HLife | Healthy Living Redefined

There is a worldwide misconception that protein equals meat. To these people, this is the only choice as far as protein goes. Few people question, ask or research what things are composed of, where they come from or why we do them.  Here at HLife, we always encourage beings to question, research, analyze, delve deeper, and go further down the rabbit hole.  Freedom of choice is only for those who exercise it, but choice can only be exercised by those who have obtained enough knowledge to see their options clearly, and then make a conscious decision on which way to go. To that end, here is some information about protein.

The word protein comes from the Greek word proteios, which means “of prime importance”. So, what is this important thing called protein? A protein is a very large molecule made up of smaller molecules called “amino acids”. Each different protein is composed of various amino acids put together in varying order, with almost limitless combinations. These small units (amino acids) have a three-dimensional structure, and exist in many different forms, including long chains, branched molecules, spheres, sheets, and helixes.  Amino acids are the building blocks of protein, so, in reality, what we are talking about when we say protein is not a dense animal whose carcass rots in your intestines per se, but about tiny little molecules that come organized into many different shapes and forms. MOLECULES! So, when we think of protein, we should now replace our mental image from whatever antiquated notion or association we have, with a new and true image, that of a complex sequence of molecules that we now know are amino acids. Maybe your mental picture can look something like this:

There are about 22 amino acids that we know of. These are classified into two categories. Non-essential amino acids are the ones the body is able to produce by itself. Essential amino acids are the ones the body can’t make and that must be supplied by the foods we eat. There are eight of these essential amino acids, but recent studies have shown that we should not just focus on these because, if a person has poor nutrition and is lacking in some vitamins and minerals, they won’t be able to make those non-essential amino acids either, which then makes those essential as well to that nutrient-deficient body.  The right approach is eating a variety of foods in order to get all the amino acids and the vitamins, minerals and other nutrients we need to have a balanced protein content.

Surveys have shown that Americans eat almost twice as much protein as their bodies need.  Food consumption surveys show an average protein intake of about 100 grams per day, 70% of this from animal products.  The average daily requirement for an adult female whose best weight is 110 pounds, or 50 kilograms, is about 40 grams a day. For an adult male who should weigh about 154 pounds, or 70 kilograms, requires about 56 grams of protein daily. That’s about half of what the survey showed.  When it comes to small unit molecules like amino acids, it is never about quantity – it’s always about quality.  Quality protein has everything to do with digestibility, absorbability and elimination, meaning, the better your protein source is, the better your body will be able to break it down, take nutrients from it, and get rid of the waste.

According to the Harvard School of Public Health, a six-ounce broiled porterhouse steak gives you a whooping 38 grams of protein. But it also delivers 44 grams of fat, 16 of them saturated. It also leaves you with all sorts of bad bacteria from the rotting of the meat in your intestines, bacteria that then multiply, build cities in your body, quickly get rid of the good bacteria that help your immune system, and finally create a perfect environment for disease. On the other hand, let’s look at another source of protein: legumes. A cup of cooked lentils has 18 grams of protein – AND UNDER ONE GRAM OF FAT (keep in mind that cooked meat loses its protein content and absorbability, so, unless you are eating raw meat – which brings with it even more bacteria, we are not sure if you are even getting the 38 grams we mentioned earlier.) Lentils, a legume like beans and chick peas, are a plant, not an animal, so there is no rotting to create bad bacteria involved here.

Considering that we eat three times a day, between snacks and meals with proteins sources like beans, whole grains, nuts and seeds, and vegetables (all vegetables have some amount of protein, especially in the form of enzymes if eaten raw,) we can say that enough is enough. No wonder we have so many people with colon cancer and kidney problems, among other diseases related to protein over consumption or bad digestion-absorption-elimination. T. Colin Campbell PhD, who, in addition to human studies, maintained a 27-year laboratory research program in experimental animal studies and spent his entire professional career in biomedical research centered on protein, shows us impressive evidence in his book, The China Study, of how people who ate the most animal-based foods got the most chronic diseases.  Campbell also consistently found that plant-based, whole foods nutrition reversed and/or prevented diseases and maintained optimal health.  In the book, he also notes that even small intakes of animal-based foods were associated with adverse effects.

It makes much more sense to get your protein from the vegetable kingdom, not just to lower your risk of diseases like colon cancer, but because, at the end of the day, with a varied plant-based nutrition based on an understanding of  nutrition, it is very easy to meet the daily requirement of protein without the saturated fat, bad cholesterol, bacteria overgrowth, and negative/fear energy from the killed animal.  A varied plant-based nutrition not only gives your body a pool of amino acids to choose from to synthesize into whatever it needs to keep you healthy, but it also gives you plenty of minerals, vitamins, enzymes (which are composed of amino acids anyway,) complex carbohydrates, good fats, fiber, lighter high-frequency energy, photon energy to align with the cosmos and the great feeling that you helped the planet from the methane gas from the many cows in farms, which is contributing to global warming.

In Part 3 of The Protein Myth, we will focus on why quality protein has to do with digestibility, absorbability and elimination, and plant-based sources of protein.  I’m excited – GET EXCITED TOO!

Sources: The China Study by T. Colin Campbell, Ph D, extension.usu.edu/files/publications/publication/FN_191.pdf, Staying Healthy with Nutrition by Elson Hass M.D., Enzymes The Key to Health, http://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/what-should-you-eat/protein/