Protein: What's All The Fuss About? (And A Caution)

Have you noticed that ‘protein’ seems to be marketed at us much more these days – it

seems to be added to everything from popcorn, cereal and snack bars, pasta, bread and

even water, ice cream and beer! So where has this trend originated from, what should you look out for, how much protein do you really need and why?

Well, simply put, protein isn’t just for Arnie and gym-obsessives.

Quick Bit Of Science!

Protein accounts for about 17% of body weight and it is estimated that a typical human cell is required to make approx. 10,000 different proteins. Amino acids make up larger protein molecules. There are 20 different amino acids that can be combined in various sequences to create a vast array of proteins, each with unique shapes and functions.

Amino acids are found in plants and animals and 9 are considered to be ‘essential’ because the body cannot make them itself and so must be consumed through the diet. For many years, meat has been synonymous with protein and strength, but we now know how powerful plant protein is too. The confusion may stem from the fact that all animal-based sources of protein – from milk and cheese to fish and meat, contain all 9 essential amino acids, unlike some vegetarian and vegan sources.

So Why Do We Need Protein?

Many people think protein is just for body builders, however, protein is essential for many

functions in the body. Some important uses for protein include for growth and maintenance of body structures like muscle, blood, skin, enzyme production enabling digestion of starch in foods such as bread, pasta and potatoes, for hormones, for the healthy function of the immune system, to move vital nutrients around the body such as calcium, zinc, vitamin b6 and iron, to balance fluid levels in the body and to regulate the level of acidity in the body.

How Much Protein Do We Need?

As a general rule, most people need 0.75g of protein per kg of body weight per day. So, for example, if you weigh 80kg you will need about 80 x 0.75 = 60g of protein per day. If you are a vegan or vegetarian that doesn’t eat eggs/dairy, you would need approximately 1g per kg of body weight, so 80g of proteins if you weigh 80kg. This accounts for how available plant protein is to the body. As a rough guide, this is about 2 portions a day and a portion size should fit in the palm of your hand. However, if you are doing a lot of physical activity your protein requirement could increase to 1.3g per kg for moderate levels of activity or 1.6g per kg for high levels of activity.

If you are recovering from surgery or illness, your protein requirement will increase to

between 1.6g – 3g per kg of body weight. In pregnancy, an additional 6g/day is

recommended and for lactating women and additional 11g per day for infants 0-6 months and 8g per day for infants 6+ months.

The Trend and The Marketing!

As is often the case in the food, health and wellness industry, marketers build on science

and cultural trends to create and expand new markets. The fitness and body building culture of the 70s – 90s took the science and started bringing it to the fore with people like Arnold Schwarzenegger as role models. Then, the low-carb (think Atkins, Keto, Paleo) diet booms of the 90s – 00’s fuelled the trend and made it appeal more to weight conscious women.

From the 2010’s onwards, marketers started highlighting protein content and designing new products to capitalise on the growing mainstream trend. Now, it feels out of control!

What To Look Out For In ‘Protein Products’

As is often the case with manufactured products, the ingredients list is key. Typically, the

more unnatural the pairing, the more work and ingredients have gone into making it

palatable. And simplicity and the minimum amount of ingredients is always preferable. Not to mention, one of the key benefits of eating protein in a meal is to stabilise blood-sugar and improve satiety – reducing snack cravings. The best source of complete protein is always the natural source (quelle surprise!)..so eggs and dairy, meat, fish, soy, tempeh, tofu, buckwheat, quinoa and chia seeds.

Here are some of the franken-protein-foods out there and some examples of what to look out for:

Vieve Protein Water – contains phosphoric acid which impairs calcium absorption (think

osteoporosis) as well as sucralose – a sweetener – it may be zero calories but the body

reacts in the same way to the sweeteners by producing insulin, so over time, sweeteners

can still contribute to insulin resistance and ultimately type 2 diabetes. Bad news!

Omaha Protein Popcorn – contains the emulsifier, lecithin, an ultra-processed ingredient

linked to disruption to the gut microbiome and inflammation. Also contains unspecified

artificial colours and flavours – never a good sign! And finally, chocolate coating, brown

sugar AND corn syrup – this is a very sweet product indeed!

Warburtons Protein Power Wholemeal Bread with Pulses, Seeds and Grains – on the

plus side it claims 16g of protein per 2 slices from a mix of pulses and seeds, which when

combined can comprise the complete protein requirement. However, again it contains sugar (insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes), inflammatory rapeseed and palm oils and

emulsifiers.

The best advice is simple: Yes, the hype is real about protein being essential and good for

supporting weight maintenance (although caution: watch out if you have reduced kidney function not to overdo protein consumption) however, opt for original, natural, simple whole food (i.e. not ultra-processed) sources.