Is There Too Much Protein on Your Plate?

If you're talking to someone about food, there's a good choice the word "protein" will come up a few times. It seems that everyone knows what protein is, but scientists have only been studying it since the 1800's. As more and more people jump on the low-carb craze, they are loading up their plates with protein and skipping the carbs, including, but not limited to, grains, fruits and vegetables.

Daily Requirements of Protein for Adults

The average adult needs to consume about 50 g of protein each day. Men are encouraged to eat a little bit more - around 56 g - and women a little bit less - around 46 g. These requirements can easily be met by eating three servings of protein-rich food a day but many people, especially those on low-carb and no-carb diets, far exceed their daily recommended value (DV).

The Risks of Eating Too Much Protein

It turns out you can have too much of a good thing. Eating too much protein on daily basis can have adverse affects on your health. In fact, eating too much of any one particular nutrient is typically bad for you. Your body only needs a certain amount of protein to carry out its normal functions, but when you exceed that amount, it still has to process the excess protein, which is turned into fat and causes your liver and kidneys to do more work than they have to.

Eating excessive amounts of protein can also lead to problems, such as gout and increased inflammation of joints. If you are someone who already suffers from gout, another form of arthritis, or joint-pain in general, you should keep a close eye on your protein intake. It's also recommend that people with arthritis only consume plant-based sources of protein instead of animal-based.

Some Things to Keep in Mind

When we think of protein, we tend to only think of those foods that are high in protein, but almost all of the foods you eat contain some amount of protein. Wheat bread, for example, contains about 5 g of protein per slice. So, remember that high-protein foods - meat, nuts, beans, etc - are not your only source of protein.

Tracking every gram of protein you eat is unrealistic, but you can always have a good idea of how much you've consumed just by keeping track of your servings of high-protein foods. Remember, three servings of a high-protein food, along with the other foods you eat, will put you at roughly your DV, give or take a few grams.