The key to protein assimilation is its digestibility. Consuming protein, its assimilation, and then the sparing of protein for growth, repair and maintenance are not quite the same thing. Currently, the narrative is entirely focused on consumption. And from weight loss to disease prevention, from good skin to longevity – it is the answer to everything. The reality, though, is very different.
When people get protein-consumption focused, they miss out on rice, poha, chapati, bhakri, to start with. Then, of course, they also miss out on fresh fruit – banana, mango, sitaphal ka toh naam bhi lena allowed nahi hai. And then, from pumpkin seeds to pistachios, everything is eaten just for protein. So it’s chia seeds in the morning; eggs, avocado and cheese for breakfast; grilled chicken with salad or sauteed veggies for lunch; a protein shake thrown in and meat, fish, egg or paneer for dinner. You expect to feel fab but you fart, unexpectedly. But don’t worry, there’s a cure for that too: fibre drinks, pills and powders.
And how can I forget the probiotic yoghurt? The more unpronounceable the brand, the better it works. Every actor, cricketer and creator worth their salt is now into products that are ready-to-eat and sell you health. Good business sense is about having a fat bottom line, and what better way to do it then to pitch it on a slim waistline? See, I have told you this, but I will tell you again: What’s good for profits is often bad for people and the planet. In the 90s, actors and cricketers would squander their money, now they triple it with investments in food companies and do the ads for free.
And nothing wrong with that. I for one love money and so I am careful where I put it. So should you. Any weight loss (even if it comes) that comes at the cost of not eating simple, sensible ghar ka khaana is going to eat away at that muscle tissue that you are trying so hard to preserve. And losing muscle is never going to make you look thinner, only flabbier. And disproportionate, too. And no, exercise is not going to save or help you build more muscle if you are restricting home-cooked food and the seasonal staples of fruits and veggies.
All that exercise will do then is cause exertion and injuries, not to mention gastric distress. And instead of figuring out where you are going wrong by watching what you eat, you are going to watch the Internet and diagnose that your low energy and frequent injuries are being caused by low protein, so you are going to add some more to your diet. And then that consumption–exertion–injury–distress cycle is going to go on till frustration hits (because it always does), and then you are going to eat cake, cheat with a biryani or worse, get a pizza or pancakes.
Then you are going to feel guilty and go into repeat mode till your body finally not just refuses to budge on the weight but also seeks revenge by going up on body weight and HbA1c, breaking out into acne, etc. So, now you must smarten up and eat “smart carbs”, the friend, guide and philosopher will tell you. “What’s ‘smart carbs’?” I asked a client who was telling me this story. “Oh, it’s dals, legumes, grapefruit.” Then, over time, this too will not get you what you want but just ABC – acidity, bloating, constipation – and you will finally hang up your high-protein boots. Or at least that’s my hope.
When we eat food like it is available in nature, without tinkering with its nutrients, we stand to gain the most out of the goodness it offers. For example, the assimilation of protein from whole milk is better than low fat milk, including low-fat milk with added amino acids. The lesser the processing, the better the access to nutrients.
Same with whole egg – it offers more nourishment than the whites of two eggs. And in the greed to get more protein and keeping the fat intake down, eating six egg whites really offers no benefit as compared to eating two eggs with toast, like the way you naturally would if you could put the protein mania aside.
Even post-workout protein assimilation to aid recovery peaks when protein comes with a combination of carbs. So, have that banana with your protein shake or have a paneer paratha or egg curry with rice. It would be better any day than just a protein shake post-workout.
Essentially, the food matrix just tells us what we already know – it’s the full package and not the single nutrient that matters. The package of other essential nutrients, wholesome taste, and ease of digestion is crucial in order to meet the body’s protein requirements.
Excerpted with permission from The Commonsense Diet: Stop Overthinking, Start Eating, Rujuta Diwekar, Juggernaut.
