Where's the Beef? Do you really need it? Here's the breakdown.
I'm a broken record...I know! But I'm saying it again. There is so much conflicting information out there when it comes to health & wellness.
This article is about beef, well protein;
Why we need it,
What our body does with it,
Do we need to get it from beef,
and is beef bad for you?
I'm going to give you as much information as I can while keeping it as simple as I can.
Bottom line is our muscles need protein, more specifically, they need the amino acids that are in the protein.
Amino Acids are literally the building blocks of muscle/protein. They help to grow and repair our muscles as well as other bodily tissues.
There are 20 Essential Amino Acids. What does this mean? Essential Amino Acids means that the human body cannot make them on its own. It needs to consume them from outside sources.
Here's a quick list of the 20 Essential Amino Acids.
1. Glycine
2. Alanine
3. Valine
4. Isoleucine
5. Leucine
6. Phenylalnine
7. Tyrosine
8. Cysteine
9. Methionine
10. Threonine
11. Tryptophan
12. Lysine
13. Arginine
14. Histidine
15. Aspartic Acid
16. Glutamic Acid
17. Asparagine
18. Glutamine
19. Serine
20. Proline
Whew...try memorizing that!
Now, there are also Non-Essential Amino Acids. There are 11 of these. These are the ones that your body does make on its own, so you don't need to eat them in order for your body to function properly.
So what does all of this mean to you? If you are working out and exercising, which I hope you are, you absolutely have to consume protein. It is Essential.
When you exercise, especially to the point of soreness, you are literally tearing the muscle fibers. Yes, you are ripping them apart. In order for them to grow back bigger and stronger, you need to let them recover. This is why it is Essential to consume those Amino Acids after a workout, as part of your recovery. The muscles will use the amino acids to help rebuild and repair the muscles, hence making them stronger, and giving you the intended results.
A couple things to know.
Athletes require more protein than the average person who sits at a desk all day.
Adults who consume a low protein diet tend to experience more weight gain and increased fat mass.
This does not give you the green light to load up on steak every night. This is a common mistake that many make. Red meat does carry with it a lot of fat, the bad kind that clogs your arteries, gives your heart disease, and ultimately a heart attack. You don't want this!
You can in fact get all of your protein needs, including all of the amino acids from lentils, legumes, beans, and yes...veggies.
Studies show that animal and plant sources of protein work equally well in providing the body with what it needs to function properly and repair itself. But animal sources do carry the extra fat that the plant sources do not. So if you are trying to lose weight, or watch your waistline, or avoid heart disease, be mindful of the amount of animal protein you consume.
I am in no way advocating a vegan lifestyle. My husband and son would go all out anarchy on me if I decided that we were to become a vegan household. But we have limited our animal intake quite significantly. We eat either chicken, wild caught salmon, or lean beef 2, maybe 3 times a week. On the other days we eat lentils, soy, or beans with rice. Everyone is pretty satisfied with that.
Now you might ask, "What about supplements?" I'm not one to advocate the use of supplements. I encourage my clients to get their nutrients from whole foods and a well balanced diet. But there are plenty of trainers and fitness folks who swear by them. You may have heard these people talk about BCAA's.
Branched Chain Amino Acids. These include 3 amino acids, Leucine, Isoleucine, and Valine. They make up 33% of muscle tissue. Leucine is clinically proven to synthesize protein. Isoleucine regulates blood sugar and helps muscles metabolize sugar. That sounds amazing! Who wouldn't want to take extra of that?
Once again, studies show that BCAA's from supplements are not more effective than getting them from real food. Don't believe me, google it and research it yourself. Just make sure that you are reading studies that are done by health organizations and unbiased medical boards...and NOT the company that is trying to sell you the supplements, or a trainer who makes a commission every time you buy the 'whatever' supplement.
Bottom line is that, YES you do need protein. It you are trying to lose fat, studies show that protein helps create lean muscle tissue, which in turn ends up burning more stored fat.
Like everything in life, it's all about balance. Too much protein, especially from beef, will clog your arteries and create a whole host of issues that are far worse than carrying around a little extra fat.
If you are going vegan, make sure that you eat a wide variety of foods to ensure that you are taking in all of the essential amino acids your body needs.
Sabrina White
Health and Wellness expert