Protein

According to the Max Planck Institute for Nutritional Research in Germany, protein, when cooked, is only 50 percent bioavailable. In other words, about half the amino acids (the building blocks of protein) are unusable by the body because they are destroyed by cooking.
The World Health Organization recommends that 5 percent of one's total daily calories come from protein. This level is easily reached on a plant-based diet. For example, 9 percent of calories in an orange are derived from protein, from zucchini 17 percent, strawberries 8, broccoli 42, cauliflower 31 and corn 13. The fact is that the commonly consumed plant foods contain 6 to 45 percent of their calories as protein. This research comes from John McDougall, MD. He says, "Protein is so abundant in plant foods that it is impossible for any dietician or scientist to design a diet that is composed of unprocessed plant foods (starches and vegetables) and, at the same time, be deficient in protein. We would not have survived as a species if this were not true."
In the book, Disease-Proof Your Child, Joel Fuhrman, M.D. states, "Protein is ubiquitous; it is contained in all foods, not only animal products. Protein deficiency in not a concern for anyone in the developed world. It is almost impossible to consume too little protein, no matter what you eat..."
All proteins are formed by amino acids joined together in specific sequences. Eight are said to be essential to adults, and 10 essential to infants. The belief that one must eat all essential amino acids at every meal (also called the complete protein theory) in order to maintain health is a myth. The Wendt Doctrine, describing thirty years of research, debunks the complete protein myth. It proves that we have the ability to store these proteins in our cells and to convert them into amino acids that move freely throughout the body to areas that might be deficient. Therefore, combining beans and rice to supply complex protein is unnecessary. The Wendt Doctrine also shows the damaging effects of excess concentrated protein which clogs the system, depleting the cells of oxygen and nutrition and creates an acidic environment, a condition that eventually leads to degenerative diseases.
The Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine (PCRM) states that, ".the average American takes in twice the amount of protein he or she needs. Excess protein has been linked with osteoporosis, kidney disease, calcium stones in the urinary tract and some cancers."
In the February 2004 issue of Readers Digest, in an article entitled Kicking Kidney Stones, the author states: "The simplest fix is to avoid high-protein diets." Then the author explains how kidney stones are formed. "Protein from meat and other animal products is broken down into acids. It's your kidney's job to balance acids with bases for elimination from the body. The handiest base is the calcium in your bones. Protein is broken down and stored in the bone, where it binds with calcium. Then the kidneys filter these particles from your blood. And the more meat you eat, the more calcium you'll have in your kidneys. Over time, these particles bind together, forming stones."
According to Leslie and Susannah Kenton, in their book, Raw Energy, grilling a steak at 239 degrees Fahrenheit completely destroys the amino acids lysine and cystine. Many researchers believe that the reason more people don't get extremely ill from high-protein diets is due to the fact that about 50 percent of the protein is destroyed by cooking.
Because a diet rich in a variety of plant foods can provide all the protein one needs, I see no need to worry about getting enough protein unless poor digestion and absorption is an issue. In that case, thorough chewing, supplemental digestive enzymes and intestinal cleansing can help.