Posted on 08/13/2025 6:54:03 AM PDT by Red Badger
You don’t need to eat a big slab of meat every day to meet your protein needs. In fact, loading up on animal-based protein, especially from factory-farmed sources, can do more harm than good.
Studies show that an excessive amount of red meat can lead to increased inflammation, accelerated aging, and increased risk of chronic disease. One major culprit? A sugar molecule called “Neu5Gc,” commonly found in red meat. Your body sees it as a foreign invader, triggering an immune response that can lead to long-term inflammation.
Of course, you should always consult with your doctor before making any drastic changes to your diet. But for many people, plant-based protein can be a powerful alternative that’s packed with benefits like fiber, healthy fats, and anti-inflammatory polyphenols.
Plus, research has continuously shown that non-meat protein sources can be better for your health, longevity, and brain function. Here are six high-protein foods I love and recommend all the time — your body and brain will thank you.
1. Lentils
Lentils are my top choice when it comes to legumes. They’re one of the most protein-rich legumes, with fewer calories than most. They’re also higher in resistant starch and prebiotic fiber, which feed your gut microbiome.
Pro tip: Soak or pressure-cook lentils to reduce lectins, which can impact or slow down nutrient absorption. You can add lentils to soups, stews, or homemade veggie burgers.
2. Hemp protein
Hemp seeds are one of the rare plant-based proteins that contain all nine essential amino acids, making them a complete protein.
They’re rich in omega-3s, magnesium, and gut-friendly fiber. Just be sure to choose organic, cold-pressed hemp protein with no added sugars.
Pro tip: Trader Joe’s sells organic hemp protein power, which I like adding to smoothies. You can find hemp hearts at Costco — perfect on salads or roasted vegetables.
3. Barù nuts
Native to Brazil’s Cerrado region, Barù nuts pack more protein per serving than nearly any other nut. They’re also full of antioxidants and fiber, and have a satisfying, earthy crunch.
Pro tip: You can usually find Barù nuts at grocery stores, but if you don’t, try looking online. I love snacking on a handful daily. They taste like a cross between peanuts and almonds.
4. Spirulina
This blue-green algae is one of the most protein-dense foods on the planet (by weight, it’s nearly 70% protein). It contains iron, B vitamins, and a powerful antioxidant called phycocyanin that helps support brain and immune function.
Pro tip: Try adding spirulina to your smoothies or juices. You can also substitute it with chlorella, another nutrient-rich algae, in powder or tablet form.
5. Flaxseed
Flaxseeds don’t get enough love, but they’re a fantastic source of plant protein, omega-3s, and lignans, which have hormone-balancing benefits.
When flaxseeds are in their whole form, you cannot digest their beneficial compound, so always choose ground flaxseeds.
Pro tip: I like to keep a bag of organic whole flax in the refrigerator and grind it as needed to ensure freshness (just like you’d only grind coffee beans right before brewing). Add to smoothies, sprinkle on salads, or try my cinnamon flaxseed mug in a muffin recipe for a quick, healthy breakfast.
6. Sorghum
Sick of quinoa or couscous? Sorghum is a protein-rich ancient grain with a subtly sweet, nutty flavor. One cup has 21 grams of protein (more than twice that of quinoa), and three ounces of sorghum has more iron than a serving of steak!
Even better? It’s a great source of polyphenols and one of the few lectin-free grains.
Pro tip: Use sorghum flour for gluten-free baking, or look for it in pasta form for a high-protein, plant-forward meal.
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Dr. Steven Gundry, MD, is a former cardiac surgeon, founder of GundryMD, and author of the bestselling books ”The Gut-Brain Paradox″ and ”The Plant Paradox.” For over two decades, his research has focused on the microbiome’s role in chronic disease and longevity. He received his degrees from Yale University and the Medical College of Georgia, and completed his surgical residency at the University of Michigan. Follow him on Instagram @drstevengundry.
Not a fun guy. If Dr Atkins were alive today he’d cuss this guy out 6 ways to Sunday
The only thing wrong with your list is that it is incomplete.
So, with great respect for your efforts to begin the list, I add:
Salmon.
Tuna.
Trout.
Sunfish.
Bluegill.
Walleye.
White-tailed deer.
Black-tailed deer.
Mule deer.
Elk.
Moose.
Rabbit.
Goose.
Duck.
and, of course:
BACON.
Meat can cause excess iron. Bloodletting reduces iron.
“You don’t need to eat a big slab of meat every day to meet your protein needs”
No, but it helps. Adult males need close to 100 grams daily. Very difficult to get there with plants, and tedious. As we get older less of the protein intake is utilized. Meat - beef, poultry, pork, tastes wonderful and is so versatile. Eggs are meat as far as nutrition is concerned, also very tasty and healthy.
A lot of the “science” is so skewed towards political bias it is now suspect. Milk, butter, eggs, and meat came under fire precisely at a time in the 1970s when monetary inflation of the US dollar became a huge political issue. In hindsight it seems strangely coincidental that government scientists discovered how “bad” they were, at the same time nobody could afford to feed their family.
i prefer a bath in leeches
Yes! indeed. There’s nothing better on a chilly day than a bowl of homemade lentil stew . . . with sausage! It makes a yummy curry too.
Two words: Amino acids.
And your body better absorbs them from animal souces.
"Kitty! This isn't food! This is what food eats!"
Who says you do, doc?
Deck of cards sized portion is what's recommended, isn't it?
Colin Fletcher, the “father of backpacking” was a big proponent in the 1980s. He moved to California in the 1950s, so it was a natural.
His first book talking about his California walk in 1958 laid out his diet in meticulous detail. He carried a 60+ pound backpack. He ate the same thing every day, basically beef & gravy over mashed potatoes.
He also consumed about 4 pounds of pure sugar every week, on top of the massive protein intake. Kool-Aid, in Tea, “sprinkle liberally in everything”, and Raisins, Chocolate, etc.
By the 1980s he was on the anti-sugar bandwagon. But he wasn’t averaging 18 miles a day with a 60 pound backpack either. Veggies have their place (right next to the mashed potatoes) but they are not really adequate for heavy exertion.
Speaking of iron . . . I read once that “iron overload” is a modern problem, sometimes a serious problem for men and post-menopausal women. The hypothesis is that our ancient ancestors lost enough blood to internal parasites that excess iron was never a problem, even with all the meat / organs in their diet.
Gundry is ‘smart’ on some things, but others he preaches like, well...you get my drift. Additionally, he’s for-profit and thus EVERYTHING he does is the ‘right’ way.
An old adage about opinions applies here (yeah, I know).
Translated: Animal protein nearly made Homo Sapiens extinct.
Yeah, keep it up, dumbass gundry.
Blech to all of that!
I’m making a nice pot roast for tonight.
what does this moron do for B12 and iron: zero B12 in plants and very little iron in plants, and the little iron that IS in plants is very poorly absorbed ...
oh, he says he supplements those with synthetic B12 and heme iron from bovine blood ... so tell me, how healthy is a diet that REQUIRES artificial supplementation to keep from starving to death?
How can you tell if someone is a Vegan?
You don’t, they tell you!
I’m usually looking for non-gluten things. Sorghum is gluten-free, BUT it has 31 or 32 grams (depending on the brand) of carbs in 1/4 cup! That’s more carbs than I get a DAY!!
At a healthy seventy-seven, I still eat like I was raised, whole milk, heavy cream, real butter, real bread, red meat, chicken, and fish when I can get it. I have cut back on sugars of various sources, and I hate eggs although I still put a couple over easy on a stack of pancakes occasionally.
This is probably a shock to many folks, but the truth is that regardless of our diets, we are all going to die here on earth. Where we reside for eternity is not determined by what we eat.
What about good fat,ie grassfed meats, dairy, salmon, etc?
Well done, fellow member of the exclusive 77 Club. Cheers!
“ especially from factory-farmed sources,”
That illogical and uneducated statement disqualifies anything else he writes.
1) What is a factory farm? (They don’t agriculture do they have no thoughtful answer)
2) why is the meat any different ? It’s protein , our digestive breaks it down into amino acids like any other meat
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