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Forrest\u2014who has a master\u2019s degree in nutrition\u2014ate plenty of beans and soy for protein, yet she was exhausted. In fact, she\u2019d been low-energy for months, maybe ever since she\u2019d switched to being vegan<\/a> in 2010, inspired by Alicia Silverstone, a love of animals, and a hope that maybe she would feel better and lose the stubborn five pounds that kept coming back. Giving up meat was easy; it was yogurt that had been hard, but lately she\u2019d started looking longingly at eggs in farmers\u2019 markets. In New York, though, something clicked.<\/p>\n \u201cI was just like: This isn\u2019t working,\u201d Forrest says of being vegan. \u201cI felt ashamed. But I also felt like: This is my health and I have to make a change.\u201d She doesn\u2019t remember much about the steak except that it was delicious and also that she couldn\u2019t finish it. The next morning, she woke up and went right back to it, eating the leftovers cold, directly out of the fridge.<\/p>\n Almost immediately, she began searching for the words for her audience, and after revising more than half a dozen times, on June 14, 2014, she hit publish on \u201cWhy I Am No Longer Vegan<\/a>,\u201d which included an apology if the headline caused \u201cdisappointment, confusion, or anger.\u201d She held her breath. <\/p>\n Alex Lau<\/p>\n Within hours, she had hundreds of negative comments (\u201cNo true vegan would ever \u2018listen to their body\u2019 and eat animal products,\u201d wrote one) and bad reviews of her app on the app store. So many people unsubscribed from her email list that she received an auto email from Mailchimp saying her account had been suspended because the company was afraid she\u2019d been hacked. Forrest\u2019s close friends, also vegan, deserted her.<\/p>\n \u201cI was pretty alone, except for my husband and my therapist,\u201d she says. But she held on, eating farm-raised beef, adding chicken to her stir-fry, and feeling her energy levels stabilize. It wasn\u2019t until about two years later that the first email came from a negative commenter saying she, too, had had to give up being vegan and apologizing for being so hard on Forrest. The emails began as a trickle, then turned into a small but steady stream, inspiring Forrest to publish a post that remains one of her most popular. Its title: \u201cHow to Reintroduce Meat After Being Vegan or Vegetarian<\/a>.\u201d <\/p>\n Meet the experts: Carrie Forrest MBA, MPH, is a blogger, cookbook author and creator of Clean Eating Kitchen<\/a>. Sareen Gropper, PhD, RDN, is a professor of nutrition at Florida Atlantic University. Gabrielle Lyon, DO, is the founder of Muscle-Centric Medicine. Luc van Loon, PhD, is a professor of physiology of exercise and nutrition at Maastricht University Medical Centre. Carol Johnston, PhD, RD, is a professor of nutrition at Arizona State University. Neil Iyengar, MD, is a medical oncologist specializing in breast cancer at Memorial Sloan Kettering. It’s time to reframe the conversation around protein.<\/p>\n After at least two decades of being nudged toward everything plant-based\u2014even McDonald\u2019s rolled out a McPlant menu<\/a>\u2014a small but growing chorus of researchers and public health experts are pushing back a bit. It\u2019s not that you necessarily must eat meat, but that you have to be quite vigilant to get all the protein and nutrients you need without any animal products. <\/p>\n \u201cNot everyone can sustain a healthy weight, meet protein and other nutrient needs [like iron], and stay on a vegan diet,\u201d says Sareen Gropper, PhD, RDN, a professor of nutrition at Florida Atlantic University who generally recommends the Mediterranean diet<\/a>. While Gropper notes that \u201cmany people on vegan diets are healthy and meeting all their nutrient needs,\u201d she says that vegans can be at increased risk to suffer from hair loss<\/a> and general fatigue due to protein or iron deficiencies<\/a>. <\/p>\n “Many of us aren\u2019t getting enough of it. Or at least, of the right kinds of it at the right times.” <\/p>\n But first! It\u2019s important to clarify that, yes, plants are many wonderful things, but one thing most are not is a wonderful source of high-quality protein. Because after years of being virtually shunned due to worry over too much saturated fat or too many simple carbs, protein may well be the macronutrient of the moment, and many of us aren\u2019t getting enough of it. Or at least, of the right kinds of it at the right times. <\/p>\n Need more high-protein meal and recipe inspiration? Join WH+ and you’ll get the High-Protein Meal Prep Manual<\/a> for free (!) as part of your membership. <\/p>\n Why is protein important?<\/p>\n Humans need amino acids<\/a>, the building blocks of protein, to mount a response to infection, as well as for just about every structure in the body\u2014bone, liver, gut, tissues, hair, nails, skin, and the one that likely comes to mind first when you think of protein: muscle<\/a>. \u201cBut people tend to only think of muscle and protein in relation to fitness, and that\u2019s a mistake,\u201d says Gabrielle Lyon, DO, a fellowship-trained physician and WH advisor. <\/p>\n Over the past 20 years, researchers have come to understand that skeletal muscles are endocrine organs, just like the thyroid. During muscle contraction, they produce and secrete small proteins, called myokines, that can keep inflammation from getting out of hand. This is also why being under-muscled is fast becoming a health problem to watch. <\/p>\n Clearing the Air: The belief that high-protein diets can cause kidney problems in healthy adults is being reexamined as well by certain experts. Processing large amounts of protein does not lead to a decline in kidney function, according to a Journal of Nutrition review<\/a> of more than two dozen studies involving hundreds of participants. \u201cThis thought came from the fact that people with kidney failure or reduced kidney function are generally put on a low-protein diet in order to not overburden the kidneys,\u201d says Luc van Loon, PhD. \u201cBut it\u2019s not the other way around. There\u2019s no evidence whatsoever.\u201d Duly noted.<\/p>\n But this whole convo isn\u2019t about how much (or little) you can deadlift; patients with less muscle mass have more complications, longer hospital stays, and lower survival rates, according to an Annals of Medicine review<\/a> of nearly 150 studies. Plus, aging bodies process protein less efficiently and need more of it to maintain muscle strength, bone health, and other functions. <\/p>\n Start thinking of muscle as a healthy aging strategy, beyond the aesthetic aspect, suggests Dr. Lyon. One way to do that: Focus on high-quality protein, she says, which will protect you from many chronic diseases. <\/p>\n How much protein do you really need?<\/p>\n Although the RDA for protein<\/a> hasn\u2019t changed for 30 years\u2014it\u2019s a modest 0.36 grams per pound of total body weight, or 0.8 grams per kilogram (no wonder some people think they over-consume it!)\u2014researchers are now saying we, particularly regular exercisers, need more like 1.2 to 1.5 grams per kilogram to support tissue growth. <\/p>\n For most of us, this amounts to about 30 to 35 grams per meal. And FYI: the \u201cper meal\u201d language is intentional; you really do need to eat it allll day. \u201cThe body doesn\u2019t store amino acids,\u201d says Carol Johnston, PhD, RD, a professor of nutrition at Arizona State University. That means it\u2019s best to have them available at any time, so spread your proteins throughout the day (and make sure you have protein with breakfast<\/a>). <\/p>\n That may seem easy enough with protein added to everything from cereal to cookies to beer (!), but here\u2019s where things get tricky. All protein is not created equal.<\/p>\n What is the best type of protein for building muscles?<\/p>\n Proteins consist of molecules made from a sequence of amino acids, 11 of which our bodies make, and 9, called essential amino acids, that we can only get from food. In addition to being the foundation of proteins, the nine essential aminos are also signaling molecules. <\/p>\n Basically, when you eat them, particularly one called leucine, they start stimulating protein synthesis. All animal products contain the essential aminos; many plant proteins (except quinoa, soy, chickpeas, pistachios, buckwheat, amaranth, hemp seeds, and spirulina) are missing at least one. If you don\u2019t eat all nine aminos, nothing happens. (That\u2019s why it\u2019s important to have a diverse diet if you\u2019re plant-based, so you can get the nine essential aminos from different sources.) <\/p>\n \u201cYou can have, for example, leucine to stimulate the process,\u201d says Luc van Loon, PhD, professor of physiology of exercise and nutrition at Maastricht University Medical Centre. \u201cBut you also need the bricks to build the house. You can have all the construction workers present, but if they don\u2019t have the bricks, the house is not going to go up.\u201d By the way, these muscle-building and muscle-repairing properties of amino acids make it critical to keep protein levels up even if you\u2019re injured or not able to exercise, which is, of course, the other way (besides eating) that your body assembles muscle. <\/p>\n 45 percent The number of consumers who said they knew how much protein they\u2019d had in the past 24 hours. What about you? And although carbs give you fire for a workout, it\u2019s protein that has the staying power. Exercise makes your body more sensitive to those muscle-growing properties of amino acids, meaning it will use more of the protein for synthesis. (This effect lasts for 48 hours after a workout.) \u201cYou are what you eat, or what you just ate, but if you\u2019re physically active, you\u2019re actually more of what you just ate,\u201d Van Loon says. <\/p>\n Plus, protein slows down carb absorption, preventing blood sugar spikes and crashes, and it\u2019s used to repair tissue, which is how your muscle recovers, allowing you to crush your sweat sessions<\/a> week after week. \u201cWithout protein, you\u2019re doing your body a disservice,\u201d says Dr. Lyon. \u201cYou\u2019re fighting against yourself.\u201d <\/p>\n How does your body process protein?<\/p>\n The next hurdle when it comes to protein equality is that the body doesn\u2019t treat all proteins the same, which means the number of grams you see on a label or nutrition chart is not the whole story. To paint the picture, around 85 percent of the protein in egg whites, whole eggs, and chicken is absorbed, compared with about 63, 72, and 75 percent respectively of the protein in mung beans, yellow peas, and chickpeas, according to American Journal of Clinical Nutrition studies<\/a>. <\/p>\n The lower bioavailability of plant protein may be due to the presence of fiber<\/a> (fuel for the gut, affecting everything from mood to metabolism) or tannins, which are antioxidants that\u2014in the unintentionally comic world of science definitions\u2014are called \u201canti-nutritional.\u201d <\/p>\n The Whey Forward: Why does it seem like whey<\/a> is in every protein powder and energy bar? Because when it\u2019s isolated\u2014it makes up 20 percent of cow\u2019s milk protein\u2014whey wins the Most Likely to Stimulate Muscle Protein Synthesis award. (Because it\u2019s rapidly digested and absorbed, plus it has a relatively high amount of leucine.) Do you need it? No. \u201cThe difference we see with consuming protein via whey or via milk is minimal,\u201d says Van Loon. If you\u2019re an elite athlete who needs every edge, adding whey may matter. For most of us, not so much. But, it\u2019s great to know that whey does a body good.<\/p>\n So, while you can mix your plant proteins<\/a> to make sure you\u2019re getting all nine aminos with a varied diet, the volume of food you\u2019ll need to eat can be\u2026a lot. \u201cFor example, four ounces of skinless chicken breast provides about 31 grams protein and 155 calories,\u201d says Gropper. \u201cTo get the same amount of protein, one would need to consume 1.5 cups legumes, 1.5 cups rice, and 1 cup veggies, and the calorie count is closer to 700.\u201d <\/p>\n You\u2019ll get other nutrients and fiber with the larger offering, for sure, but we\u2019re mainly talking protein and overall volume here, for comparison\u2019s sake.<\/p>\n Alex Lau<\/p>\n But plant protein is hands-down better for a longer life span, right? Well, not so fast. <\/p>\n That thinking is shifting. Take the case of cholesterol\u2014once the reason we were told to limit eggs and shellfish. Guidelines that suggested Americans limit dietary cholesterol were nixed in 2015 because experts concluded that these foods, turns out, did not increase risk for heart disease. Quite a shift from the egg-fearing decades! (Also, if you need another reason to embrace eggs: They are considered the gold standard of protein quality and digestibility because they contain all nine essential amino acids and almost every vitamin and mineral our bodies require.) <\/p>\n Saturated fat has also been somewhat rehabilitated\u2014at least, the sat fat found in whole foods, like lean beef or full-fat Greek yogurt<\/a>. The recommendation to limit it to no more than 10 percent of total calories \u201cis not supported by rigorous scientific studies,\u201d concluded a study in Nutrients<\/a>. Other research suggests it\u2019s more important to consider the overall nutritional profile of a food than any individual macro (or micro) nutrient. <\/p>\n When it comes to cancer, while there\u2019s currently no data showing that strict veganism, i.e., no animal protein whatsoever, is better for outcomes, there is a strong association between whole-food, plant-based diets and lower incidence of several cancers such as breast, ovarian, and colon cancer, says Neil Iyengar, MD, a medical oncologist specializing in breast cancer at Memorial Sloan Kettering. <\/p>\n Iyengar, who studies the effect of diets on cancer, recommends shooting for 20 to 30 grams of fiber per day, plus a diet in which fat is less than 35 percent of total caloric consumption. (If you are vegan for ethical reasons, all of this may be completely moot.) Is it possible to get enough protein on a plant-based diet? To be clear, hitting protein needs with a whole-foods plant-based diet can be done, but you\u2019ll have to really plan if you don\u2019t want \u201can astronomical amount more carbohydrates,\u201d says Dr. Lyon. \u201cMost people are not training hard enough nor can their physiology handle a high-carb diet in order to get the protein.\u201d <\/p>\n While that is one expert\u2019s take, it\u2019s beneficial to know that processed soy products like burgers and sausages, along with high-quality vegan protein sources like mycoprotein (such as Quorn) and seitan, can also be high in salt and fat. One solution might be plant protein isolates and concentrates, where the fiber is removed, so you better absorb them. <\/p>\n But if you\u2019re vegan for sustainability reasons, it\u2019s worth considering that processed plant foods cost energy and produce carbon dioxide. What\u2019s more, we don\u2019t know exactly what is in some of them nor their long-term implications. <\/p>\n The bottom line on protein<\/p>\n What we do know is that we\u2019ve been eating animal proteins (and whole plants) for 300,000 years, and studying the effects for decades, even if protein is only just now getting its time in the limelight. Protein is essential for optimizing the quality of somebody\u2019s life\u2014and to prolonging it, says Dr. Lyon. \u201cThe more muscle mass you have, the better your survivability.\u201d<\/p>\n For Forrest, the return to meat, in limited amounts, was a reset. \u201cI feel like this is how our bodies are meant to eat,\u201d she says, noting that it\u2019s much easier to balance her meals and her blood sugar. It\u2019s also a reminder of her power and her ability to decide what\u2019s right for her. \u201cIt felt rebellious,\u201d she says. \u201cBut also: This is my health, and I had to make a change.\u201d <\/p>\n She\u2019s not the only one. Experts, too, are shaking things up to take full advantage of protein. Johnston, who\u2019s been studying nutrition for more than 40 years, recently changed her diet. \u201cEven though I\u2019m a nutritionist, I didn\u2019t eat much breakfast, but now I make a point of getting the protein in the early morning,\u201d she says. (Her top picks are cheese and eggs\u2014she\u2019s a lacto-ovo vegetarian\u2014and she recommends yogurt to people with limited time or ability to face breakfast.) <\/p>\n \u201cOf course you want to be strong,\u201d she says. \u201cBut there are so many proteins that your body makes [via the essential amino acids coming in from food], so having the ability to create them all day is critical.\u201d Time to pump up that protein. Build Healthier Eating Habits With A WH+ Plan![\"three](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/whm120122feafood-001-1668462831.jpg\" "\\"three")
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<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"In the ongoing convo around the best eating routine for health goals, one of the OG macronutrients\u2014and where…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":255678,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[36],"tags":[127415,103,127416,61,60,446,2682],"class_list":{"0":"post-255677","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-nutrition","8":"tag-best-type-of-protein","9":"tag-health","10":"tag-how-to-build-muscle","11":"tag-ie","12":"tag-ireland","13":"tag-nutrition","14":"tag-protein"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/255677","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=255677"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/255677\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/255678"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=255677"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=255677"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=255677"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}