Protein: the necessary evil?
SmokinJoe77
Posts: 14 Member
Who should we believe about protein?
Animal protein is bad because it causes inflammation all over the human body and promotes cancer. http://nutritionfacts.org/2012/09/20/why-meat-causes-inflammation/
Soy products are high in protein but are bad (for men) because of the estrogen, Omega 6 and a host of other things. http://authoritynutrition.com/is-soy-bad-for-you-or-good/
Seitan is probably one of the highest sources of protein but is bas because it’s basically pure gluten, and gluten is of the devil, right? http://authoritynutrition.com/6-shocking-reasons-why-gluten-is-bad/
Ok, so here are my opinions, but I would love to hear from the community. Lean meats and seafood are better for you than red meat and, in moderation, also provide needed amino acids and other nutrients. Soy (Tofu/Tempeh) is touted as one of the world’s healthiest foods – high is protein, calcium, Omega 3’s and a ton of other stuff. Asians have eaten this stuff for thousands of years and are historically some of the longest-living people in the world. Seitan is also a staple in many Asian countries. It’s high protein and low in fat and carbs and a good source of iron. If you make it at home, you can control the sodium content.
My girlfriend and I are going to kick off the New Year with a pretty intense strength training regimen and will need to significantly increase our protein intake (compared to what we are getting today). This year, we’ve changed our diet lifestyle to one of whole-foods/plant based. We still eat meat from time to time, but try to limit that to chicken and seafood and only about 5%-10% of our weekly diet typically includes meat. We want to stay on this path to a vegetarian (and maybe eventually vegan) lifestyle. Through this approach, and sticking to a moderate workout routine, we’ve lost about 100 pounds collectively since January.
The punchline, I guess, is “where can I get protein that won’t lead to man-boobs or cancer?”
Animal protein is bad because it causes inflammation all over the human body and promotes cancer. http://nutritionfacts.org/2012/09/20/why-meat-causes-inflammation/
Soy products are high in protein but are bad (for men) because of the estrogen, Omega 6 and a host of other things. http://authoritynutrition.com/is-soy-bad-for-you-or-good/
Seitan is probably one of the highest sources of protein but is bas because it’s basically pure gluten, and gluten is of the devil, right? http://authoritynutrition.com/6-shocking-reasons-why-gluten-is-bad/
Ok, so here are my opinions, but I would love to hear from the community. Lean meats and seafood are better for you than red meat and, in moderation, also provide needed amino acids and other nutrients. Soy (Tofu/Tempeh) is touted as one of the world’s healthiest foods – high is protein, calcium, Omega 3’s and a ton of other stuff. Asians have eaten this stuff for thousands of years and are historically some of the longest-living people in the world. Seitan is also a staple in many Asian countries. It’s high protein and low in fat and carbs and a good source of iron. If you make it at home, you can control the sodium content.
My girlfriend and I are going to kick off the New Year with a pretty intense strength training regimen and will need to significantly increase our protein intake (compared to what we are getting today). This year, we’ve changed our diet lifestyle to one of whole-foods/plant based. We still eat meat from time to time, but try to limit that to chicken and seafood and only about 5%-10% of our weekly diet typically includes meat. We want to stay on this path to a vegetarian (and maybe eventually vegan) lifestyle. Through this approach, and sticking to a moderate workout routine, we’ve lost about 100 pounds collectively since January.
The punchline, I guess, is “where can I get protein that won’t lead to man-boobs or cancer?”
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Replies
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That's crazy paranoid in my opinion, there is someone somewhere saying any kind of food at all is bad for you. If you like tofu, though, and don't want to eat soy, there is hemp tofu. The brand Tempt sells it at Whole Foods, and you can also make your own. The Tempt one is decent. The texture is different from soy tofu but it's not bad.0
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LOL - I agree about it being crazy paranoid. Though, it's what's going on in the world today. Thanks for the feedback - I'm going to swing by Whole Foods on my way home and see if I can find Hemp Tofu. I bet it's got more protein in it (hemp seed is pretty high protein too).0
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The whole gluten thing is what confounds me. Yes, some tiny percentage of people have a sensitivity to it, but that doesn't mean we have to apply it to everyone. If we apply the same logic, we should all avoid milk and peanuts too. ~Scott0
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Seriously?? No, you probably shouldn't eat your weight in tofu or steak every day. You shouldn't eat your weight in carrots, either. Anything in excess can be detrimental to your health, but animal protein, soy and seitan are all fine in moderation.
Do you have an issue with eggs or dairy? Both are good sources of vegetarian protein. I average 120g of veg protein daily, mostly from eggs, whey, cottage cheese, yogurt and legumes.
FWIW, unless you've been diagnosed with Celiac disease, gluten is fine for you. Gluten-free, unless you have Celiac, is a fad.0 -
Gluten, pffffft. My guy is full on allergic to WHEAT. And gluten free doesn't always equal wheat free. He of course found out about his alergy after two years of making fun of "gluten free hipsters"! Ha haaa! Sucker! *cough* anyway. Different people need different things. He NEEDS to avoid wheat as much as possible to be healthy. And I NEED to devour half my weight in animal protein every day to feel healthy. Seriously though my protein macros are crazy high.
Stop worrying about trends and listen to your body. And not as a couple, you guys don't share a body. Figure out individually what your bodies need to perform optimally. It could be COMPLETELY different things. Good luck.0 -
Protein evil? Trollololololololol.0
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if you don't want that steak, can I haz it?0
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Be more skeptical of your sources. Both of the sources you cite (Authority nutrition especially, but the other one also looks pretty sketchy to me) talk a lot of noise about being "science-based" but appear to be advocacy entities that cherry pick *which* scientific studies they cite in order to confirm their own biases or the personal hobbyhorses of their owner / editors.
It's hard for us laypeople to know who to trust, but in general you're safer with:
1. Peer-reviewed research
2. Non-biased, independent objective organizations, ideally ones you've ACTUALLY heard of for clinical experience (e.g. the Mayo Clinic) or for working with medical professionals in a broad-based way (American Heart Association, American Cancer Society). If the organization exists solely for the purpose of disseminating information to non-professionals like you and me, consider them suspect: they're selling something: either your eyeballs to advertisers, or they're true believers in some specific point of view that medical professionals WON'T accept.0 -
Who should we believe about protein?
I would start with either better sources for research, and/or reading what you have found more thoroughly.0 -
Firstly, you're comparing a broscience blogger with a medical doctor.
I'd stick to one source for a start and then check out the actual studies
that are being reviewed.
Protein is good and necessary, though animal protein has it's problems.
http://nutritionfacts.org/topics/animal-protein
Plant protein is preferred:
http://nutritionfacts.org/topics/plant-protein/
And gluten is fine for 98/99% of us:
http://nutritionfacts.org/topics/gluten/
As others have said, review the science. Nutrition Facts has all sources
cited for your own review.0 -
On here, you will see numerous threads about how carbs will kill you. You will occasionally see a thread about how fat will make you fat, and now there's a thread about how protein is bad for you as well.
Obviously, the only true solution is to just stop eating.0 -
You will find someone saying something bad about every kind of food on internet. All food has some risks nothing is 100% pure and good water ground etc all now have chemicals in them. Protein is good I do eat around my weight in grams of protein but I also feel better, have energy and all lab work from MD is positive so I am going to keep going and living life and not being afraid of it.0
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FYI, that site is run by a militant vegan activistFirstly, you're comparing a broscience blogger with a medical doctor.
I'd stick to one source for a start and then check out the actual studies
that are being reviewed.
Protein is good and necessary, though animal protein has it's problems.
http://nutritionfacts.org/topics/animal-protein
Plant protein is preferred:
http://nutritionfacts.org/topics/plant-protein/
And gluten is fine for 98/99% of us:
http://nutritionfacts.org/topics/gluten/
As others have said, review the science. Nutrition Facts has all sources
cited for your own review.0 -
Focus on overall calories, overall macros and eat a variety of food. That's 99% of the equation. Focusing on the supposed "dangers" of animal protein, gluten, etc is pretty silly unless you have specific medical conditions that warrant it.0
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The first thing it says on the OP's page is that he recently watched Forks Over Knives. He should be right at home with the militant vegan crowd.
FYI, that site is run by a militant vegan activistFirstly, you're comparing a broscience blogger with a medical doctor.
I'd stick to one source for a start and then check out the actual studies
that are being reviewed.
Protein is good and necessary, though animal protein has it's problems.
http://nutritionfacts.org/topics/animal-protein
Plant protein is preferred:
http://nutritionfacts.org/topics/plant-protein/
And gluten is fine for 98/99% of us:
http://nutritionfacts.org/topics/gluten/
As others have said, review the science. Nutrition Facts has all sources
cited for your own review.0 -
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Let's be clear
Animal protein is bad because it contains hormones and anti-biotics.
Soy products are high in protein but are bad when eaten in excessive amounts.
Gluten and by association wheat is of the devil because it has been Genetically Modified. Think about it, how many celiacs did you know 20 years ago?
Farm raised seafood is raised in fresh water (unnatural). It is fed corn, wheat and they eat their own poop!. Imagine the bacteria. Read the ingredients on a can of farm raised salmon and you will find "added color"! Wild Seafood is the only sea food you should eat. Wild seafood lives in salt water which has antibacterial and preserving properties when applied in abundance to foods. Salt water deters the reproduction of many microorganisms.
Also, by the RDA's own guidelines, a male needs only 56 grams of protein per day, a woman needs only 46!
Now you have the facts!0 -
Well, I like beans. You can usually get about 14grams of protein, complex carbs/fiber, vitamins for about 200 calories of light red kidney beans.
A cup of cooked spinach gives you about 5 grams of protein for only about 40 calories.0 -
Let's be clear
Animal protein is bad because it contains hormones and anti-biotics.
Soy products are high in protein but are bad when eaten in excessive amounts.
Gluten and by association wheat is of the devil because it has been Genetically Modified. Think about it, how many celiacs did you know 20 years ago?
Farm raised seafood is raised in fresh water (unnatural). It is fed corn, wheat and they eat their own poop!. Imagine the bacteria. Read the ingredients on a can of farm raised salmon and you will find "added color"! Wild Seafood is the only sea food you should eat. Wild seafood lives in salt water which has antibacterial and preserving properties when applied in abundance to foods. Salt water deters the reproduction of many microorganisms.
Also, by the RDA's own guidelines, a male needs only 56 grams of protein per day, a woman needs only 46!
Now you have the facts!
Good post. So the only thing safe to eat is wild-caught seafood. Well, until the mercury kills you, right?
Good suggestion on the protein intake too, I definitely think he should try his "pretty intense strength training regimen" on only 56g of protein a day. I'm sure that will work out just fine.0 -
A life without red meat, dairy and gluten is not a life worth living IMHO. No steak, no bacon, no ice cream, no blueberry muffins?
the idea makes me
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Even if you believe the 'meat is killing you' hype, and think it applies to moderate intake, it is not the protein that is the issue0
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This page pretty much covers it when it comes to protein: http://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/what-should-you-eat/protein/
Best source of science-based information that fights to be non-partisan in any way: Harvard School of Public Health's NutritionSource. They even talk about their internal arguments among scientists that help them decide what is the best information to put on the site.
http://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/0 -
I don't put much stock into these fads or questionable statistics that skew the information in whatever direction they see fit. I don't know if it is any help to you, but what I do is avoid (as much as possible) processed foods, anything with aspartame and any excess over my daily needs (proteins, sugars, carbs).0
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Moderation in everything including moderation, all the sources you cite are ok, I would avoid soy , in large quantities, because of the oestrogen issue , a few portions of red meat are fine but I would stick to organic and grass fed (because it is higher in cla)0
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Let's be clear
Animal protein is bad because it contains hormones and anti-biotics.
Soy products are high in protein but are bad when eaten in excessive amounts.
Gluten and by association wheat is of the devil because it has been Genetically Modified. Think about it, how many celiacs did you know 20 years ago?
Farm raised seafood is raised in fresh water (unnatural). It is fed corn, wheat and they eat their own poop!. Imagine the bacteria. Read the ingredients on a can of farm raised salmon and you will find "added color"! Wild Seafood is the only sea food you should eat. Wild seafood lives in salt water which has antibacterial and preserving properties when applied in abundance to foods. Salt water deters the reproduction of many microorganisms.
Also, by the RDA's own guidelines, a male needs only 56 grams of protein per day, a woman needs only 46!
Now you have the facts!
Facepalm.jpg0 -
What I believe, is there are no perfect foods. Foods that are great in some ways, are also potentially bad in other ways. The way you deal with that, in my opinion, is you eat a balanced diet. Eat some meat, eat some fish, eat some dairy, eat some greens, eat some fruit, eat some non-starchy veg, eat some starchy veg, eat some grains. Your body is an ecosystem like any other, and needs a variety of things, at least that's the way I see it. Even alcohol for example is shown to have positive benefits in moderate doses! :-)0
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You're making New Year plans in early October???
:huh:
I'm apparently doing it wrong.0 -
Protein is the Debil, Bobby.0
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There certainly is a lot of conflicting information out there. You really have to do your best to consider the source of your information. If they cite studies, go read the studies yourself. Be critical of the study methodologies and the conclusions based on the evidence. Is it controlled and peer reviewed? Were the studies done on human subjects?
It gets really dicey out there because you'll have one study that the media or someone will pick up on and exploit or exaggerate what it really concludes, if anything. So then you are interpreting an interpretation (the article) of an interpretation (the study) of a snapshot (the data) of reality. No easy answers.
Over time we can get a better sense of the reality of the situation because there will be many studies done and there will be some kind of consensus among the gathered data.
So about the protein, I think most of the things you brought up are overhyped paranoia thanks to sensational reporting/interpretation and general stupidity when it comes to allowing ourselves to be swung about by the "latest piece of research." Go for a variety of sources and aim for complete protein (all the essential amino acids) whether that is by complete sources or complimenting. Keep in mind there is also something to be said for the "quality" of a protein source. Also keep in mind that if you really want to go vegetarian, it will be much more difficult, and if you go vegan, it will be much, much, much more difficult, spelled s-u-p-p-l-e-m-e-n-t.0 -
Here is the thing that people fail to understand about nutrition.
A healthy diet is comprised of a variety of foods, as well as a variety of proteins. Too much of anything can tip the balance of a well-balanced diet and have detrimental effects.
Vegans generally aren't vegan for the sake of health benefits. And it is extremely difficult to maximize the benefit of your strength program without sufficient protein.
You're going to have to decide which regimen is more beneficial, the omission of animal protein (unbalancing your diet) or maximizing your strength potential.0
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