
We don’t need nearly as much protein as we consume - hvo
http://www.bbc.com/future/story/20180522-we-dont-need-nearly-as-much-protein-as-we-consume
======
strken
_Fortunately, it’s difficult to have too much protein. While we do have an
upper limit of protein intake, it’s “virtually impossible” to reach, says
Tipton._

This is the most important part of the whole article. You might be able to
drop your protein consumption, but overshooting is far better than
undershooting, and legumes are one of the cheapest foods you can buy.

------
acconrad
As a competitive powerlifter and bodybuilder I completely agree with this
article. The average reader of BBC does not need nearly the protein
requirements of an athlete, and the daily minimums are very easy to get with a
plant-based diet.

Even for athletes, there has been little evidence for effective doses above
.82g/lb LBM (lean body mass, which is even lower than total body mass). I only
get up to 1g/lb total body mass when I'm in an aggressive cut because of a few
reasons:

1\. Protein and fiber are the two most satiating of nutrients

2\. Protein has the highest thermic effect (meaning it requires more energy to
burn than other macronutrients, so given 2000 kcal of protein vs carbs, you'll
burn more calories simply eating the protein).

------
matte_black
> "Most experts agree with Tipton that protein is best consumed in food
> instead of supplements. But there are some exceptions, such as athletes who
> find it difficult to hit their daily protein targets"

Is protein from food inherently better than the protein you get from a
supplement?

~~~
friesen
Probably has to do with bioavailability, similar to vitamins from food vs
vitamin supplements.

~~~
ovao
The most popular (and probably most-heavily marketed) protein supplement --
whey protein isolate -- actually has very high bioavailability compared to
animal and non-animal protein sources.

------
amriksohata
When I told people in the past I'm a vegetarian they often ask "buhhhh how did
you get your proteeeeinz?"

They've often been misled by the meat and agriculture industry

~~~
emmanuel_1234
It's not just about getting "proteins", it's about getting the right coverage
of all amino-acids, isn't it?

Vegans need to mix and match their protein in specific fashion to get it
right. It is certainly not impossible, but it's not as simple as eating an
egg.

~~~
skookum
Protein sources that are not complete don't need to be mixed and matched in
any specific fashion. Those depending solely on non-complete proteins just
need to make sure they eat a variety and not try to get all their protein from
one source. They don't need to eat specific esoteric combinations or even to
ensure they cover all the essential amino acids in a single meal.

Eggs - and also milk - are both complete protein sources, so it can be as
simple as eating them as part of a wider diet if they are not restricted.

------
hashkb
There is a feedback loop between the over-availability of protein, the way
it's marketed, and our eating habits. A global meat eating detente (I'm not
saying we should all become vegetarian) would be good for the environment,
animal welfare, and public health. It would only be bad for a handful of
massive corporations.

~~~
tw1010
The world is a series of collective action problems.

------
deft
People have become so convinced of madeup truths to argue for meat consumption
like "WHERE WILL YOU GET YOUR PROTIEN??". This fake science designed to sell
products needs to end. I'm glad there's some reporting on it but how can you
re-educate the public when their former education on the matter was profit-
boosting lies?

offtopic: Why does this site consistently serve me thumbnails-as-hero-images?
I'm starting to think its intentional but maybe something is wrong on my end.

~~~
spiznnx
re: offtopic: A lower quality hero is loaded first for me, then after a half
second the high quality loads.

~~~
tomcam
I like to think of myself as a lower-quality hero

------
chiefalchemist
Put another way...we don't need as much __animal__ protein as we consume.

It takes a significant amount of veg crops to feed an animal (chicken, cow,
pig, etc.) But as long as we over consume animal protein there will be
justification for GMOs.

~~~
jarfil
What has no justification is throwing away 90% of the nutrients just so the
rest becomes "steak". Other than that, GMOs still increase yield, allowing for
less pesticide, water and land use.

~~~
chiefalchemist
From Monsanto? Really??

