Most people are well informed about carbohydrates and fat. The condition is different from the third key nutrient: protein. There are myths and misinformation here. FOCUS Online asked an expert whether it is easier to lose weight with protein and when too much protein is harmful.
We would not survive entirely without protein, because protein, along with carbohydrates and fat, is one of the body's main nutrients. Protein is a collective term for 20 different amino acids. The body cannot produce eight of the amino acids itself, so they have to be ingested through food: leucine, tryptophan, threonine, methionine, valine, isoleucine, lysine, phenylalanine.
The function of protein in the body:
The amino acids perform a variety of different tasks, including:
They are a building block in every cell, in skin, nails and hair, bones, cartilage, connective tissue, and organs such as the brain.
They transport fat and oxygen.
They build nitrogen-containing compounds, such as hormones like insulin and enzymes.
They play a part in the production of histamine and serotonin.
They're a part of the body's defense mechanism (such as antibodies).
They are important for building muscle.
Last but not least, protein is a source of energy with four kilocalories per gram. "Compared to fat, which has an energy content of about nine kilocalories per gram, protein offers less energy but is more filling than fat and carbohydrates," says Christina Holzapfel, a scientist at the Klinikum Rechts der Isar at the Technical University of Munich's Institute for Nutritional Medicine.
Protein Deficiency - The Signs
Too little protein is associated with significant development and growth disorders, such as muscle weakness. However, we rarely run the risk of protein deficiency; it is higher, for example, in the hungry regions of the world. "Protein consumption in the general population in Germany is on average higher than the German Nutrition Society's guidelines, but it is often inadequate for older people," says the specialist.
This is the daily protein requirement.
According to the German Nutrition Society (DGE), the reference values for protein for the general population under 65 years of age are 0.8 grams per kilogram of body weight.
Example: A man who is 1.80 meters tall and weighs 80 kilograms should consume 80 * 0.8 = 64 grams of protein per day.
"If you look at the nutrient ratio, the rule of thumb is: 15 percent of the daily calories should be covered by proteins," suggests the nutritionist.
For adults over 65 years of age, an estimated value for the intake of 1.0 g protein per kilo of body weight per day is given; for children, it is also slightly higher, depending on age. However, there are exceptions: People with obesity are not allowed to calculate their protein requirements based on their current weight, but based on a normal weight for their height. On the contrary, everyone who is underweight should consume more protein accordingly.
Overview of foods with a high protein content
Foods particularly rich in protein are meat, fish, dairy products, and eggs. But pulses such as lentils and soy, plus grain, also provide a lot of protein.
The protein content of some foods
Animal products:
Hard cheese such as Emmentaler (100 grams): 30 grams of protein
Beef 100 grams around 21 grams of protein
Poultry 100 grams around 20 grams of protein
Salmon 100 grams around 20 grams of protein
1 egg: around 13 grams of protein
Milk 100 milliliters 3 grams of protein
Plant-based foods:
Soybeans, tofu (100 grams): 34 grams of protein
Almonds (100 grams): 24 grams of protein
Lentils (100 grams): 23 grams of protein
Lupine flour (100 grams): around 18 grams of protein
The issue of animal protein vs. vegetable protein
Not all proteins are the same. The body can utilize protein from animal products and soy better than other protein sources. The bioavailability of the proteins from animal foods is therefore better. They also provide a full range of essential amino acids. Animal protein would do better than vegetable protein in this case.
However, in addition to cheap proteins, meat, high-fat dairy products, and eggs also provide unfavorable fats like cholesterol. "The protein intake should therefore come from animal and plant-based foods, whereby the consumption of plant-based foods is emphasized," explains Christina Holzapfel.
Vegetable protein scores against diabetes, fatty liver, and heart attacks
Studies show that a diet that prefers vegetable protein is associated with many health benefits: the risk of diabetes and cardiovascular diseases, including heart attacks and strokes, drops significantly, as nutritionists recently pointed out. Also, belly fat is reduced and there are positive effects on the fatty liver.
You can also do without animal protein: Tips for vegans
Ultimately, everyone can eat healthy and wholesome food without protein from animal foods. If you want to cover your protein requirements entirely with plant-based foods, such as vegans, you only have to combine cereals and legumes in a targeted manner, then you will also receive all the essential proteins.
The DGE gives practical examples of this: for example, combining lentil vegetables with rice or peas with bread. “Grains are low in lysine, threonine, and tryptophan, but high in methionine. Legumes are low in methionine, but rich in threonine and tryptophan, ”writes the DGE. Because plant-based foods provide different amino acids.
The environmental aspect of plant protein vs. animal proteins
In addition to these direct positive health effects, which speak for more plant protein and less animal protein, there are also indirect ones, such as the environment. It is a fact that people in industrialized nations consume too much animal-based food and thus harm the environment and deplete valuable resources, which will ultimately also affect us, humans.
Just one example of many: Huge amounts of agricultural land are required to grow forage for livestock. Just to produce one kilogram of animal protein - quickly consumed by three people on a barbecue evening - five times as many kilograms of vegetable protein are required.
To ensure sufficient protein for the growing world population in the future, the protein requirement would have to be met by plant-based rather than animal-based foods. Each of us is asked here.
New sources of protein, environmentally friendly alternatives
There are new approaches to cover protein requirements differently. "Innovative approaches are protein sources such as insects or algae, which are also traded as superfoods," reports nutritionist Holzapfel. Although a dish with locusts certainly does not suit everyone's taste at the moment, she adds, algae have a neutral taste and can therefore be used in a variety of ways.
Lupins are also used as meat substitutes and can be made into milk, yogurt, and desserts as well as dips and spreads. "Lupine seeds are high in high-quality vegetable protein and low in fat and carbohydrates," the nutritionist stresses. The legume is also very rich in fiber.
Protein powder for losing weight, especially if you are obese
When it comes to vegetable protein, many also think of various protein powders for weight loss. They consist of whey, soy, or other vegetable proteins as well as lupins. It is well known that protein provides fewer calories than fat, but is more filling. "According to guidelines, a formula diet can be used to reduce weight if you are very overweight," says Christina Holzapfel. This applies to a body mass index of over 30 kg / m 2. The sole protein diet can be carried out under medical supervision for up to three months.
800 to 1200 kilocalories are consumed per day. The expert: "This usually leads to a good weight reduction of 0.5 to 2.0 kilograms per week." Those who do not have to lose weight so quickly are better advised to adopt a meal replacement strategy: one or two main meals a day deleted and instead there is the protein drink.
However, the reduced body weight can only be maintained if the formula diet is used as part of a long-term lifestyle change and an energy-adapted diet is adhered to even after the formula diet, ”advises the nutritionist.
Protein for athletes
However, there are also lean, sporty people who use protein products such as protein bars. Hobby athletes in particular hope to build up more muscle mass in this way. In any case, a protein-rich diet is important for athletes. For most, however, the amount recommended by the DGE is sufficient. Training is essential for building muscle. Without strain, muscles do not grow - no matter how many proteins are swallowed.
The situation is different with high-performance athletes. They have a higher protein requirement. That is why they eat differently during training, relying on carbohydrates and protein. In doing so, they usually eat more anyway than when they are not exercising and in this way automatically consume more protein.
Too much protein can be dangerous - an extreme case
But there are also extremes here, for example in the bodybuilder scene. A 25-year-old female bodybuilder died of a protein overdose. She had taken protein supplements in preparation for a competition but did not know that she had a rare genetic metabolic disorder. This urea cycle defect prevented your body from processing large amounts of protein properly. Ammonia was formed, which poisoned her body.
However, this is actually a rare exception, an extreme case. Most people do not have to fear damage from too much protein if they eat a balanced diet. Only those who already have a significant kidney dysfunction can put even more stress on the kidneys through high amounts of protein. However, up to 1.5 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight is usually not a problem for healthy people.
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