The protein debate.

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maverickyanda
maverickyanda Posts: 422 Member
in Food and Nutrition
Last time I checked, MFP wasn't run by the AMA or AASM or anything like that and I figure almost anything here is up for debate so I'm going to repost this article:

http://lowcarbdiets.about.com/od/nutrition/a/protein.htm



"Is it OK to eat a lot more protein than the minimum recommendations?
This is the crucial question for people on diets which are higher in protein than usual, as low carb diets tend to be. In a review of the research, the National Academy of Sciences reported that the only known danger from high protein diets is for individuals with kidney disease. After careful study, they recommend that 10 percent to 35 percent of daily calories come from protein. They point out that increased protein could be helpful in treating obesity. There is also accumulating evidence that extra protein may help prevent osteoporosis.

Extra protein can be broken down into glucose in a process called gluconeogenesis. On low carb diets, this happens continually. One benefit of obtaining glucose from protein is that it is absorbed into the bloodstream very slowly, so it doesn’t cause a rapid blood sugar increase."

Replies

  • maverickyanda
    maverickyanda Posts: 422 Member
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    Last time I checked, MFP wasn't run by the AMA or AASM or anything like that and I figure almost anything here is up for debate so I'm going to repost this article:

    http://lowcarbdiets.about.com/od/nutrition/a/protein.htm



    "Is it OK to eat a lot more protein than the minimum recommendations?
    This is the crucial question for people on diets which are higher in protein than usual, as low carb diets tend to be. In a review of the research, the National Academy of Sciences reported that the only known danger from high protein diets is for individuals with kidney disease. After careful study, they recommend that 10 percent to 35 percent of daily calories come from protein. They point out that increased protein could be helpful in treating obesity. There is also accumulating evidence that extra protein may help prevent osteoporosis.

    Extra protein can be broken down into glucose in a process called gluconeogenesis. On low carb diets, this happens continually. One benefit of obtaining glucose from protein is that it is absorbed into the bloodstream very slowly, so it doesn’t cause a rapid blood sugar increase."
  • hamilton4beaumont
    hamilton4beaumont Posts: 122 Member
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    I've always been concerned about this! I'm always under on carbs and over on protein. Like today I did a weight sculpting class and cardio... I've had a little over 100 grams of protein... YIKES! That seems crazy doesn't it? I don't know how to avoid it though since I drink 3 glasses of skim milk everyday. You guys think that's too much. Shorerider showed me a great site from USDA and it did say to have 3 servings of milk a day. But that always sends me over on protein... and sugar! :grumble:
  • Helawat
    Helawat Posts: 605 Member
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    Many people make the mistake of thinking you can never get too much protein. They associate protein with growth and assume more is better. They couldn't be more wrong. Once your body gets the amount of protein it needs, it converts the rest to energy, and if you already have enough energy, it is converted to fat. Obviously, this is not what you have in mind when you order the cottage cheese and hamburger diet plate!

    Too much protein can also rob the body of its bone-strengthening calcium stores and has been implicated in osteoporosis. Although most people's kidneys can handle the job, eating excessive amounts of protein does put a strain on your kidneys, whose job it is to filter out the by-products of protein digestion.

    Just as with sugar, protein's biggest problem is the company it keeps. Protein and fat just seem to go hand-in-hand. Think about it. High-protein foods are very frequently high-fat foods: meat, milk, and cheeses. Fortunately, there are low-fat choices, including skim milk, reduced-fat cheeses, and lean meats.

    If you don't choose low-fat options and consistently eat foods with too much fat, you'll gain weight. That's because fat provides nine calories per gram -- more than twice the four calories per gram provided by either carbohydrate or protein. But fat is also essential to life. It's a source of linoleic and linolenic acids, which are essential fatty acids, and it's needed for brain functioning and absorbing fat-soluble nutrients.

    http://recipes.howstuffworks.com/how-nutrition-works3.htm
  • bwfc123
    bwfc123 Posts: 5
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    Most people that I know who went the high protein route, ended up falling off the waggon because it was such a chore to cook and eat all that meat. Your metabilism changes drastically on such a diet, but you usually get instant gratification on the scales. This is largely due to having to go pee every 20 minutes for the first 2 weeks, and then the fat burning really kicks in. For me, I found myself feeling half asleep for most of the day as I transitioned from a higher carb diet.

    Now that the fad is largely history, I believe I would see a doctor first if I had it to do all over again. You really need to know if your kidneys can handle the load put on them from the huge amounts of protein.

    I have said it before, and here it is again: Go over on protein, but eat good carbs and stay within your calorie limit. This is not a diet. This is a lifestyle change. If you go too extreme, you will have a difficult time sticking too it. Then you'll be back at the beginning again, and very disappointed.
  • songbyrdsweet
    songbyrdsweet Posts: 5,691 Member
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    If you don't choose low-fat options and consistently eat foods with too much fat, you'll gain weight. That's because fat provides nine calories per gram -- more than twice the four calories per gram provided by either carbohydrate or protein.
    http://recipes.howstuffworks.com/how-nutrition-works3.htm

    Well that's simply untrue, honestly. You don't gain weight from eating a high-fat diet. You gain weight from eating too many calories. The ketogenic diet is very high in fat, and it allows for fat loss as effectively as lower-fat diets. I eat plenty of peanut butter, I eat steak every once in a while, and I eat plenty of fairly-fatty fish and some eel.

    I do agree that you can have too much protein, and it's important to take calcium and vitamin D supplements if you're eating a higher-protein diet. But eating 100 g of protein isn't something to be concerned about unless you've been diagnosed with some stage of renal failure.
  • hamilton4beaumont
    hamilton4beaumont Posts: 122 Member
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    OK! Thank you for that answer! So 100 isn't too much to worry about. I have just started weight lifting and doing sculpt classes at my gym!:happy: So i do want to build and repair muscles. I starved myself for years so it may take time for my body to gain FAT back as i'm trying to eat like a normal person! I did a sculpt class last night and quickly realized that I wasn't really "working out" when I worked on the machines. WOWSERS! My legs hurt so badly today I can't stand it, but inside I'm excited b/c I'm hoping this means I built and worked some muscles!!!

    Thank you for the specific answer! Using phrases like "too much or too little" often sends me to extremes not knowing numbers! I'm a goof, I know!

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