September 22, 2016 general

In last week’s blog we talked about the importance of maintaining muscle mass even into advanced age. One requirement for building and maintaining muscle is adequate intake of protein.

Experts do not all agree on the amount of protein we require, but they do generally agree that the goal should vary by person. As you can see from this Kashi calculator, if you enter a weight of 155 pounds and check that you are moderately active, it doesn’t give one number…it gives a range—56 to 106 grams. That is a huge spread. It likely reflects a bunch of individual differences such as proportion of existing muscle mass; whether or not a person is taking acid-blocking drugs (among other insults, those drugs keep us from properly digesting protein); and even what kind of bacteria live in a person’s intestinal track.

Kashi is obviously promoting their own products and they are probably better than most. However, I think un-fermented grains in products like cereal should not be a large part of our diet and they may actually be a problem for many people. None the less, this calculator could be very useful in getting an idea how much protein we eat.*  You can see, for example, that while it has a reputation for being a “protein food”, 1 tablespoon of peanut butter only provides 4.6 grams of protein. A slice of the highest quality whole grain bread might add another 5 grams. (Other brands might list higher protein numbers, but that is often because their bread contains more gluten. Gluten will have to be another blog.) A tablespoon of grape jelly adds zero protein. Depending on the brands selected, this PBJ toast may contain a lot of sugar, some trans fats and other undesirable ingredients. (There is no substitute for reading not only the nutrition facts on the label, but also the ingredient list.)

Studies show that a large percentage of the population, especially seniors, do not do not get enough protein. In contrast to the PBJ above at 9.6 grams, a single egg has 6.2 grams of protein. Therefore, 2 scrambled eggs start the day with 12.2 grams. Even at the low end of that 56/106-gram range, you can see that there is a long way to go. More examples: One half a cup of cottage cheese contains 14 grams. A 6-ounce salmon steak delivers 33.6 grams! You will notice that the calculator doesn’t list fruit because it has so little protein. The vegetables they list are beans and peas because green leafy veggies have very little protein. A shortcut to adding protein is adding a protein powder such as the one Dr. Young has made.

You might already be getting the idea that vegetarians have their work cut out for them.  Whether or not it has to do with blood type as some have suggested, I think some folks are just genetically better prepared to be vegetarians than others. They may also have an assortment of intestinal bacteria better suited to extracting the protein from plants. I have tried several times to be a vegetarian, but became weak and tired.

There are various eating patterns labeled “vegetarian”. The strictest definition and most nutritionally challenging is “vegan”. In that diet one gives up anything that ever had anything to do with an animal—perhaps even leather shoes. Vegans need to really work at getting adequate protein and other nutrients such as vitamin B₁₂, iron and zinc.

“Lacto-ovo vegetarians” eat eggs and dairy. “Pescatarians” add fish to their diets. (Smaller wild fish are the least contaminated.) I’ve heard people who eat eggs, dairy, fish, as well as some chicken and occasionally other meats describe themselves “vegetarian”. Perhaps those folks are just not clear on the concept. We could more properly call them “flexitarian”. That plan is the easiest to manage and is what I recommend for most people. In short, get lots of vegetables, fruits; eat eggs; and a moderate amount of animal-source protein. Pay careful attention to the source and quality each food. E.g. there are several reasons that red meat raised on grass without antibiotics and hormones is better (LINK) and if you eat grains get them whole.

Author Lierre Keith was a very strident vegetarian until she found that she could not get well on that diet. She began investigating all the long-held nutritional, environmental, political and humanitarian justifications for vegetarianism and wrote the very interesting book The Vegetarian Myth: Food, Justice, and Sustainability. It calls a lot of those common beliefs into question. (Interviews I had with her: April 2010 and May 2010.) In a more recent interview, guest Judith D. Schwartz opened my eyes to the important role farming methods have on greenhouse gases and climate change. Her book is Cows Save the Planet: And Other Improbable Ways of Restoring Soil to Heal the Earth.

* Tip: Walmart’s website lists the nutrition facts on brand name foods that they carry. So, you can do research no matter where you shop. For complete nutrition information on virtually any food, the USDA database is a great source.