Why the obsession with protein

Are you getting enough protein? The question provides its own answer: if you are worrying about the amount of protein in your diet, then you are almost certainly eating more than enough. This is the paradox of our new protein obsession.

~ Bee Wilson

The obsession with protein never fails to amuse me.

If you are obsessing about how much protein to consume, you are likely getting enough.

Those who eat the variety of whole foods enjoyed by their ancestors, prior to industrialization, are likely getting enough protein, the building blocks of life.

Whenever someone asks me how much protein they need to maintain lean muscle mass, I think of breast milk.

Human breast milk is the perfect food for the growth and development of a baby. Nature packages the nutrients such that they are optimally absorbed.

Breast milk is composed of approximately 87%–88% water, 7% carbohydrates, 1% protein, and 3.8% fat. These ratios change slightly based on need and babies consume more calories per pound than adults. But, the solid content is less than 10% protein. Babies double their birth weight in six months, creating a lot of lean tissue. 

A recent National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey concluded that seniors may not be meeting their protein needs. There are countless reasons for that, but a main one is that, like new borns who have not yet developed the mechanisms to break down food well, the ability to digest and absorb food as we age tends to become subpar. 

Rather than prescribe a certain amount of protein, for which the evidence is insufficient, I prefer to try to optimize digestion. 

I start with water. We need water to break down food and safely absorb it. Notice the composition of breast milk which is mostly water. Many digestive problems, including heartburn and tooth loss, are due to dehydration.

There is so much more to say about this. But, for now, I highly recommend reading:

1. Food & Healing: How what you eat determines your health, your well-being, and the quality of your life by Annemarie Colbin, and
   

2. Your Body's Many Cries for Water: You're not sick. You're thristy. Don't treat thirst with medications by Fereydoon Batmanghelidj.