Food Pyramid Myths Part 4 - Proteins

The next part of the Food Pyramid is your protein group, which includes meat, poultry, fish, dry beans, eggs, and nuts, suggesting 2-3 servings a day. Keep in mind as I get into this topic what was mentioned in the dairy articles about high intake of animal protein contributing to bone loss. I don't deny the importance of having protein in your diet. An all-carb diet is certainly not healthy. What is important is finding a balance between carbs, fats, and proteins that fits our bodies' needs, and just like not all grains and carbs are alike, neither are all proteins alike in how they react inside our bodies.

Let's begin by splitting this section of the Food Pyramid into animal-based proteins and non-animal-based proteins. All meats and eggs in one category, and beans & nuts in another. Before explaining why, I will go ahead and suggest that the nuts and beans remain where they are on the Food Pyramid at 2-3 servings a day. Then I would put meats and eggs up at the top of the Food Pyramid under the category of "Use Sparingly". Unlike dairy products, I don't necessarily advocate wiping these items off the Food Pyramid completely. I believe they have their place at certain times and seasons, and as long as they are untampered with by man's inventions for mass production, meat and eggs can be a supplement to the diet at times in small amounts. One of those times and seasons is in winter. Proteins, especially animal proteins, thicken the blood and increase heat in the body. This is beneficial to a body that is exposed to cold weather for months, but even then, to keep it sparing, we are talking 2-3 times per week, not per day. In the summer, our blood wants to be thinner to keep us cool. Eating lots of meat in the summer continues to thicken the blood, slowing you down and making you feel hot and sluggish.

Excess animal protein leaves an ash behind after metabolism, which your kidneys and liver have to work hard to get rid of. Those with kidney or liver problems would benefit from eating less animal protein.

Just for a moment, take a look at the digestive tract of a carnivorous animal. You will see that the intestinal tract is very short, allowing for the quick passage of meat out of the body. An herbivore's intestinal tract is very long, allowing for the slow absorption of nutrients from plant foods. A human intestinal tract is very long. Even if we aren't meant to be pure herbivores, a look at the intestines of a meat-eating human who consumes meat several times a day will often show the remains of meat sitting in the intestines for days. Meat is not a high fiber food, and will not move quickly through most intestinal tracts. This allows for putrefication, and often parasitic infestation - both contributors to colon cancer.
The times you do eat meat, make sure to include some high fiber foods in the meal, as well as some anti-oxidant-rich foods to protect against the putrefication process.

Meat is another multi-dimensional topic, therefore I will highlight future topics that will not be covered in this article.
Future discussions will include: a) more physical/health reasons for reducing meat consumption, b) spiritual reasons, and c) extortion and contamination-based reasons.

Eggs are another animal-based protein, which I suggested should be eaten sparingly rather than multiple times a day. Most people are familiar with the fact that eggs contribute to high cholesterol, especially the yolk of the egg. This is true. The protein in eggs also leaves an ash residue after the digestion process and does place a greater burden on the kidneys and liver. Something else about eggs is that they are very mucus-forming in the body. Egg yolk is mucus-y by nature, and it does coat the intestines with mucus, reducing the absorption ability of the villi, and contributing to constipation. The body can handle this on occasion. The detrimental effects come from daily intake, which is why it is advised to eat them sparingly.

Moving on for now, let's look at non-animal-based proteins. Are beans and nuts the only sources? They are certainly one source, but did you know that dark leafy greens and other vegetables have protein in them? Some believe that you can't get a complete protein (in other words, a protein containing all of the essential amino acids) from plant sources unless you practice food combining - beans plus rice, etc. This is up for debate, but the more variety to your diet the better as all plant foods have different nutrients to offer. It may take more creativity to get all of your protein needs from plant sources, but it is possible and there are actually certain superfoods that contain all of the essential amino acids on their own. Spirulina is one of them, as is Nutritional Yeast. Adding these to your diet can reduce your worry about getting enough protein from plant-sources.

In truth, protein requirements as stated by the FDA are higher than what is actually necessary. Few people suffer from protein deficiency. Many more people suffer from the effects of excess protein and don't even realize the connection.
When planning a meal, next time think heavy on the vegetables and light on the meat. If you do eat meat every day, small portions rather than huge steaks and full chicken breasts will help keep you from getting an excess of protein. Countries in better health than ours eat meat in small 1-2 oz portions. This is a baby step toward better health, and our revised Food Pyramid.