One of the most common mistakes I see when people try to lose weight or put on muscle is to go HAM on the animal protein. Sure, you might see a bit more tone and definition, but we always have to think about both the long term effects of our diet and how foods are affecting our cells and tissue.



Excessive muscle mass does not equal health or longevity. In fact, high-protein might even be harmful.



Animal protein is acidic. We always want to think of foods as either acid or alkaline-forming. Our bodies are slightly alkaline at a pH of around 7.4, and we operate better when we eat alkaline-forming foods (fruit, vegetables, certain legumes) than acid-forming foods (coffee, meat, dairy, eggs, and chocolate). Eating a diet high in acid-forming foods, and especially animal protein, leads to metabolic acidosis which is especially tough on our bones and kidneys. Since animal protein creates a highly acidic environment, our bones attempt to maintain adequate pH levels, losing alkaline mineral stores such as calcium, in the process.



This weakens our skeletal system and is why we see higher rates of osteoporosis in regions of the world with a higher intake of dairy. This high excretion of calcium in the urine also causes kidney stones. Plus, high-protein diets have been linked to causing or worsening kidney disease, as protein metabolism is super taxing on our kidneys. One study from the American Journal of Kidney Diseases found that consumption of a low-carb high-protein diet for just six weeks caused marked acid load to the kidneys.



Another problem with animal protein is what happens when it’s prepared. When meat is cooked, protein oxidation occurs. Oxidative stress caused by the cooking of the meat alters the physical and chemical properties of the protein. Protein oxidation causes inflammation in the body (the bedrock of all disease) and has been linked to premature aging.



Factory farming in the US has also introduced hormones, antibiotics, pesticides, chemical fertilizers, and other harmful chemicals into the food supply. Animals are injected with growth hormones and antibiotics to ensure they grow quickly and much bigger than their natural size to produce as much meat as efficiently as possible. This is relevant to you because you consume what your food consumes. These chemicals are toxic for our bodies and slow down digestion and organ function.



If we look to nature, we see that some of the strongest animals -- elephants, gorillas, rhinos, and hippos -- eat primarily plant-based diets. Plants have easily assimilated amino acids to fulfill all of our protein needs and build strong bodies. I’ll leave you with this quote by Patrik Baboumian, a vegan who holds a record for walking 33 feet carrying a 1,230 lb yoke:

“Someone asked me how could you get as strong as an ox without eating meat? My answer was, ‘have you ever seen an ox eating meat?’”



Love,

Zeina