The myth of high protein grains

KavemanKarg
KavemanKarg Posts: 266 Member
edited October 2024 in Food and Nutrition
Constantly seeing certain grains and grain like foods being referred to as high in protein. The only point I am wanting to make here is that grains are only high in protein when compared with OTHER GRAINS. Its like comparing vitamin C levels in different types of sugar and saying one is high in vitamin C because it has more then the other. It is pointless. Eat an orange!

The same logic applies to protein. If you want protein, and if you want to recommend protein, recommend foods with protein dense nutrition profiles.

The numbers do not stand up in my mind. These foods seem to be high carb (which they are not marketed as) instead of high fiber and high protein (which they are marketed as, but that is seemingly not true) with possibly the exception of fermented soy beans, which seem to rock, so I am going to try them! I love learning something new :)

Lets baseline with something that actually is high protein, based on 100 calories for equalization:

100 cals of spinach
12 grams protein
15 grams carbs, 9 of which are fiber
1 gram of polyunsaturated fat

100 cals of salmon
11 grams of protein
1 gram of healthy fat (saturated but does anyone dispute fish oil is healthy?)
Trace carbs

100 calories of hemp hearts
6 grams of protein
8 grams of fat, 6 of those polyunsaturated, and high in omega 3
2 grams carbs, one of which is fiber

100 cals of Steak
10 grams protein
7 grams fat (mm love my fat, I am sure others will call it the devil)

Now lets look at grains and other foods credited as high protein:

100 calories Dempsters Ancient Grains Bread (.83 slices)
3 grams protein
2 grams fat, one of which is polyunsaturated
17 grams of carbs, 2 of which are fiber (We call this high fiber food?)

100 cals Ezekiel Bread (1.25 slices)
5 grams protein
19 grams carbs, 4 of which arefiber (another supposedly high fiber product that can't hold a candle to vegetables)

100 cals qinoa (.8 x 1/2 cup)
4 grams protein (They must have some marketing board to be promoted as high protein)
19 grams carbs, (Edit, cannot find accurate fiber count, sites seem to disagree)
2 grams fat

100 cals of kidney beans
6 grams protein
18 grams carbs, 5 of which are fiber
Trace fat if any

100 cals of fermented soy beans
8 grams of protein
6 grams of carbs, 4 of which are fiber
1 gram of fat

And for a laugh

100 cals, 0.62x2/3 cup of quaker instant oats "High fiber" version, cinnamon and raisin
2 grams protein
20 grams carbs, 2 of which are fiber (high fiber on the label... huh? 10 percent of its carbs are fiber!!!! This is HIGH STARCH and SUGAR not high fiber!)
1 gram of fat

In conclusion, relying on grains and qinoa for protein is a great way to end up eating a tonne of carbs and calories and get very little protein. Especially if you are following calorie restriction and trying to stay under 1500 a day.

I guess in my personal dictionary, when a food is marketed as high protein, I would expect the protein grams number to be at least approaching the carb number. I mean, is it to much to expect that in "high protein foods" are actually high in protein relative to their calories?

Replies

  • jjhanlon
    jjhanlon Posts: 74 Member
    I agree that labeling (pretty much) any grain product "high protein" is laughable. I got sucked in to the whole quinoa thing, and only looked up the actual nutrition facts after I purchased some. I haven't used much! High carbs kind of cancel out the little bit of protein that these foods offer. You have a really good point! And the 100 calorie comparison is really an eye-opener! Thanks for sharing :happy:
  • KavemanKarg
    KavemanKarg Posts: 266 Member
    I agree that labeling (pretty much) any grain product "high protein" is laughable. I got sucked in to the whole quinoa thing, and only looked up the actual nutrition facts after I purchased some. I haven't used much! High carbs kind of cancel out the little bit of protein that these foods offer. You have a really good point! And the 100 calorie comparison is really an eye-opener! Thanks for sharing :happy:

    Thanks, and the point I am trying to make in this thread is not to bash grains, just lets not promote them as some magical substance they are not.

    Bread for carbs, fish for protein. Its not rocket science :)
  • melaniecheeks
    melaniecheeks Posts: 6,349 Member
    Not sure where your info on the protein content of spinach is coming from!!!

    I think the point is that quinoa and the like are good alternatives to rice or bread -and a useful way of getting a bit more protein in. But Not instead of the fish/ meat primary sources.
  • KavemanKarg
    KavemanKarg Posts: 266 Member
    Not sure where your info on the protein content of spinach is coming from!!!

    I think the point is that quinoa and the like are good alternatives to rice or bread -and a useful way of getting a bit more protein in. But Not instead of the fish/ meat primary sources.

    I agree, compared to other grains perhaps it has more protein.

    As for 100 calories of spinach, look it up in the tool of your choice. 100 calories of spinach has more protein than 100 calories of any grain.
  • troymohrland
    troymohrland Posts: 1 Member
    I think the spinach facts are correct.

    It was stated as 100 calories of spinach, that would be around 14 cups since spinach is 7 calories per cup.

    Now if you were only to eat a cup of spinach that's .9 g protein and 7 calories.
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