The long road to protein deficiency?
...or why protein intake is not only important in bodybuilding! by Peter Dreverhoff
Author: Peter E. Dreverhoff
Sometimes it takes a while to get on the right track.
Despite my training as a nutritional counsellor and over 30 years of experience in the health sector, I have been able to develop and maintain a blind spot when it comes to protein.
I have actually had some incredible experiences when people have switched to a 100% raw food diet in the short or long term. At the Keimling Academy, I was able to enthusiastically accompany thousands of people in this process and experience the effects of this diet on my own body.
All kinds of civilisation complaints largely disappeared after just 7 days.
As many of these people only saw the raw food week as a cure, I was particularly curious to see how this diet would develop in the long term. My asthma, incipient knee arthrosis, allergies and excess weight were all gone for good. So I thought I was on the safe side.
I didn't take my protein requirements into account at all, I was fine, I was free of symptoms - perfect.
I had also learnt from the raw food pioneers of the time: if an infant can grow and thrive without any problems for the first 6 months with just 2% protein in its mother's milk, what do I need as an adult - actually nothing more, everything is already there.
As I kept my raw food diet predominantly plant-based, the vegan bubble also suggested to me that a healthy diet provides everything the body needs. Add a little B12 and that was it.
Unfortunately, it wasn't until much later that I realised that these recommendations were largely based on wishful thinking. Unnoticed by me, characteristics developed that didn't worry me at the time or that I ignored. I became more and more gaunt, emaciated and almost emaciated, my skin was predominantly pale and wrinkled with little tension. But I was still doing well. My performance in endurance sports, which I indulged in, remained constant. So my protein reserves continued to dwindle.
What I didn't realise at the time was that protein is a very important building block in our bodies. However, my raw food diet and regular exercise made me believe that everything was fine. My old complaints, which had led me to raw food over three decades ago, were still absent.
Here is a brief digression on why a certain amount of protein is essential. As already mentioned, protein is so important in the diet because it is a building material, functional material and regulator at the same time. Without sufficient protein intake, the body cannot build enough new cells, provide enzyme chains or maintain, let alone build, muscles and bones. Skin, nails, hair, connective tissue etc. also consist of amino acids, mainly collagen, which is also built from amino acids. Of course, the important minerals also play a role here, but without the building material protein, not much is possible. In addition, unlike fats or carbohydrates, there are certain stores in the human body, i.e. a daily intake is important. But the list is even longer. Proteins also play an important role in immune defence. Antibodies and hormones are based on amino acids - where is all this supposed to come from if the crucial proteins are not eaten in sufficient quantities?
Although studying the subject gave me more and more insights, I still couldn't accept a possible protein deficiency. As long as it was raw, my body would take care of the rest. A blood test finally flipped the switch in my head. My total protein levels were very poor and the individual amino acids didn't look good either.
Anyone who knows me knows that I first tried to incorporate more protein-containing foods into my raw food diet. I quickly analysed my previous plant-based sources and realised that they were predominantly high in fat. Protein-containing legumes such as sprouted peas, lentils, chickpeas and the like didn't taste good to me or I didn't really tolerate them well. For ethical reasons, I wanted to avoid animal-based foods - yes, these can also be present in a raw food diet. So I realised that my goal of getting at least 1 g of protein per kilogram of body weight was quite difficult to put into practice.
In order not to delay things any further, I decided to take in a certain basic amount of protein with a daily protein shake, which would then be topped up by the rest of my food throughout the day. The whole thing is extremely suitable for everyday use, easily reproducible and the amount of protein to be consumed is very easy to control.
The first hurdle, however, was choosing the right product. I quickly realised that the raw food quality I was used to could not be achieved with a plant-based protein powder. Unfortunately, none of the products that advertise this seal of quality provide any detailed information. We need to go into more detail again. As a rule, vegetable protein powders are obtained from the press cake resulting from the production of pumpkin, almond, hemp or sunflower oil, as well as from isolated proteins, e.g. from peas, beans, lupins or soya. The isolation of proteins from legumes is a complex process, and the final spray drying unfortunately exceeds 40°C. As a rule, 70-80 °C is realistic. The situation is similar in oil production. Even with cold-pressed oil, the press cake heats up to well over 40 °C due to the high friction during the pressing process and at the press cake outlet. Temperatures of around 60-70 °C are also common here.
Despite these temperatures, there is a big difference between eating an animal or vegetable steak from a pan or grill, as other co-factors come into play here in addition to even higher temperatures. Roasted flavours, which are always carcinogenic, occur here in combination with a fusion of denatured fats and carbohydrates. In other words, I had to decide whether I still wanted to play the "plant-based protein powder" card. I wanted to avoid artificial sweeteners such as aspartame, sucralose and acesulfame-K as well as flavourings, colourings, anti-caking agents, preservatives and the like. If I couldn't do without compromises when it came to proteins, then I wanted to play hardball with all the other ingredients.
That's why we at Keimling Naturkost only have pure protein powders, as natural as possible, in our programme, and each customer can tailor their intake to their own taste. However, because there are customers who are overwhelmed with the optimal protein mix in the normal everyday madness, we are working on two ready-made mixes with flavour and - very importantly - on a natural version that can then be used to prepare spreads, crackers, breads, soups, nice creams, shakes and smoothies.
I also experienced a positive side effect when I focussed more on my protein intake and put this into practice. Satiety occurs much faster than with a carbohydrate diet, so blood sugar is kept stable and there are no more cravings.
Therefore, an important appeal to all those who now feel addressed. We cannot do without protein as a building material and important element in our body. In my everyday life at trade fairs, events and seminars, I now recognise people who have reached the limits of their performance and health due to a severe protein deficiency. It really isn't a joke or an abstruse business idea to draw attention to this problem. Basically, it is a matter of survival and a future in which everyone can draw on the full again.
My practical recommendation: at least one protein shake with a different flavour every day (it shouldn't get boring). As a guide: 1 g of protein powder per kg of body weight. As plant-based protein powder in particular has a 70-80% protein content, you are already guaranteed a large part of the protein quantity. Make sure you continue to eat high-quality protein sources, e.g. raw nuts and seeds wherever possible. Raw peanuts, almonds, cashews, hemp seeds and buckwheat are good examples. good natural sources with a favourable amino acid profile. The aim should be to finish the day with 1.2 g or 2 g per kg of body weight for sporty people. So: I clearly see protein intake as a daily supplement, true to the motto: it's not just muscles that need protein - it's essential for life itself.
A well-balanced protein powder has another unbeatable advantage over the classics made from whey protein, also known as whey protein. Firstly, the production process is much more natural and gentle. Whey protein is a genuine artificial product, a far cry from the actual milk from which it is obtained. Then there are many useful accompanying substances that are naturally on board in the Keimling protein powders: Fibre, minerals and secondary plant substances, in addition to providing these, ensure a digestible, sustainable and natural alternative to animal products, which are isolated to such an extent that no other useful substances are supplied here. The production process for plant proteins is also much more environmentally friendly and, last but not least, less energy-intensive.
We are also breaking new ground with the upcoming flavoured Keimling protein powders. Of course, the aim of many manufacturers is to keep the protein content of flavoured powders high and to juggle with flavourings, colourings and artificial and "natural" sweeteners. We consciously accept the difference, because it's not about delivering a product that contains hardly any carbohydrates and fats. We focus on a balanced, protein-rich diet - without tricks or small print. Keimling has been focussing on healthy nutrition, as naturally as possible, for over 40 years. That's why our protein powder with berry or chocolate flavour is refined with honest ingredients and real coconut blossom sugar - it doesn't get any better than that. In addition to high-quality proteins, we also provide plenty of vitamins, minerals, enzymes and other bioactive substances that we use as flavour boosters.
