Lesson Two, Part Two Protein and Amino Acids

HMPT Level One

Lesson Two, Part Two – Protein and Amino Acids

Lab Testing (taught in HMPT Level II)

Protein Recommendations

Protein can be obtained from both plant and animal sources and there is much debate over which one of these sources is optimal for humans, most ethical, and so forth.

Animal Sources

Meat

Beef, lamb, buffalo, venison, elk, pork, wild boar, wild game and so forth…

Quality counts: I recommend choosing organic or free range sources where possible because the closer to its natural diet an animal is fed, the healthier it will be.

Muscle meat contains relatively high levels of cysteine and tryptophan, which are pro-inflammatory; I therefore recommend keeping red meat intake down to 3-4 servings per week.

Poultry

Chicken, duck, game birds and so on…

As with meat, quality counts. You cannot expect to be eating a healthy animal if it has been cooped up in a cage eating junk all its life. In my opinion, free-range or certified organic is a must when considering poultry.

Birds do not have a mechanism to convert the oils they eat into saturated fats that are most compatible with optimal human health – they incorporate vegetable oils into their tissues, which can damage metabolism (see Lesson Two, Part 3B).

I recommend keeping poultry intake down to 2-3 times per week.

Eggs

Eggs are an excellent source of protein, fat and fat-soluble vitamins. Again, I recommend eating organic eggs where possible.

I recommend eating plenty of eggs, as long as they are tolerated – some people have sensitivities to eggs.

Fish

Cod, haddock, plaice, sole, flounder, halibut, snapper, and so on.

Low fat, white fish is the best option as it is lower in potentially damaging polyunsaturated oils (see Lesson Two, Part 3B). It is also lower in the pro-inflammatory amino acids.

Non-oily fish can be consumed liberally, but avoid all large, predatory fish like tuna, swordfish and shark, as they contain high mercury levels.

Seafood

Prawns (shrimp), lobster, crab, mussels, clams, scallops, oysters and so on…

Seafood consumption can help you increase variety in your protein intake and contains relatively high levels of selenium and copper.

Like low fat fish, seafood is lower in the inflammatory amino acids.

I recommend consuming seafood 2-3 times per week.

Dairy Products

Milk, butter, cream, cheese, yoghurt and so on…

Some people have trouble with dairy products; cow’s milk causes digestive problems in some people, and allergic type symptoms in others.

If you can tolerate cow’s milk products, consume it freely, or in rotation with goat and sheep milk products.

If you are unable to consume cow’s milk products, try goat and sheep milk to see if it is more compatible.

Experiment to see whether your body responds best to lower fat versions, or full fat.

Because butter, cream and cheese are packaged up with some fat, it is prudent to take care with these foods if you have digestive problems, and if you have gallbladder problems.

Gelatin Foods

Gelatin contains an amino acid profile low in tryptophan and cysteine, and is a very healing protein source.

It can be consumed in bone broth recipes and also as a protein “powder”.

Powdered gelatin can be used in cooking and powdered collagen can be dissolved in cold water to be used in smoothies, etc.

I recommend you use gelatin-rich foods freely.

See the specific guidelines on how to use gelatin and try out the recipes I have provided, and those in the recommended cook books.

Vegetable Protein Sources

Vegetable protein can be obtained from:

Nuts
Seeds
Soybeans
Other beans
Legumes [peanuts, chickpeas, lentils]
Grains

Some argue that vegetable protein is of higher quality than animal protein and others argue the opposite.

Soy is a massive problem food in my experience and I don’t feel people should really be eating it very much at all.

The main problem with vegetable proteins in my opinion is that they come packaged together with carbohydrate (beans, legumes, grains) or polyunsaturated oils (nuts, seeds).

This can make it very tough to optimize macronutrient ratios.

In other words, if you want to increase your protein intake by eating more beans, legumes and grains, you will concomitantly increase your carbohydrate intake.

If you want to increase your protein intake by eating more nuts and seeds, you will concomitantly increase your oil intake.

Protein Powders

My preferred protein powders are:

Collagen hydrosylate
Egg*
Goat milk protein*

I find that the occasional use of the following is ok:

Whey (high quality, from grass-fed cows)*
Rice**
Hemp**
Pea**

*Egg, goat milk and whey are great for vegetarians (ovo-lactarian)

**Rice, hemp and pea protein are great for vegans.

I don’t like the following:

Low grade whey (fancy sports and muscle building powders)
Soy (I don’t think anyone should be consuming soy unless it’s the only protein source they tolerate!)

Where possible, the rotation of protein powders is helpful as it means your immune system is not exposed to large quantities of the same proteins day after day.