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Protein: Brassica, Not Whey!


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Hopefully none of us here consume whey!

 

I read this nifty article that Fallen Horse posted. Thanks, Fallen Horse! http://www.suntimes.com/lifestyles/12891917-423/our-preoccupation-with-protein.html

 

I decided to post a comment, which then turned into me writing a book, so I decided to post it here in case anyone wanted to read it.

 

We all know that lunk at the gym who drinks 4 protein shakes per day, but has probably never even seen a kale leaf!

 

I agree with the article that most people in the U.S. are way too preoccupied with protein! I'm a hardcore athlete and I'm lucky if I get 80 grams per day.

 

The recommended daily intake of protein for the average person is only 0.8 grams per kilogram of body-weight. Thus, a 150 lb. person really only needs 55 grams of protein per day.

For my clients who are lifting weights and interested in building muscle, I usually recommend that they increase their protein intake beyond the RDA value to about 1 gram of protein per kilogram of body-weight. A 150 lb. serious weightlifter needs at least 68 grams.

For hardcore elite-level athletes, studies show that a protein intake of up to 1.4 grams per kilogram of body-weight can be beneficial. A 150 lb. hardcore athlete should aim for 95 grams.

 

Unfortunately, many fitness magazines (and the supplement companies they are funded by) run all sorts of misinformation campaigns in which they try to convince people of all sorts of unscientific nonsense.

 

My favorite protein myths are:

 

1. "You have to eat 1-2 grams of protein per pound of body-weight." This is by far the most ridiculous protein myth. The fact that this myth employs two different systems of measurement should be a clear giveaway that this claim is not scientific. Protein intake is measured in grams of protein per kilogram of body-weight. This first myth is not only inconvenient and potentially expensive, but excessive protein intake can also strain the kidneys as well as cause other minor digestive problems like constipation. Another problem is that focusing so much on protein intake can sometimes distract from obtaining other more important nutrients, especially micronutrients and phytonutrients. I'm sure you get more than enough protein already, but do you get enough calcium and Vitamin A? Add some collard greens to your diet! Collards are not only the most nutrient dense food on the planet, but they are also a good source of protein. They receive a nutrient balance (completeness score) of 81. A measly 30 calories worth of collards boasts 5% of the daily value (RDA) for protein, 133% Vitamin A, 59% Vitamin C, 11% Vitamin E, 638% Vitamin K, 8% Riboflavin, 8% B6, 41% Folate, 14% fiber, 14% Calcium, 14% and Manganese just to name a few. When I eat collards, I don't eat 30 calories worth, I eat about 200 calories worth, representing 7 times the above percentages. You do the math

 

http://i48.tinypic.com/2115ruq.jpg

 

When you compare a Brassica vegetable like collard greens, (our state food!) to a protein powder in terms of number of nutrients by weight or in terms of number of nutrients per energy content, collard greens are more nutritious either way, and in the case of the latter, collard greens are orders of magnitude more nutritious. Here is a commercial protein powder; it receives a nutrient balance (completeness score) of 34. There is far less nutrition in 100 calories worth of protein powder than in 30 calories worth of collard greens.

 

http://i48.tinypic.com/15ects.jpg

 

2. "You have to consume protein every 2-3 hours or you will go into a catabolic starvation mode state and start burning muscle for fuel, plus eating every 2-3 hours will increase your metabolism." Neither of these statements are even remotely true. Most people have plenty enough glycogen stores and stored body-fat that they could probably go days without eating before the body would seriously start breaking down muscle tissue for fuel. Although heart rate, oxygen consumption, and several other variables do affect energy sourcing, most generally, the order in which the body burns sources of energy is as follows: Alcohol, high-glycemic carbs (simple sugars), low-glycemic carbs and plasma free fatty acids, glycogen stored in the liver, glycogen stored in the muscle, and stored body-fat. Burning muscle tissue for fuel would be an absolute last resort and generally only occurs in starving individuals, such as anorexic populations or people in certain undeveloped countries. However, this myth helps supplement companies sell protein bars and protein shakes. Convince people they need protein every 2-3 hours + the fact that most people don't have time to cook every 2-3 hours = higher sales of convenient protein supplements.

 

3. "You have to consume protein within 30-45 minutes of your workout or your workout was a complete waste and even counterproductive." Sure, protein is important, but the main concern after a tough workout is replacing glycogen stores. High-glycemic simple sugars should be your first priority after a tough workout. I like fresh fruit and 100% fruit juice after a workout. Then you can prepare a large nutritious meal with some protein in it when you get home. This myth persists because convincing people that they need to consume 85739959372^47283 grams of protein within 0.000003 seconds of finishing their workout helps supplement companies sell more protein bars and protein shakes.

 

Almost everyone in this country has some type of vitamin, mineral, other micronutrient, or phytonutrient deficiency. Protein deficiency, however, is almost unheard of:

http://i46.tinypic.com/2cpxg9e.png

Mail your protein powders and shakes to Africa where they belong!

 

The time you eat and the frequency at which you eat are of relatively little importance unless you have diabetes, hypoglycemia, or some other metabolic disease.

 

Eat whole natural foods from the Earth (organic when possible). If you could find it in the wild, it is probably healthy for you. If it comes packaged and processed and shipped from 4000 miles away and has 50 ingredients you can't pronounce, it is probably not healthy for you. If you are a serious weight-lifter, make sure you get at least 1 gram of protein per kilogram of body-weight. If you are a hardcore athlete, increase your protein to 1.4 grams of protein per kilogram of body-weight.

 

Put down the protein powder and pick up some bok choy!!!! If you aren't a cabbage fan, you can be like Popeye. http://veganismisthefuture.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/popeye_go_vegan_by_jimotaku-d396dmd.jpg

Popeye is a VEGAN BEAST!!

Edited by trainer_j0hn
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