I’ve blogged about the other 2 macronutrients already (carbs and fat) and get a lot of questions about whether I think dairy and animal protein is healthful, so I think it’s time to address the issue.
What is protein?
Daily, your body uses and turns over protein for tasks such as tissue building and repair, forming enzymes and hormones, and making antibodies to fight infections.
Protein can come from animal sources or plant sources. Protein from animal sources is called complete protein or high biological value protein. This means that the protein contains all of the essential amino acids (those that the body cannot produce on its own).
Vegetarians & Vegans
If you missed my other posts about vegetarianism and veganism, read them here and here. The American Dietetic Association states that appropriately planned vegetarian diets, including total vegetarian or vegan diets, are healthful, nutritionally adequate, and may provide health benefits in the prevention and treatment of certain diseases.
Many people wonder if adequate protein intake is possible when consuming an animal-free diet. Vegetables and grains also contain protein, but it is important to remember that these are not complete sources of protein. It is best to consume a variety of foods throughout the day in order to meet protein requirements.
How much protein should I eat?
The ADA currently recommends 0.8 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight (1 kg = 2.2 pounds). If you are 140 pounds, ~51 grams of protein (most 3 oz servings of meat contain ~20 g protein) would be adequate. This amount of protein is sufficient for recreational and some competitive athletes, although weight lifters and endurance athletes (marathoners, triathletes, etc.) may have slightly higher needs.
Endurance Athletes
| Type of Training | Daily Protein | Daily Protein |
| Light to moderate training | 1.2 to 1.7 grams per kilogram | 0.55 to 0.8 grams per pound |
| Heavy training load and high intensity | 1.4 to 2.0 grams per kilogram | 0.7 to 0.9 grams per pound |
Strength Training
| Type of Training | Daily Protein | Daily Protein |
| Weight and Body-focused Sports | 1.2 to 1.7 grams per kilogram | 0.55 to 0.8 grams per pound |
| Body Building | 1.4 to 1.7 grams per kilogram | 0.63 to 0.77 grams per pound |
Sports science experts Mark Hargreaves, PhD says: Strength and endurance athletes may need to consume 1.2-1.6 grams of protein per kilogram body weight each day (about 3-4 oz. per day for a 160 lb athlete), which is somewhat greater than the Recommended Dietary Allowance (0.8 g/kg).
According to Kevin Tipton, PhD, a metabolism expert: Studies from our laboratory indicate that exercise may actually reduce the requirement for protein intake due to the stimulation of muscle anabolism by the exercise itself. This may explain how some endurance athletes, such as the Kenyan distance runners, can thrive on very low protein intakes.
Most protein requirements can be met through dietary protein intake. If unable to meet requirements, you may consider a protein supplement…more on this in an upcoming post.
Benefits of animal protein and vegetable protein?
animal: complete protein; can consume less of it to meet requirements; may be high in saturated fat and calories.
vegetable: fiber and protein without calories and saturated fat but must consume more to meet requirements; less acidic for those with related health conditions.
I haven’t done enough research to conclude that complete elimination of animal products is beneficial for every person. Doing so is a very personal decision…I don’t believe in cookie-cutter diet recommendations. See a registered dietitian to help you plan an appropriate diet. :)
Day 5: Phone a friend
Text messaging has taken over a good chunk of our daily communication; take some time out of your day to catch up with someone > 160 characters, and you won’t regret it.
While text messaging is super convenient, phone calls are definitely more personal. They don’t have to last for hours; even a 10 minute shout-out can make someone’s day.
Who was the last person you called?!
sources: American Dietetic Association; Sports Science Exchange Roundtable 42 VOLUME 11 (2000);4
