lose 20% of their vitamins, and 95% in the case of fish.
In order to respect the nutritional qualities of this type of food, it should be eaten raw. However, this will not prevent them from being high in fat or saturated fatty acids, which are not recommended, or from containing uric acid and purines, which will strongly acidify your body.
It should also be noted that one of the disadvantages of the meat diet is the increase in intestinal putrefaction, as well as in the number of undesirable germs in the intestine.
Some authors theorize that meat is the source of psychological arousal and aggression, particularly in children, due to its high adrenaline content. The latter comes from the adrenaline discharges experienced by the animal's body during the stress of slaughter.
Meat is considered bad by many authors, and by some, especially when cooked.
In any case, as with all foods, cooking should be as brief and gentle as possible. When choosing non-organic meats, it's best to opt for lean or white meats, since fatty meats often contain a large number of lipophilic waste products that reside mainly in fatty tissue. Meat should be of impeccable quality and purchased from a reputable retailer. Game and offal are strongly discouraged.
Cooked fish is less fearsome than cooked meat. However, it is better to opt for raw fish. A simple recipe is to marinate thinly sliced fish, such as salmon, in lemon juice with a little olive oil, flavored with lots of coriander, dill and basil.
It would appear that a portion of around 100 g of mackerel, herring, salmon or sardines, or even 170 g of tuna, provides a very satisfactory anticoagulant effect.
Research by the US Department of Agriculture has shown that consumption of fish oil and oily fish completely alters the shape of blood platelets. By preserving their disc shape and hindering thromboxane production, these foods prevent them from clumping and interlocking, thus avoiding the formation of undesirable clots that can clog arteries.
FISH SELECTION CRITERIA
- Vary the intake of each of the 3 groups: lean, semi-fatty and fatty, giving preference to cold sea fish such as mackerel, herring, sardines... Fish from rivers and lakes are likely to be more polluted.
- Smaller fish are healthier than larger ones. Sardines, for example, have been exposed to pollutants for less time than larger fish. What's more, large fish (tuna, swordfish, bonito, shark) are often predators. As they reach the end of the food chain, they concentrate much more waste, particularly heavy metals. In any case, it's better to choose wild fish over farmed fish.
- Preferably, do not eat the fish skin, in which toxic chemicals accumulate.
- Use cooking methods that do not alter the fatty acids: steaming, low-temperature baking or poaching. All cooking accompanied by fats, particularly vegetable oils rich in omega-6s, reduces the effectiveness of omega-3s.
- They can also be eaten raw, with or without preparation (e.g. with lemon, especially sea bream).
- The most vitamin-rich fish oils are halibut and cod liver oil. It is important to consume them in the form of dietary supplements.
Crustaceans, mollusks and shellfish are very rich in minerals. They are rarely denatured by cooking, as they are often eaten raw. However, given the current quality of our waters, we need to be extremely vigilant about their origin and quality.
Dairy products contain animal proteins, and are not all good news.
Eggs are the protein food of choice among animal by-products. The raw yolk contains all the essential amino acids, as well as minerals such as calcium, magnesium, iron and zinc, and large quantities of phosphorus to help bind calcium. It also contains vitamins E, A and D, and high-quality lipids. Two-thirds of the fatty acids in egg yolks are unsaturated, and contrary to popular belief, they don't raise cholesterol levels at all - on the contrary, they tend to regulate them, provided the egg is eaten fresh.
The raw white contains a protein, avidin, which cannot be attacked by gastric juices. It combines with and neutralizes B vitamins. It is therefore imperative to cook it before eating, to preserve your vitamin B intake and reserves.