Roots: Proteins 
Learn About Fruits – The Fruit
Learn About Vegetables- The Leaves
Learn About Fats- The Branches
Learn About Whole Grains – The Trunk
Learn About Proteins – The Roots
Protein Foods and Recommendations
Daily Serving Suggestion: 5
Beans, dairy, fish, meat, nuts and seeds
The roots of a healthy tree are grounded securely in the earth. They are so strong that they are able to keep a whole tree standing firm and straight. That is the exact function that proteins have in our bodies.
Foods high in amino acids, the building blocks of proteins, keep the brain and emotions balanced and stable just as the roots do for the tree.
Proteins are also critical components for growth and repair. They are the building blocks for blood, muscle, organs (liver, heart, kidney), hormones and neurotransmitters (our bodies chemical messengers important for your brain/mood health), glands, and all body tissue. They are responsible for making anti-bodies for our immune system, are involved in liver detoxification, and help stabilize blood sugar.
Beans, Peas, and Lentils ~ 2-3 servings a day
Adzuki beans, black beans, chickpeas, kidney beans, lentils, soybeans, mung beans, kidney beans, navy beans. The list goes on – there are hundreds of bean varieties to choose from. Enjoy the diversity!
½ cup cooked dried beans, peas, or lentils
¼ cup hummus
1 cup or 2-3 oz baked, sautéed fresh tofu
1 cup soy milk
3 oz or ½ cup tempeh
1/3 cup seitan
Nuts and Seeds ~ 1-2 servings a day
Nuts-almond, Brazil nut, cashews, coconut, garbanzos, peanut, pine nut, pistachio
Seeds– hemp, pumpkin, sesame, sunflower seeds
2 tbsp -¼- cup walnuts or sunflower seeds –raw
2 tbsp. nut or seed butters (almond, peanut, cashew)
8 oz. Almond milk
6 oz. Hemp milk
Fish: 3 oz. serving size. (check Sea Food Watch for latest info)
Salmon, haddock, cod, sardines, tuna, mackerel, shellfish
½ –1 can tuna (once a month or less)
Poultry: 3 oz. serving size. Chicken, turkey, duck, Cornish hen
Meat: 3 oz. serving size. buffalo, venison, lamb, elk
Dairy: milk, kefir, yogurt, cheese
1 cup milk
1 cup yogurt
¾ cup cottage cheese
½ cup shredded cheese
2 eggs whole