High-Protein
Diets: Are You Losing More Than Weight?
by Monique N. Gilbert
Protein is a vital nutrient, essential to your health. In its purest
form, protein consists of chains of amino acids. There are 22 amino
acids that combine to form different proteins, and 8 of these must come
from the foods we eat. Our body uses these amino acids to create
muscles, blood, skin, hair, nails and internal organs. Proteins help
replace and form new tissue, transports oxygen and nutrients in our
blood and cells, regulates the balance of water and acids, and is needed
to make antibodies. However, too much of a good thing may not be so good
for you. Many people are putting their health at risk by eating to much
protein. Excessive protein consumption, particularly animal protein, can
result in heart disease, stroke, osteoporosis, and kidney stones. As
important as protein is for our body, there are many misconceptions
about how much we really need in our diet, and the best way to obtain
it.
The average American eats about twice as
much protein than what is actually required. Some people, in the pursuit
of thinness, are going on high-protein diets and are eating up to four
times the amount of protein that their body needs. Protein deficiency is
certainly not a problem in America. So exactly how much protein does
your body really need? Much less than you think. According to the
American Heart Association and the National Institutes of Health, as
little as 50-60 grams of protein is enough for most adults. This breaks
down to about 10-12% of total calories. Your body only needs .36 grams
of protein per pound of body weight. To calculate the exact amount you
need, multiply your ideal weight by .36. This will give you your optimum
daily protein requirement in grams. Since the amount of protein needed
depends on the amount of lean body mass and not fat, ideal weight is
used instead of actual weight. Infants, children, pregnant and nursing
women require more protein.
People on high-protein diets are
consuming up to 34% of their total calories in the form of protein and
up to 53% of total calories from fat. Most of these people are unaware
of the amount of protein and fat that is contained in the foods they
eat. For instance, a typical 3-ounce beef hamburger, which is small by
American standards, contains about 22 grams of protein and 20 grams of
fat. You achieve quick weight loss on these diets because of this high
fat content. High fat foods give you the sensation of feeling full,
faster, so you end up eating fewer total calories. However, this type of
protein and fat combination is not the healthiest. Animal proteins are
loaded with cholesterol and saturated fat. Many people on these diets
also experience an elevation in their LDL (the bad) cholesterol when
they remain on this diet for long periods. High levels of LDL
cholesterol in the blood clog arteries and is the chief culprit in heart
disease, particularly heart attack and stroke. So while you may lose
weight in the short-run, you are putting your cardiovascular health in
jeopardy in the long-run.
Another reason weight loss is achieved on
these high-protein diets, at least temporarily, is actually due to water
loss. The increase in the amount of protein consumed, especially from
meat and dairy products, raises the levels of uric acid and urea in the
blood. These are toxic by-products of protein breakdown and metabolism.
The body eliminates this uric acid and urea by pumping lots of water
into the kidneys and urinary tract to help it flush out. However, a
detrimental side effect of this diuretic response is the loss of
essential minerals from the body, including calcium. The high intake of
protein leaches calcium from the bones, which leads to
osteoporosis.
Medical evidence shows that the body
loses an average of 1.75 milligrams of calcium in the urine for every 1
gram increase in animal protein ingested. Additionally, as calcium and
other minerals are leached from our bones, they are deposited in the
kidneys and can form into painful kidney stones. If a kidney stone
becomes large enough to cause a blockage, it stops the flow of urine
from the kidney and must be removed by surgery or other methods.
Plant-based proteins, like that found in
soy, lowers LDL cholesterol and raises HDL (the good) cholesterol. This
prevents the build up of arterial plaque which leads to atherosclerosis
(hardening of the arteries) and heart disease, thus reducing the risk
heart attack and stroke. The amount and type of protein in your diet
also has an important impact on calcium absorption and excretion.
Vegetable-protein diets enhance calcium retention in the body and
results in less excretion of calcium in the urine. This reduces the risk
of osteoporosis and kidney problems. Interestingly, kidney disease is
far less common in people who eat a vegetable-based diet than it is in
people who eat an animal-based diet. By replacing animal protein with
vegetable protein and replacing saturated fat with unsaturated fat, like
that found in olive and canola oils, you can avoid the pitfalls of the
typical high-protein diet. You will be able to improve your health and
regulate your weight while enjoying a vast array of delicious,
nutritionally dense, high fiber foods. Remember, eat everything in
moderation and nothing in excess. Also, the only healthy way to achieve
permanent weight loss is to burn more calories than you take in.
Anything else is just a gimmick.
____________________
Monique N. Gilbert holds a
Bachelor of Science degree, is a Certified Personal Trainer/Fitness
Counselor and health advocate. She began a low-fat, whole-grain,
vegetable-rich diet in the mid-1970's. This introduced her to a
healthier way of eating and became the foundation of her dietary choices
as an adult. She became a full-fledged vegetarian on Earth Day
1990. Over the years she has increased her knowledge and
understanding about health and fitness, and the important role diet
plays in a person's strength, vitality and longevity. Monique
feels it is her mission to educate and enlighten everyone about the
benefits of healthy eating and living.
Monique N. Gilbert is a Health Advocate,
Recipe Developer, Soy Food Connoisseur and the author of "Virtues
of Soy: A Practical Health Guide and Cookbook" (Universal
Publishers, $19.95) E-mail: monique@chef.net.
To learn more about the health
benefits of soy, visit the Virtues of Soy website at http://www.geocities.com/virtuesofsoy/.
Virtues
of Soy: A Practical Health Guide and Cookbook
by Monique N. Gilbert
Price: $19.95
