Posted on

Not all Protein is Created Equal

Not all Protein is Created Equal

How the Amino Acid Profile of a Protein Affects our Long-Term Health

In recent years, there has been a focus on comparing the quality of proteins based on whether they are complete or incomplete.  This is an argument that vegans often face when discussing plant-based protein and vegan nutrition. However, the quality of a protein should not rely simply on how many or which amino acids it contains. Instead, quality depends on the overall health effects of such amino acids.  According to recent studies, there’s one amino acid that could pose a threat to our longevity (1). While protein is necessary for health and fitness, it’s important to know how much is needed and what sources are best for long-term health. The more information we are faced with, the harder it is to know what kind of protein to shop for. Today, I am going to help you scratch some items off the list.

non-vegan-grocery-receipt
Shopping for healthy groceries has never been harder than it is now in 2024.

What is Methionine and What does it Do?

It is widely known that the human body needs 20 amino acids (the building blocks of protein), nine of which are considered essential and need to be obtained through diet. A “complete” protein would be one that contains all nine essential amino acids; this includes phenylalanine, valine, tryptophan, threonine, isoleucine, methionine, histidine, leucine, and lysine. The protein profile of food is generalized to total protein content and much less often to amino acid content. What we rarely hear about is how much of each amino acid we need and how to obtain each one.

Methionine, an essential amino acid, has been studied over the years for its effect on chronic disease development and longevity. Specifically, a low methionine diet has been associated with a longer lifespan (1). The reason for this is that methionine may induce oxidative stress, which can negatively impact aging and metabolic processes, leading to problems like obesity and diabetes (1). Interestingly, the types of foods that typically contain high levels of methionine have been associated with chronic disease in multiple other studies. As a plant-based nutritionist, I am particularly interested when finding a connection between plant-based nutrition and longevity.

Plant-Based Protein vs Animal-Based Protein

According to this nutrient search tool, foods highest in methionine are primarily animal-based foods, including chicken, turkey, lamb, steak, pork, tuna, and other fish. The highest plant-based source of methionine is firm tofu, ranking 154th on the list (2). Perhaps, the issue is not methionine itself but the “antinutrients” contained in animal products that associate methionine to chronic disease and premature death. Meat, poultry, and fish products contain cholesterol and saturated fats, whereas plant-based foods are cholesterol-free and tend to be low in saturated fats.

firm-tofu-plant-based-protein-methionine
Firm Tofu, the highest plant-based source of methionine (2), Tofu is a complete plant-based protein source for vegans, as it contains all of the essential amino acids.

It is true that, in most cases, animal-based foods contain more protein than plant-based foods, and it is much easier to obtain protein by eating meat, poultry, and fish. The real question is, does higher protein necessarily mean higher quality? All in all, it seems that animal-based products are a higher risk for disease development. The more time I spend analyzing research findings, the more I find that a balanced plant-based diet is the best diet for longevity.

  1. Kitada, M., Ogura, Y., Monno, I., Xu, J., & Koya, D. (2021). Effect of methionine restriction on aging: Its relationship to oxidative stress. Biomedicines, 9(2), 130. https://doi.org/10.3390/biomedicines9020130
  1. (n.d.). Highest methionine foods. MyFoodData. Retrieved July 31, 2024, from https://tools.myfooddata.com/nutrient-ranking-tool/methionine/all/highest/household/common/no
Plant Based Protein | Methionine
Posted on

Is prolonged and intermittent fasting safe?

Is Prolonged and Intermittent Fasting Safe?

A doctor named Alan Goldhamer supervises patients through therapeutic fasting that lasts between 5 and 40 days. has reported ZERO deaths from water fasting, after having over 10,000 fasting patients. So, even though numerous adverse side effects can occur with water fasting, the mortality rate is extremely low (1). While I don’t recommend dry fasting or prolonged fasting without doctor supervision, it is highly possible that you could fast for many weeks without it being life-threatening. Prolonged fasts typically end much sooner than planned due to the psychological difficulty of going without food (2) in addition to the physical challenges of feeling hungry and unwell.

fasting-eating-schedule-breaking-the-habit

How long should you fast?

During autophagy, the human body is quite literally detoxifying. That said, it is best to listen to your body and break the fast if you start to feel sick. Fasting has significant psychological effects, like the keto diet due to our bodies need for carbohydrates (2). In some cases, people fast for several days or weeks, then safely return to good health upon breaking the fast with mostly water and health foods. In other cases, fasting for long periods of time can have detrimental effects on people’s health. While some studies have shown that multiple-day fasts are beneficial to human health, more research should be done on best practices.

Most people view starvation as an entirely bad thing – even if it means skipping only one meal – thinking it’s just another type of calorie restriction with short term results. While this can be true for fasting, the negative effects of starvation are more likely to occur when you put yourself on a very low-calorie diet (VLCD). One study determined that after 10 weeks of undereating (due to VLCD without fasting), your hormones change and cause you to feel extra hungry for the next year or longer, leading to weight gain in the long run (3).

water-fasting-dry-fasting-health-benefits

Some people develop a liking for fasting, and practice it regularly.

A 24-hour fast every couple weeks or a daily 16-hour intermittent fast is generally safe for healthy individuals. Intermittent fasting has gained popularity in recent years and has been proven effective for fat loss in many studies (4). Many people find that it feels completely normal to go without food from dinner until the following day at lunch time, which is why the 16-hour fast is usually a good starting point. Some people start with 12 hours, then slowly build up over time to achieve 16-24 hour fasts through practice. Many fasters go beyond the 24 hour mark for days or even weeks to reap the health benefits. However, with the risks associated with prolonged fasting I do not personally recommend it. In fact, a 2017 study shows that intermittent fasting has all the same benefits as prolonged fasting such as weight loss, improved liver function, and glucose homeostasis (5).

When intermittent fasting, choosing a vegan version of the ketogenic diet during your eating window is much less harmful to our bodies than the animal-based version. Low-carb plant-based foods may reduce risk of heart disease as opposed to increasing the risk (like meat does) (6). However, it is not required to eat low-carb foods to reap the benefits of ketosis when fasting. Regardless of what diet you follow, make sure you are getting enough calories, proteins, vitamins, and minerals. If you have an eating disorder, nutrient deficiency, or Type II Diabetes, you should not attempt fasting. Hire a vegan dietitian, nutritionist, or nutrition coach to help prepare a healthy and safe plan for you. As always, talk to a medical professional before making any diet changes and to discuss any health risks associated with fasting.

Written by Kelly Gibson, Owner at Kelly Athletics LLC. Kelly is a Personal Trainer and Holistic Nutritionist in Pittsburgh Pennsylvania. She is passionate about being a vegan coach, and loves to help women transition to a plant-strong diet.

Subscribe to my Nutrition Blog
fitness-plant-based-nutrition-blog-home
 

References:

  1. Gustafson, Craig. “Alan Goldhamer, dc: Water Fasting—The Clinical Effectiveness of Rebooting Your Body.” Journal of Integr Med (Encinitas). Vol 13(3): 52–57. Published June 2014. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4684131/. Accessed Aug 3, 2018.
  2. Mehrpour, Maryam et al. “Autophagy in health and disease: 1. Regulation and significance of autophagy: an overview.” American Physiological Society, vol 298, issue 4. Published April 2010. https://www.physiology.org/doi/10.1152/ajpcell.00507.2009. Accessed August 1, 2018.
  3. David Baker and Natacha Keramidas. “The psychology of hunger.” American Psychological Association. Published October 2013, vol 44, No. 9. http://www.apa.org/monitor/2013/10/hunger.aspx Accessed July 29, 2018.
  4. Kollias, Helen. “Weight Loss & Hunger Hormones: Why ‘willpower’ may not be your problem.” https://www.precisionnutrition.com/fast-weight-loss-changes-hunger-hormones. Accessed July 31, 2018.
  5. Moro, Tatiana et al. “Effects of eight weeks of time-restricted feeding (16/8) on basal metabolism, maximal strength, body composition, inflammation, and cardiovascular risk factors in resistance-trained males.” J Transl Med. Published 2016. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5064803/ Accessed July 24, 2018.
  6. Kyoung-Han Kim & Yun Hye Kim. “Intermittent fasting promotes adipose thermogenesis and metabolic homeostasis via VEGF-mediated alternative activation of macrophage.” Cell Research Journal. Published Oct 17 2017. https://www.nature.com/articles/cr2017126.  Accessed July 31, 2018
  7. DJ, Jenkins et al. “Effect of a 6-month vegan low-carbohydrate (‘Eco-Atkins’) diet on cardiovascular risk factors and body weight in hyperlipidaemic adults: a randomised controlled trial.” BMJ Journals. Published Feb 5 2014. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24500611 Accessed July 25, 2018.
Posted on Leave a comment

Benefits of CHOCOLATE this Valentine’s Day!

Benefits of CHOCOLATE this Valentine’s Day!

So you’ve heard all the bad things about chocolate, like how it is high in fat and sugar and will make you gain weight if you overeat it… But, if you take away the dairy and the sugar, you might actually have a healthy product!  Let’s take a look at the benefits of chocolate in it’s most valuable ingredient: cocoa.

Cocoa Powder comes from the cocoa bean, grown on cacao trees mainly in South America.  Raw Cocoa is a nutritious plant that contains several minerals like calcium, copper, magnesium, phosphorous, potassium, and zinc. (Sounds like the benefits of chocolate could mean good for your bone health… Now we are onto something!) Not only that, but cocoa powder by itself contains almost 20% of calories from protein!


Image by http://www.nutritiondata.self.com/

Cocoa powder can be used in so many ways!  I like to come up with healthy ways to eat food we like, especially chocolate!!  Here is a 3-ingredient cocoa recipe that you can try for  Valentine’s Day:

2T cocoa powder
1/4 cup sunflower seeds
1/4 cup dried pitted dates

Instructions: Use a food processor to mix all of the ingredients together, then shape into cookie balls. No baking required. (This was a favorite in our first Vegan Challenge!)

I have so many more chocolate-y ideas! Join the Vegan Challenge for more cocoa-based recipes and you can experience all the benefits of chocolate! Contact Me for More Info:

    Subscribe to Blog:

    Your Name

    Your Email