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Newsletter & Health News
What is Protein For?
Proteins are used for the transport of minerals and oxygen (transferrin and hemoglobin), for
motion (muscle proteins), for storage (ferritin), for the genetic code (DNA) and for body
structure (collagen, elastin and keratin).
Proteins are also required for blood clotting, growth and regeneration, detoxification, the
immune system, cell membranes and hormones such as insulin. All enzymes are proteins.
Thousands of enzymes facilitate every chemical reaction in the body. Proteins may also be
converted to sugar or fat to be used for fuel.
Adequate protein helps maintain a good energy level, stabilizes blood sugar, assists adrenal
and thyroid activity and helps bowel function.
Where Do We Get Proteins?
Protein-containing foods fall into three groups:
1. Red meats, poultry, fish, eggs, nuts, seeds, cheese, yogurt and beans contain 20% or more
protein. These are considered concentrated protein foods, along with wheat germ, yeast and
spirulina. Meats, poultry, fish, eggs, cheese, yogurt, soy and peanuts are complete proteins with
all the essential amino acids. Egg albumin is the protein with the highest biological quality.
2. Grains such as rice, wheat, oats, millet and barley contain 6 to 14% protein. Modern hybrid
grains, which includes organically-grown grains, contain much less protein than the non-hybrids
of 100 years ago. Grains and beans may be combined to form a complete protein.
3. Fruits, vegetables, milk, soy milk and juices contain less than 5% protein.
One can also buy protein supplements. Regular protein powders are made from whey, soy,
milk, eggs or fish protein. Hydrolyzed protein powders or liquids are predigested or broken
down into amino acids for easier assimilation. Free-form amino acids are pure, individual amino
acids.
Protein supplements may be very helpful at times. They are not a substitute for foods, which
contain many other nutrients. Many health authorities suggest eating only fermented soy (tempeh
and tofu), rather than soy protein powders. The latter are often processed left-overs from the
manufacture of soy oil.
Protein Digestion
Protein can be denatured, digested, or it putrefies (rots). Denaturing is a general word that
means any disorganizing of the protein structure. It may be due to the effects of cooking,
chewing, acids, solvents, detergents or heavy metals such as lead or mercury. Cooking protein
denatures it, but does not ruin its food value. If you cook a bean it cannot grow into a plant.
However, the amino acids remain intact and usable.
Protein digestion requires mechanical chewing, followed by mixing with enzymes to break the
chemical bonds. Pepsin in the stomach and trypsin and chymoptryspin from the pancreas are
among the important protein-digesting enzymes.
Digestion also depends on mineral nutrition. Sodium converts to hydrochloric acid in the
stomach to kill bacteria and help break down protein. Enzyme production requires zinc, which is
deficient in most Americans due to our depleted soils and refined-food diets. Vegetarian diets are
also lower in zinc. Today, many children are born low in zinc due to their mothers' deficiencies.
Symptoms of low zinc can include stretch marks, white spots on the fingernails, skin and hair
problems, growth problems, emotional problems, anorexia and recurrent infections.
If digestive enzymes are deficient, protein foods will putrefy rather than digest. Bacteria feed
on them, causing bloating and foul-smelling gas. Putrefaction produces harmful chemicals called
toxic amines.
For good digestion, eat slowly and chew thoroughly. Eating relaxed, enjoyable, sit-down
meals will help maximize digestive enzyme production. Avoid overeating and relax after meals for
at least 10 minutes to facilitate digestion.
Many people don't eat enough protein. While 60-80 grams of protein are often adequate,
many people eat less than 40 grams per day. They have various reasons, not all health-related.
Protein usually requires more preparation, costs more and is a heavier food to digest. Some
mistakenly believe that less protein will cause weight loss, though the opposite is more often true.
A glass or two of soy milk and a few nuts and seeds, for instance, is very little protein!
Hair Analysis Observations
Toxic, stressed bodies often do not digest, absorb and synthesize proteins adequately. Many
people are deficient in hydrochloric acid, which allows bacteria to live in the stomach. They are
also deficient in digestive enzymes, so their protein foods putrefy and form toxic amines. Their
colons are alkaline due to improper flora such as candida albicans, enhancing the absorption of
toxins into the liver. Older people can be presumed deficient in digestive enzymes.
Hair tissue mineral analysis indicators including sodium/potassium inversions, slow oxidation
and imbalanced phosphorus levels suggest that 50-75% of the people tested have impaired
digestion. It can be a vicious cycle. Making sure one gets enough protein and taking plenty of
digestive enzymes for a while if needed, can help break the cycle. Anti-candida regimens,
acidophilus and healthful eating habits may also be very important. Organically grown is always
best. Meat and poultry are best raised without antibiotics or added hormones. Eggs from
free-ranging chickens are superior.
Animal Versus Vegetable
Some people do well on a strict vegetarian diet. However, many clients do not feel well on a
limited regimen. Animal protein is a an excellent source of vitamin B12, zinc, niacin, carnitine,
taurine, alpha-lipoic acid and other very essential nutrients. These are not present or less
biologically available in vegetable proteins. Deficiencies can take years to develop and are not
always easy to correct.
Some body types seem to need more animal protein than others. Fast oxidizers and blood
types O and AB often need more animal protein. We encourage vegetarians to at least eat eggs
for their quality protein, particularly the sulfur-containing amino acids. These are very important
today for detoxification of toxic metals and synthetic chemicals to which we are all exposed. We
cannot emphasize enough the need for the sulfur-containing amino acids found in proteins such as
eggs.
Reasonable protein intake does not deplete the bones of calcium. Bone loss is due to many
factors, particularly trace mineral deficiencies. The argument to avoid animal protein due to
cholesterol is not as valid as once thought. Excess homocysteine, mineral deficiencies, toxic
metals, infections and inflammation correlate better with heart disease. The cholesterol level
depends mainly on stress, in our experience. Cholesterol is the raw material from which we make
stress hormones.
Conclusion
Many people eat too little, rather than too much protein. Overeating on carbohydrates - snack
food and junk food - is a more common problem than an excessive protein intake. Most people
need 2-3 ounces of concentrated protein food at least twice, or better three times a day, along
with a variety of natural foods.
Copyright © 2002
This material is for educational purposes only
The preceding statements have not been evaluated by the
Food and Drug Administration
This information is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.
