A Look at the Role of Protein and New Recommended Intakes
There seems to be a lot of buzz around consuming protein. Those advocating for increasing muscle mass are huge enthusiasts of increasing protein and I see protein EVERYTHING when I scroll through instagram. But protein isn’t praised just by those interested in growing muscle mass, there seems to be a growing consensus that increasing protein intakes is helpful for overall health.
I thought it would be helpful to dive into what the science says regarding protein intake and what actual literature suggests rather than just taking people’s word for it (even people I highly respect).
Protein and its role in the body
So what is protein and what is it used for? Proteins are molecules made up of individual amino acids in varying configurations (depending on the protein). There are roughly 500 amino acids found in nature, but our bodies only use 20 of them. The 20 amino acids used by our body can be divided into two categories—essential and non-essential. The eleven non-essential amino acids can be made in the body from other amino acids and therefore don’t have to be consumed in our diet. Our bodies lack the enzymes necessary to make the other nine essential amino acids so they MUST be consumed through the diet (hence the term “essential”). The amounts of these essential amino acids in our diet and in our body are the limiting factor for protein synthesis (if our body needs to make a protein requiring one of these essential amino acids and it doesn’t have it, our body simply won’t be able to make the protein needed). In general, animal sources of protein are complete proteins, meaning they have all 9 essential amino acids, along with non-essential amino acids. There are a few plant sources of complete proteins (soy, quinoa, chia seed, etc), but for the most part, plant sources of protein will contain only some of the essential amino acids. This is why it is important to use multiple plant protein sources so that they can complement one another and provide the missing essential amino acids (such as combining beans with legumes).
Protein is used for MANY processes in the body. Lean muscle mass is probably the most recognized use for protein since muscle mass is made up of proteins. But protein plays a role in our immune system, gene expression, and hormones; and makes up cellular structures, hair, skin, and enzymes, which carry out every chemical reaction in our cells. Protein is a pretty big deal! If our intake of protein is inadequate to our needs, or is lacking in essential amino acids, our body’s processes will be halted. I also want to note the importance of eating enough overall calories. If we are not consuming enough energy, our bodies will utilize protein as a source of energy rather than using it as building blocks for the necessary structures/enzymes/hormones. We also know that protein takes longer to digest (compared to carbohydrates) and leads to increased fullness and satiety and can help with slowing down the digestion and absorption of carbohydrates, helping with blood sugar stabilization.
The role of protein in muscle growth
At all times, the body is tearing proteins down and building up new ones. We call this muscle protein breakdown and muscle protein synthesis. In order to build muscle mass (or “lean mass”), our net protein synthesis has to be greater than our protein breakdown. The ONLY way to have protein synthesis greater than breakdown is to supply adequate dietary protein. You can’t build something if you don’t have the necessary building materials. Strength training significantly stimulates muscle protein synthesis AND increases sensitivity to amino acid uptake, which is why fueling after a workout is so important (utilize that increased synthesis!)
You can see why those promoting building muscle mass also promote eating large amounts of protein. But here’s the deal, there’s a limit to how much your body can utilize and incorporate into muscle synthesis. A study by Stokes et al. suggests that muscle protein synthesis is a saturable process and that there is no benefit to having a higher intake of amino acids than the muscles can use.(1) The authors reported that muscle synthesis was negligibly increased above 20 g protein after a workout, with no difference at 40 g protein (compared to 20 g). Our bodies only use about 10% of the amino acids consumed after a workout (2.2 g of 20 g protein bolus in this case), meaning that it is important to be consuming protein regularly throughout the day in order to build muscle mass. Eating one large meal of protein after a workout won’t be as effective as eating more moderate protein meals/snacks throughout the day since the remainder of the protein would be used for energy rather than muscle synthesis or body protein needs. It’s also important to note that the body sends amino acids to the muscles AFTER the gut cells and liver have used what they need. If you are not consuming enough protein regularly throughout the day, the gut and liver are preferentially going to use the amino acids rather than sending them to your muscles.
So how much should we be consuming? New recommendations
When I was in school, I was taught that the average person needs 0.8 g/kg/day (0.36g/lb/day) in order to meet body protein needs. This was determined using the nitrogen balance method. New advances in technology suggest that the indicator amino acid oxidation (IAAO) method may be a more accurate test for determining protein needs. It takes into account essential amino acids being a limiting factor to amino acid utilization in the body (remember, if your body lacks the essential amino acid it needs for building, it won’t build that protein and instead will just use the amino acids for energy production). This new IAAO method suggests that previous protein recommendations were far too low. (2)
I found multiple studies suggesting new increased protein recommendations based on the IAAO method. They ranged from 0.91-0.99 (0.41g-0.45 g/lb/day) to 1.5-2.2g/kg/day (0.68-1g/lb/day) for general health and wellbeing (2,3,4). Additionally, the study by Stokes et. al recommends intakes for those wanting to build muscle mass to be 0.73-1 g/lb/day. (1) I know that's a lot of numbers!! 🤪 Just know that we need more protein than previously thought. I have seen a lot of recommendations online for calculating protein needs starting at 1 g/lb (gram per pound) and going beyond. And although the recommendations are higher than before, I found no literature that supported benefit over 1 g/lb (except for in extremely low calorie diet trials, which I don’t support and isn’t relevant to this article). The previous recommendations were 0.7 g -1.2 (even all the way to 1.5) grams of protein per kilogram and I’m curious if people saw those recommendations and thought they were per pound. Hence the common recommendations of over 1 gram of protein per pound. Just speculation!
In the past, I believed that too much protein was hard on the kidneys , but it seems there is now no evidence to support that claim in the general, healthy population (I’m constantly have to learn new information too!)(4). So eating above that 1 g/lb isn’t likely to cause any harm, but I would argue that eating more than that (or more than 35% total calories from protein) would be at the expense of eating other necessary food groups. Is it really beneficial/helpful to be stuffing protein, but then be too full to consume adequate fruits, vegetables, and other plants? Additionally, consuming that much protein can be difficult and unenjoyable/unappetizing. I’m a firm believer that a healthy way of eating and interacting with food is one that is full of enjoyment and satisfaction. Eating at the higher end of the recommendations and above may simply be unsustainable or set you up for bingeing because of feeling unsatisfied. So yes, maybe try increasing your protein intake or increasing awareness of how much you’re taking in, but not at the expense of your relationship with food. ☺️
So as a recap:
Dietary protein is important for stabilizing blood sugar, providing satiety, providing the building blocks for many structures/processes in our body, and building muscle mass.
Protein synthesis in the body is limited by the essential amino acids. It is important to be consuming adequate complete proteins or a combination of incomplete proteins to ensure the body can use amino acids for protein synthesis instead of energy production.
For general health, aim anywhere from 0.45-1g/lb/day. (150 pound individual would aim for 59-150 grams of protein/day). I’d aim for the middle range if increasing muscle mass isn’t your goal.
If you’re wanting to build muscle mass, aim for 0.73-1g/lb/day (150 pound individual would aim for 110-150 grams of protein/day)
There isn’t evidence to suggest that eating too much protein is harmful for the kidneys for the general population, but it could be at the expense of other important food groups/nutrients (like fiber or phytonutrients)
Keep in mind enjoyment and satisfaction. .
If you are needing help learning how to incorporate more protein rich foods into your diet or wanting to increase muscle mass, but are having difficulty, reach out and we can talk about working together to accomplish your goals.
I’d love to hear any thoughts you have in the comments!
References:
1 Stokes T, Hector AJ, Morton RW, McGlory C, Phillips SM. Recent Perspectives Regarding the Role of Dietary Protein for the Promotion of Muscle Hypertrophy with Resistance Exercise Training. Nutrients. 2018;10(2):180. Published 2018 Feb 7. doi:10.3390/nu10020180.
2 Elango, R., Ball, R. O., & Pencharz, P. B. (2012). Recent advances in determining protein and amino acid requirements in humans. British Journal of Nutrition, 108(S2). https://doi.org/10.1017/s0007114512002504
3 Paul B. Pencharz, Rajavel Elango, and Robert R. Wolfe. Recent developments in understanding protein needs – How much and what kind should we eat?. Applied Physiology, Nutrition, and Metabolism. 41(5): 577-580. https://doi.org/10.1139/apnm-2015-0549
4 Stuart M. Phillips, Stéphanie Chevalier, and Heather J. Leidy. Protein “requirements” beyond the RDA: implications for optimizing health. Applied Physiology, Nutrition, and Metabolism. 41(5): 565-572. https://doi.org/10.1139/apnm-2015-0550
How My Nutrition Philosophy is Changing (and 8 recommendations for pursuing health through food and nutrition)
It’s been awhile since I’ve posted a blog post. Most of my time and energy is spent towards caring for my kids, running my home, seeing clients, and occasionally posting on Instagram. For a long time, I avoided posting on social media because it can be such a divisive and critical space. Over the past few years I have changed and my outlook on a variety of topics has changed. I’ve stayed pretty quiet for fear of backlash and not fully knowing where I’d land. I still am not sure where I’ll land, but I’ve gained a desire to get back online and share beneficial, relatable content for whoever decides to follow along. I’ve rediscovered my love reading research and understanding the mechanisms behind how the body works.
One of the areas in which my perspective has been shifting is in the area of nutrition. You know that I have provided content for eating disorder recovery and incorporating intuitive eating for the past few years. The intuitive eating book and approach changed my life. And I’m not being dramatic. It completely transformed my relationship with food and exercise and it freed me up to live life again. I still FULLY believe in the principles of intuitive eating, but my heart is no longer passionate about sharing content fully related to that. It has provided the foundation for how I see food and how I want to help others relate to food and their bodies. Because I’ve been at peace with food for so long, it has allowed me to move on to how I can fuel my body properly with food without being disordered. Where I’m at isn’t appropriate for everyone. What is physically and mentally healthy for one person isn’t for another. *Me* a few years ago wouldn’t be ready for *me* now. And that’s okay. But where I’m at now is a place in which I can look at food trends and research and determine, What is best for me and my family? What patterns of eating will allow us to feel good and promote health? How does food impact certain medical conditions or symptoms? So I thought I’d let you know a little bit about where I am and how my nutrition philosophy is changing. In nutshell, if someone were to ask me my recommendations for eating in a way that benefits health, this is what I’d recommend:
1 Eat enough.
I’m talking overall calories, macros (protein, carbs, and fat) and micronutrients. Each are important. Not getting enough of any of these groups is going to have a negative impact on you. Getting all the micronutrients you need without adequate energy is going to be a waste. You can’t use them if you don’t have enough energy to perform the functions in which they’re used. You can consume enough overall calories, but if you’re lacking in protein, muscle synthesis, immune function, or cellular integrity is going to be impacted. You can be consuming enough calories and overall protein, but if you’re lacking in carbs and fat, hormones are going to impacted. We’ve got to step away from a restricted mindset when it comes to health, and move towards an abundance mindset when it comes to nutrition and health.
2 Eat a variety.
A variety of macros, food groups, and foods within those food groups. Having a balanced plate at meals and snacks is super important for blood sugar regulation and keeping you from getting ravenous and hangry. But variety is not only focusing on protein, carb, and fat, but also focusing on getting a variety of sources FOR those macros. Our body needs a wide variety of nutrients to function properly and each food provides something different. Think about incorporating a wide range of sources for grains, vegetables, fruit, proteins, and fats. (besides, it keeps food interesting!)
3 Eat regularly.
Chaotic eating leads to blood sugar dips, intense cravings, overeating, and GI symptoms. For most people, going long periods without food simply isn’t helpful. I recommend every 2-5 hours depending on a variety of factors.
4 Focus on nutrient dense foods.
This is the area that has changed the most for me over the past few years. And it’s the area in which I suspect getting blasted for. I feel like the intuitive eating and eating disorder recovery world has deemed a focus on nutritious eating as disordered, orthorexic, or quackery. No, eating “all the right foods” won’t give me immortality. Nor will it prevent me from never getting sick. But having all the building blocks and coenzymes needed for a strong immune response and resolution of that response is important. And if we’re lacking in those things on a regular basis, it will have an effect on the health of our bodies. Over the past few decades, we’ve demonized nutrient-dense foods (think eggs, full fat dairy, butter, etc) and embraced foods largely based on the criteria of “low fat”, “low calorie”, “low carb,” or “high protein”. I have a lot more thoughts on this topic, but I’m not fully ready to dive into it. But for now, I think focusing on more whole sources of foods is important. God gave us incredible food system that tastes good and provides a host of benefits for our bodies and our brains. This is where the IE principle of “for the most part thinking” can be helpful. For the most part, my family eats homemade meals and snacks. For the most part, we eat snacks that are filling and provide a variety of macro and micronutrients. But we also eat what is given to us at a friend’s house or birthday parties. My children eat whatever snack is given to them at school (today was Dad’s and donuts and I have no qualms about it at all). We still order pizza out every once in a while. And we still buy packaged food products.
5 Supplement where necessary.
Ideally, we’d be getting all our nutrients from food. But I think this is simply unrealistic in our day and age. There are certain vitamins and minerals that are hard to get enough of on a regular basis. Or there are certain seasons in which it’s hard to get enough overall calories or protein. I think oral supplements or vitamins/minerals can be really beneficial for ensuring adequacy or helping with symptoms. I’m looking forward to researching more on this topic and providing helpful, applicable info for supplements you could be utilizing in the future (so stay tuned!)
6 Be flexible.
This goes back to my statement above about “for the most part thinking”. Being rigid about food isn’t helpful. If you are physically healthy, but anxious all the time about food, you’re not really healthy. Black and white thinking regarding food simply isn’t going to be helpful or healthy. Black and white thinking is what leads to disordered eating and food being in an improper place. And remember that “healthy” looks different from person-to-person and even season-to-season. Early postpartum, food and capacity looked a lot different for me. There will be seasons with less time to exercise, a greater need for convenience foods, etc. That’s okay.
It’s also important to point out that flexibility is important for maintaining a healthy relationship with food. Rigidity can cause shame and guilt around food choices that can then cause restriction and overeating/bingeing. We should be able to regularly eat foods that we really enjoy that provide little nutrition benefit for the sake of feeling satisfied and normal around food. Restriction leads to chaotic and unhealthy food behaviors, not healthy ones.
7 Remember that food is one aspect of health (we’ve got to keep perspective).
I now believe that food plays a larger role in our health than I previously did (something that might make some people cringe and that’s okay). But I don’t think it’s the ONLY factor. I also don’t think we are fully in control of our health. Food is not our savior. And to make is such will only make food extremely stressful and cause feelings of failure when we inevitably DO get sick. There are SO many other factors and behaviors that will impact health outcomes and how we feel (environment, socioeconomic status, sleep, stress, education level, physical activity, etc). Pursuing “health” in one area to only decrease health in another (relational, financial, mental, etc), isn’t actually healthy.
In the future, I want to be able to highlight the benefits of certain foods/nutrients, while keeping it all in perspective of the larger picture of health/scientific literature.
8 Get outside. Get adequate rest. Learn how to decrease physical stress. Connect in meaningful relationships.
I’'m curious. Are there any of those recommendations that resonated with you?? Any that you would like further information or clarification on? Comment below!
Post-Christmas Day Ham and Cheese Quiche
This recipe was created in collaboration with Midwest Dairy. I was compensated for my time, but the content and opinions included are my own.
Wondering how you’re going to use up all that leftover ham from Christmas?? I think some people use it in black eyed peas for New Years (correct me if I’m wrong??), but I’ve got a better idea. A quiche! And not just any quiche, but a quiche filled with caramelized onions, savory sweet potatoes, and sharp cheese. (Oh, and don’t forget about that flakey, buttery crust).
Now, I’m a little confused about the difference between Thanksgiving food and Christmas food. Because with my family, we always have turkey with “all the sides” at Thanksgiving, but then we have turkey or ham with “all the sides” again at Christmas. Are the same foods traditional for both? Or is ham just an Easter food? Please set me straight and help me to understand here. My assumption for this recipe is that there WILL be ham served on Christmas day. But if not, just go out and buy a small package of ham for this recipe. And also grab a pre-made crust. Sure homemade crusts are delicious, BUT SO ARE PRE-MADE CRUSTS and they are so much easier. Do yourself a favor and simplify. There’s enough to think about with this holiday season.
I also recommend buying a variety of cheeses while you’re getting the ingredients for this. Not because it calls for a million different cheeses, but because your fridge is never well-stocked without cheeses for various situations. 😉 I used a sharp white cheddar for this quiche, but I think a hard, aged gouda would pair REALLY nicely as well. I attended an online “Cheeseboard chat” earlier this month with Midwest Dairy and they sent a variety of cheese for a cheese board tasting and sustainable nutrition discussion. They sent me an aged gouda with it and I’ve been pairing it with lots of various egg dishes or pasta and it’s simply delicious. Here are a few takeaways I had from the virtual chat with ACTUAL dairy farmers:
In making this recipe, I learned a few tips and tricks for baking pie crusts. I make quiches pretty regularly (we have an egg-based dish for dinner every week), but have never put in the time to learn how to properly bake a crust. Without fail, the crust sides would always fall down and fold on top of the center. I discovered that to avoid that, you can just put parchment paper and dried beans on top to help it stay in place and not “shrink”. I found this video helpful for learning various techniques for styling the crust. And I also learned that it’s super important to let the dough warm up enough to spread out without cracking or breaking. But regardless, you ultimately don’t need it to look pretty—just taste delicious. So even if you have a pie crust fiasco, rest assured you’ll still enjoy the final product.
A few other notes—I know cottage cheese is a strange ingredient, but I find that it increases the cheesy flavor and helps with the texture (a spongey quiche is not what we’re looking for here). It’s totally optional, but I always put it in my quiches. Also, I find it’s easier to distribute the fillings more equally if you put them into your crust and then pour the egg/milk mixture on top. There’s no right or wrong with that, but I just find it is easier to ensure equal distribution. ☺️ And lastly, I know quiches take awhile to prep and cook. My recommendation is to prep the ingredients the night before, that way all you have to do is put your filling in and bake!
I hope you enjoy it as much as I do. Have a Happy Holidays!
Post Christmas Ham and Cheese Quiche
Ingredients
- Pre-made pie crust
- 1 cup sweet potatoes, 1/2 inch cubes
- 1/2 onion
- 1/2-3/4 cup ham, chopped
- 5 eggs
- 3/4-1 cup cheese, shredded (I used a sharp white cheddar)
- 1/2 cup whole milk
- 1/3 cup cottage cheese
- 1/4 tsp garlic powder
- 1/4 tsp onion powder
- 1/2 Tbsp fresh rosemary, chopped
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 and take your crust out of the fridge.
- Thinly slice your onion and chop your sweet potatoes into medium bite sized pieces (1/2 inch cubes).
- Spray your pie pan with non-stick spray and roll out your crust into the dish. If you are having difficulty unrolling it, give it a few more minutes to come to room temperature. Shape the edges of the dough according to your preference (see video above). Poke bottom of the crust with a fork. Place a piece of parchment paper and dried beans on top (or pie weights) and bake for 12-14 minutes. Take out parchment paper and beans and bake again for another 2 minutes.
- While crust is baking, heat a pan to medium-low heat and add olive oil and thinly sliced onion. Cook, stirring often, for about 15 minutes or until onions are soft and caramelized. You may need to add 1 Tbsp water periodically to keep the onions from sticking or burning.
- In another pan, heat oil to medium and add cubed sweet potato along with garlic powder and onion powder. Cook until fork tender, about 10-15 minutes. Again, you may need to add water to prevent burning or sticking.
- Once crust and vegetables are cooked. Add vegetables, ham, and cheese to the crust. Scramble the eggs in a separate bowl and add the chopped rosemary and cottage cheese. Pour over the quiche filling and slightly move the pieces around to make sure the egg gets to the bottom. Bake uncovered for 40-50 minutes (or until set).