Excessive protein is the current health fad. Protein is one of the three macronutrients. Fat and carbohydrates are the other two, and some experts would add fiber (a special type of carbohydrate) as a fourth.

There are healthy fats (polyunsaturated from plants) and unhealthy fats (saturated, from animal products plus palm and coconut). And there are healthy carbs (whole grains) and unhealthy carbs (processed). There are healthy and unhealthy proteins as well.

 Protein molecules are made up of amino acids. Our digestive tracks break down protein into amino acids, which then enter the blood stream. Our bodies use amino acids to repair tissues and to make hormones and enzymes. Thirteen of the 22 amino acids can be made by our bodies, but the other nine, called “essential amino acids,” must come from the food we eat.

The old way of thinking about protein

Animal products contain an abundance of all the essential amino acids, and because of that we used to think that animal protein was superior to plant protein. Different plant foods contain varied amounts of essential amino acids, and nutrition scientists and lay people including athletes used to think that in order to get all the essential amino acids from plants it was necessary to combine plant foods—such as rice and beans.

What we now know about protein

It turns out that all plant foods contain all the essential amino acids. As Dr. Neal Barnard puts it in his latest book “The Power Foods Diet,” “plants have plenty of good, healthy, complete protein. You don’t need animal protein at all.” Big, strong animals such as gorillas, horses, and elephants are 100 percent plant-based. Furthermore, plant protein is actually superior to animal protein, one reason being that animal protein is accompanied by unhealthy saturated fat, which raises cholesterol and increases risk of heart attacks, strokes, and Alzheimer’s.

Furthermore, there is something about animal protein itself, unrelated to saturated fat, that harms health. Animal protein contains large amounts of the amino acids lysine, methionine, and histidine, all of which have been shown to lead to heart disease if ingested in excess. A 2014 study looked at people aged 50-65 and those reporting high animal protein intake had a 75% increase in overall mortality and a four-fold increase in the risk of dying from cancer and diabetes during the following 18 years.

 In 2016 Harvard researchers followed 131,342 subjects in the Nurses’ Health Study and Health Professionals Follow-Up Study and found that the more animal protein (fish, poultry, eggs, dairy, and red meat) study participants ate the more likely they were to die of heart disease and stroke beyond what was accounted for by saturated fat. There are now multiple studies confirming that plant protein is better for human health, as well as health of the planet.

How much protein do we need?

While fiber and micronutrient deficiency is common in the U.S., protein deficiency is extremely rare in spite of all the hype about protein these days. Over the years, the beef, poultry, dairy, and egg industries have convinced us we need way more protein than we actually need or than is even good for us. Human breast milk is nature’s perfect food for infants, and is relatively low in protein compared to cows’ milk and that of other mammals.

Too much protein interferes with bone health and calcium regulation, and increases risk of heart disease, chronic kidney disease, cancer, and liver disease. It used to be recommended that protein should make up 13 percent of our calorie intake; now the recommendation is 5 percent. According to nutritionfacts.org, the current recommendation is 0.8 to 0.9 grams of protein per kg. per day. Based on ideal body weight, this works out to around 46 grams a day for a typical woman and 56 for a typical man. Whether protein intake in the elderly or athletes should be higher is controversial.

Dr. Caldwell Esselstyn (featured in the documentary Forks Over Knives, author of “Prevent and Reverse Heart Disease”) says don’t eat your meals with a calculator. If you eat a variety of vegetables, fruit, whole grains, legumes, nuts and seeds you will meet your protein needs.

For additional information

“The Power Foods Diet” by Neal Barnard, M.D.; The Game Changers documentary on Netflix about elite athletes who have gone plant-based to enhance their performance; Dr. Michael Greger’s website nutritionfacts.org. If you choose to buy a protein supplement in spite of the above information, buy a plant protein supplement. And read the label because most brands contain significant added sodium.

Dr. Greg Feinsinger is a retired family physician who started the non-profit Center For Prevention and Treatment of Disease Through Nutrition. For questions or to schedule a free consultation about nutrition or heart attack prevention contact him at gfmd41@gmail.com or 970-379-5718.