How much protein do you really need?

It has always been my understanding that older people needed diets more protein-rich and younger people tolerated carbohydrates better.

There are many people who have lost weight by doing a keto-style diet where they ignore carbs and just eat meats.  Contrary to many critics, these diets work and help people lose weight and they appear to be healthier.

A recent blog post I found disputes the idea that we need so much protein.   While its true that we know a lot of things about the body, its also true that many things that scientists do not understand about nutrition as well as you may think.

This author makes a strong argument that we don’t need as much protein as you may believe.  Check out the post below

How Much Protein Do You Actually Need?

More is not necessarily better.

BY ANDREW ZALESKI July 26, 2022
When it comes to basic nutrition, there’s arguably no more important building block than protein. Protein, most people know, is essential for repairing and rebuilding muscle tissue, but it also serves other crucial purposes. You need protein to make organs and skin. You need protein to produce hair, blood, and connective tissue. Protein produces enzymes and neurotransmitters. It also keeps your immune system in top shape.

Protein itself is made up of smaller molecules known as amino acids. To function properly, the body needs 20 different amino acids. The irony is that while the body makes hundreds of amino acids in the course of a day, it’s unable to make nine of the so-called essential amino acids. We get those amino acids from foods, and they have big jobs. Isoleucine, for instance, aids in the production of hemoglobin, while leucine is the amino acid that helps grow and repair muscle tissue.

“That’s the key important feature,” says registered dietitian Wesley McWhorter. “Especially in regard to overconsumption of protein or eating too little.”

Here comes the inevitable question: How much protein do we really need? It actually isn’t all that complicated, although the rules, so to speak, change if you’re an athlete or someone who spends hours at the gym.

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