It is difficult to fit protein into our diets. Some weeks you are getting more than enough. But once you stop paying attention, you consume a lot less protein.
It feels overwhelming. So, what should we do?
Some health gurus say that you should consume 1-1.6 gram(s) of protein per pound of body weight for optimal health. This translates to 150-225 grams of protein for a 150-pound person. The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends 0.83 g of protein per kilogram of weight each day. That is 54g for a 150-pound person.
When you are consuming all that protein, there are some important things to keep in mind.
Remember, optimal health relies heavily on adequate digestion. Your digestive system uses a different process for protein and fat than it does for carbohydrates. It needs to get used to a higher amount of protein, so titrating up slowly is a good strategy for adequate digestion and nutrient absorption.
If you shove too much protein into your system, you could have a host of digestive issues. One is constipation. Your northern digestive organs will secrete hormones that will tell your southern digestive organs to shut things down until nutrients are absorbed.
If your body is not in good practice of breaking down proteins, your body could see it as a pathogen and create an immune response, making you feel sick. However, a vegetarian diet could possibly help you in this way, because plant-based foods have amino acids in them. In this way, the body doesn’t have to do a ton of work to break down animal proteins into amino acids. You just have to make sure you are eating a diverse range of plant-based foods so you can have all essential amino acids to build protein in the body.
However, the health and function of your digestive system relies on an adequate amount of protein, so make sure you are getting enough. One downside to a low protein diet is bile stasis, where bile can’t flow. This causes back up in your organs and inflammation.
The life of the proteins that you eat are highly dependent on your stomach acid. Amino acids are the building blocks of protein. If your stomach acid is at an adequate pH, protein is absorbed as recognizable amino acids. The liver is responsible for sending amino acids out so that they can build into repair tissue and build muscle.
If stomach acid is too high, your body does not digest protein adequately. As a result, your body will attack it, thinking it is a pathogen. It will not break down into amino acids, therefore not going through the liver and into the tissues.
Takeaways:
- Monitor monitor monitor your protein intake.
- Raise your protein intake slightly and keep track of your symptoms.
- Avoid foods that don’t make you feel good. Allergies and sensitivities do not support tight cellular junctions in the gut or the body’s immune response.
- If you are eating a plant-based diet, make sure you are getting diverse sources of plants so amino acids can complement each other.
- Looking for more help?
Contact me! I would love to hear about your health journey and how I can help!
References
Newman, Tim. “Protein Deficiency: Should You Worry?” Protein Deficiency: Should You Worry?,
ZOE, 14 Mar. 2024, zoe.com/learn/should-you-worry-about-protein-deficiency.
Nutritional Therapy Association. (2020). Digestion Core Videos. [Video].
https://nutritionaltherapy.instructure.com/courses/202/pages/dig-%7C-core-
videos?module_item_id=12182 .
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