How to get enough protein & not increase risk of cancer

Not eating enough protein over time is related to muscle loss, weakness, frailty, malnutrition, a slower metabolism, and can lead to anemia.

Protein is an essential nutrient in life required for longer living and helps you build muscle, loose fat, and reduce sugar cravings.

So, if you have found yourself sluggish, tired, and fatigued, or even looking to build muscle and lose fat, there are a few things you need to know:

How many grams of protein you need.
The risks involved when eating too much protein.
The protein food sources you should avoid.
The best protein sources to make your meals around.

So you can get enough protein in your day to feel better, build muscle, and lose fat.

How much protein do I need?

There are a lot of different formulas to calculate how much protein you need, and most trainers will tell you that you should get around 0.8 -1 gram (g) of protein per pound of body weight.

EXAMPLE: If you weigh 150 lbs, you would need between 120-150 g of protein a day.

This advice is especially useful if you are “skinny fat” and is not necessarily wrong, as you will see tremendous benefits from following it.

But, using this method can quickly become overbearing if you are obese or overweight.

For someone who weighs 200 lbs, getting in 200g a protein a day would feel nearly impossible. Thus, a better all-encompassing method is to shoot for is ~0.8 – 1.1 g per pound of lean body mass.

Lean Body Mass (LBM) = Total Weight – Fat Mass

Most people carry more fat than muscle. So, by calculating how much fat you carry you will have a better idea of how much protein you need.

EXAMPLE: If you weigh 200 lbs but have 30% body fat, you’d have ~ 140 lbs of lean muscle mass and would only need between 112- 154 g of protein a day.

Mind you, this formula is not perfect, but it will be more accurate and easier to achieve if you are vegan or overweight.

If you have trouble starting to eat more protein, then you can start at a lower amount (~0.6 g per pound of lean body mass).

And if you are trying to maximize every single muscle fiber for optimal muscle growth, then going up to 1.3 grams per pound of lean body mass would be ideal.

How much protein you get is dependent on your goals and preferences.

Are there risk to eating this much protein?

There really is no limit on how much protein you should be consuming. You could safely eat up to 40g of protein in a meal without harming your kidneys.

Eating more protein does not cause kidney issues when you are a healthy individual.

However, if you do have kidney disease, talk to a dietician to know how much protein you should eat.

Eating high amounts of protein does not harm your kidneys when they are healthy, but it may be an issue when kidney disease is present. Talk to your dietician if you have kidney disease.

Another concern regarding protein is red meats. There is plenty of research that indicates eating red meat is related to colon cancer.

However, when these studies are teased out, it is not the red meat that causes cancers, but rather processed meats that are more strongly linked to colon cancer.

If you are still worried, there are two ways to keep a healthy gut while still eating red meats.

1) Consume more than ~7 servings of fruits/veggies a day.

2) Eat < 18 oz of red meat a week.

Research shows that when you eat high amounts of fruits and veggies, the risk of heart disease and cancer is greatly reduced.

Additionally, epidemiology studies have demonstrated that you can safely eat <18 oz of red meats a week without greatly increasing your risk of cancer.

In fact, a lot of these studies tend to point to processed meats being the actual culprit for cancer-causing foods.

So, not only does the type of protein you eat matter, but also the amount of fruits and veggies you eat.

By being mindful of eating more fruits and veggies, limiting how much red meat you eat, and eliminating processed meats, you will be able to eat more protein, keep a healthy gut, and improve your health.

High protein sources to avoid

Not all protein foods are created equal; some protein sources will be better for you than others.

For example, getting protein from processed meat does not provide you with the same health benefits as eating lean meats or fish.

Processed proteins such as:

Bologna
Roast beef
Salami
Beef jerky
Bacon
Bratwurst
Corned beef
Smoked/cured ham
Pepperoni
Cured meats
Sausage

Are harmful for your gut health and have been shown to cause colorectal cancer, as the chemicals placed in these foods can negatively affect your gut.

There are three chemicals, in particular, that have been linked to colorectal cancer:

Heme is a chemical found mostly in red meat that contributes to the red coloring.
Nitrates and nitrites are preservatives added to increase the shelf life of processed meats.
Amines are produced when cooking at high temperatures, such as heterocyclic amines and polycyclic amines

Be aware that even “nitrate-free” or “uncured meats” can still cause small amounts of cancer-causing damage in your body.

All of these chemicals can damage the DNA in your cells, raising your risk for colorectal cancer.

Instead, choose healthier options of protein in your meals

The best high-quality protein sources to eat

Below is a list of the best sources of protein per food category with an estimate of protein and calories per serving size.

Bear in mind: it is always best to eat it whole and never packed or from a deli.

How to get enough protein without increasing your risk of cancer — Check the food labels to know how much each item has that you are buying. Nutrition labels will vary depending on the brand you get.

The best protein sources depend on your goals and nutrition preferences, but in general, high-quality, animal-based protein is best when it comes to muscle building.

They will contain more protein per calorie and have a higher content of amino acids.

However, high-quality, plant-based protein will be most optimal for reducing risk of heart disease.

Therefore, it is important to consider all aspects of your health, preferences, and lifestyle to know what is best for you today.

That being said, if you are vegan, it might be challenging to reach the upper ranges of protein intake or enough quality protein, but it does not mean you can’t get enough protein.

All it means is that you will need to be more mindful of what you eat to consume high-quality protein.

How to get enough protein in your day

There are 3 keys to eating more protein:

1) Eat high-quality protein in every meal, including breakfast. A good rule of thumb is to shoot for 20-40g of high-quality protein per meal 2-4x a day.

Great sources for high-quality proteins that you can include for breakfast are:

Eggs
Egg white
Greek yogurt
Cottage cheese
Spinach
Tofu
Cheese
Nuts

2) Make the bulk of your meal a protein is not a carb or fat. Using the breakfast example again, instead of eating 5 pancakes with scrambled eggs on the side, have:

3-4 scrambled eggs
1 protein pancake on the side
1/2 cup or a cup of Greek yogurt with either nut/seeds or fruits on the side.

When your protein source is the main bulk of the meal instead of a carb, you increase your metabolism and ensure you get the energy you need for the day.

3) Eat 2-3 meals a day. Eating 3 times a day is more than enough to reach your goals, and if you like to do intermittent fasting, eating 2 times a day can be a bit more challenging but still doable.

The less often you eat, the more you protein you will need to eat per meal.

The more protein you eat, the easier fat loss will be. Click here to learn how to properly lose fat in a safe and effective way that helps you keep it off forever.

Do I need to eat protein powder?

Protein powder is not needed. There is no need to drink boost, ensure, or muscle milk.

You do not get any extra benefits from drinking a protein shake. However, they are convenient.

While there is no added benefits to drinking a protein shake compared to eating a piece of chicken, there is an added convenience factor of drinking a protein shake vs, eating a piece of chicken.

The trade off is that it is more expensive, but in the long run, it would be worth it if it helps you curve your appetite better, remain full longer, and reduce the overall amount of junk food you eat.

You can eat enough protein

It is possible to eat high quality protein sources without increasing your risk of cancer.

By eating more fruits and vegetables, enough quality protein, eliminating processed meats, and adding plant-based protein into your diet, you can lower your risk of cancer, heart disease, diabetes, and increase your quality of life, strength, and energy.

Your body gets fortified when you consume enough protein.

It helps restore your muscles, increase your metabolism, and reduce your cravings.

While it does take some effort to make sure you are eating enough protein in your day, emphasizing meals around high-quality food makes it easier.

Lastly, always make sure to pair up eating enough protein with exercise. While protein helps restore muscle mass, exercise is what helps your body break it down so it can be restored.

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Protein is just one aspect of fat loss.

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