protein requirements

Podge

I don't know if I agree with what has been said regarding protein amounts needed, as far as I am aware from a leading Heart specialist vegetarians and animals get their protein from plants. Cattle Sheep etc don't have protein themselves they get it from the grass and plants they eat. The strongest animals in the planet the elephants and the gorilla's and in roman times the gladiators were and are vegetarians. Protein requirements I understand from the many doctors who support a WFPB diet state there has never been anyone who has suffered from a deficiency in protein and that you don't need a lot of vegetable to sustain your daily requirements. Everyone choice I know and I originally thought big chunks of steak were the only source of protein available.

Susan_RD_101

@Podge

When I discuss protein, I always emphasize that there is a big difference between deficiency and optimization. Provided someone is consuming enough calories, protein deficiency won't really occur. That said, it's possible that a low protein intake may not provide all needed amino acids or make it challenging to get enough of the nutrients found in protein foods, such as iron and zinc.

In addition, athletes are a population that would be considered exempt from the RDAs for protein. Depending on their sport (and where they are in their training schedule), protein needs can become quite high.

Hope this adds some clarification!

Kind regards,

Podge

Many Thanks for your well detailed reply and help.

Podge

aj2323

I have been reading that due to sarcopenia it is actually important for older people, such as myself, to eat more protein, equivalent to 1g/lb of body weight. And that lean meat is the most effective way to get the necessary amino acids and certain minerals in a more calorie efficient way. Would love thoughts.

Susan_RD_101

@aj2323

You are right that seniors may have higher protein needs; however, 1 g of protein per kg would likely be excessive and more than the kidneys can handle. I'd aim for 1 g per kg of healthy body weight as a minimum.

Kind regards,

jefmcg

Ruminants (cows and sheep) aren't really vegetarians. They eat grass to feed their microbiome, and they actually ingest the byproducts of the microbiome, and the bodies of the bacteria etc. Similarly in the hind gut of a gorilla, starches, sugars and fibres are fermented to produce the fats and proteins that are not in the foods they forage. We have much smaller digestive systems. We can't do this with our foods.

And there is little evidence that gladiators were vegetarian. They ate a lot of grains, but nothing to suggest there was not meat, fish, dairy etc in their diets. Interestingly, apparently one reason they were given a lot of barley is to get a layer of fat to protect them from swords. Grains had the same effect on me, without the swords. But mostly they got it because they are slaves with short lives and grain is cheap. As long as they were well matched, you got a good show.

It more informative to look at what the Romans army ate, while they concurred the world. Hint: they were not vegetarian.

Susan_RD_101

We definitely shouldn't be basing nutrition recommendations on what gladiators did or did not eat - thankfully, nutritional science has come a long way .