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(HealthNewsDigest.com) – It seems like every other food on the supermarket shelves is touting how much protein it contains, leading you to believe that we are all protein deficient. In contrast, most Americans get 16% of their total calories from protein which equal 1.2 to 1.5 grams per
kilogram daily. The recommended dietary allowance (RDA) for protein is set at 0.8
grams per kilogram. So, most of us more than exceed our need for protein daily.
Our protein needs in both quantity and quality are complicated. Protein comes from both
animal and vegetable foods. The type or quality of protein is defined by the amino acid building blocks the protein contains. Food protein is broken down into amino acid
fragments during digestion. These individual amino acids are used by the body for growth, to transport and store nutrients, to repair tissues, and to remove wastes. Amino acids can even provide energy for the body, but only when other sources likecarbohydrates or fat are not available.
How effectively our bodies use the protein we get from food depends on a number of factors. In the US we tend to skew our protein intake for the day toward dinner with less protein eaten at breakfast and lunch. This may not be the best pattern for optimum protein utilization. Research is suggesting that spreading out our protein intake throughout the day with each meal containing 25 to 30 grams of protein is the best way to utilize protein efficiently, build and repair muscles, and cut down on hunger.
Protein quality is also important. Amino acids are classified as essential and nonessential. The nonessential ones can be made in the body. Essential amino acids cannot and must be supplied by the protein foods you eat. Animal-based proteins – meat, fish, poultry, eggs, dairy – contain all 9 of the essential amino acids in optimal amounts to be used efficiently. Plant proteins may lack one or more of the essential amino acids or may provide a very limited amount. Beans are low in methionine.
To offset the limited amino acids in plant-based proteins, in the past people were advised to eat plant proteins that complimented each other to make the total amino acid picture look more like one found in animal-based proteins. Food pairs that do this include – a peanut butter sandwich on whole wheat bread, tofu and brown rice, beans and nuts on a salad, soy milk and cereal. Though these pairings are still excellent to boost protein quality, we now know that the complimentary plant proteins do not have to be eaten at the same meal. As long as various plant-based protein foods are eaten throughout the day the body can make use of their amino acids to build and support the body’s needs.
Now that you know how protein works, do you need a high protein diet or a low protein intake to be healthy? That’s a tricky question and depends on many things. High protein diets may help people lose weight and build muscle but they have a downside. They lead to more plaque buildup in the arteries and it is the unstable kind which is more prone to rupturing and causing a blockage. People who eat a more plant-centered diet tend to have a lower protein intake. This may not be bad because by eating fewer animal foods they also get fewer sulfur amino acids such as methionine and cysteine which lowers the risk for heart disease.
Should you use protein supplements? Whey protein is the most popular fitness protein and it contains high levels of a group of branched-chain essential amino acids (BCAAs) – leucine, isoleucine and valine. High intake of BCAAs may reduce your lifespan, negatively affect mood, and lead to weight gain. Researches have shown that protein found in foods is more effective in muscle recovery than whey-based shakes after resistance training.
Bottom line: We need protein but we don’t need a great deal of it every day. The healthiest eating plan would be a mixture of both animal and plant protein sources.
© NRH Nutrition Consultants, Inc.
Jo-Ann Heslin, MA, RD, CDN is a registered dietitian and the author of 30 books.
Available as eBooks from iTunes and Kindle/Amazon:
Diabetes Counter – the most up-to-date information on managing diabetes
Calorie Counter – a weight loss guide that won’t let you down
Protein Counter – put the latest protein recommendations to work for you
Healthy Wholefoods Counter – planet-friendly eating made easy
Complete Food Counter – food counts and nutrition information at your
fingertips
Fat and Cholesterol Counter – newest approach to heart-healthy eating
Available in print from Gallery Books:
Most Complete Food Counter, 3 rd Ed.
For more information on Jo-Ann and her books, go to: www.TheNutritionExperts.com or
on twitter: @JoAnnHeslinRD.