Conversely, individuals that consume excess starchy carbohydrates, such as breads, pastas, and French fries may be deficient in protein.
Dieters and vegans may also not be getting enough protein.
If you skip breakfast or other meals often-you also may suffer from protein malnourishment.
And a person may not be getting enough protein if their digestion is compromised, thus not being able to assimilate it. (low stomach acid, or enzymes) This often occurs due to stress, poor sleep, nutrient deficiencies, and aging.
Signs of protein deficiency
Premature skin aging, loss of muscle tone/thin hair /weak nails | Curved spine/low bone-density/slow healing wounds | Tooth/gum decay Tingling/numbness Blurred vision | Poor immunity, sick often, hormonal imbalances, low sex drive, high toxic load |
Low energy, weakness, fatigue/muscle weakness, anemia | Anxiety/mood disorders, agitation | Spaciness/brain fog/confusion/poor concentration | Food cravings, loss of appetite, weight loss |
Conditions caused by animal protein excess
Kidney disease/gout | Heart disease | High blood pressure |
Calcium loss/Osteoporosis Musculoskeletal issues | Cancer | Arthritis |
Constipation/decay in gut/ammonia in blood | Vitamin B6 depletion | Acidosis and dehydration |
Vital Protein Functions For Optimal Aging
- Proteins are necessary for the building and repair of all our tissues and body systems. This is important for keeping our muscles, blood, bones, nails, hair, tendons, and ligaments youthful and strong as we age; and to aid in recovery from illness.
- Protein is also essential to synthesize enzymes, hormones, neurotransmitters and our genes. Without sufficient protein, we may suffer from hormone imbalances or mood (depression/anxiety) and cognitive problems.
- Protein is also necessary for daily detoxification processes. If we don’t eat sufficient amounts of protein, our liver will not be able to complete phase 2 detoxification processes; the phase where toxins are neutralized in the body.
- Protein is vital for boosting the immune system; as inadequate protein intake lessens our resistance to infections and viruses.
- In addition, optimal protein is a necessity for blood sugar stability, curbing carb/sugar cravings, and overeating. When we experience blood sugar plunges we often become ravenous and lose control of our eating. This shows us that we didn’t eat enough protein or eat it frequently enough. Protein stabilizes our blood sugar and mood, and decreases our carb and sugar cravings.
- Optimal protein consumption keeps your skin supple and youthful.
- *Energy Healing: Optimal protein keeps you grounded and present in your body on an energetic level. Protein draws down your energy deep into your body- down to your feet- which helps you to connect more deeply to mother earth and to your inner-self. Protein-induced grounding supports clear thinking and a calm mind. The slowing-down property of grounding can facilitate personal incite and peacefulness. Try eating some protein when you are spacey or flustered. It will help you to connect to the earth and to your wise inner-self! _________________________________________________________
Protein is the Foundation to Healthy Aging
Consuming adequate protein is the key to reducing sugar and carb cravings, and keeping blood sugar levels stable.
- Eat a large protein packed breakfast within an hour of waking
- And a protein rich lunch and dinner of eggs, fish/sea food, poultry, grass-fed beef, liver/organ meats, game animals, tempeh, or beans with quinoa etc.
Protein Requirements
To meet the daily protein requirements: 3-4 servings of protein per day are generally sufficient.
A serving size of animal protein is 3-4 oz.; about the size of the palm of your hand, and the thickness of a deck of cards. A serving size for eggs is 3. A serving size for a vegetable protein is between 6 oz. to 12 oz. depending on the source. (3/4c. -1 ½ c.)
Your protein needs can also vary with age, weight, physical activity and illness. Individuals who lift weights or exercise intensely will need to up their protein intake by 15% or more. Additionally, to prevent burnout during high stress times, consider increasing your protein intake.
Protein Needs Formula. There is a standard formula that you can use to determine your protein needs. Your needs may vary however, according to activity level, state of health, or how you feel (energy-wise.) Most people generally need between 45 to 75 grams of protein per day. (Thirteen to twenty five grams+ per meal)
*Multiply .36 grams by your ideal weight in pounds. (Or .8 grams by your weight in kilograms.) For example: a women who weighs 130 lbs. would need about 46.8 grams of protein daily. But it is beneficial to listen to your natural cravings-you may need more some days, or often.
- One caveat, I don't support the trendy fad diet of intermittent fasting (skipping meals/short eating window). I find that it can rob us of necessary protein. A common symptom that has been experienced with extreme intermittent fasting is hair loss. This is due to protein malnourishment! The author has experienced this as well with this fasting. Not what we want!
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Natural Protein Cravings
We all have individual needs (biochemical individuality) and no one diet fits all people; It’s important to experiment and pay attention to your own body’s protein cravings and needs.
- You will easily be able to trust your genuine protein cravings (animal or vegetable) when you begin to come into balance after following healthy eating habits for a time. Your body will be sending you signals like a "cellular phone call" for what it demands to feel and function at its best.
- Also, climate, and seasons have an impact on the kinds of foods that our body needs. Raw foods and vegetable proteins cleanse and cool the body; while animal foods strengthen and warm the body.
- In cooler climates and weather our body will feel better with warming and comforting animal proteins.
- In summer and in warm climates our body may want light cleansing vegetable proteins, and raw vegetables.
- In addition, our body may crave and require more animal proteins when we are under stress, exercising more or are recuperating from an illness or injury.
- Our body will also have a natural desire to detoxify of animal proteins in the spring, and therefore may not crave them then.
- Individuals who suffer from weak stomach acid production (HCL) can also experience reduced cravings for meat and other animal proteins, due to their difficulty in digesting them. This is often the case for vegans, however -this is not a healthy digestive state. _____________________________________________________
With regards to the quantity of the meat consumed, it is best not to eat over-sized portions of animal proteins. Proteins have high quantities of phosphorous, which can decrease our absorption of calcium. Frequently overindulging in meat protein can also promote an excess of nitrogen waste products, which can overwork our kidneys by its removal. In addition, according to research theory-excessive protein consumption is capable of having a stimulating effect on the mammalian target of rapamycin gene (mTOR) a cancer correlated pathway in our body. The mTOR pathway is held back however, with modest meat consumption.
Finally, by consuming less meat you make room for more plants in your diet; which increases your antioxidant protection.
A good rule of thumb is to mix up the types of proteins throughout the day or week; some animal, some vegetable. A number of people need animal protein daily with each meal; while others only need it several times a week. Beans and legumes are a great source of fiber to support beneficial bacteria production, and should be included 3-5 times a week.
If you are suffering from insomnia, eating a carb-dense bean and grain dinner (without animal proteins) at night will support serotonin production, and will help you fall asleep.
It is important to note that the documented and scientifically studied long-lived cultures of the world have or had a moderate intake of animal proteins.
It is advised to make a mental note to include three servings of mineral rich vegetables (leafy and crunchy) per animal protein serving. Meat is acid-forming, and does exert an acidifying effect on the blood. Adding alkaline forming vegetables neutralizes the acidifying effect that animal proteins generate in the blood. This is vital for Paleo followers, as many can suffer from bone-breakdown due to acidic blood.
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Animal Protein
Consuming pastured/grass-fed animal protein confers many health advantages owing to its high nutrient-value. This allows us to eat less - compared with vegetable proteins. Additionally, animal protein (especially organ meats, fish, pastured eggs, grass-fed beef, buffalo and game meat) is our best source of DHA; the main constituent of cell membranes in our brain. A deficiency of DHA can leave us vulnerable to brain diseases.
Organ meats: (liver, kidney, heart etc.) are the super-foods of the animal kingdom. Eating this nutrient-packed food is a great way to increase your energy, and the nutrient density of your diet! Other nutrient-rich animal proteins are wild cold water fish: (sardines, mackerel, anchovies, salmon, herring,) pastured eggs, and non-denatured organic sugar-free whey protein powder.
Epidemiological studies singly correlate the consumption of commercial, non-organic, and nitrate-containing meats with chronic diseases such as cancer, heart disease, arthritis, diabetes, and Alzheimer’s disease; not with grass-fed, pastured organic varieties.
Adding to its favor, animal proteins are complete proteins, and contain superior quantities of zinc, iron, sulfur, fat-soluble vitamins (A,D,E, and K) and B-complex vitamins; particularly B12, which is inferior in most vegetable proteins.
Additionally, grass-fed animals possess four times higher levels of vitamin E, and increased vitamin A, B, D, and beta carotene levels. They are also 3 to 5 times higher in the cancer protective and anti-inflammatory conjugated linoleic acid (CLA.)
Most importantly, pastured animals don’t possess toxic GMO’s, pesticides, growth hormones, antibiotic residues, or an imbalanced inflammation promoting omega-6 content.
And, they don’t contribute to greenhouse gasses as conventionally-fed cows do -due to regenerative ranching practices that create carbon sequestering in the soil.
Conventional Animal Protein and Accelerated Aging
GMO corn and soy, the standard diet that is given to factory farmed feed lot animals, is not the diet that these animals were evolved to eat. Cows, for instance are ruminants, and their natural diet should be grasses. When animals are fed unsuitable omega-6 rich grains (corn and soy) they incorporate this fat into their flesh. When we eat the meat from them we also integrate this omega-6 fat into our own cell membranes. However, this fat is not necessary for our cells in great amounts and an excess promotes compromised cell function, and inflammation. Non-organic/non-grass-fed animal proteins also possess toxic GMO’s, pesticides, growth hormones, antibiotic residues, and an imbalanced inflammation promoting omega-6 content. Eating these animal proteins occasionally won't pose a problem, but daily consumption will increase your risks for chronic disease in later life!
Veganism Vs. Animal Protein Diets
Harvard Medical School’s, Harvard Health Publication, reported after reviewing the large scale EPIC-Oxford vegetarian study that: “A purely vegetarian diet is not necessarily better than a diet that also includes poultry and fish.“ The study also revealed that fish eaters had a lower risk for some cancers. The researchers concluded that there is no scientific validation for eliminating meat from the diet; but that all diets should be well balanced, contain a wide variety of foods, and include plenty of fruits and vegetables.
Many leading authorities believe that previous
research studies that reported positive outcomes from a vegetarian diet had to
do more with an increased fiber and vegetable intake, and a lower protein intake by
vegetarians, rather than from excluding meat from the diet. Additionally, many
earlier studies on the harmful effects of meat were often confounded by factors
such as smoking, BMI, social class and poor animal protein quality; also known as unhealthy user bias.
It is important to note that humans are herbivores; meaning we evolved eating meat and plants (hunter- gatherers) Our closest relative, the chimpanzee is also an herbivore. We have both incisors for tearing meat, and molars for chewing plants.
If you do follow a strict vegetarian or vegan diet, or are interested in doing so, it is important to ensure that you eat adequate protein; as research published in 2012 in the journal Nutrition reported that vegetarians and particularly vegans may suffer from subclinical protein malnourishment. The study confirmed that this malnourishment leads to a sulfur deficiency; which can cause many health difficulties- including problems with detoxification, bones, joints, connective tissue, and metabolic processes. The study also discovered that the low sulfur intake by vegetarians and vegans produced damaging high homocysteine levels; which can increase the risk for blood clots and cardiovascular disease.
Additionally, it is important to be informed of other scientifically confirmed vegan diet risks including bone-loss/fractures, decreased libido/sperm quality/neural tube defects, decreased muscle mass, decreased cognition, mood health problems (depression/anxiety), decreased immunity, hair-loss, poor skin tone, and decreased digestive health.
If you do choose to follow a vegan diet, it is my opinion that supplementing with an amino acid complex is vital to obtain your amino acid requirements and fill-in protein gaps-as carnitine, carnosine, creatine, taurine, and other healthy peptides are only found in meat; and lysine and methionine are harder to get on a vegan diet.
Full disclosure however, I had followed a vegan diet for 2 years in my 30's, and did not feel like it was a health-promoting diet for me!
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Protein Facts
- Proteins are made up of building blocks called amino acids. We need 23 amino acids for our bodies to function well, and our body can synthesize some protein itself.
- There are 9 critical amino acids that the body cannot make, and these have to be obtained from food. These are known as essential amino acids. The essential amino acids are: histidine (essential during growth) isoleucine, leucine, lysine, methionine, phenylalanine, threonine, tryptophan, and valine.
- A complete protein consists of all eight essential amino acids. You will find the sources of complete protein in all animal products: meats, poultry, dairy, eggs, and fish.
- Plant foods often lack one or more amino acids, and thus need to be combined to obtain the required levels of essential amino acids. Grains are limited in lysine; beans are limited in methionine; and nuts and seeds can be somewhat limited in either/or depending on the variety. Many foods can be combined to achieve a complete protein profile. Examples are: beans with quinoa, or seeds. ________________________________________________________
Protein Content of Specific Foods
Note: Grams of proteins are not the same as the
total weight of the protein source (proteins sources contain other
macronutrients in addition to protein.) Look on packages for protein content. *Beans, nuts, seeds, and grains are not a complete protein-and will need to be combined to obtain the full essential amino acid profile.
|
Protein Source |
Grams Protein |
|
Beef |
7 g per ounce |
|
Chicken |
9-11g per ounce |
|
Fish |
6 g per ounce |
|
Large egg |
6 g each |
|
Medium cheese (cheddar/swiss) |
7-8 g per oz.
|
|
Yogurt (1 cup) |
8-12 g per cup |
|
Beans (1 cup) cooked lentils-17 g kidney beans-16 g black beans-16 g lima, garbanzo and black-eyed peas-14 g |
14-17 g per cup Not a complete protein |
|
Nuts/seeds (1/4 cup) |
4-8 g per ¼ cup |
|
Nut butters (2 Tbsp.) |
8 g |
|
Whole grains (1/2 c.) quinoa-4.7 g amaranth-4 g steel cut oats- 3.5 g buckwheat-3 g brown rice-2.5 g |
2.5-4.7 g per half cup Not a complete protein |
|
Miso-2 tsp. |
1 g |
|
Tempeh- (1 cup) |
31 g per cup |
|
organic Nutritional yeast (1 Tbsp.) |
3 g low in methionine and tryptophan |
|
organic Spirulina/chlorella: Tbsp. |
4 g (20 % usable) |
I hope you enjoyed this article, and it helped to clear up any confusion you may have had about protein and healthy aging. Remember to pay attention to your natural protein cravings, and eat cold-water fish and organ meats ! I love eating liver pate and natural liverwurst with organic mustard for lunch. It's easy and so nutrient dense! By the way, US Wellness Meats is the only company that I have found on the market that sells uncured, unsweetened, pastured liverwurst.
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| liverwurst and salad |
You can find more user-friendly info about healthy-aging in my book: Your Midlife Anti-Aging Plan-Natural Ways to Slow the Aging Process.
You can also find me on Facebook and Instagram where I'll be sharing a yummy liver pate recipe and other goodies about aging well.
To Your Health and Well-being,
Linda
