Download dispelling the protein myths

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POSITIVE ENERGY BREEDS SUCCESS
The Best Sources of Protein Defined
The next time you are toiling up the
supermarket aisles debating on which foods
to buy for your protein intake, remember
protein can only be absorbed from foods
termed either ‘complete’ or ‘incomplete’.
Complete proteins are foods which
generally come from soy, animal and fish products and
house an adequate amount of all 20 essential amino acids.
Incomplete or ‘partial’ proteins therefore are foods which
lack one or more essential amino acids.
Being told at this point that ‘fish and meat products’ are
the most complete sources of protein is naturally not
ground breaking news. However before you skip the page,
it is important that you understand the differences and
even potential health risks between the individual foods
in each of these two sources. When I say ‘health risk’,
surprisingly, I am not referring to the links between red meat
overconsumption and pancreatic cancer, poor reproduction
and osteoporosis which has been publicised more recently
in the media. I am in fact referring to the condition ‘Gout’,
which is stimulated through eating high purine (organic
compound) meats and fishes such as pate, chicken livers,
and sardine’s (see table 1 below). Gout occurs as an over
consumption of high purine foods leads to increased levels
of uric acid in the bloodstream which causes crystals to form
and accumulate around the joints typically the feet.
It is therefore recommended then that no more than 170
grams of complete proteins is consumed each day and
food intake is based on more medium purine meat and
fish sources, alongside dairy products such as milk, cottage
cheese and Greek yoghurt.
Protein Supplements
What is interesting is in my experience, high protein diets
often result more from supplement use and not the natural
food sources mentioned above. Protein supplementation
is now big business; according to the latest Euro-monitor,
figures in the UK alone show sales in protein shakes
have increased from £73m in 2007 to £170m in
2012 and are expected to reach £358m by
2017. Despite the heavy marketing I am
often confronted by many confused
individuals with a plethora of posed
questions around the use of protein
supplements. Some of the popular
FAQ’s often centre on utilising
protein shakes to … ‘Lose weight?
Gain muscle? Help recovery?
Improve Health?’.
My initial answer to any questioning
around supplement use is always the
same; define the word ‘supplement’.
Food supplements were originally
designed to solve a deficiency in
our diets, if your dietary intake and
macronutrient breakdown is already
adequate, you only need to maintain this with
your current choice of food sources. If due to time
restraints this is not the case for your protein intake,
then try to absorb extra protein first through whole food
snacks or by preparing meals in advance to eat on the go.
MEAT / FOWL
(Complete Protein)
SEAFOOD
(Complete Protein)
DAIRY
(Complete Protein)
INCOMPLETE PROTEINS
HIGH PURINE
HIGH PURINE
Pate
Chicken Liver
Beef Liver
Anchovy
Caviar
Herring
Mussel
Sardine
Milk (Skimmed/Low Fat)
Cheese
Cottage Cheese
Eggs
Yoghurt (Greek, Natural)
MEDIUM PURINE
MEDIUM PURINE
Duck
Beef
Bacon
Liver
Read Meat
Crab / Lobster
Mackerel
Salmon
Crayfish
Scallop / Shrimp
Grains
Nuts
Beans
Seeds
Peas
Corn
Legumes
Vegetables
Tempah / Tofu
Naturally, protein shakes are designed to be heavily
protein based, which often means they fail to provide
significant amounts of carbohydrates, vitamins, minerals
and healthy fats. Even if a commercial protein shake or
supplement is fortified (has added nutrients); it
will fail to offer the same level of nutrition as
whole foods such as eggs, nuts and lean
meats. Aside from developing nutrient
deficiencies, individuals who use shakes
to replace meals for weight loss often
find they gain weight again when
supplementation stops and they
return back to previous eating
habits.
In addition there is strong universal
evidence which shows most protein
shakes contain elements of heavy
metals such as arsenic, cadmium,
lead and mercury. For example the
magazine ‘Consumer Reports’ in
July 2010 analysed 15 different protein
drinks and shakes and found that each
one was contaminated with heavy metals.
Remember metals when consumed in excess
can be toxic, which causes the immune system to
weaken and even lead to cancer.
However don’t be put off too much, some protein shakes
do have healthy ingredients, are free of contamination and
do serve as a nutritious meal replacement. For those of us
out there which are short on time due to work and family
demands, shakes are beneficial. My advice if looking to
purchase a protein shake is remember you are what you
eat, so don’t be afraid to spend a little bit of extra money
to give your body the best nutrients. In addition always
read the nutrition labels on every supplement carefully to
avoid high quantities of sugar, cholesterol and saturated
fat and importantly try to buy complete organic protein
sources such as whey, soy and casein.
“Always read the nutrition labels on
every supplement carefully to avoid
high quantities of sugar, cholesterol and
saturated fat and importantly try to buy
complete organic protein sources.”
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