Protein is Good For You .. Right?
Short summary: Caveat Emptor make sure to read the full ingredients list of any supplement and know your food source!
In recent times, muscle centric living and ageing has become a popular topic, thanks to the amazing work over years by Dr Donald Layman, and recently publicised by Dr Gabriele Lyon.
Muscle is the largest organ in the body.
It plays a huge role in healthy ageing, through blood sugar regulation, reducing the risk of some brain alignments, not to mention how we physically handle ourselves dealing with potential trips, slips and falls, and how we manage daily life. No one wants to struggle with the groceries do they?
A frightening statistic - People over 70 who break a hip have a higher rate of death than those who don’t. Men are more at risk than women. One simple way to reduce the risk is to build more muscle.
It has been found that the more muscle a person has as they age, relates to a strong positive correlation with how they manage ageing. Muscle wasting (sarcopenia) is a possibility as we age, due to hormonal changes, lifestyle changes and disease. Prevention is always better than cure, and the best time to build muscle for healthy ageing is in our 20s, and the next best time is now.
Given that muscle requires protein to build it, the volume (RDA per kg of body weight) for protein uptake in our diet has become even more focused upon, with experts starting to recommend we increase the protein intake to ensure muscle growth or maintenance. Not so focused on the quality of that protein sadly, rather the quantity. We feel that both quality and quantity matter.
Of course, big business has seen this as a way to make money, as people believe they are improving their health by following expert advice. Therefore, a few things to consider when looking at how we manage our protein sources, be that via a tub of protein from the health store or supermarket shelf, or via the Internet when your favourite trusted celebrity posts it up to sell you, or in daily food consumption.
Been there myself, when whey protein and MREs (meals ready to eat) / protein packs came out in the 1990s, so this is as much a recounting of my learnings, as much as an information for you when selecting your protein and it's source.
Real food
Not all things called the same are the same, nor have the same health benefits.
Regeneratively farmed eggs, grass-raised and grass-finished meat, and hemp, are the best source of protein. Just ensure you know where they come from (no hidden contaminations) and what the animals have been fed upon.
Not all eggs are the same.
Trust me, ours from the neighbour are so different from the ones we eat when we travel, where chickens are most likely caged and fed corn or soy, not to mention antibiotics and hormones.
Not all meat is the same.
Meat from the regenerative farmer is so much better than meat from the local supermarket. And one of my current favourites, due to being a complete protein, with all 9 essential amino acids in perfect balance, not to mention healthy fats and fibre is hemp seeds.
Not all hemp is the same.
Hemp needs to be certified clean of toxins and pesticides, because as a hyper accumulator, if hemp is grown on toxic land (pesticides etc), those will concentrate in that plant. In recent years, lots of hemp came into the USA & Australia from Asia, and let’s just say hygiene standards were less than ideal, leading to a huge recall of protein powders due to contamination.
Aussie grown hemp that is certified and tested is the way I am getting my extra protein now, as a food source, not a supplement. STAIT Recover acts as part of my daily meal routine, as it contains circa 20 grams of pure hemp as well as certified organic alfalfa per serve. Not to mention all the adaptogenic herbs.
FULL LIST OF STAIT RECOVER INGREDIENTS
Alfalfa (Medicago sativa)*‡, Hemp Protein (Cannabis sativa l.)*‡, Moringa (Moringa oleifera)*, Beetroot (Beta vulgaris)*‡, Diatomaceous Earth (food-grade), Kakadu Plum (Terminalia ferdinandiana)*‡, Rosella (Hibiscus sabdariffa)*‡, Broccoli (Brassica oleracea)*‡, Brussel Sprouts (Brassica oleracea)*‡, Rhodiola (Rhodiola rosea)*, MSM (Methylsulfonylmethane), Astragalus (Astragalus membranaceous)*, Rose (Rosa centifolia)*, Schisandra (Schisandra chinensis)*, Asparagus (Asparagus racemosus) and Stevia (Stevia rebaudiana)*.
* Certified organic
‡ Australian grown
Made from local (where possible) and imported certified organic ingredients. No fillers. No synthetic additives. No pesticides or herbicides. GMO-Free. Suitable for plant-based and omnivorous diets.
The next area to be aware of, if like me, you want to “supplement” in additional protein, is protein powders or MREs.
Protein Powders and MREs
When looking at the label – and look you must IF you wish to remain your very best health - consider that 99% of powders and bars on the market are not simply pure protein, so be aware of what they do contain.
Artificial Sweeteners
Many protein powders on the market contain artificial sweeteners, artificial flavours and bulking agents, all disclosed on the label, as well as flow agents or silicon dioxide, and the like, which don’t need to be disclosed, yet are harmful to the body.
Look out for artificial sweeteners like sucralose, 600 times sweeter than sugar; aspartame which is a known unhealthy addition to any product, and once deemed unsafe for human consumption; and all branded zero calorie sweeteners. The brand may market these ingredients as a positive benefit, such as 'zero calories' and good for weight management.
BRAND A
Ingredients: whey protein concentrate (milk), whole milk powder, pea protein isolate, skim milk powder, whey protein isolate (milk), emulsifiers (soy, lecithin, sunflower lecithin), dextrose, flavours, vegetable gum (guar gum), enzyme, sweetener (sucralose).
Contains - milk and soy products
BRAND B
Ingredients: whey protein isolate (milk), emulsifiers (soy lecithin), whey protein concentrate (milk), emulsifiers (soy lecithin), micellar casein (milk), cocoa, flavour, sucralose.
What we are not told is that artificial sweeteners disrupt the brain into thinking energy is coming in the form of sugars, when it doesn’t, energy crashes. Worse still, sucralose has been shown to alter (aka damage) gut health, by harming (reducing) good gut bacteria, which in turn, hinders the absorption of nutrients, reduces gut function, leading to hormonal disruption, fatigue, reproductive function, downgrade of metabolism, and so much more. WOW, that’s not on the label!
In addition, this can lead to inflammation in the body, increased oxidative stress, increased cytokine production, which can cause joint issues, diseases of inflammation like irritable bowel syndrome, rheumatoid arthritis, atherosclerosis, obesity, depression, and more. Let’s just say, not healthy.
Acesulfame potassium
Sometimes shown as Ace-k or E950 on labels, is another sweetener, often combined with sucralose or aspartame to enhance flavour. Not only does this chemical disrupt gut health, it has been shown to contain methylene chloride, which is a suspected carcinogen. Regulatory bodies say it’s safe in moderate use. Moderate use isn’t daily as in a protein shake.
BRAND C
Ingredients: micellar casein, cocoa powder (processed with alkali), natural and artificial flavours, salt, cellulose gum, xanthan gum, carrageenan, lecithin, acesulfame potassium, sucralose, protease.
Contains: milk and soy
Maltodextrin
If low calories isn’t the aim, in things like meal replacements or weight gainers, watch out for maltodextrin.
This sugar leads to rapid increases in blood sugar, and the subsequent insulin spikes. Not good long term at all, and may harm metabolic health. Not to mention gut disruption and weight gain risk.
Fructose
Touted as healthy because it is not raising blood sugar levels, is detrimental to the liver, as it is processed by the liver and can lead to fatty liver disease. And whilst not raising blood sugars, it can also lead to insulin resistance. One of the worst, and found in most processed foods is high fructose corn syrup. Much is known about this ingredient and how terrible it is for health issues such as diabetes, obesity, heart disease, and more. Yet it’s cheap and in most foods.
Artificial Flavours and Bulking Agents
Apparently (must be true as that’s what industry offers us) people crave watermelon flavour or blueberry flavour products, rather than the neutral or poor taste of unprocessed protein. They also seek thick creamy shakes vs thin natural liquids. Most bulking agents like guar gum or xanthan gum bulk up the powder (more profit for the manufacture) without any health benefits to the consumer.
BRAND D
Ingredients: whey protein concentrate (milk), emulsifier (soy lecithin), flavour, xanthan, sucralose.
Flavour guaranteed.
BRAND EIngredients: grass-fed whey protein concentrate, grass-fed milk protein isolate, grass-fed whey protein isolate, flavour, l-leucine, l-glutamine, β-hydroxy β-methylbutyric acid, minerals, lactase enzyme, sweetener 955, chocolate flavours containing alkalised cocoa.
Contains: milk and soy.
Indeed, these artificial ingredients force the body to draw water into the gut, causing bad fermentation, excess gas, discomfort, and can act as a laxative. Some protein bars actually have a warning on them that excess consumption (2 bars or so) may cause laxative effects. I know, I have experienced this when working out in the fields, only to wonder how to make it to the toilet before having a nasty accident. For full disclosure, I made it to the toilet, unscathed, if not a lot scarred by the whole experience. So be aware.
Protein Sources
If you read the label on most protein powder, it’s not just one source. Marketing tells you it’s to ensure complete profile of amino acids, but in reality cheap sources, blended for maximum profit.
Plant based proteins can be an issue, as I mentioned above, with contamination of heavy metal, and hygiene issues. Hence don’t buy cheap plant based protein unless from a very reputable source. Even large companies, like the one in the USA a few years ago, can get caught out. They sourced rice protein from China, and their recall due to salmonella was incredibly costly.
In addition, not all plant proteins are easily absorbable, and also taste bad, so even if it starts healthy, the desire to make a good tasting product brings in the first two aspects, artificial sweeteners, and artificial flavours, not to mention artificial colours. You end up with a Frankenstein product that is far from healthy.
Watch out for soy protein
Highly estrogenic, soy is not good for men, not to mention most soy is genetically modified, and isn’t good for gut health. That’s before we take into consideration most crops are heavily sprayed with pesticides, which pass into the food.
This also applies to eggs, as chickens fed on soy (even some organic labelled eggs are fed soy) will not make healthy eggs. Nor cows fed on it (even some grass-fed cows are finished on soy). So again, know your sourcing, better yet, know the farmer.
Is it best to focus on milk based proteins?
The answer isn’t straight forward – again, the over arching point is “know your source”.
Whey protein was ultimately a by-product of the USA diary industry, until the late 1980’s. That’s when a large consulting company was engaged to help farmers reduce costs, and the idea of selling this amazing protein to athletes was born. Full disclosure – I fell into this trap!
Whey isn’t great for the human – bloating, gut issues etc. And anything the cow has eaten, will appear in the milk, whey. So other milk based proteins are little safer than whey, because if conventionally sourced, likely to be full of antibiotics, hormones, and pesticides.
Then we wonder why when we are trying to be healthy, we are sick.
Even organic can be problematic – some certifications will allow paddocks to be sprayed with weed killer, which of course flows through the food chain.
Conclusion: All is not lost.
Sadly the average human psyche seems to prefer things to taste nice, rather than perform well. I get this, but at some point, if we truly want to maximise our health, the bandaid needs to be ripped off.
Education is key
Are we consuming these products to actually make us healthy, or to pretend we are doing the right thing?
Read the label
If it has a range of ingredients which aren’t natural, or it’s full of E numbers, and chemical names, maybe pass on it.
If it’s not organic or pure, know that you may be toxifying your body.
I fully appreciate that financial situations may dictate somewhat our shopping habits, however, shopping from your local farmers market generally saves money. The best protein is regeneratively fared eggs and regenerative farmed meats. Again, support local vs putting profit into global companies.
I prefer health over pretend.
