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Protein! What is the Hype and What Type?

WHAT IS A HIGH-QUALITY PROTEIN?

A high-quality protein = 3 Things

1. Protein digestibility (i.e. “Can your body break it down?”)
2. Amino acid content (i.e. “What’s really inside the protein?”)
3. The resulting amino acid availability to support metabolic function (i.e. “Will your body be able to use those amino acids the way you want it to?”)

The process of digesting food begins in your mouth when you chew. But protein is unique in that your body’s digestion of it truly begins in the stomach and continues into the small intestine. Within those organs digestive enzymes and other components break down intact proteins into smaller chains of amino acids, the building blocks of protein. Before a chain can be absorbed into your bloodstream, it must be shortened into individual amino acids and put into an “amino acid pool.” Only then, when these amino acids hit the bloodstream, can they be transported and do all the good for your body. Your body can turn to this pool and take the exact amino acids it needs to create a larger protein molecule required for one function — such as building muscle or helping with the quality of your skin.

HIGH-QUALITY PROTEIN SOURCES

The following are top sources of protein:

Dairy products; milk, whey powders, cheese and cottage cheese, yogurt

Eggs

Seafood and fish

Beef

Chicken

Bison

Pork

Pea Protein

Soybeans

Blended meals (beans and rice)

Vegan protein powders with multiple protein sources

AMINO ACIDS: WHY YOU NEED THEM IN YOUR LIFE

Every source of protein has a different amino acid profile. These amino acids are a big determinant of whether or not a protein is high-quality. Your body can produce many amino acids on its own. But there are some it can’t make. Which is the following:

histidine

isoleucine

leucine

lysine

methionine

phenylalanine

threonine

tryptophan

valine

These are the “essential amino acids,” and you must get them through your diet only. Any food that contains all nine essential amino acids is known as a “complete protein sources.”

Nearly all animal proteins are highly bioavailable and complete protein sources (the body can use them efficiently and effectively and contain all the essential amino acids). This includes dairy, which supplies many of the amino acids, including a high amount of leucine. However, if you are like me and eat vegetarian mostly then there is still ways to get what is needed, which I explain latter.

While collagen and bone broths are popular for their potential to support joint health and other tissue function within the body, collagen protein is high in only 3 amino acids (glycine, proline, and hydroxyproline). Bone broths may deliver health benefits, but they alone won’t help with muscle building or fat loss (or satisfy your body’s amino acid requirements, unless you add chicken or beef to the broth). I am sure I will upset a few people with that information but knowledge is power.

WHAT ABOUT PLANT PROTEIN?

Conversely, most plant sources have an amino acid profile that differs drastically from that of humans. Many plant proteins are low in various essential amino acids, especially leucine. This is important because leucine plays a critical role in turning on muscle protein synthesis (MPS), which is key for building and repairing muscle tissue. The big exceptions are soy and select sources of pea protein (like pea protein isolate). These vegetarian sources contain all, or nearly all, of the essential amino acids you require. Outside of those sources, most plant-based proteins are not complete. All this means is that consuming one lone source of plant protein cannot support body growth and maintenance. But if you combine different plant protein sources, then you can receive adequate amounts of all nine essential amino acids.

Examples of complementary proteins include combining legumes and grains, such as red beans and rice, or vegetables and legumes, as you’d find in a 9-bean vegetable soup. When you eat complementary proteins, the combined sources equal a complete protein source. You don’t have to do this at the same meal. Your body will store the amino acids as they come in, and then resynthesize proteins as it needs by pulling from body cells and blood supplies later. So, even if you had rice at breakfast and beans at dinner, you’re covered. Often, you need to eat more plant-based protein to get the equivalent amount of amino acids that you would from a smaller amount of animal protein, which is why supplemental plant protein powders can be so effective for those who follow a vegan, vegetarian, or plant-based diet.

RECOMMENDATIONS VARY – SO CHECK IT OUT

Check out the table above I created to find the recommended protein intake by various, reliable sources for all types. Often I have people come to me asking how to “build muscle” after seeing a decline with age. Remember, our muscles atrophy (shrink) as we age for various reasons, so adding better protein sources, along with the recommended amount, help us retain and build muscle to keep us lean and tone. The same goes for those who may be sick with hypermetabolic syndromes, such as cancer patients, burn victims, HIV patients, or any major process that is occurring that requires energy to repair your body and use those essential amino acids to repair skin, build muscle, retain muscle, etc.