5 fast facts about high-protein diet plans

Do you know your macros from your aminos? Back in the 1980s, it was only bulking-up bodybuilders who gave much thought to protein intake. Now, high-in-protein diet plans such as Atkins, South Beach, and Paleo all claim you can lose weight with a high-protein diet and talk of counting macros is commonplace. But what, exactly, does a high-protein diet do to our bodies?

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What is protein?
 
Protein is one of our body’s essential building blocks, made up of 20 amino acids. Like fats and carbohydrates, it’s a macronutrient (one used in large quantities) that provides us with energy. Protein helps grow and repair cells in your muscles, skin, and nails, as well as make enzymes and hormones. Our bodies produce ‘non-essential’ amino acids, but nine essential amino acids can only be found in food.  When we eat protein, it gets broken down into amino acids and then rebuilt and recombined to do a specific job in the body.

Where is protein found?
 
People eat meat, poultry, fish, and other animal products such as eggs and dairy to get enough protein, but increasingly plant sources such as soy/tofu, nuts, seeds, and legumes like beans, pea and lentils are consumed instead. Canada’s Food Guide recommends getting your majority of protein from non-animal sources.

Plant-based vs animal protein?

All animal products (including dairy and eggs) are complete proteins, which means they contain all nine essential amino acids. Studies have shown that animal protein is best for building muscle. Plant-based proteins are considered more environmentally conscious, but most are incomplete proteins, so you need to eat a combination. Notable exceptions are quinoa and soy products, which are complete proteins.

Animal proteins may have higher levels of micronutrients such as vitamin D, but also contain more fat. In contrast, plant proteins are higher in fibre and contain fewer carbs. Protein powders are usually based on dairy (whey/casein) or plants (soy/pea), but most people don’t need this extra protein if they’re getting enough protein from food.

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How much protein should I eat?

Your body can’t store protein, so anything extra gets converted to energy and stored as fat. Some nutrition labels list protein, but you won’t see a percent daily value (% DV) because, according to Health Canada, most Canadians consume enough protein. Around a quarter of your plate should be protein, with a general guideline that adults need around 0.8 grams per kilogram of body weight per day. That’s about 10-35% of your total calories.

How much protein is too much protein?

Although you might lose weight on a high-protein diet due to eating fewer carbohydrates and feeling ‘fuller’,  a high in protein diet plan should be approached carefully. Too much protein may have adverse metabolic effects.  According to Harvard Health Publishing, people who consume very high-protein diets have a higher risk of developing kidney stones. What constitutes ‘too much’ protein is under review, but one suggestion is more than 2g/kg body weight per day.

The good news is that, unless you’re looking to bulk up like the Hulk, most Canadians already eat enough protein. By eating a wide range of animal and plant-based protein, you’ll get enough essential amino acids and nutrients like iron, zinc, vitamin B12, and calcium to power through the day.