SERIES 36 | Episode 26
Grow it Yourself Special
Jerry grows more than 100 different food plants in his garden, supplying vitamins, minerals, fibre – and protein, which some people overlook in vegetables.
For each kilo of your body weight, you need around 0.6-0.8 grams of protein a day, which for a 80kg male is 60grams! That’s the equivalent of a large steak, a piece of chicken, 10 eggs, a large slab or tofu or 315grams of dry chickpeas.
For protein, Jerry grows a range of legumes, seeds, fruit and even greens that cover cool-season and warm-season crops, annuals, perennials and trees, and their productivity is impressive.
Recommended protein intake varies.
See the Eat for Health website for more details and to calculate individual recommended protein requirements.
Featured PlantsCHICKPEASCicer arietinumA cool-season crop.MUNG BEANSVigna radiataA warm-season crop that you can harvest just 6 weeks after sowing. They can be eaten fresh but, for maximum protein content, the seed must be dried.SWORD BEANSCanavalia gladiata100g of sword beans produces 16-35g of protein, a similar level as soy beans, except soy beans are annuals and sword beans are perennials. A climber, it also takes up very little space.SESAMESesamum indicumDrought and heat tolerant. Accepts infertile soil. Fast growing, so can provide 2-3 crops a year.CHILEAN WINE PALMJubeae chilensisThis fruiting trees drops edible seed daily, all year-round. Slow growing though – it can take 7 years to germinate! BUNYA NUTAraucaria bidwilliiA valued food source for indigenous people and can be boiled or roasted.LA LOTPiper sarmentosumA perennial groundcover from Vietnam and Thailand, related to black pepper. The spicy leaves can also be used raw in salads or as snack wrapping, like vine leaves around dolmades.
SERIES 36 | Episode 26Grow it Yourself Special
Jerry grows more than 100 different food plants in his garden, supplying vitamins, minerals, fibre – and protein, which some people overlook in vegetables.
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