Protein
Can We Eat Too Much?
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Ask any 14-year-old boy whether he would rather grow bigger faster or live longer, and he would probably choose growing bigger faster.
Is this really relevant?
Yes, because in the 1930s studies on laboratory animals began to turn up evidence that high-protein diets accelerated growth rate and maturation but shortened the life span.
While this may be true for animals, this is hardly applicable to humans. Because it’s well-known that humans need plenty of protein for good health and strength! And we have known this for a long time.
Back in 1880 a German scientist, Professor Justus von Liebig, determined that muscles were made of protein. His protégé, Dr. Karl Voit, watching coal miners, calculated that these strong, muscular men ate around 120 grams of protein a day. He concluded from this observation that this was the ideal amount to eat.
And ever since, getting enough protein has been an obsession that persists to this day.
Minimum of protein needed
Modern scientific studies show that adults actually need only about 30 grams of protein a day. That’s about one ounce of pure protein a day. The human body very efficiently harvests and recycles its own protein. The only protein losses that need to be replaced are those that the body cannot retrieve, such as hair, fingernails and toenails, and skin.
Only 30 gm/day?
The National Academy of Sciences sets the American Recommended Daily Intake (RDI) for vitamins, minerals, and certain foods. The RDI for protein has been set at 0.35 grams per pound of ideal body weight. This is more than the 30 grams/day minimum requirement. It works out to 60 grams for a 170-lb man and 45 grams for a 128-lb woman. Even so, most Americans consume between 100 to 130 grams of protein a day.
Take a look at this table. It shows how easy it is to get more protein on a typical American diet than is scientifically recommended. But it also shows how easy it is to get more protein than needed on a strict plant-based diet that leaves out all animal protein:
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