Protein: Meat, Fish, or Poultry?

When it comes to today’s popular diets, there are any number of letter combinations. But it’s imperative that you understand the difference between them. LCHP denotes Low Carb High Protein and promotes a high intake of protein from which the majority of the diet’s energy stems. This method has been used for decades by bodybuilders and fitness lovers who really want to minimize their body fat. LCHP works really well for this purpose; however, I don’t think it’s a good diet for the long term. Sure, protein is better than most substances at providing a high feeling of fullness per calorie (32) and it increases the number of fat-burning hormones. It also costs a lot of energy to break down protein, which increases energy expenditure. Therefore, protein is almost magical for quickly reducing body fat. It also builds and/or saves muscle tissue, which is incredibly effective for preventing disease and shaping an attractive physique.

But in the long run, such a high intake of protein is not desirable. First of all, it’s not particularly enjoyable to eat only cod and vegetables or grilled chicken with a glass of water. Secondly, you risk eating too few fatty acids. LCHQ gives you 30 to 40 E% of protein, which is more than enough for getting all the health benefits, but it also allows for 40 to 50 E% worth of fat. This means you’ll consume all the important fatty acids and will continue burning fat. As you might deduce, the body burns the nutrients it is fed; so if you eat fat, you’ll also burn fat.

What happens when you eat 30–40 E% percent worth of protein?

First of all, 30–40 E% is not an extreme amount, but it is considerably higher than what the average American consumes. Today’s normal protein intake is around 15 E%.

Secondly, it is possible to cook really delicious food using chicken, fish, seafood, eggs, and lean meat. Even dairy products can work well as long as the fat content is reasonable and the protein level is high. Cottage cheese, quark, yogurt, and lean cheeses are all great sources of protein.

The first thing you will notice about the LCHQ diet is that you will achieve a greater sense of satiety after meals than usual. It’s not as aggressive a fullness as the feeling you get after eating a lot of fat. Instead, it’s a pleasantly satisfied feeling that lasts for a long time. The protein ensures that your stomach is emptied slower, allowing for a more gradual increase in blood sugar.

Can too much protein have adverse effects?

Can a high intake of protein be potentially harmful? If you’re in general good health, the answer is no. If you have bad kidneys, their function might suffer more from an increased intake of protein, but for a healthy individual there is virtually no risk. The kidneys have a large capacity that can in theory handle all the calories consumed through protein.

An old myth is that a high protein intake acidifies the body and increases the level of calcium in the urine. It was believed that the skeleton simply releases calcium to counteract the acidification believed to be caused by the protein. However, when you examine the bone density of people who consume a lot of protein, the complete opposite appears to be true! Increased protein intake seems to increase the calcium uptake in the small intestine, which admittedly increases the calcium level in the urine but also in the skeletal structure. Thus, a high protein intake prevents osteoporosis (31).