The truth about protein
Despite being a qualified nutritional therapist, I don’t often write about nutrition and you know why? Because I believe that nutrition is a very personal matter and generalising an approach is never helpful. Sure, there are some fundamental truths that apply to most people e.g. drinking plenty of water can’t do anyone any harm, but then we would need to define ‘plenty’ which, in my case, is well over 3 litres/day but for someone else a lot less might be enough. See what I mean?!
Anyhow I thought I’d write something about protein intake today, just because I think there is a lot of confusion out there, including – in my view – a misconception often supported by nutritionists.
The recommended dietary allowance for protein in adults is about 0.78 grams per kilo meaning a woman of my size – who leads an average life in terms of activity and energy consumption – needs just over 50 grams of protein/day to meet daily requirements.
Proteins are made of amino acids – their fundamental building blocks – and are used to create and repair cells, carry oxygen throughout the body and are involved in a wide range of metabolic interactions.
“So, are they important?”. Very.
“Ah! Do I need to eat more of them?”. Hardly. In Western countries, someone who eats a varied wholesome diet and consumes a sufficient amount of calories is bound to eat enough protein, even if they are vegan. Protein is in every food, and whilst it is true that only certain foods contain all 9 essential amino acids and some foods contain more proteins than others, unless you always eat the same one thing all day every day, chances are you will get all essential amino acids and all the proteins you need without the need for supplementation.
“Wait! So are you saying I don’t need to have a protein shake every morning?”. Well, that is your choice and I appreciate how convenient it is – after all you just need to add some powder to a liquid to create a (often) well-balanced meal, but if you could choose between a lovely breakfast made of real food and a powder, what would you choose?
Photo by Brooke Lark on Unsplash
