Question

Before taking this course, did you feel you would benefit from consuming more protein? Why or why not?

- Based on your estimate of your current protein intake using you MyDietAnalysis 3 Day report, do you already meet or exceed the suggested protein intake for athletes indicated above?

- Using an Internet search, identify at least two adverse effects to people’s health, and two adverse effects on the environment, that could result from increasing the current RDA for protein. How would your answer differ if people increased their protein exclusively through consuming plant-based sources?

Answer 1

*Protein is a macronutrient with four calories per gram. The body breaks it down into a pool of amino acids for many uses such as repairing and building muscle tissue. Based on the Institute of Medicine the protein consumption is in the range of 10 to 35 per cent of our daily calorie.

In my opinion, there are two main benefits to a high protein diet.

A high protein diet is generally considered the perfect meal programming for anyone who is into athletics, why because:

-The body is very inefficient at processing protein

-Protein is the building block of all muscles

*Someone's protein requirement who has a sedentary lifestyle does not do any kind of exercise will be different from someone who trains rigorously 2 times a day or athletes.

I am a sedentary worker, and the bodyweight is 50Kg, according to my menu plan of 3 days the body is getting the total protein is 135gm.

And per day my body is getting 45 gms of protein, that means, 50 x 0.9 = 45

Per kilogram of body weight, the body is getting 0.9gm of protein per kg

A sedentary person needs 0.8–1gm protein per 'kg' of their body weight.

So yes, athletes need more protein than other people but there has to be proper ratio and count for it.

According to my lifestyle, the protein intake is enough for my body but is getting the protein intake less than the suggested protein intake for athletes

*To receive the benefits of quick digestion and supply of essential amino acids, the best sources based on the from meat, eggs, and dairy products other than plant-based sources.

Although consuming protein from meat sources is more effective than vegetarian products for building muscle because some vegetables have lower certain amino acids such as leucine, and can still build a strong body with a plant-based protein diet.

Although eating protein itself from the plant-based sources doesn't increase testosterone, it can lead to having higher quality strength training workouts, which in effect can raise your level of testosterone.

The main adverse effects of exceeded protein that affects the environment include if more people are choosing a plant-based protein that needs the use of large lands for the agricultural purpose where they use increased nitrogen and phosphorous compounds that may also affect our ecosystem by soil and water pollution.