Nov 29 2011

Not All Protein Is The Same – by Alex Ferentinos

by cliftongreen • Coaching, Fitness, General, Nutrition, Strength and Conditioning 0

It’s important to have a diet that consists of a wide variety of foods, this enables us to obtain a broad spectrum of nutrients.
As you’ll no doubt be aware of already, a high protein diet is essential to improve body composition and additional protein is key for athletes.

In Greek, prota means “of primary importance” and this is where we get the word protein from. It’s critical as it plays many different roles such as growth and repair of muscles, bones, skin, tendons, ligaments, hair, eyes and other tissues of the body. Without enough dietary protein it becomes difficult for the body to produce the enzymes and hormones for metabolic function, digestion and many other vital functions in the body. Protein also helps create the antibodies your immune system needs to fight diseases. If you are injured, you may need a higher intake to speed tissue repair and remodelling. Whey aids the body’s glutathione levels and supplemental glutamine may also boost immunity.

Protein is comprised of 20 amino acids, some the body can manufacture itself, but 9 must be obtained from the diet. The others are termed non essential as the body can make them from food, however some such as the previously mentioned glutamine become conditionally essential in the athlete. The harder a person trains, the more important quality nutrition becomes.

It’s best to obtain dietary protein from meat, fish, eggs and dairy, as they contain a complete amino acid profile.Nuts are also a source of protein, however the main focus of their consumption is for the cognitive benefits of the healthy fats contained within, also they can keep calories up, which causes the thyroid to keep functioning, people who diet too aggressively cause their thyroid to shut down and the body enters starvation mode, never a good thing.

Varying protein sources is important too, as each source has a different amino acid profile, each wholefood source will contain different vitamins and minerals.

We are told, though mainly by the people who market margarine, but also on dated advice from doctors, that has been disproved in many studies, to avoid red meat, whole dairy and eggs as they are full of cholesterol, Egg yolks are indeed full of cholesterol. Like most cholesterol-rich foods, they are packed full of important nutrients, especially the essential fatty acids and fat-soluble vitamins.

The saturated fat contained in beef, stearic acid, has no effect on our cholesterol levels, also it is worth noting that cholesterol forms the lining of new cells, so if you’re continually recovering from training, your body will be regenerating muscle cells, so it will need the cholesterol. Fat is also key to vitamin absorption and producing hormones.

Research supports that those who eat three whole eggs per day make better physique gains, probably for the reasons layed out above, and an egg yolk contains a plethora of vitamins that would actually resolve a lot of malnutrition issues in people’s diets. I have a personal vendetta against people who throw out yolks, it’s mindless and time consuming, have a few whole eggs, and put a naturally low fat protein like white fish on the side, so that yolks aren’t being wasted.

Skimming dairy reduces the nutrient content greatly and also increases the GI, or speeds the absorption time of the carbohydrates within, leading to bodyfat gain, fat does not make you fat, sugars, inactivity and a vast excess of calories make people fat. Beef is dense is B vitamins, if you get lean, organic grass fed beef it becomes even more of a nutrient powerhouse as levels of CLA are increased which favourable improves body composition. Beef’s also a good source of selenium, zinc, and iron, aiding sex drive, preventing anaemia and helping the body to mop up free radicals.

Fish is another solid option as well as the high protein content, it can aid the body by providing support for your joint’s cartilage, insulin sensitivity, and reducing inflammation, especially in the digestive tract. Salmon and mackerel are great choices, as well as sardines. Sardines will also give you a dose of calcium from the small digestible bones. Man evolved fishing, hunting and foraging, so it makes sense to eat these foods for our health long term.

I often advise my clients on the importance of varying the sources, and spread out between 5-8 feedsdependent on their needs, just about every source is different based on their nutrient content and digestion rate. For example, rotating chicken, beef, fish, eggs, whole Greek yogurt, and shakes is much more effective than only consuming egg whites, whey and chicken as many wrongly do. It also breaks monotony.

Supplemental protein can be implemented once the wholefood intake is in check, the two main types are obtained from filtering milk protein, of which 20% is whey, this is very fast releasing causing anabolism, the state where the body repairs itself, and 80% is casein, which is slow releasing, ideal combined with whey in MRPs and on its own before bed due to the ability to put the body in an anti-catbolic state as it provides a steady stream of amino acids during the time we spend asleep. There are other types out there but vegetable protein is easily digested nor is it as beneficial as meat, fish and dairy sources. Bracketing workouts wih protein powder can prevent the body taking amino acids from our own muscle tissue during training and also will promote protein synthesis, key for muscle recovery and gowth afterwards. I even recommend EAAs during the session with electrolytes in water.

It is essential to obtain protein from a wide variety of different meat, fish, egg, dairy and supplemental sources in order to take advantage of digestion rates, to remain well nourished, prevent boredom in the diet, and get the maximum benefit for your health and physique.

By Alex Ferentinos
International Rugby Union & Rugby Sevens Player, Certified Fitness Instructor, Nutritional Advisor, and Model.
www.alexanderferentinos.co.uk

Alex runs an online Nutrition Strength and Conditioning Consultancy.
There is no hype, there are no fads, just research proven methods and the truth about what works, removing wasted money, guesswork and years of trial and error on your part. He has helped people in the public eye from rockstars to commuters.
He keeps his feet firmly in the real world and lends an understanding ear, taking into consideration your daily schedule, exercise routine, bodyweight and goals and the way you eat.
Everything is then painstakingly fine-tuned on his part, streamlining your whole approach to nutrition and fitness, designing easy to follow meal planners and bespoke training programs that fit harmoniously into your life, ensuring goals are reached.
The only thing he can’t do is do it for you!

Get in touch via email, twitter and facebook:
alex.ferentinos@gmail.com
@AlexFerentinos7
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