We all need protein, but meat isn’t the only place to find it. People who swap out animal protein for plant-based alternatives often end up eating healthier diets, but there are a few things you need to know before assuming that plant protein is always healthier.
The word ‘protein’ means two different things.
Protein is a macronutrient, a family of molecules made of amino acids. Protein, in this sense, is present in many different food items. Meat has a ton of it. Legumes, such as beans, have some. Grains and leafy vegetables have a little.
But colloquially we also use the word protein to refer to the foods that used to be known as the “meat group”. When I order tacos at my favourite restaurant, the server asks what protein I would like in them; I can choose from options such as steak, fish and tofu.
These are very different foods, even apart from the provenance of their amino acids. A 100g portion of steak has 21g of protein, 19g of fat (much of it saturated), and no carbohydrates. The tofu has 8g of protein, 5g of fat, and two of carbs (including a little bit of fibre). Each provides different vitamins and minerals.
Besides tofu, plant proteins can include veggie burgers and soy-based hot dogs; seitan, which is basically pure wheat gluten; and any legumes, grains or veggies that provide a high(ish) protein content, such as chickpeas, lentils and nuts.
Either plant-based or animal-based proteins (or both) can have a place in a healthy diet, as long as you remember it isn’t an even swap. If you choose the tofu, you need to make sure you’re getting enough protein somewhere else in your diet. If you choose the steak, you may want to watch your fat intake. These foods’ differences go beyond the source of the protein in them.
‘Animal protein’ often has more fat and more actual protein
A few things that are true of many of the protein-rich foods that come from animals:
- They may have more saturated fatty acids (beef and dairy especially — this is arguably bad).
- They may have more omega-3 fatty acids (fish especially — this is probably good).
- They don’t contain any fibre or carbohydrates.
- They tend to be very high in protein.
If you need a lot of protein in your diet, meat is a great way to get a lot of it very easily. But it comes with downsides, including the fat content of beef and some dairy. Fish contain healthier fats, but have their own issues with sustainability and mercury content.
Red meats and processed meats have also been linked to some types of cancer, but understanding that relationship is a little bit complicated. Bottom line, if you have a serious bacon habit, it might make sense to cut back.
‘Plant protein’ has less protein, but often comes with fibre
Plant-based protein sources have their own pros and cons as well. The biggest one is that they just don’t have as much protein.
You can still get enough protein through a vegetarian or vegan diet, as long as that diet is well balanced, but you may need to use supplements such as protein powders if you’re aiming for a high protein diet to support athletic training or certain weight loss strategies.
Some other things that are true of many plant-based protein sources:
- They often contain fibre (especially legumes and whole grains).
- If they contain fat, they are often rich in “good” fats (for example, the omega-3s in nuts).
- They contain plenty of starch as well, so it’s basically impossible to follow a low-carb diet if that’s a priority for you.
No matter what protein source your diet is built around, it isn’t too hard to get all your vitamins and minerals as long as your diet is reasonable well-rounded. The one exception is vitamin B12, which strict vegans need to supplement.
What really matters is your overall diet
If your favourite meat is a cheeseburger and you always pair it with fries and a coke, that’s a crappy diet and you know it. You can swap the beef patty for an Impossible burger and it’s still just as bad a meal, even though you’re now eating “plant protein”.
Instead, look at the entire meal you end up with, and how that affects everything else you eat. I’m an omnivore but I often look to the vegetarian section of menus and cookbooks because those foods give me more vegetables and more variety.
The bottom line: The source of your protein doesn’t matter as much as the totality of what you’re putting in your body.
Comments
6 responses to “Is Plant Protein Better For You Than Animal Protein?”
No mention of isolates and concentrates or what actual whey protein is either? Daily recommended/how to calculate it ,etc? Downsides of too much protein (yes that’s a thing)
The average Australian diet contains meat and dairy products. As a result, it is often too high in protein. This can lead to a number of serious health problems:
Kidney Disease: When people eat too much protein, they take in more nitrogen than they need. This places a strain on the kidneys, which must expel the extra nitrogen through urine. People with kidney disease are encouraged to eat low-protein diets. Such a diet reduces the excess levels of nitrogen and can also help prevent kidney disease.
Cancer: Although fat is the dietary substance most often singled out for increasing cancer risk, protein also plays a role. Populations who eat meat regularly are at increased risk for colon cancer, and researchers believe that the fat, protein, natural carcinogens, and absence of fiber in meat all play roles. The 1997 report of the World Cancer Research Fund and American Institute for Cancer Research, Food, Nutrition, and the Prevention of Cancer, noted that meaty, high-protein diets were linked with some types of cancer.
Osteoporosis and Kidney Stones: Diets that are rich in animal protein cause people to excrete more calcium than normal through their kidneys and increase the risk of osteoporosis. Countries with lower-protein diets have lower rates of osteoporosis and hip fractures. Increased calcium excretion increases risk for kidney stones. Researchers in England found that when people added about 5 ounces of fish (about 34 grams of protein) to a normal diet, the risk of forming urinary tract stones increased by as much as 250 percent.
For a long time it was thought that athletes needed much more protein than other people. The truth is that athletes, even those who strength-train, need only slightly more protein, which is easily obtained in the larger servings athletes require for their higher caloric intake. Vegetarian diets are great for athletes.
Also depends on what you consider high levels of protein intake. For muscle gain. 2.6-3.3g /KG is ok.
Here is a good study of kidney function related to protein. Even 2.8g/kg is still ok.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/10722779
I thought that plant proteins aren’t “complete” proteins in that they don’t have the 9 essential amino acids but animal proteins do. You need to mix & match the right combination of plants to get you the complete set of amino acids.
Animal proteins taste better.
Ill stick with them for now thanks.
As an aside to the main argument in this article, a recent meta-analysis of 79 randomly controlled trials with 112,000 subjects found that omega-3 supplementation provides no useful benefits whatsoever, at least in terms of cardio-vascular benefits, despite being the largest component of the supplement industry, worth billions. Here’s the layman’s version :
https://www.independent.co.uk/news/health/omega-3-good-fat-fish-oil-cod-liver-heart-attack-stroke-disease-death-cardiovascular-a8451426.html
and here’s the original
http://cochranelibrary-wiley.com/doi/10.1002/14651858.CD003177.pub3/full
They also have included a “Plain language summary”.
While this article is a little simple (for example, it omits the fact that people who do not eat animal protein NEED to get some dietary vitamins and aminos, etc from other nutritional sources to avoid deficiencies), but by and large people spend WAY too much time arguing over protein sources and how much they consume. It also omits the details about protein being the macronutrient that has the highest thermic effect (ie, requires more energy to digest), so for those trying to lose weight, a high protein diet is preferable, whether vegan or not. Also one comment notes the danger of excess protein consumption, but this risk is way overblown, it would be VERY difficult to consume enough protein over a sustained period – although too much protein without fibre gets into dangerous territory.
All of this is to say – just eat protein and you’ll be better off, no matter where it comes from.