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Newsflash: Nuts and Beans are Not "High Protein" Foods

UponThisRock
UponThisRock Posts: 4,519 Member
edited October 2024 in Food and Nutrition
Every time someone asks for an example of high protein foods, people recommend nuts and beans. You're getting around 8g of protein for every 200 cals or so. That's barely more protein than oatmeal.

I know we've all been indoctrinated by the food pyramid, but please, stop the madness.
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Replies

  • apriltrainer
    apriltrainer Posts: 732 Member
    But they are soo addictive.

    True though.

    when I was noticing my weight starting to creep up again a few weeks ago I realized i was ingesting way too many nuts and nut butters.

    So addictive though.

    Of course now I am ingesting too many christmas cakes and cookies...sigh...

    Got rid of one madness to just enter into another.

    Anways, totally agree!
  • UponThisRock
    UponThisRock Posts: 4,519 Member
    But they are soo addictive.

    True though.

    when I was noticing my weight starting to creep up again a few weeks ago I realized i was ingesting way too many nuts and nut butters.

    So addictive though.

    Of course now I am ingesting too many christmas cakes and cookies...sigh...

    Got rid of one madness to just enter into another.

    Anways, totally agree!

    I can eat some peanut butter, nutella, and almond butter with the best of them. They're an excellent source of DIETARY FAT.
  • jacksonpt
    jacksonpt Posts: 10,413 Member
    Are they not high protein foods, or are they not efficient protein foods? High protein is high protein, regardless of other cals, no?
  • scs143
    scs143 Posts: 2,190 Member
    It's true. I am a vegetarian and people always ask me where I get my protien from. I always answer- nuts and beans, but it's not true. I am lying to them.

    I get it from a protien shake.
  • harriet_tubman
    harriet_tubman Posts: 52
    that's why i say tell people: egg whites.
  • MattGetsMad
    MattGetsMad Posts: 429 Member
    Suck it up?

    6921816.png
  • UponThisRock
    UponThisRock Posts: 4,519 Member
    Are they not high protein foods, or are they not efficient protein foods? High protein is high protein, regardless of other cals, no?

    Efficiency is the way you need look at it, given that calories need to be restricted. A lot of folks around here are eating 1200-1400 calories; you're going to run out of room pretty quick trying to meet your protein needs with almonds.
  • UponThisRock
    UponThisRock Posts: 4,519 Member
    Suck it up?

    6921816.png

    I'm simply making a public service announcement, lol
  • jacksonpt
    jacksonpt Posts: 10,413 Member
    Are they not high protein foods, or are they not efficient protein foods? High protein is high protein, regardless of other cals, no?

    Efficiency is the way you need look at it, given that calories need to be restricted. A lot of folks around here are eating 1200-1400 calories; you're going to run out of room pretty quick trying to meet your protein needs with almonds.

    True, but by the same token, if someone asks for recommendations for high protein foods, why leave off legumes/nuts/seeds? Can't people decide for themselves whether or not the extra calories that come with the protein is "worth it" or not based on their diet?

    The flip side to that is some people have a hard time hitting their calorie goals, so calorie dense foods like these are great options.
  • traceracer
    traceracer Posts: 303 Member
    All I know is that they are good for the heart, good for fiber, and I looooovve them!!!:)
  • stayxtrue
    stayxtrue Posts: 1,186 Member
    Yep! totally agree! I use these foods for my fat intake if anything! But never for protein
  • lessac
    lessac Posts: 105 Member
    I can eat some peanut butter, nutella, and almond butter with the best of them. They're an excellent source of DIETARY FAT.

    Which is another newsflash. Excellence of monounsaturated fats, that I'd beg to differ.
  • SimplyShanRunning
    SimplyShanRunning Posts: 885 Member
    :flowerforyou: I like nutbutter.....Justins is amazing....thats all Ive got to add
  • CandeesLand
    CandeesLand Posts: 200
    I'm simply making a public service announcement, lol
    [/quote]

    The more you know!
    http://uscerock.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/TheMoreYouKnow.jpg
  • lhabedank
    lhabedank Posts: 149 Member
    i agree with this 100%, for the calories i do not consider nuts and beans "high" protein. Its amazing what is printed out there. I just read an article in a very popular fitness type magazine that said cream of wheat was equal to an egg in protein, plus with the cream of wheat you get extra fiber. Well, i was doing some math of my own and it looked to me like the cream of wheat is double the calories and half the protein! I'll give them the fiber. But really, people read these articles and start eating cream of wheat instead of an egg and wonder why the gain weight...duh.
  • MattGetsMad
    MattGetsMad Posts: 429 Member
    :flowerforyou: I like nutbutter.....Justins is amazing....thats all Ive got to add

    Hope "Justins" is a brand name. that's all I've got to add.

    6921816.png
  • SimplyShanRunning
    SimplyShanRunning Posts: 885 Member
    :flowerforyou: I like nutbutter.....Justins is amazing....thats all Ive got to add

    Hope "Justins" is a brand name. that's all I've got to add.

    [

    It is! Have you never had it??? Its yum!
  • traceracer
    traceracer Posts: 303 Member
    :flowerforyou: I like nutbutter.....Justins is amazing....thats all Ive got to add

    Hope "Justins" is a brand name. that's all I've got to add.

    6921816.png
    :laugh: :laugh: :laugh: :laugh: :laugh: :laugh:
  • UponThisRock
    UponThisRock Posts: 4,519 Member
    Are they not high protein foods, or are they not efficient protein foods? High protein is high protein, regardless of other cals, no?

    Efficiency is the way you need look at it, given that calories need to be restricted. A lot of folks around here are eating 1200-1400 calories; you're going to run out of room pretty quick trying to meet your protein needs with almonds.

    True, but by the same token, if someone asks for recommendations for high protein foods, why leave off legumes/nuts/seeds? Can't people decide for themselves whether or not the extra calories that come with the protein is "worth it" or not based on their diet?

    The flip side to that is some people have a hard time hitting their calorie goals, so calorie dense foods like these are great options.

    I've seen nuts given as a recommendation when asked about "high protein, low calorie " snacks.

    Even on a per serving basis, calling something with ,10g of protein "high in protein" is an awfully lose definition of "high," especially when something like nuts are higher in fat than they are in protein. As I said, we may as well be calling oatmeal or whole wheat bread "high protein foods."
  • Jade_Butterfly
    Jade_Butterfly Posts: 2,963 Member
    Thank you for this PUBLIC service announcement. I am sure that as a lot of us here go through our health and fitness journey, we will find what personally works for each and every one of us. So as for vegetarians, and people that want to limit the amount of meat and high fat foods consumed in their diets nuts and beans are a good option. They have a nice amount of protein as well as fiber.

    Fiber which helps to lower bad cholesterol levels, which you don't find in say meat. so before you go making such statements you should consider what you as well as other peoples goals are. I for one am trying to lower my cholesterol, so nuts and beans are a good option for me. Just a thought. Thanks:flowerforyou:
  • UponThisRock
    UponThisRock Posts: 4,519 Member
    All I know is that they are good for the heart, good for fiber, and I looooovve them!!!:)

    I agree
  • UponThisRock
    UponThisRock Posts: 4,519 Member
    I can eat some peanut butter, nutella, and almond butter with the best of them. They're an excellent source of DIETARY FAT.

    Which is another newsflash. Excellence of monounsaturated fats, that I'd beg to differ.

    are you saying that monounsaturated fats aren't healthy?
  • CandeesLand
    CandeesLand Posts: 200
    I'm simply making a public service announcement, lol
    [/quote]

    The more you know!
    http://uscerock.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/TheMoreYouKnow.jpg
  • UponThisRock
    UponThisRock Posts: 4,519 Member
    Thank you for this PUBLIC service announcement. I am sure that as a lot of us here go through our health and fitness journey, we will find what personally works for each and every one of us. So as for vegetarians, and people that want to limit the amount of meat and high fat foods consumed in their diets nuts and beans are a good option. They have a nice amount of protein as well as fiber.

    Fiber which helps to lower bad cholesterol levels, which you don't find in say meat. so before you go making such statements you should consider what you as well as other peoples goals are. I for one am trying to lower my cholesterol, so nuts and beans are a good option for me. Just a thought. Thanks:flowerforyou:

    I never said they weren't a "good option," or that they don't have other health benefits, or that everyone should be eating meat instead of nuts and beans. I'm simply saying that they should not be given as a recommendation for a food that's "high" in protein.

    For what it's worth, I had some pecans for lunch and will be eating beans for dinner, lol.
  • bcattoes
    bcattoes Posts: 17,299 Member
    All I know is that they are good for the heart, good for fiber, and I looooovve them!!!:)

    Me too! Beans and nuts are 2 of my main sources of protein.
  • lessac
    lessac Posts: 105 Member
    are you saying that monounsaturated fats aren't healthy?

    No, I'm saying it's wiser to choose polyunsaturated over monounsaturated because monounsaturateds may not necessarily lower LDL or improve HDL and in hypercholesterolemic patients, especially palmitoleic acid may behave like a saturated fatty acid. I say 'may' as I don't remember reading more than a handful of articles and am not aware of a proven fact and even if I was, I would be cynical about it.
  • UponThisRock
    UponThisRock Posts: 4,519 Member
    are you saying that monounsaturated fats aren't healthy?

    No, I'm saying it's wiser to choose polyunsaturated over monounsaturated because monounsaturateds may not necessarily lower LDL or improve HDL and in hypercholesterolemic patients, especially palmitoleic acid may behave like a saturated fatty acid. I say 'may' as I don't remember reading more than a handful of articles and am not aware of a proven fact and even if I was, I would be cynical about it.

    I suppose this could be relevant if my cholesterol numbers were bad, which they're not.
  • cramernh
    cramernh Posts: 3,335 Member
    Every time someone asks for an example of high protein foods, people recommend nuts and beans. You're getting around 8g of protein for every 200 cals or so. That's barely more protein than oatmeal.

    I know we've all been indoctrinated by the food pyramid, but please, stop the madness.

    Im a firm believer that the wretched Food Pyramid is nothing more than a way to convince people to concentrate on the foods stemming from big-corporate farms, hatcheries, meat production companies that have such heavy government backing that bring our local farmers to their knees, losing their dignity.

    My Endo (who is from India) never could understand how the American Government can advocate for a 'belief' that clearly does not define the individual person.

    About 10 years ago, Ive been hospitalized for damn near having insulin shock because my body wouldnt SHUT OFF the insulin production because I had so many carbohydrates in my system that I could not digest nor dump out of my body fast enough.... The Endo I finally found six months ago diagnosed me with some rare metabolic issues that require elimination of anything in the bread-grains group and the fruit and full-fat dairy sections of the pyramid..

    My ticker is looking pretty damn good to me if I do say so myself!~

    Pyramid my *kitten*! LOL!
  • VeganGal84
    VeganGal84 Posts: 938 Member
    I am vegan and get my protein from nuts and beans. AND whole grains. I actually do consider oatmeal to be a high protein food.
  • msbobbitx
    msbobbitx Posts: 66 Member
    That's a good point. As the Chick-fil-A cows say, "Eat mor chickin'!" ';-)
This discussion has been closed.

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