I’ve recently noticed that protein is making a comeback in the nutrition world. Many people, particularly women, are noticing that they just aren’t getting the results they want on a low or no protein diet. This is not a surprise because protein is incredibly important for a number of biological processes.
A few years ago, I was listening to the evening news around the New Year. The anchorman announced that protein was out and that vegetarian and vegan diets were in. As if it were like telling the public what shoes to wear this season with your jeggings. From that point on, I noticed that the focus in book stores and online searches leaned heavily toward vegetarian and veganism which is an example of how media and commerce influence so many areas of our lives.
People choose a way of eating for a variety of reasons including health, religion, family traditions and personal values. There are benefits to each of these ways of eating and reasons for choosing them. I think it’s very important that we respect each other’s choices. I also think it’s important to understand the importance of various types of macronutrients including carbohydrates, fats and yes even protein. Each of these nutrients has a role in human biology.
Roles of Carbohydrates – Carbohydrates, also known as carbs, are vital at every stage of life. They are the bodies primary source of energy, when not in fat burning mode. They are so important that they are the only macronutrient that the body will make if needed through a process called gluconeogenesis. Carbohydrates are broken down into a type of sugar called glucose that fuels the cells in our bodies. However, carbohydrates can also be easily overeaten especially when it comes to simple carbohydrates like white flour and white sugar. Excess carbohydrates are converted to triglycerides and stored as fat. Eventually, a diet of excess carbohydrates can lead to insulin resistance, metabolic conditions, diabetes, and heart disease. Carbohydrates are essential but quality and type are very important.
Roles of Dietary Fat – Dietary fat is essential to give your body energy and support cell function. It helps protect our organs and supports a healthy immune response by controlling the inflammatory and anti-inflammatory process. It must be present to utilize fat soluble vitamins including vitamins A, D, E and K as well as some minerals. It promotes satiety helping to make us feel full and stop eating. The brain utilizes fat for cognition, energy and brain function. Fat helps to make steroid hormones including estrogen and testosterone which are produced in the ovaries, testes, and adrenal glands
Roles of Protein – Protein works as a catalyst for all chemical reactions in the body. It regulates gene expression and makes up the major structural elements of all cells. It rebuilds organ tissue and muscle. It promotes growth of all organs & the muscular system. It aids in normal blood clotting, digestion and energy production. Some proteins are hormones that act as messengers within the body. Protein helps maintain proper pH regulating the acids in our blood and other bodily fluids. Protein helps us maintain our fluid levels and forms antibodies to help fight infection from harmful bacteria and viruses.
While protein comes from many vegetable sources, animal protein provides amino acids that are difficult to get from plant sources. Animal sources provide a more concentrated amount of protein ounce per ounce giving you the nutrients you need, often with fewer calories than eating the equivalent amount of protein in plant form. For example, 3 ounces of beef provides 21 grams of protein and 230 calories whereas 3 ounces of pinto beans provides 7 grams of protein. You would need to eat 3 times more pinto beans at a total of 390 calories to get the same amount protein that you would in 3 ounces of beef.
Personally, I’m very excited to see protein making a comeback because I know and understand how all macronutrients play an important role in our diets including carbohydrates, fats, and protein.
If you have maintained a low or no protein diet for more than a few months, you might find it difficult to digest when you start eating it again. Our bodies slow down the production of certain enzymes to digest protein when we aren’t eating it. Follow these recommendations to slowly build your natural enzymes to enjoy the health benefits of protein once again.
Step 1 – Start with homemade broth from beef, chicken, lamb, turkey, or fish bones. The proteins in broth are already broken down to a point where they are easy to digest yet still trigger the release of digestive enzymes.
Step 2 – After a week or two of incorporating broth into your daily meals, add the easiest animal proteins to digest. These might include small amounts of ground meat, slow roasted or stewed meats, tender dark meat of chicken, fish, eggs, cottage cheese and yogurt. Begin with a small portion in the first few days then increase slowly. Note: When eating eggs be sure to eat the white and the yolk. The yolks contain enzymes that help digest the protein in egg whites. Plus, the yolks are loaded with B vitamins, choline, and other nutrients.
Step 3 – Once you are successfully eating the foods in step 2, you can now add in proteins that are a little harder to digest like chicken breast, lamb, pork, and maybe even a steak if you’d like.
If needed you might also consider some support from a supplement, such as Solgar Digestive Enzymes, in the first 30 to 90 days to help your body transition back to eating protein
Include protein daily in your diet to help you build and maintain healthy muscle, produce adequate hormones, maintain proper pH, balance blood sugar levels, and keep your immune system strong.
