Almost a year ago, my parents were in a serious car accident that resulted in some substantial injuries for my mother. I stayed with them for about five weeks while she was in the hospital and then after she came home, and I spent a good portion of that time cooking. As Mom healed, she was absolutely certain that the meals I’d cooked had been responsible for some of the healing, largely because I used more protein than she would when cooking for herself. I started thinking about that and wondering whether there was more to it than a feeling, and whaddya know, she was right. (Aren’t moms always right?) Breaking down why protein is important felt like a nearly impossible task, because it’s a complex topic. But here goes.
What is protein, exactly, and why does it matter? Proteins are macromolecules made up of long strings of amino acids. The human body needs 20 amino acids to function properly, and of those 20, we can only synthesize 11 naturally. The remaining 9, the essential amino acids, have to come from our diets. Protein is a critical nutrient, and every structure in your body requires protein to function correctly. A healthy blood supply requires protein. Muscles, hair, organs, skin, etc., all need protein. (YES I KNOW. Skin is an organ; the largest organ, in fact. Go ahead. Tell me when you hear the word, “organ,” you don’t automatically think kidneys, lungs, heart, etc. Go ahead. I’ll wait. Ok then! Skin gets mentioned separately to organs. So there.) So anyway, let’s go back to those amino acids. We need dietary sources for the 9 essential amino acids. Complete proteins contain adequate amounts of the 9 amino acids. Beef, cow’s milk, and eggs seem like obvious candidates for the complete protein list. I was honestly surprised to see that quinoa, pea protein, soy, and spirulina are on the list as well. (I guess I don’t pay enough attention to marketing to notice whether the box of quinoa I bought a while back said “Complete protein!” on it. LOL!) Notice that multiple sources of plant-based protein, while nutritious, are not on the list of complete proteins, such as nuts and legumes. If you’re following a vegetarian diet, you’ll want to make sure you have enough different sources for protein to get all 9 essential amino acids every day.
Protein is the most filling; helps you feel fuller, longer, with less intake. I noticed years ago that if I had cereal and milk for breakfast, and that was my preferred breakfast for years, that I was hungry earlier and snacking more than the days when I happened to have eggs for breakfast instead. Even yogurt, which can be a good source of protein, didn’t have enough protein in it to fill me up and help me snack less. So I swapped cereal & milk or yogurt for eggs (mostly), and that has worked very well. (And without significantly increasing my cholesterol levels. That’s a whole different topic.) Not every protein is the same. Some are beneficial, while some are problematic for some people. Gluten, for example, is a protein that gives me pretty significant problems. That’s a topic I’ve covered before, although when I first went GF I didn’t realize I am actually allergic to wheat.
Does the type of protein matter, whether animal or vegetable? It turns out that the answer is yes, and while steak & bacon & eggs are all delicious, plant-based protein has fewer calories and different nutrients, specifically, fiber. Fiber is also a critical nutrient that we don’t always get enough of in our diets, and animal-based protein has exactly zero. So, yes, it matters. If you’re so inclined, enjoy that steak or burger. But enjoy a smaller portion, along with a glass of red wine or Concord grape juice, and work more plant-based protein into your diet. Your health will thank you! Cheers!