Maintaining strength as we age is associated with health span and reduced death from all causes. In this respect, muscle can be seen as the organ of longevity.
Nutrition to increase your muscle is more refined than simply eating more food or randomly increasing the protein in your diet.
First – here are the basic components for building muscle:
Resistance exercise – you can’t build muscle without putting decent stress on the muscle. Resistance exercise or weight training must be consistent and regular.
Optimal nutrition
Top of the list is optimal protein intake – both daily and per meal
Next is adequate calories, enough to give you sufficient energy, both carbohydrates and fat for training
A slight calorie excess helps you build muscle and helps recovery
Sleep and adequate recovery between sessions
This post focuses on optimising your protein intake
The basics: Protein, carbohydrate, and fat
Of the 3 macronutrients protein, more accurately amino acids are required for building muscle. Carbohydrates and fats need to be eaten in adequate amounts for fuel depending on your energy needs. Too much and you’ll store the excess as fat. Too little and you will compromise training, recovery, and muscle protein synthesis.
Protein comes mainly from animals. Plant proteins also exist but are a small percentage of most plants. A protein is composed of long chains of amino acids, digestion breaks them down into single amino acids, these single protein molecules pass through our gut cells and then into circulation where they are transported into cells in the body. Amino acids are then reassembled to rebuild and repair your muscles, build your immune system, and your enzymes, in fact, every cell in your body including those on your bones.
The Importance of Protein
Your body requires a regular daily supply of protein (amino acids) to rebuild and repair cells, muscle, immune system, blood, bones, organs, to make enzymes, neurotransmitters, and hormones. Our body has limited storage for protein so we must have a regular supply from the diet. Without adequate protein you will lose muscle tissue and your immune system will run down.
Muscle – the largest organ in your body, is made from protein
Muscle is the organ of longevity. The more muscle and the stronger that muscle, the healthier and more functional you will be as you age. Muscle is the organ that burns carbohydrates and fat. If we lose muscle when we lose weight, we are more likely to yo-yo diet as the engine – the fuel-burning organ is reduced.
How much protein do you need to build muscle?
The amount of protein needed to maintain or grow your muscle is a minimum of 1.2 grams per kg body weight a day. A more ideal amount is 1.6 grams per kg bodyweight a day. More than this gives you a small advantage, however, this is a good place to start. Note that it is twice the RDA. The RDA is the amount needed to prevent deficiency, not the optimal amount to grow new muscle.
Take your weight and multiply it by 1.6 – 2.2
Eg. if you weigh 80kg, x 1.6 = 128 grams, or x 2.2 = 176.
That is the grams (net grams of protein) you need per day to reach your goal. Then we need to divide this fairly equally between the meals you are going to eat: 3 – 5 meals is optimal. The optimal amount per meal is at least 30 grams ideally 40 – 50grams
What is the optimal amount of protein to eat at each meal?
Now that we have the amount per day we need to eat that in an optimal way to trigger a process called muscle protein synthesis. Muscle protein synthesis (MPS) is what makes us build new muscle at the fastest possible rate. Scientists have found we need a specific amino acid (one of 20 found in protein) called leucine, and it is not until leucine reaches a certain amount in one meal that MPS is triggered. The amount of leucine required is 2.5 – 3 grams in one sitting. How do we get this amount of leucine? By eating 30 grams of net protein.
What does 30 grams of protein look like?
If we take a piece of meat – the example below is 130 grams of uncooked chicken – it contains not only protein but also water and fat. The amount of actual protein left if all the fat and water are removed is net protein.
Here are some examples of the amount of each food it would take to get 30 grams net. If you need a larger amount per meal, for example 45 grams – multiply the amount at left by 1.5.
The graphic above shows the amount of each food you need to eat to get protein to hit 30 grams net.
Note that some protein has a lot of added calories in the form of fat – e.g. dairy and fatty meat and nuts, others as carbohydrates, e.g. legumes. For this reason, they are not the best sources of protein.
To gain muscle you must also exercise in the right way
Weight-resistant exercise is required to grow muscle. Use a strength-building programme in order to use the protein you eat to build bigger and stronger muscles.
To sum up:
Work out how much protein you need per day. 1.6 x your body weight in Kg
Divided that into 4-5.
Choose a protein that you like and make the meal with added carbohydrates and fats as you wish – the focus should be on whole less processed food.
One or two of your meals (snacks) might be a smoothie or protein shake.
Eat 3-5 meals, 4 – 5 hours apart.
A casein protein shake as your last meal before sleep will keep your amino acid intake higher overnight.
It’s been a while! It’s high time I updated you all on what is happening in my life nutrition-wise.
I’m currently 2 years into my Ph.D. and this post is a little background on how I got here, what I’m researching and where the research is at to date.
A little background While working at a CrossFit gym in 2009, I was introduced to the paleo diet and the work of Prof Loren Cordain. He suggested cereal grains, especially gluten may be detrimental to those with autoimmune disease. When I eliminated grains and gluten my joint inflammation stopped. A little while later during my PGDip, I heard of 2 women with rheumatoid arthritis who has a big decrease in their symptoms using paleo. This led to my first study in 2015, where I interviewed 10 people with RA who all experienced a reduction in RA symptoms on either paleo or the autoimmune protocol (AIP)
As a result of learning that these people had such success using this diet, I was intent on carrying out an intervention testing AIP in people with RA. Anecdotes of those who are successful are not clinical trials. To properly evaluate what the response rate is to an eating plan, a clinical intervention study is needed.
I talked to potential supervisors in different Auckland Universities and found supervisors at Auckland University of Technology to support me. Their ideas gelled with what I believed would be a good direction for the study. I also have the support of a Professor of Rheumatology in Otago University who is an advisor.
I started as an MPhil student at AUT Millenium in 2021 and conducted a mixed method 2-phase pilot with 9 participants. For the first 4 weeks, participants ate their normal diet without change, following that they ate along the guidelines of the autoimmune protocol diet. Weekly online questionnaires evaluated their quality of life and RA symptoms.
Weight and waist were tracked as was their discretionary pain relief. 3-day diet diaries were collected 4 times during the 12 weeks. At the end of the study each person was interviewed for an hour on their experience of using the protocol.
In late 2021, I sought approval to expand my research and upgrade to a Ph.D., and my Ph.D. proposal and candidature were approved in 2022.
My research expanded to conducting 1-year mixed methods post-study follow-up with any participant who agreed to take part. Fortunately, all have agreed. Repeat data was collected, RA questionnaires, 3-day diet diaries, and weight and waist. I also carried out in-depth interviews with all on how they have fared since the end of 2021 when they were left on their own following intense support on the AIP diet.
Another part of my research is carrying out a scoping review (a type of systematic review) looking at all types of diet studies in RA with an elimination and food challenge. I’m particularly interested in what the studies show about food sensitivity being a trigger for RA symptoms.
Now that all the data has been collected, this year is devoted to analysis and writing & publishing.
Now that I have researched and collected multiple (hundreds!) diet studies on people with RA, I will endeavor to do posts on some of the more useful and interesting ones over the course of the year.
Here is an early abstract publication from the end of 2021
A pilot study to test the effect of the autoimmune protocol diet in people with rheumatoid arthritis
Julianne McNeill Auckland University of Technology
I use this resource frequently to get unbiased clinical research on supplements and dietary recommendations. I regularly recommend it to other health professionals and clients.
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Have you ever wondered if your diet has an impact on inflammation?
Inflammation shows up in our body as inflamed joints, fatigue, and achy muscles, it can also be silent, inflammation we can’t feel that slowly damages blood vessels leading to cardiovascular disease.
We now have evidence that what we eat has an impact on inflammation1, and by changing the food you eat inflammation can be reduced.
What is the inflammatory process?
Inflammation is a normal defense response that is triggered by damage, either by injury, infection, or toxic compounds, and plays an important role in the healing process. It can be acute or chronic. In acute inflammation, infection or injury will trigger a fast onset of inflammation and once the threat is dealt with, inflammation reduces, and we heal up. Chronic inflammation persists indefinitely, like that in osteoarthritis (joints) or autoimmune disease (where the body attacks its own tissues).
The inflammatory response consists of two phases
The first phase – onset
When tissue is damaged or infected, the damaged cells send out signals which bring white blood cells (leukocytes) to the area. These send out pro-inflammatory cytokines, chemical messengers made from proteins, and inflammatory eicosanoids, signaling molecules made from fatty acids, which increase blood flow causing redness, swelling, heat, and fluid leaking into tissues, they also stimulate nerves causing pain. White blood cells fight the infection by devouring bacteria and virus-infected cells. The role of inflammation is to eliminate whatever is causing the damage, clear out damaged cells, and initiate tissue repair. This should be a natural and temporary response and an essential part of the healing process.
The second phase – resolution
The resolution phase is the cleaning up and healing phase. It begins once the stimulus causing the damage has been removed, for example, the immune system cells have killed the germs causing infection, the inflammatory signals reduce, and inflammation begins to cease. Inflammation must be actively stopped to reduce unnecessary damage to tissues. The macrophages (a type of white blood cell) change from being in a pro-inflammatory state to an anti-inflammatory state. The immune cells exit the scene. Beneficial anti-inflammatory cytokines and eicosanoids are produced and released, these are small molecules that send messages to cells, in this case sending a message to cells to decrease inflammation, and start repairing and rebuilding tissues2.
Ideally, we need a short effective onset phase and then the strong anti-inflammatory resolution phase.
Chronic inflammation occurs when the trigger for inflammation continues. Certain white blood cells (macrophages) and pro-inflammatory chemicals continue to stay in an area and resolution does not occur. The tissue affected becomes thickened and scarred over time, for example, chronic liver inflammation from fatty liver causes liver sclerosis or scarring.
Common factors that promote chronic inflammation are:
Ongoing mechanical stress, such as repetitive stress injuries, or an infection causing tissue damage
A persistent irritant; diet or environmental, such as smoking, allergens, polluted air, or industrial chemicals
An autoimmune disorder, like rheumatoid arthritis, where the immune system mistakenly attacks healthy tissue as though it were foreign
A chronic infection like a virus that stays in the body
What role does diet play?
Food and nutrients counteract inflammation and facilitate healing in two different ways:
Reduce chronic inflammation resulting from metabolic syndrome
Supply the nutrients required for a healthy immune response and then switch off inflammation and promote healing.
Reduce chronic whole-body inflammation
Systemic inflammation is chronic inflammation that is generalised, inflammatory mediators or chemicals are increased throughout the body at a low level all the time. This alters our ability to turn off inflammation properly and heal when we are injured.
Metabolic syndrome is a state in which there is increased chronic inflammation. How do you know if you have metabolic syndrome? You will be suffering from high blood pressure, abnormal lipids (cholesterol), insulin resistance, high blood glucose (pre-diabetes and type 2 diabetes), and obesity, especially internal abdominal fat3,4. Fat cells in visceral (internal fat) contain immune cells that secrete inflammatory cytokines, chemicals that increase inflammation5,6. In diabetes or prediabetes blood glucose levels are higher than ideal all the time, and the glucose binds to proteins in the body. This changes the proteins’ structure and function. Inflammatory chemicals are increased as HbA1c (average blood glucose) levels increase7. You might have seen this on a blood test if you have been tested for diabetes. Over time high blood glucose damages small blood vessels that supply organs like the eyes, kidneys, and nerves. High blood glucose also increases the damage in osteoarthritis (inflamed joints)8.
Reducing body fat, and managing blood glucose will reduce chronic inflammation
Simple diet changes to lose weight, and manage your blood glucose
Fat and carbohydrates are the macronutrients that, when eaten in excess increase blood glucose and fat storage. This is exactly the combination of foods that has increased in the last 50 years of the obesity epidemic; highly refined starches and fats9,10. Think about all the snack food and easy meals we grab; muffins, cake, cereal bars, savoury snacks, bakery products, pasta with creamy sauces, donuts, deep-fried foods, pizza, chocolate, and ice-cream. Fat in these foods is often invisible, for example, a donut can contain around 4 teaspoons of oil, a small packet of French fries 3 teaspoons of fat.
A simple switch to unprocessed whole-food carbohydrates primarily from colourful vegetables, fruit, and fibre-rich starches like root vegetables, true whole grains, and legumes will fill you up, digest slowly, thereby controlling blood glucose, as well as increase the nutrients in your diet. For some eating fewer carbohydrates overall is necessary to decrease blood glucose.
Dietary fat does not increase blood glucose, however, in excess, it gets tucked away in our fat cells. Fat eaten in whole food forms like nuts, seeds, egg yolks, and avocado are preferable as they are nutrient-rich and less easily overeaten.
To reduce hunger while cutting calories, protein is your friend. Protein increases satiety more than fat or carbohydrates, by sending chemical signals to your brain where appetite is regulated. Protein is difficult to turn into fat, as well it does not increase blood glucose. Eat a portion of protein at every meal, around a palm size; lean meat, poultry, fish, eggs, seafood, tofu, tempeh, are good choices11.
Protein is also essential for the healing process as all the cells in our body, including those in your bones, joints, and muscles are made from amino acids, the building blocks of protein12.
Nutrients that quell inflammation
The active process of switching off inflammation is done by anti-inflammatory mediators or signaling molecules; cytokines and eicosanoids. Anti-inflammatory eicosanoids are made from the long-chain omega 3 fatty acids EPA and DHA13,14. Long-chain Omega 3 is found mainly in seafood, particularly oily fish like salmon, sardines, mackerel, and tuna.
Australian studies show that 80% of us do not consume enough Omega 3 in our diet15. To make sure we get adequate omega 3 we need to eat oily fish at least 3 times a week or take Omega 3 supplements. If you do not eat seafood or animal products, there are algae-based Omega 3 supplements available. Quality is paramount when choosing an omega 3 supplement, as many off the shelf in New Zealand have high levels of oxidation and are poor quality16. For people with high levels of inflammation, a daily high dose supplement is recommended 17, the upper limit is 3000mg of EPA plus DHA.
You may be aware that some plant sources, like flax oil, contain omega 3. However, this is in a short-chain form and is not able to be used to make the anti-inflammatory mediators until our body converts it to the active long-chain forms of EPA and DHA. Humans do not convert this well, which is why it is best to use EPA and DHA forms.
Polyphenols and antioxidants
Polyphenols are found in abundance in plant foods, and a number have been studied for their anti-inflammatory properties. Polyphenols reduce proinflammatory mediators and oxidative stress, and slow joint damage in arthritis18. Increase the polyphenols in your diet by eating a rainbow of plant foods, all the different colours are associated with different polyphenols. Specific foods to include are turmeric, garlic, green tea, olive oil, cocoa, and berries19. Aim for at least 6 fists or cups of colourful fruit and vegetables per day.
Micronutrients
All micronutrients (vitamins and minerals) are important for health, and we cannot build and repair our body’s tissues without the entire range of building blocks. Nutrient deficiencies impair a proper immune response to infection and slow our ability to heal. For example, magnesium deficiency20 is associated with chronic inflammation, and deficiencies of vitamin K and D are associated with more severe osteoarthritis 21. A poor diet is associated with greater inflammation in rheumatoid arthritis, an autoimmune disease22.
New Zealander’s diets are often deficient, with 25% of us deficient in zinc, 30% have insufficient vitamin D levels, and in those with darker skin, up to 60% have inadequate vitamin D. Over one-third of males and half of females are deficient in selenium, and for vitamin A, 23% of males and 12% of females are deficient 23
How to increase nutrients in your diet
To get an entire spectrum of nutrients in your diet, ditch or decrease the highly processed foods (as these displace nutrient dense foods) and include:
Protein-rich foods; lean meats, poultry, eggs, and dairy, tofu, tempeh, plus a variety with seafood and shellfish at least 3 times a week. Aim for a palm-size or more at each meal. Bone broth or collagen hydrolysate is rich in certain amino acids that may help rebuild cartilage24.
Eat a large range of fibre-rich plant foods; legumes, lentils, true whole grains, colourful fruit and vegetables, mushrooms, and seaweed. Aim for 6 fists or more of colour each day. Add plenty of herbs and spices, like ginger, garlic, and turmeric.
Whole food fats; seeds, nuts, avocado, virgin olive oil, fish oil and egg yolks. Eat 1 -2 small handfuls of fat rich food each day depending on your calorie needs.
Foods to ditch when fighting inflammation
Certain foods increase inflammation by either displacing nutrient-dense foods or supplying the building blocks of pro-inflammatory mediators.
As mentioned above – limit consumption of sugars and starches, you may need to be especially strict if you have prediabetes or diabetes. Think of removing white and beige foods – sugar, white grains, finely ground and processed flours, and foods made from these. Certain foods contribute to inflammation in autoimmune diseases for example gluten, nightshade fruit and vegetables, and dairy. (See previous articles on rheumatoid athritis and diet). In these cases, an elimination/reintroduction diet can pinpoint the problem foods.
Certain fats in excess increase inflammation. Seed oils are high in the polyunsaturated fat Omega 6, which is the building block of pro-inflammatory eicosanoids. The current western diet includes large amounts of omega 6 rich fat, as it is used widely in the food industry and in margarine. Seed oils high in omega 6 are safflower, sunflower, and soybean oil. The imbalance of high omega 6 and low omega 3 tips our body towards inflammation. Using oils high in monounsaturated fats; olive oil, nuts and nut oils, avocado, and limiting processed foods will ensure you do not over-consume omega 6 25.
Fats used in deep frying vats, which are reheated many times, are especially damaging as they have high levels of oxidised and damaged fats, which increase inflammation 26. Avoid deep-fried foods in general.
Meats that are charred produce chemicals that are inflammatory, slow-cooked, or low heat cooking is preferable27.
Supplements that may help:
For those suffering from high levels of inflammation, supplementation can be useful adjunct to diet, for example certain plant extracts like curcumin reduce inflammation28, as do higher levels of micronutrients like magnesium 20.
If you would like more guidance on your diet and supplements to reduce inflammation contact me (Julianne) for an appointment
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Kiecolt-Glaser JK. Stress, food, and inflammation: Psychoneuroimmunology and nutrition at the cutting edge. Psychosom Med. 2010;72(4):365-369. doi:10.1097/PSY.0b013e3181dbf489
Monteiro CA, Moubarac JC, Cannon G, Ng SW, Popkin B. Ultra-processed products are becoming dominant in the global food system. Obes Rev. 2013;14(S2):21-28. doi:10.1111/obr.12107
Stentz FB, Brewer A, Wan J, et al. Remission of pre-diabetes to normal glucose tolerance in obese adults with high protein versus high carbohydrate diet: Randomized control trial. BMJ Open Diabetes Res Care. 2016;4(1). doi:10.1136/bmjdrc-2016-000258
Quintero KJ, Resende A de S, Leite GSF, Lancha Junior AH. An overview of nutritional strategies for recovery process in sports-related muscle injuries. Nutrire. 2018;43(1):27. doi:10.1186/s41110-018-0084-z
Kohli P, Levy BD. Resolvins and protectins: Mediating solutions to inflammation. Br J Pharmacol. 2009;158(4):960-971. doi:10.1111/j.1476-5381.2009.00290.x
Uauy R, Valenzuela A. Marine oils: The health benefits of n-3 fatty acids. Nutrition. 2000;16(7-8):680-684. doi:10.1016/S0899-9007(00)00326-9
Meyer BJ. Australians are not meeting the recommended intakes for omega-3 long chain polyunsaturated fatty acids: Results of an analysis from the 2011–2012 national nutrition and physical activity survey. Nutrients. 2016;8(3). doi:10.3390/nu8030111
Albert BB, Derraik JGB, Cameron-Smith D, et al. Fish oil supplements in New Zealand are highly oxidised and do not meet label content of n-3 PUFA. Sci Rep. 2015;5(1):7928. doi:10.1038/srep07928
Kremer JM, Lawrence DA, Petrillo GF, et al. Effects of high‐dose fish oil on rheumatoid arthritis after stopping nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs clinical and immune correlates. Arthritis Rheum. 1995;38(8):1107-1114. doi:10.1002/art.1780380813
Shen CL, Smith BJ, Lo DF, et al. Dietary polyphenols and mechanisms of osteoarthritis. J Nutr Biochem. 2012;23(11):1367-1377. doi:10.1016/j.jnutbio.2012.04.001
Oliviero F, Scanu A, Zamudio-Cuevas Y, Punzi L, Spinella P. Anti-inflammatory effects of polyphenols in arthritis. J Sci Food Agric. 2018;98(5):1653-1659. doi:10.1002/jsfa.8664
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Have you watched ‘The Game Changers’ an extremely compelling documentary on the benefits of a plant-based diet for elite athletes?
Were you left thinking a plant-based diet will catapult your performance to new heights? Are you now questioning whether your omnivorous diet – especially the meat – is damaging your health?
I’m a Registered Nutritionist and was constantly running into people who told me I should watch the film. Many thought it was an amazing educational documentary and changed a lot about what they thought about nutrition.
So I watched the film – and here’s what I think:
First up – I have no problem with someone choosing to be vegan, The Game Changers is a fine example of a point of view film espousing that choice. However, what The Game Changers isn’t, is a scientific examination of the nutritional evidence for and against a diet that is solely plant-based.
On watching this movie, I found myself pretty upset at the nutrition misinformation, its anti-animal food bias and lack of balance.
The Game Changers is great example of what appears to be an educational documentary however it uses many techniques of ‘documentary persuasion’, and borders on a piece of propaganda (Reference). The film is a one-sided argument. It starts out with a definite conclusion in mind, and then sets out to, and only includes evidence that supports that point of view.
I’ve been involved in making a number publicly funded (New Zealand on Air – the funding body for free to air TV in NZ) documentaries, primarily as a researcher, on nutrition and diet-related programmes. I have observed or been involved in every part of documentary production, from inception to the final cut. Perhaps this made it more obvious to me the techniques used in this film (or any programme for that matter) to persuade your thinking.
Here are some questions I think are worth keeping in mind when watching.
The most fundamental; how did this documentary come about and why? Is it an unbiased investigation or is it trying to prove a point of view?
James Wilks, (the film’s protagonist) explains how the documentary came to be in this interview. He damaged ligaments in both his knees and was unable to train. During this time he decided to research nutrition and how it might optimise his recovery and performance.
He came across a study on the Roman Gladiators that he says showed they ate “mainly plants” and had extremely strong bones. Wilks interpreted this as a diet of “exclusively plants” (Interview, 2.05 min) Sounds interesting – so I checked the reference to the Gladiator diet. It seems that the Gladiators ate a diet very high in grains and legumes – carbohydrates – in order to make them fat. They also apparently drank a concoction made from plant ashes which could partly account for the high bone strontium levels mentioned in the film (Reference).
This study apparently “shook him to his core” (source) He says that he thought he was quite knowledgeable about nutrition because he read widely and “got my research from magazines and websites”. When he “discovered” that people do not need animal protein to get amino acids he realised he’d been “fed a lie” and needed to “tell everyone about this”.
James Wilks had an epiphany – that protein can come from plants as well as animals, and he came to the conclusion that animal protein was not necessary for athletes, and in fact, not only was it not necessary, it was in his view, detrimental to health. This became the premise for the whole documentary.
The movie takes the point of view that elite athletes perform better on a plant-based diet, and animal products are damaging and dangerous. James then set out to look for evidence, researchers and anecdotal stories to back up this point of view.
Incidentally, this tendency to look for and favour information that confirms your prior beliefs is called confirmation bias, it is not generally seen as a good thing – especially in science.
James Wilks, the narrator, and protagonist showing himself researching.
The film’s writer Joseph Pace who collaborated with James, says “Our film is about destroying the myth that you need animal protein to be strong and healthy”
An unbiased documentary might instead start from the question “What is the best diet for an athlete for performance, recovery, and health?” And then set about talking to a variety of experts who research and work with athletes.
Who are the researchers and advisors used in the Game Changer movie?
Are they chosen because they are experts in the field or because their point of view is the same as what the movie is promoting?
As far as I can make out: all researchers and science advisors had a prior plant-based, anti-meat agenda.
James Wilks seemingly did not choose a single researcher, producer, executive producer, athlete, scientist or nutritionist that had another point of view – or who had clinically researched this topic from a neutral or unbiased point of view.
The researcher and chief science advisor is David Goldman, MS, RD, CSCS, CPT. As far as I can tell David eats and promotes an exclusively plant-based diet for athletes. His area of expertise is in plant-based diets and endurance athletes’ performance. He is unlikely to question the direction of the documentary or provide any research at odds with the movie’s point of view. (Reference: Interview with David Goldman)
The film’s writer is Joseph Pace, animal rights, environmental activist and vegan of 30 years who also “played a pivotal role in helping to launch NutritionFacts.org, the first non-commercial, science-based website to provide free video updates on the latest in nutrition research.” What is not said is that Nutrition Facts is anti-meat. You can hear an interview with Joseph here.
How is the information chosen and presented?
Once the producers and director have decided on the direction of the programme, the researchers then start looking for people to say what they want presented. So if you want to tell viewers that people can be strong without animal protein and that animal protein is dangerous – you look for interviewees who think the same way.
Use experts – but only those who agree with you
These are usually people with authority – e.g. they have a Ph.D. after their name or are a medical doctor. They are chosen because they speak well, with authority and hopefully look good on camera.
All the interviewees as far I can tell have strong vegan / plant-based viewpoints (source):
Dr. Dean Ornish – Author, “Undo-it!”, leads vegan retreats and sells online programs.
Dr. Aaron Spitz – Author, “The Penis Book”, plant-based book on penile function.
Dr. Robert Vogel – Author, “The Pritikin Edge”, plant-based book.
Dr. Caldwell Esselstyn – Author, “Prevent and Reverse Heart Disease”, “Cookbook”, plant-based lifestyle and cookbook as well as accompanying DVDs.
Dr. James Loomis – Contributor, “Forks over Knives”, plant-based meal planning service and publication company.
Dr. Scott Stoll – Vegan Author, “Alive” and “Kristin’s Healthy Kitchen Recipes”.
Dr. Kim Williams – Vegan Cardiologist
Dr. Columbus Batiste – Plant-based advocate. Contributor, “Forks over Knives”
An interview with the expert lasts around 2 hours typically. The final quotes from an interview fill perhaps 5 minutes of the programme. With hours of interviews with a range of agreeable experts, it is relatively easy to pick parts of the interview – often just soundbites that express exactly what you need in the programme to be convincing.
A typical documentary is set out to inform and also entertain. So you don’t just want ‘talking heads’, you also want memorable experiments and demonstrations, and you want real-life anecdotes – people proving that you don’t need to eat meat. You’ll also want some scientific papers, as well as graphics that look scientific and persuasive.
Use powerful personal stories and anecdotes
Would you choose a person who has not succeeded in improving their performance on a vegan diet? Of course not! Are there any? Very good question. Given the number of failed vegans (search it) it is highly likely there are many. One of the participants who was interviewed for the film; the free runner, Tim Shieff, went back to eating animal food stating veganism caused “digestion issues, depression, fatigue, brain fog, lack of energy,” and “waking up stiff” in his joints. On eating animal food again he said: “My depression lifted, joints feeling a lot better, energy back in my body.” Article and video of Tim speaking here. Was he included in the movie for balance? No!
Every athlete was chosen as they represented someone who has done well on this way of eating. Does this mean all athletes will do well? No – this was a carefully selected group. Only successful case studies are shown.
Likewise; Choose athletes that represent a large range of sports, so the viewer is left in no doubt that plant-based diets work for everyone – long distance, sprint, cycling, strength, fighting, aesthetics, tennis, football.
Does a plant-based diet help women? Yes! What about cyclists? Runners? Yes – covered.
What about strength sports and fighters? Yes – they have those covered too. Weight lifters? Yes. And a strong man? Yes again. What about aesthetic bodybuilder? Yep – got that covered!
Oversimplify and use inappropriate comparisons
An example – the strong man Patrik Baboumian– quips: “How could one of the strongest men be so powerful eating only plants? No milk, no eggs, no meat? People ask; How could you get as strong as an ox without eating meat? My answer was; Have you ever seen an ox eating meat?”
Patrick’s right – I have never seen an ox eating meat.
But perhaps more to the point, I’ve never seen an ox eating tofu and protein shakes.
And does Patrik eat regular raw plants like an ox and convert that to protein to feed his muscles?
You won’t see this in the movie, but Patrick has 7 meals a day, plus multiple supplements and protein shakes. It’s easy to get the impression from the film that athletes like Patrik are just eating normal unsupplemented plant-based wholefoods.
Vegan Body Builder Nimai Delgadoalso needs a lot of protein to maintain his muscle mass, and like Patrik he gets it from soy products, like tempeh, tofu, tofurkey, as well as added protein shakes and amino acids.
Not all athletes featured in the film are vegan
The impression given in the film is that all the featured athletes avoid animal protein completely – however, this is not the case.
Tennis star, Novak Djokovic is in the film – yet he is not vegan. Djokovic follows a gluten and dairy-free diet (dairy and gluten affect his health). He also cuts out as much sugar as possible, tending to stick to vegetables, beans, white meat, fish, fruit, nuts, seeds, chickpeas, lentils, and healthy oils. (Here’s What Novak Djokovic Eats In A Day)
Arnold Schwarzenegger also says he is not vegan, he says in interviews he eats a lot less red meat than he used to and a lot more plants. Watch Arnold throw a whole egg – shell and all into his smoothie. (Arnold Schwarzenegger Shows His Gym & Fridge)
The middlemen metaphor implies that instead of eating animals that eat grass, we could just eat grass ourselves. But humans cannot survive if they eat grass like ruminants – we lack the digestive system required to break down cellulose (fibre).
Ruminants digest their food completely differently to humans – they have large rumens full of bacteria and other microbes that digest the indigestible cellulose and convert it to amino acids. The microbes are eventually digested in the true stomach – the abomasum to give protein and nutrients to the cow.
Humans do not have a rumen, though we do have a microbiome, and while it appears we may be able to make some amino acids (source) it is not on the scale that ruminants do, and we must eat more easily digested protein for our needs or we will become protein deficient.
Incorrect information?
Which brings us to another graphic from the programme, which appears to be incorrect when I investigated. This graphic is used to show that the human intestine is far longer than that of a carnivore, which means our diet is more suited to a plant-rich rather than a meat-rich diet.
However, according to all other sources I could find, the length of the human intestine is on average 7.5 metres long which makes it just 5 times our body length (source) (source). Somewhat closer to a carnivore than a herbivore.
The film also ignores the fact the middlemen (animals) convert other nutrients humans can not make efficiently
Depending on your genetic makeup and other physiological and health factors, many humans do not well convert inactive forms of nutrients to active forms. For example:
Betacarotene (pre-vitamin A) -> Retinol (Active form vitamin A)
Vitamin K1 -> Vitamin K2 MK4 (The form of K2 that helps keep calcium out of arteries and put it in bones)
Has the programme used studies that are cherry-picked to back up their argument?
If you look you will find studies to back up almost any point of view in nutrition.
According to the nutritionists who have taken the time to track down the studies used in the film, cherry-picking studies to support the film’s viewpoint appears to be the case. They also said statements made in the film sometimes did not accurately represent the study used. When studies are cherry-picked from a range of choices, any that have results that disagree with the point of view you want to give, or provided contradicting information are not included.
I’ll include this one example: here is a slide shown in the film when discussing how the brain needs glucose for energy.
This research tells us that carbohydrates helped humans develop big brains
A search for other foods that helped humans develop big brains brings up the importance of seafood which contains omega 3 in its active long-chain form, which I mentioned previously is not found in this form in plant food. The human brain requires this nutrient to function properly.
This information is not included in the film.
How has the programme used demonstrations to convince you?
Documentaries often use quirky and unforgettable demonstrations or experiments that people will talk about and not forget- in this case, men’s erectile responses at night, fat in your blood after different meals. Firefighters switching diets and improving their health markers and losing weight. These demonstrations in the film are presented as though they are rigorous scientific experiments. They are far from it, as any scientist will tell you.
Be very critical – the demonstrations and experiments are designed to be persuasive – they are set up and constructed to get a certain outcome. Swapping a whole food plant diet in place of a standard American ultra-processed diet of the poorest quality does not prove that animal products are to blame. What if you designed the same experiment with large amounts of plants and unprocessed protein like wild-caught fish?
Are the scientific-looking graphics presented accurate, or do they distort or misrepresent actual science?
Here is a graphic used in the film showing chemicals contained in plant foods and protein foods:
The programme makers have created a false dichotomy – meat has only bad things and plants have only good things. They have listed 6 potentially harmful (some questionably harmful) chemicals related to animal products and 6 good nutrients related to plant products.
It could have been the other way round – here is an example:
Six good nutrients that animal products have that plants don’t:
Vitamin B12, Retinol (the active form of vitamin A), Long-chain omega 3 fatty acids EPA and DHA, Pyridoxal (the animal and active form of B6), Vitamin K2 MK4, Creatine, choline
Six potentially harmful things that plants have that animal products don’t:
Alternatively – they could have listed the good nutrients only found in plants AND the good nutrients only found in animal products. Instead, the programme makers went out of their way to find reasons that animal products are damaging.
What about all those dangerous chemicals listed in animal foods?
Science is really not that definitive on the dangers of all listed, some can be reduced or eliminated with different cooking methods, like eating plants with meat, and using marinades: Look at the overviews of studies by Examine.com on red meat.
More deceptive science – the peanut butter sandwich vs the steak
In the film, James said that a cup of cooked lentils or a peanut butter sandwich has as much protein as 3 eggs or 3 oz of steak. I used the food analysis software cronometer to compare these foods for protein. I found was there is a significant difference between a peanut butter sandwich and steak. You need to add a lot more peanut butter to your sandwich, around 3 tablespoons to match protein with 3 eggs.
Is there any dissenting viewpoint, or range of scientists presenting anything other than the point of view that animal products are damaging?
NO – there is no balance. This could be compared to a debate where one side defends the point of view – “a plant-based diet is best for athletes, for all peoples’ health as well as the environment, and meat is bad” While the other side of the debate is not heard.
Has the programme answered all your what ‘what if’ questions with seeming logical answers?
One of the tools used is to think of all the possible concerns and questions the audience will have and answer them preemptively with science that appears irrefutable. Here are just a few examples:
Are you worried that a plant-based diet will make you less of a man? Answered in the penis night-time erection study!
Is plant protein inferior to animal protein? Answered with a no – however, most scientists would disagree with this – plant protein is poorly absorbed in the gut – this part was conveniently left out.
Can you get enough protein from plants? Again answered with a positive, again conveniently left out that athletes take amino acid and protein supplements
Do we need to be worried about deficiencies? No – only B12 and omnivores can also be deficient. Other probable deficiencies of animal food free diet are ignored.
Will you get weaker on a plant-based diet? Answered- one of the strongest men in the world eats a plant-based diet.
Worried about the environment? Don’t be, you’ll be helping it. Lots of data on how much land animals and animal food are taking up. (FYI – I agree that many current farming methods, both animals and plants are damaging the environment and human health)
Be critical of how the programme is scripted and constructed to persuade. Look at the language used.
In this film James is exploring and researching a topic and narrating the science. The film is carefully constructed and written to lead you the viewer through a process of discovery along in the journey with the main protagonist. This journey or narrative is a common device used in a persuasive documentary. Be aware that every scene, every line, every shot is carefully chosen to fulfill the movies primary goal “…destroying the myth that you need animal protein to be strong and healthy”
Also, note how they have used the comparison between advertising cigarettes and advertising animal products. Not subtle at all and designed to scare you. This implies to me that red meat is as dangerous as cigarettes.
One final thing – how did the movie make you feel?
The final scenes: A team winning their game, the strong man breaking a world record, long-distance runner reaches his destination also breaking a record. Note the music, the cheers and the high that the movie ended on.
Like me, did you have an emotional connection to the outcome of the movie? Did you feel the need to try out a plant-based diet to get this success in your life?
The ending, the emotion – that too is all used strategically.
Only the knowledge I have in nutrition science bought me back to thinking logically about the actual information presented, and seeing how one-sided it was by design.
Here are links to scientific analyses of the studies and the nutrition information presented:
(FYI – I love plants as food, and I believe they are an important part of our diet, I subscribe to a varied omnivorous whole food diet rich in plants and protein adequate)
Here is the outline of a current nutrition workshop, if you would like this run at your gym or group, please contact me to book.
Over the last 2 years, I have researched this science and applied the principles to my own training in powerlifting: i.e optimising muscle growth, recovery and strength, while staying at my compete weight of 52kg. As a result of this research I’ve put together a workshop so that you can use these strategies for yourself.
Current science on how to optimise muscle & lose fat.
What you will learn:
Current science for losing weight, and maintaining muscle
Top tips for losing weight without hunger
Low carb? Keto? Plant based? Vegan? Paleo? The deal with current trends, how to find what might work for you.
Best food choices for long term health, the nutrient rich diet
Maintaining muscle is crucial
If you diet to lose weight you might be losing muscle as well as fat. A diet that is not optimised to maintain your hard-earned muscle is a bad idea:
Muscle is the engine that burns fuel, less muscle means fewer calories are required.
It’s much harder to keep weight off
Losing muscle makes you weaker and less toned.
Muscle strength as you age is associated with health and longevity
You will understand the science behind maintaining muscle with diet, while losing fat.
Learn how to translate these principles into your own meal plan:
Where many people get stuck in my experience is translating optimal diet science into a realistic meal plan, with optimal portion sizes. In this workshop:
You will translate this into real food portions, so there is no mystery as to your portion sizes
You can use the supplied charts to adjust any meal to the right size for you
Flexible eating, using food you like to fit your plan
Learn how to incorporate all foods – none are off-limit (unless of course, they are damaging for you)
To book: contact me directly Freephone: 0800 72 74 72 Mobile: Julianne (+64) 021 680703 Email: juliannetaylor@xtra.co.nz
Skype or distance appointments: contact Julianne directly on email or 021 680703
First – let me get my bias out of the way: I eat a plant-rich omnivorous diet. I have eaten exclusively plant only in the past, however, I found for me it was not optimal. I use this knowledge as a nutritionist to assist my plant-only clients optimise their diet. It is with this knowledge I have concerns over the recommendations in the 21-day vegan challenge.
The Vegan Society of NZ is widely advertising their21-day challenge. It is free to try, and on their website, they have a 7-day meal plan with recipes, as well as tips, and FAQ. It is advertised that you should try it ‘for your health’. I decided to check out their recipes and daily plans to see if, in fact, you would be healthier eating this way. I highlight some of my concerns about this particular vegan diet, particularly around protein intake.
I used a standard 2000 calorie per day template with the RDA of protein set at 0.8g per kg a day. This is the amount the World Health Organisation states (0.83 g per kg) is necessary for health.
The first point of concern is in the FAQ, with respect to their view on protein:
Is there really more protein in 100 calories of broccoli than steak?
Not according to cronometer: Steak has 18.8 grams of protein in 100 calories which is just 63 grams, however, there is only 8.5g in 100 calories of broccoli, and you would have to consume 3.3 cups to get that.
In the same section on protein the Vegan Society also makes this statement:
“Studies to determine how much protein humans should eat were based on rat studies” Really? That is a bold statement – and there is no reference for it. They say the amount of 1g per kg a day is based on rat studies and that “Humans … do better on half that amount” which means their view is that humans only need 0.5g per kg a day, and this is better for people. Again no reference is given for this statement.
Human requirements are not worked out solely on rat studies, however.
What do health authorities, and the research actually say about protein requirements?
According to the World Health Organisation (WHO) in their 265-page report Protein and amino acid requirements in human nutrition, the minimum needed for health is 0.66g per kg a day for an average person, however, they also state that that is not enough to cover all peoples needs and 0.83g/kg/day is required to meet the needs of 97.5 % of people. This amount is based on many human studies.
However, in the most recent studies on human protein requirements, the amounts needed have been re-evaluated upwards for optimal protein intake, according to this thorough overview by Examine.com. Their research shows the optimal minimum for a sedentary human is 1.2 grams per kg a day, this is the amount needed to maintain muscle mass. For others who are active more is needed.
The Vegan Society are worryingly out of touch with research on optimal protein amounts for humans.
How much protein does the vegan plan have per day?
I put days 1, 2, and 3 of the 7-day plan into cronometer to see how they look in terms of nutrients. I based goals on a 2000 calorie diet – the amount of food needed to maintain weight for a 65 – 70 kg adult doing light exercise.
Here is what cronometer showed for days 1 and 2:
Firstly – the whole day added up to around 1500 calories, so most average people will lose weight. However, the concern I have is the tiny amount of protein included in each day, and the fact that essential amino acid requirements have not been met for day 1,2,or 3.
You might also notice that day 2 is the only one to contain a little B12, usually completely missing in a vegan diet. That was supplied by a serving of Marmite.
Looking through the plan – day 7 has the most protein included in the day, so I analysed it and found it reached adequate levels of amino acids. It also had better overall nutrients reaching 87%, with B12 the primary vitamin deficient. To the Vegan Society’s credit – they emphasise the importance of supplementing B12.
Why is day 7 so much higher in protein? The reason is the food choices. One meal contained 150 grams of tofu, another 1 cup of cooked lentils. Both these choices are higher in protein. Tofu also supplies calcium another nutrient low in vegan diets.
Why is protein so important?
Let’s take a look at the three macronutrients – protein, carbohydrate, and fat. Of these three, protein is the only one that cannot be manufactured or stored in anything but a small amount in our body. Carbohydrates are primarily used as fuel, as are fats. Both are stored when not used. Both can be made in our bodies or pulled from storage.
Protein on the other hand is made into everything that our body is built from, and insufficient protein will affect your ability to repair and rebuild every single tissue. This graphic shows just some things protein or amino acids are used for:
My own experience on a typical vegetarian diet that was low in protein was poor recovery after exercise, hunger, and slow gains whenever I exercised. My recovery after exercise, my energy, and my mental focus all improved markedly when I increased my protein to the current recommended levels, with a serving at every meal.
I have many concerns about this particular vegan diet plan, it is deficient in many nutrients, calories, amino acids, and protein in general. I do not recommend you try this challenge.
If you do choose to eat an animal protein-free diet, it is critical you do so with the knowledge of potential deficiencies that will need to be rectified with supplements or certain food choices.
There is something about being post-menopausal that makes it almost embarrassing to admit. No longer young and fertile, many women worry about how people will view us. Are we seen as old? Over the hill? Are we on the downward slope towards becoming invisible?
As long as I am capable, I’m not giving in to the shrinkage of body and mind linked to being senior. Although aging is inevitable, losing muscle (at least until much older) is not.
Keeping strong is one of the best predictors of mind and body health as you age
There has been an enormous focus on diet among those who wish to age well, which of course is extremely important. Without my own dietary changes I would not have the health I have today, inflammation and auto-immune disease would have taken its toll. (Read about how diet changed my life here)
However, it is strength that has currently taken my interest. The links between strength and healthy old age are just too impressive to ignore. A healthy diet alone won’t cut it.
Consider these studies
In a group of 125 adults who remained active (55- 79 year olds), their immune systemworked at far more youthful levels than a similar group who were not active (link to study)
In a study on female twins, those with stronger legs had far less mental decline over 10-years. The study concludes that leg power predicts both cognitive aging and global brain structure (study link)
In a study that tracked older people for 15 years, those that did twice-weekly strength training had half the risk of early death compared to those who didn’t. Just 10% of this group did strength training. (link)
The Bone Clinic in Australia showed that women with severe osteoporosis get significant improvements in bone density with strength exercise. (Bone Clinic)
Twenty postmenopausal women took part in a 16 week strength training programme, working out 3 times a week. This resulted in significant improvements in metabolic syndrome, decreases in fasting blood glucose, and also significant improvements in lean body mass, reduction of body fat percentage, and noticeable increases in muscle strength after resistance training to leg press, and bench press, compared to the control group. (study link)
In a large British group followed over 6 years, higher grip strength and cardio-respiratory fitness were associated with a much lower risk for coronary heart disease (study)
Strength training makes your body look far younger.
I’ve posted this photo before of Deb, in her early 50’s took on strength training, she lost no weight, however gained significant muscle and lost significant fat (more in this post).
My first powerlifting competition
I’ve been working out consistently since I started CrossFit in 2009. Prior to that I was a sporadic exerciser. I stopped Crossfit as my body wasn’t handling the intensity well. However I continued going to the gym around 3 times a week and followed a pretty standard strength session which included squats and deadlifts that I had learned in CrossFit. Almost 2 years ago I started following a powerlifting programme (with guidance) to see what I could accomplish. This meant I focused on three specific lifts: deadlift, squat and bench press.
I was pleased to see, that at 56 I could make considerable strength gains, to the point where I decided this year that my next challenge could be a powerlifting comp. After checking to see I wouldn’t embarrass myself lifting too little, I signed up for the Auckland Powerlifting competition, and worked with powerlifting coach Carli Dillen.
Not having participated in anything competitive sport-wise in my life (having shown absolutely no talent at any sport) the thought of competing was pretty nerve-wracking. I had to master technique, (getting those squats below parallel) the comp calls – ‘squat’ ‘rack’ ‘start’ ‘press’ without jumping the gun due to nerves. I practiced those at training and over and over in my mind.
I’m happy to say that on the day – all went according to plan. My 9 lifts all got the white lights, and the combined total qualified me for the next level of competition – the Nationals.
Here is me locking out the last lift – 92.5kg deadlift (203.5 lbs)
I believe one of the primary reasons I have been able to do well (besides training consistently) is my diet and lifestyle. I sleep well, 7 – 8 hours a night. I eat an anti-inflammatory diet – for me, this is paleo (although a little dairy and legumes are not an issue). I’m pretty tight with my diet, by that I mean – I eat virtually no processed food, as the additives always end up giving me issues like dyshidrotic eczema.
I don’t eat very low-carb, ketogenic or high-fat. I’ve found eating protein and a lot of vegetables and some berries and fruit, with minimal added fat, suits me best. I feel a lot better with carbs than I do with fat as fuel. However, I’m by no means high carb, more moderate at about 120 grams a day.
Protein for muscle growth and recovery
Protein is a critical ingredient to both strength gain and recovery. I eat around 2.2 grams per kg body weight a day (110 grams of protein), and reach the 30 grams at 3 meals to provide a leucine threshhold – leucine is the amino acid that needs to be at a particular level in order to stimulate muscle protein synthesis. In my observation, many people (especially women) underestimate their protein requirements. Recent studies – one of which was done in New Zealand are showing just how important protein levels higher than the the RDA are actually needed – especially for older people.
In a study where older men were given meals containing the recommended RDA of protein (0.8g/kg/day) or double the RDA, those on the recommended amount lost muscle over 10 weeks, whereas the higher amount maintained it. The researchers note that protein is best eaten at every meal to maintain healthy lean mass. (Article here, and study here)
My own experience it that closer to 3 times the RDA, and dividing this among 4 meals gives superior results if your goal is to build muscle and recover well.
Here is an excellent talk by one researcher that influenced me on my views of protein for muscle growth – Dr Donald Layman
Post update: 1 year on – 2019
It’s now been just over a year since I did my first powerlifting competition. I’ve continued to train and compete.
It’s been a big year! In August last year I competed in Nationals, achieving personal bests in squat, bench and deadlift achieving a total of 235 kg which qualified me to compete in World’s. With the encouragement of my coach I applied to compete in the World powerlifting competition in Sweden in June 2019. I was consequently invited to compete. So I’m off to Sweden for me to compete on June 4th.
In my most recent competition I managed to squeeze out a 90kg squat (body weight 52kg) an unofficial National record for my weight and age.
Here it is – with all the yelling and encouragement that comes when one competes in powerlifting.
Here is a graph from the strengthlevel.com website. As you can see progression is incremental, however with consistent training and a good programme and recovery they do happen.
And what about being post-menopausal?
Well, I’ve settled into it. My testosterone bounced back on its own, and my estrogen and progesterone are in a normal post-menopause range. The hot flushes and other symptoms are barely noticeable.
I’ve played around with diet and supplements to support both menopause and strength training, and adjusted to what now seems to be working well both for maintaining my weight and gaining strength. That’s another post.
Julianne Taylor
Registered Nutritionist. (NZ Nutrition Society)
I’m available for awesome group talks and individual consultations. More here:
He came across a 
Steak has 18.8 grams of protein in 100 calories which is just 63 grams, however, there is only 8.5g in 100 calories of broccoli, and you would have to consume 3.3 cups to get that.
Nutrition
