Protein intake is often misunderstood, with many people believing they need to consume as much protein as possible. However, the recommended protein intake may be much lower than commonly believed.
Protein is essential for the structure of cells, organs, enzymes, and hormones. It is made up of 20 amino acids, and the body needs all 20 for protein synthesis.
The body can only absorb amino acids from food after breaking them down to their single amino acid levels. It then reassembles them without distinguishing whether they came from animal or plant sources.
The recommended protein intake is based on the Estimated Average Requirement (EAR), which is designed to meet the needs of almost the entire population. This means that the recommended amount is more than what most people actually need.
The controversy around consuming more protein than necessary stems from misconceptions about muscle gain. The body can only store carbohydrates and fats, not protein. Excess protein is converted into carbs and fats, and the body eliminates the excess ammonia produced from protein metabolism.
Consuming excessive protein may not necessarily be harmful for most people, as the body is equipped to handle it. However, it's important to consider the overall nutritional content of the diet, as excess protein may contribute to unnecessary calorie intake.
Christopher Gardner conducted a study with 22 Stanford graduate student recreational athletes, comparing their performance on omnivorous, vegan, and plant-based alternative meat diets. The results showed that despite consuming less protein on the vegan diet, their performance did not suffer.
Children and pregnant women have higher protein needs due to growth. However, it is suggested that getting enough protein from a varied diet is not difficult.
A nephrologist at Stanford found it challenging to put people on a severely restricted protein diet, indicating that it's hard not to get enough protein from regular food.
Christopher Gardner highlights the issue of people skipping meals despite eating a lot of food earlier, emphasizing the challenge of dealing with bottomless appetites.
Jonathan Wolff points out the issues faced by the elderly, such as loss of appetite, digestive problems, and muscle mass loss, which can be attributed to loneliness and depression.
Jonathan Wolff emphasizes the importance of ensuring that the small number of calories consumed by the elderly are protein-rich, and Christopher Gardner stresses the need for patience in discussing protein sources.
Animal protein and plant protein differ in their amino acid composition. Animal proteins have a similar distribution of amino acids, while plants also contain all 20 amino acids, but in different proportions.
Plants tend to be lower in lysine and methionine compared to animals. However, if a person consumes 80 grams of protein a day, the deficiencies in plant proteins are almost always covered.
Complementing proteins from different plant sources can help achieve a more optimal distribution of amino acids, similar to the concept of complementing grains and beans in traditional diets.
If someone is eating a varied plant diet, they may not need to worry about protein intake, especially if they consume around 80-90 grams of protein daily.
You can absolutely meet all your needs on a completely plant-based diet. Stop obsessing about protein.
Beans, hummus, a three bean soup, a three bean salad are the healthiest and tastiest sources of protein recommended.
The protein quality definition in the US should also include the nutrients that come with those foods rich in protein.
Beans are incredibly cheap, capture all nutrients at the point of picking, and last for months.
You do not have to look hard to incorporate fun global fusion of flavors around grains and beans.
Protein creates the structure in our body, and the amount needed is far less than what people realize.
There are all the amino acids in plants, so not eating lots of animal protein is not a problem.
Extra high protein bars or shakes are bad for you. Eat beans instead.