Month 30

May 12

Now well into Month 30, I have improved how I get my protein. As a largely vegan, it is a challenge to get my 50 grams or more of protein a day. I have been relying on tofu, which I manage to consume about 10 oz a day for what looks like 30 grams of protein. But I feel like my muscles are weakening and I am a bit lackluster. I was originally just chalking it up to age, as I am about to turn 71. I forget exactly how I learned about it, but I have now turned to “Vital Wheat Gluten” for my primary protein source. I picked up a 4 lb. bag of powder from Amazon for $25. It’s 85-90% protein. I learned it’s missing the lysine, so I picked up a lysine supplement, and take 2 grams a day of lysine. I consume 1/2 a cup of Anthony’s Vital Wheat Gluten, prepared as a dough by mixing in some water, covering it in a bowl for 20 minutes, and then slicing into cubes. The cubes go into my vegetable soup, where it cooks.

A 1/2 of a cup gives me 48g of protein, and then 2 grams of lycine brings my protein to 50g a day. The 4 lb bag yields thirty 1/2 cup servings at $25, which is about 80c a day. Add 14c for two lycine supplement pills, make it 94c a day.

The tofu costs $2.75 for 14oz with a total of 42g of protein. I struggled to eat an entire 14oz, but if I did, that would be $2.75 a day, and 50g would be $3.32 a day. So switching saves me $2.38 a month, which comes to $72 a month which, for me, is significant.

I have been doing this for 2 weeks now, and I feel a lot more energetic, and my muscle tone has improved. More minutes in the garden before I need to take a break!

Best of Science to everyone.