Eating protein in an isolated form is similar to taking a vitamin A supplement instead of eating carrots. Protein isolates are stripped of almost everything except the protein.
There are many ways we can get protein in our diets, but most packaged foods with a high protein content achieve this by using a protein source that has been isolated from its whole food form by being chemically extracted into a powder. While every individual plant and animal protein has a unique impact on the environment, plant-based proteins tend to produce fewer carbon emissions, require less land, and use less water to produce. Animal proteins tend to be higher in saturated fat while some plant-based proteins like seeds are higher in unsaturated fat and fiber. There are also major differences in how plant and animal proteins affect our health and the environment. However, not all plant-based protein, like beans or rice, contain all 20 amino acids. Animal proteins and some plant-based protein, like seeds, contain all 20 amino acids, including the 9 essential amino acids.
The main difference between plant and animal proteins are which amino acids they contain. HOW ARE PLANT AND ANIMAL PROTEINS DIFFERENT? Of these 20, there are 9 amino acids that our body can’t make, so it is important that we get all of these “essential amino acids” from our food. A protein is “complete” if it contains all 20. Each of the 20 amino acids has a different chemical makeup and structure and we need all 20 of these amino acids to create all of the different proteins our body uses on a daily basis. “Complete protein” is a term often used to define which amino acids are in a food. However, extreme athletes may need as much as 18 grams of protein per 20 pounds of body weight. The average adult needs to eat roughly 7 grams of protein per 20 pounds of body weight. It’s in the enzymes that break down food, in the hormones that allow our body’s systems to communicate, and it helps build and repair our cells and muscles. Protein is necessary for every function in our body to work properly. It’s true that some of us need it more than others, but why do we actually need protein at all? What are the different types and how do they affect our health? We spoke with our Registered Dietitian, Hannah Meier, to learn more. Whether you’re an athlete, a parent, older, younger, vegan, or a combination of these, we all need protein. There are a lot of high protein food options out there these days and more and more people are choosing to get their protein from plants instead of animals for the impact that shift has on climate change.