WHY PROTEIN IS THE KEY
We talk so much about fats. We are afraid of carbs. What kind of protein is good for us and how much ? What if I want to loose weight? Gain muscle? So many questions. So much information.
Let me help you understand it better why it is absolutely crucial to eat enough protein.
I’ve been long time follower of Robb Wolf, very curious about Dr. Paul Saladino’s MD work and admire everything about Dr. Gabrielle Lyon. What they all have in common ? Protein centric approach. Ancestral nutrition. They share simple, doable, result oriented information that I feel needs to be shared with the world.
What is protein ?
Protein is essential building block of bones, muscles, blood, cartilage and skin. It makes up the enzymes that power many chemical reactions and the hemoglobin that carries oxygen in your blood. At least 10,000 different proteins make you what you are and keep you that way. Our bodies need to manufacture proteins to conduct the business of life and manufacture our cellular structures, many of which require complicated protein molecules. Those proteins are all manufactured from amino acids, which are classified in three different ways : essential, conditionally essential, and nonessential. We must get essential from our diets. Conditionally essential means that we can manufacture the amino acids ourselves under the right conditions. Our bodies can manufacture nonessential amino acids. If we don’t have the correct amino acids to make the proteins we need, we will resort to autophagy (“ eating of self”), meaning that we begin “ eating” or digesting some of our own muscle and organ cells. High-quality proteins are essential for optimal health and function!
Where can we find all needed amino acids we need ? Yes - meat. Plants, however, do not contain all the amino acids necessary for your body. You can do it, but it’s trickier and very calorie dense.
Low protein can cause weight gain, B12 deficiency, hair loss, brittle nails and cold hands and feet. However, higher levels of protein are effective for weight loss. According to protein-leverage hypothesis, people will continue to eat food in order to satisfy their protein needs. Because protein is highly satiating, when we increase our protein intake, our overall caloric intake generally reduces.
Protein is the most satiating of micronutrients, and intake of 15-30% of total calories can be quiet helpful in regulating appetite by increasing leptin sensitivity and inducing weight loss and increasing blood sugar. (1)
Your golden ticket if you are looking to loose fat and increase muscle mass: Increase protein and lift some weights while being careful not to overconsume total calories.
Worried about kidney disease ?
In healthy people, no danger has been found in protein intake above 3 grams per kg. ( 2) . It’s true that those with kidney disease should limit protein intake, but there is no proof that increasing protein intake actually causes kidney disease.
If your goal is to feel strong, loose fat ( not weight ), gain and maintain muscle mass, no hunger and starvation, increase your protein ( keep calories the same), work out and see how your body reacts. I think, you will be amazed !
1.” Sacred Cow” by Diana Rodgers, RD and Robb Wolf ( New York Times bestselling author of Paleo Solution )
2. Table 1 in “ Summary Report of the EAT- Lancet Commission”, EAT, January 16, 2019, eatforum.org/content/uploads/2019/07/EAT-LancetCommission_Summary_Report.pdf