The truth about protein in your diet

[marmar]

By Sarah B. Weir and Lori Bongiorno
Posted Mon Aug 8, 2011 2:04pm PDT


Guess how much protein is in a juicy, 8-ounce cheeseburger washed down with a milkshake? This single meal contains two to three times as much as most people need per day.

It’s no great surprise that Americans chow down on a lot of protein. We love beef and consume about 67 pounds per capita annually (that’s four times the international average). The popularity of low-carb regimes such as Atkins has also made meat the go-to food for dieters.

In fact, the average person eats about double the amount of protein that their body requires, according to the results of 2007-2008 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey conducted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

How to fulfill your daily protein requirement

The human body uses protein to repair damaged cells and to build new ones. Marion Nestle, professor of nutrition at NYU and author of What to Eat, estimates that the average adult man needs about 65 grams of protein a day and the average adult female needs about 55 grams. Some sources, such as the Centers for Disease Control and the World Health Organization say you can maintain a healthy diet with even less. ............(more)

The complete piece is at: http://shine.yahoo.com/event/green/how-much-protein-do-you-really-need-2523319/

[onehandle]

1. The fat and cholesterol that come with the cheeseburger and milkshake is the price you pay. nt

[PDJane]

2. don't forget the tendency

towards adult onset diabetes.....

[HysteryDiagnosis]

3. All things have caveats... 85% is a pretty large number.

http://www.livestrong.com/article/18874-symptoms-protein-malnutrition/

This condition is rare among healthy people in the United States and other developed countries, where most people have more than enough food to eat. In studies performed at the University of Arizona College of Nursing and elsewhere, however, it has been found that up to 85 percent of adults who live in nursing homes may suffer some degree of protein malnutrition. Left untreated, protein malnutrition will result in potentially fatal health problems, including heart and kidney failure.

Read more: http://www.livestrong.com/article/18874-symptoms-protein-malnutrition/#ixzz1V9ARf9Lf