High Protein or High Fiber?

Looks like we can drop the protein obsession and get on-board with more fiber!

What is Protein anyway? At its core, dietary protein is a chain of amino acids that once eaten gets broken down to individual amino acids. The human body use only 20 amino acids and builds them into every type of protein we need. There are amino acids are bodies can make and there are some that we have to eat in order to utilize, these are called essential amino acids. Proteins are a very diverse molecule that perform countless tasks and functions in both plants and animals, all essential amino acids can be found in everything we eat from a banana to a steak just in different proportions.

How much do we need? The World Health Organization guidelines and the U.S. Recommended Dietary Allowance each estimate that daily requirements for healthy adults are about 0.8 grams per kilogram of body weight, or 0.36 grams per pound of body weight. Protein requirements vary with age, gender, health status, and life stage But as an example for a healthy adult who is 150 lbs, they would need roughly ~56 grams of protein per day. Most Americans are actually exceeding that number by almost double.

Now that we know we are getting enough protein lets look at fiber... Dietary fiber is defined as non-digestible carbohydrates and lignins that are only found in plants. According to the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics the US public should consume adequate amounts of dietary fiber from a variety of plant foods, including whole grains, legumes (beans), vegetables, fruits, and nuts. The USDA guidelines "my plate" recommend at least 2 cups of fruit and ~3 cups of vegetables a day for adults. That is half your plate at every meal. What did you have for lunch?

Are we getting enough? "Adequate Intake" of fiber is ~25 grams for women and ~38 grams for men per day. Only 5% of the US population consume the daily adequate intake, most averaging only 17 grams per day. Approximately 9 out of 10 Americans don't consume enough fiber. This nutrient is very important to human gut health and can normalize bowel movements, maintain colon health, as well as lower cholesterol levels, control blood sugar levels, and even aid in achieving a healthy weight. A recent study published in The Journal of Gerontology found that fiber may be the missing link in aging successfully. Populations that consume more dietary fiber have less chronic diseases including cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, and some cancers.

To quote the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, "Healthy adults and children can achieve adequate dietary fiber intakes by increasing their intake of plant foods while concurrently decreasing energy from foods high in added sugar and fat, and low in fiber. Dietary messages to increase consumption of whole grains, legumes, vegetables, fruits, and nuts should be broadly supported by food and nutrition practitioners."

Considering the sky-rocketing rates of obesity, heart disease, and type 2 diabetes in this country, we should stop asking ourselves about protein intake and start asking the more important question of where do you get your fiber?

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Want to increase your fiber? Lets take a look at some of the most fiber packed foods through out the day!

Breakfast

1 cup of a fiber-rich cereal and 1/2 cup of blueberries = 12 grams

Snack

1 Apple with 2 tablespoons almond butter = 7.4 grams

Lunch

Black bean burger topped with coleslaw with a side of vegetable quinoa soup =13.2 grams

Snack

1/2 cup of carrots with 2 tablespoons of plain hummus = 3.4 grams

Dinner

Baby Kale salad, chickpea curry with a cup of brown rice = 7.3 grams

Daily Total: 43.2 total grams of fiber