High Cholesterol & Meats- Separating Fact from Fiction (Important)

[Guest guest]

The following article does an excellent job separating long standing

fiction about fat and protein diets from the actual fact. I realize

for many this will be difficult to accept, but one of the biggest

myths that fat and protein raise cholesterol is inaccurate.

Dr Byrnes has done an excellent job debating and referencing some of

the common myths that many have regarding the belief that meat is

evil and should be avoided by all. As he references, there are

plenty of scientific studies published in reputable journals that

debunk the vegetarian myth.

Beth

High Protein Diets: Separating Fact From Fiction

By Byrnes, PhD, RNCP

Clinically, I have used low-carbohydrate, high fat and protein diets

to very good effect, especially with those conditions that are

worsened by excessive carbohydrate intake, e.g., diabetes, chronic

fatigue, fibromyalgia, and heart disease. When properly practiced,

low-carb diets are not harmful.

Some experts believe that excessive protein consumption,

particularly animal protein, can result in heart disease, stroke,

osteoporosis, cancer and kidney stones.

It is excessive carbohydrate intake, not protein or animal protein

intake, that can result in heart disease and cancer (1).

Readers should note that the type of diet vegetarian expert advocate

are high carbohydrate one because that is exactly what diets that

are low in protein and fat are. Furthermore, the idea that animal

products, specifically protein, cholesterol, and saturated fatty

acids, somehow factor in causing atherosclerosis, stroke, and/or

heart disease is a popular idea that is not supported by available

data, including the field of lipid biochemistry (2).

The claim that animal protein intake causes calcium loss from the

bones is another popular nutritional myth that has no backing in

nutritional science. The studies that supposedly showed protein to

cause calcium loss in the urine were NOT done with real, whole

foods, but with isolated amino acids and fractionated protein

powders (3).

When studies were done with people eating meat with its fat, NO

calcium loss was detected in the urine, even over a long period of

time (3). Other studies have confirmed that meat eating does not

affect calcium balance (4) and that protein promotes stronger bones

(5). Furthermore, the saturated fats that many experts believe are

so evil are actually required for proper calcium deposition in the

bones (6).

The reason why the amino acids and fat-free protein powders caused

calcium loss while the meat/fat did not is because protein, calcium,

and minerals, require the fat-soluble vitamins A and D for their

assimilation and utilization by the body. When protein is consumed

without these factors, it upsets the normal biochemistry of the body

and mineral loss results (7). True vitamin A and full-complex

vitamin D are only found in animal fats.

If the protein-causes-osteoporosis theory teaches us anything, it is

to avoid fractionated foods (like soy protein isolate, something

most vegetarians would no doubt encourage readers to consume) and

isolated amino acids, and to eat meat with its fat.

New evidence shows that women who ate lots of meat had fewer hip

fractures compared to those who avoided it (8) and that vegan diets

place women at a greater risk for osteoporosis (9).

The claim that protein intake leads to kidney stones is another

popular myth that is not supported by the facts. Although protein

restricted diets are helpful for people who have kidney disease,

eating meat does not cause kidney problems (10). Furthermore, the

fat-soluble vitamins and saturated fatty acids found in animal foods

are pivotal for properly functioning kidneys (11).

Many experts attempt to explain how meat supposedly " acidifies " the

blood, leading to greater mineral loss in the urine is also

incorrect. Theoretically, the sulfur and phosphorus in meat can form

an acid when placed in water, but that does not mean that is what

happens in the body.

Actually, meat provides complete proteins and vitamin D (if the fat

or skin is eaten), both of which are needed to maintain proper acid-

alkaline balance in the body. Furthermore, in a diet that includes

enough magnesium and vitamin B6 and restricts simple sugars, one has

little to fear from kidney stones (12).

Animal foods like beef, poultry, and lamb are good sources of both

nutrients as any food and nutrient content table will show. It also

goes without saying that high protein/fat and low-carbohydrate diets

are devoid of sugar.

Some believe that the weight loss on high-protein diets is mostly

from water loss is strange given that low-carb proponents like

Atkins, MD, tell their devotees to drink lots of water while

on the diet. Initially, there is a water loss (as with any diet),

but the high water intake afterwards would certainly offset any more

drastic " water losses. "

Others believe that weight loss occurs on high protein/fat diets

because the person eats less food because he or she gets fuller

faster on fat. Given that fat has more than twice as many calories

than either protein or carbohydrate, this explanation is far from

satisfactory.

In other words, you may not eat as many carbohydrates as you did

before you went on the high protein diet, but because you're

ingesting more fat, which has over twice as many calories as

carbohydrate, your actual caloric intake is likely to stay the same

or be higher than it was before.

Some claim that plant-based proteins like those found in soy, lower

LDL cholesterol and raises HDL (good) cholesterol. This prevents the

build up of arterial plaque which leads to atherosclerosis and heart

disease, thus reducing the risk of heart attack and stroke.

This is yet another nutritional fantasy that although popular, is

not true. The HDL/LDL theory has been thoroughly debunked by a

number of prominent researchers (13) and LDL serves many useful

functions in the body -- there is nothing " bad " about it (14).

Cholesterol is actually used by the body as an antioxidant (15);

vegetarian diets do not protect against atherosclerosis or heart

disease (16); and female vegans have higher rates of death from

heart disease than female meat eaters (17).

Others contend that vegetable-protein diets enhance calcium

retention in the body. This is simply wrong as " vegetable proteins "

do not contain the fat-soluble vitamins A and D which are needed to

assimilate calcium (and protein and other minerals). Furthermore,

numerous plant compounds like oxalates and phytates inhibit calcium

absorption.

Unfermented soy products, in particular, are noted for their high

phytic acid content and phytates block mineral absorption (18).

Many experts advise us to replace vegetable protein for animal

protein and unsaturated fats " like olive and canola oils " for

saturated fats, is dubious at best and dangerous at worst. A number

of recent and prior studies catalog the veritable witches brew of

toxins found in processed soy products (19) and canola oil has

caused vitamin E deficiencies in lab animals (20).

Canola oil is also quite susceptible to rancidity due to its high

level of alpha-linolenic acid; in the deodorization process used

with canola oil, harmful trans-fatty acids are created (21).

Lastly, studies have not born out the claims that vegetarians have

lower cancer rates than the general population. A large study on

vegetarian California 7th Day Adventists showed that, while the

Adventists had slightly lower rates for some cancers, their rates of

malignant melanoma; Hodgkin's disease; and uterine, prostate,

endometrial, cervical, ovarian, and brain cancers were higher than

the general population, some quite significantly. In the paper, the

authors wrote that, Meat consumption, however, was not associated

with a higher cancer risk. And that, No significant association

between breast cancer and a high consumption of animal fats or

animal products in general was noted. (22)

Indeed, Dr. Emmanuel Cheraskin's survey of 1040 dentists and their

wives showed that those with the fewest health problems as measured

by the Cornell Medical Index had the MOST protein in their diets

(23).

The facts are that high-protein diets, when consumed in balance with

enough water, fat and fat-soluble vitamins, and nutritional factors

from non-starchy vegetables, ARE healthy.

They are not guilty of the things many health experts blame on them.

Minimally processed animal foods like beef and lamb are healthy

foods that are rich in a number of nutrients that protect and

enhance several body systems: taurine; carnitine; creatine;

glutathione; vitamins A; D; several of the B-complex, including B6

and B12; minerals like chromium, magnesium, sulfur, iron, zinc, and

phosphorus; complete proteins; and coenzyme Q10, needed for a

healthy heart.

If readers want to get an accurate assessment of lower-carbohydrate

diets, they should check out reliable books on the subject. (24)

References

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Zavoroni and others. New Eng Jnl Med, 1989, 320:702-6; J. Witte and

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http://www.westonaprice.org

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11. M. Enig. Saturated fats and the kidneys. Wise Traditions, 2000,

1:3:49. Posted at http://www.westonaprice.org.

12. Urol Res, 1994, 22(3):161-5; Nutr Health, 1987, 5(1): 9-17.

13. See references for note number two.

14. M. Enig. Know Your Fats, 258.

15. E. Cranton and JP Frackelton. Jnl of Holistic Med, 1984,

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fat/cholesterol diet is ineffective. Eur Heart Jnl, 1997, 18:18-22;

F. McGill and others. Results of the International Atherosclerosis

Project. Clin Lab Invest, 1968, 18:(5):498; Herrmann, Schorr,

Purschwitz, Rassoul, Richter. Total homocysteine, vitamin B (12),

and total antioxidant status in vegetarians. Clin Chem 2001 Jun;47

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17. Ellis, Path, Montegriffo. Veganism: Clinical findings and

investigations. Amer Jnl Clin Nutr, 1970, 32:249-255.

18. AH Tiney. Proximate composition and mineral and phytate contents

of legumes grown in Sudan. Jnl of Food Comp and Analy, 1989, 2:67-

68; see also S. Fallon and M. Enig, " The Ploy of Soy, " posted at

http://www.westonaprice.org.

19. See research abstracts posted at

http://www.soyonlineservice.co.nz.

20. FD Sauer and others. Nutr Res, 1997, 17:2:259-269.

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24. Schwarzbein and Deville. The Schwarzbein Principle

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