high protein diets

[Guest guest]

dfnewman asked:

Any thoughts?HEART ASSOCIATION WARNS OF RISK IN HIGH-PROTEIN DIETS

 

******

 

 

 

 

 

High Protein Diets: Separating Fact From Fiction

By Stephen Byrnes, PhD, RNCP

 

Clinically, I have used low-carbohydrate, high fat and protein diets to

very good effect, especially with those conditions that are worsened by

excessive carbohydrate intake, e.g., diabetes, chronic fatigue,

fibromyalgia, and heart disease. When properly practiced, low-carb diets

are not harmful.

 

Some experts believe that excessive protein consumption, particularly

animal protein, can result in heart disease, stroke, osteoporosis,

cancer and kidney stones.

 

It is excessive carbohydrate intake, not protein or animal protein

intake, that can result in heart disease and cancer (1).

 

Readers should note that the type of diet vegetarian expert advocate are

high carbohydrate one because that is exactly what diets that are low in

protein and fat are. Furthermore, the idea that animal products,

specifically protein, cholesterol, and saturated fatty acids, somehow

factor in causing atherosclerosis, stroke, and/or heart disease is a

popular idea that is not supported by available data, including the

field of lipid biochemistry (2).

 

The claim that animal protein intake causes calcium loss from the bones

is another popular nutritional myth that has no backing in nutritional

science. The studies that supposedly showed protein to cause calcium

loss in the urine were NOT done with real, whole foods, but with

isolated amino acids and fractionated protein powders (3).

 

When studies were done with people eating meat with its fat, NO calcium

loss was detected in the urine, even over a long period of time (3).

Other studies have confirmed that meat eating does not affect calcium

balance (4) and that protein promotes stronger bones (5). Furthermore,

the saturated fats that many experts believe are so evil are actually

required for proper calcium deposition in the bones (6).

 

The reason why the amino acids and fat-free protein powders caused

calcium loss while the meat/fat did not is because protein, calcium, and

minerals, require the fat-soluble vitamins A and D for their

assimilation and utilization by the body. When protein is consumed

without these factors, it upsets the normal biochemistry of the body and

mineral loss results (7). True vitamin A and full-complex vitamin D are

only found in animal fats.

 

If the protein-causes-osteoporosis theory teaches us anything, it is to

avoid fractionated foods (like soy protein isolate, something most

vegetarians would no doubt encourage readers to consume) and isolated

amino acids, and to eat meat with its fat.

 

New evidence shows that women who ate lots of meat had fewer hip

fractures compared to those who avoided it (8) and that vegan diets

place women at a greater risk for osteoporosis (9).

 

The claim that protein intake leads to kidney stones is another popular

myth that is not supported by the facts. Although protein restricted

diets are helpful for people who have kidney disease, eating meat does

not cause kidney problems (10). Furthermore, the fat-soluble vitamins

and saturated fatty acids found in animal foods are pivotal for properly

functioning kidneys (11).

 

Many experts attempt to explain how meat supposedly " acidifies " the

blood, leading to greater mineral loss in the urine is also incorrect.

Theoretically, the sulfur and phosphorus in meat can form an acid when

placed in water, but that does not mean that is what happens in the

body.

 

Actually, meat provides complete proteins and vitamin D (if the fat or

skin is eaten), both of which are needed to maintain proper

acid-alkaline balance in the body. Furthermore, in a diet that includes

enough magnesium and vitamin B6 and restricts simple sugars, one has

little to fear from kidney stones (12).

 

Animal foods like beef, poultry, and lamb are good sources of both

nutrients as any food and nutrient content table will show. It also goes

without saying that high protein/fat and low-carbohydrate diets are

devoid of sugar.

 

Some believe that the weight loss on high-protein diets is mostly from

water loss is strange given that low-carb proponents like Robert Atkins,

MD, tell their devotees to drink lots of water while on the diet.

Initially, there is a water loss (as with any diet), but the high water

intake afterwards would certainly offset any more drastic " water

losses. "

 

Others believe that weight loss occurs on high protein/fat diets because

the person eats less food because he or she gets fuller faster on fat.

Given that fat has more than twice as many calories than either protein

or carbohydrate, this explanation is far from satisfactory.

 

In other words, you may not eat as many carbohydrates as you did before

you went on the high protein diet, but because you're ingesting more

fat, which has over twice as many calories as carbohydrate, your actual

caloric intake is likely to stay the same or be higher than it was

before.

 

Some claim that plant-based proteins like those found in soy, lower LDL

cholesterol and raises HDL (good) cholesterol. This prevents the build

up of arterial plaque which leads to atherosclerosis and heart disease,

thus reducing the risk of heart attack and stroke.

 

This is yet another nutritional fantasy that although popular, is not

true. The HDL/LDL theory has been thoroughly debunked by a number of

prominent researchers (13) and LDL serves many useful functions in the

body -- there is nothing " bad " about it (14).

 

Cholesterol is actually used by the body as an antioxidant (15);

vegetarian diets do not protect against atherosclerosis or heart disease

(16); and female vegans have higher rates of death from heart disease

than female meat eaters (17).

 

Others contend that vegetable-protein diets enhance calcium retention in

the body. This is simply wrong as " vegetable proteins " do not contain

the fat-soluble vitamins A and D which are needed to assimilate calcium

(and protein and other minerals). Furthermore, numerous plant compounds

like oxalates and phytates inhibit calcium absorption.

 

Unfermented soy products, in particular, are noted for their high phytic

acid content and phytates block mineral absorption (18).

 

Many experts advise us to replace vegetable protein for animal protein

and unsaturated fats " like olive and canola oils " for saturated fats, is

dubious at best and dangerous at worst. A number of recent and prior

studies catalog the veritable witches brew of toxins found in processed

soy products (19) and canola oil has caused vitamin E deficiencies in

lab animals (20).

 

Canola oil is also quite susceptible to rancidity due to its high level

of alpha-linolenic acid; in the deodorization process used with canola

oil, harmful trans-fatty acids are created (21).

 

Lastly, studies have not born out the claims that vegetarians have lower

cancer rates than the general population. A large study on vegetarian

California 7th Day Adventists showed that, while the Adventists had

slightly lower rates for some cancers, their rates of malignant

melanoma; Hodgkin's disease; and uterine, prostate, endometrial,

cervical, ovarian, and brain cancers were higher than the general

population, some quite significantly. In the paper, the authors wrote

that,

 

Meat consumption, however, was not associated with a higher cancer risk.

And that,

 

No significant association between breast cancer and a high consumption

of animal fats or animal products in general was noted. (22)

 

Indeed, Dr. Emmanuel Cheraskin's survey of 1040 dentists and their wives

showed that those with the fewest health problems as measured by the

Cornell Medical Index had the MOST protein in their diets (23).

 

The facts are that high-protein diets, when consumed in balance with

enough water, fat and fat-soluble vitamins, and nutritional factors from

non-starchy vegetables, ARE healthy.

 

They are not guilty of the things many health experts blame on them.

Minimally processed animal foods like beef and lamb are healthy foods

that are rich in a number of nutrients that protect and enhance several

body systems: taurine; carnitine; creatine; glutathione; vitamins A; D;

several of the B-complex, including B6 and B12; minerals like chromium,

magnesium, sulfur, iron, zinc, and phosphorus; complete proteins; and

coenzyme Q10, needed for a healthy heart.

 

If readers want to get an accurate assessment of lower-carbohydrate

diets, they should check out reliable books on the subject. (24)

 

Abstracted from http://www.powerhealth.net/protein2001.htm

 

 

 

------

--------

 

DR. MERCOLA'S COMMENT:

 

Dr. Byrne has done an excellent job debating and referencing some of the

common myths that many have regarding the belief that meat is evil and

should be avoided by all.

 

As he references, and the links below expand on, there are plenty of

scientific studies published in reputable journals that debunk the

vegetarian myth.

 

This is not to say that the root word of vegetarian is not profoundly

helpful. I firmly believe we each need to consume one pound of fresh,

raw, uncooked vegetables a day for every 50 pounds of body weight.

Ideally they should be juiced.

_____________

Get the FREE email that has everyone talking at

http://www.mail2world.com