In search of Protein

Our seemingly eternal quest to eat enough protein might need to come from some slightly peculiar places in the next few decades…

At some point in pretty much all of our lives, we’ve thought it a good idea to buy protein powder. What started out as a flavourless addition to smoothies has since turned into a complete diet craze. What do you do if you’re on a diet but feel like indulging in a hot chocolate? There’s a low-sugar, protein alternative. Want some pudding but sadly lacking in protein for the day? There’s a protein instant pudding. Oats? Protein oats. Cereal? Protein cereal. Steri Stumpie? Steri Stumpie Plus Protein. It’s everywhere, but how necessary is our obsession with protein? Are there alternative sources that we may be forced to look at in our climate-changing world?

Alack of protein is actually a very common issue in the diets of people right across the globe. Meat is not as readily available as people might think, and some meats and dairy items are forgone based on ethics. It’s recommended that for every kilogram of weight, you need 0.8 grams of protein per day. This works out to about 56gof protein for an average man, and 46g for an average woman. As a reference, an egg contains roughly 6gof protein. Per 100g, chicken contains 27g of protein, whereas steak contains only 24g. Fish comes in at around 18g of protein per 100g, with tuna managing particularly well at 30g of protein per 100g.

Before we dive any deeper, let’s first discuss why our body needs protein. In short, protein is one of the base components of our bodies. We need it for growth and repair. It is an important building block of muscle, bone, cartilage, blood and even skin. Hair and nails are mostly made of protein, and we also need it to create enzymes, hormones and other critical body chemicals. Protein is a macronutrient, which means we need a lot of it for our body to optimally function. Our bodies cannot store protein like it can fat and carbohydrates, so we need to make sure we hit our protein targets every day if we can. Balancing that with a strict calorie target can be quite a task, but very worthwhile once you find that sweet spot.

Vegetarians and vegans get their protein intake from more diverse sources. Vegans, by opting out of using animal products, open themselves up to high protein milk alternatives, and this is something that non-vegans can adopt too. The dairy industry is hotly debated, and choosing to switch to almond, soy, oat or hemp can help minimise your carbon footprint massively. Not only that, but milk alternatives are mostly lower in calories too, which means you can work a diet-friendly ingredient into your everyday nutrition.

Lovers of Asian cuisine will have heard of the edamame bean. Served steamed with a crack – or five – of coarse sea salt, edamame beans are a great snack and, if you can reduce the salt even slightly, can be a really healthy way to up your protein levels. Coming in at the number one spot, edamame beans boasts a whopping 18g of protein per 100g. This is in contrast to number two, white beans, which sees the protein level drop to 9.7g per 100g. Lentils, kidney beans, black beans, pinto beans, navy beans, lima beans, roman beans and split peas complete the top ten beans with the highest protein levels.

The key to reaching protein targets is incorporating as many protein-rich foods into one day of eating. With your chicken at night, if you are so inclined, choose high-protein veggies to accompany it. Switch to milk alternatives and indulge in higher volumes for virtually the same protein levels and less calories.

Nuts are also a good source of protein. Per 100g of cashews, you’d be getting 18g of protein. Hazelnuts yield 15g, pecans have 9g, pine nuts have 14g, pistachio nuts contain 20gand walnuts boast 15g. Add a few nuts to your morning oats – made with milk (dairy or otherwise) – and you’ve got yourself a perfect protein-filled breakfast.

The protein powder craze started off as a fitness supplement. More protein equals more muscle building capacity, or so it was originally thought. Logical, you need to exercise to see the muscle-building benefits. Yes, having higher levels of protein in your system will help the formation of muscle, but it won’t build muscle on its own. Using protein powder to supplement your protein intake is a great idea, and it’s so versatile that it can be added to plenty of meals. Adding protein to smoothies is the classic recipe, but perhaps try introducing it to baked goods, pancakes, waffles, juices, and oats.

For those more adventurous, bugs are tipped as being our main source of protein in the future, according to leading scientists. The earth cannot sustain the current rates of carbon emissions, which means food production is going to have to change and fast. Bugs are eaten widenly in select food cultures in countries across the world and soon, you might see creepy crawlies on the shelves at your local supermarket. In fact, the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) estimates that every day, close to one third of the world’s population consume insects as food. This is hardly news to us, people in Southern Africa have been eating mopane worms for hundreds of years.

Expanding our minds to consider new sources of protein is key for the survival of the human race. Sadly, the days of classic sources of protein are numbered and you might have to consider getting your protein exclusively from beans, protein powder and bugs sooner than you might think.