Protein Q's Flashcards Preview

Nutrition I > Protein Q's > Flashcards

Flashcards in Protein Q's Deck (39)
Loading flashcards...
1
Q

Which high protein foods are considered the healthiest choices?

A

6oz of wild salmon or a cup of cooked lentils

2
Q

How does the typical protein intake on a Western diet compare with daily protein requirements?

A

There is sufficient PRO intake in the diet, however less should be consumed from red/processed meats

3
Q

What is meant by an “incomplete” protein and how does this influence recommendations to vegetarians?

A

They need to eat a variety of PRO sources because animal sources are the only complete protein source whereas vegetables, grains, seeds, nuts etc. lack 1+ essential amino acids

4
Q

What are the important differences between animal and vegetable sources of protein in terms of their effects on health and disease?

A
  • Processed red meats increases risk for MI/stroke/CVD
  • High PRO-low CHO diet from vegetable sources lowers risk of heart disease. Low CHO alone did not reproduce these effects
5
Q

What processed meats are strongly linked to risk of cancer, heart disease, and diabetes?

A
  • Red meats (hot dogs, bacon…), grilled meats cooked using high heat/flames
6
Q

Which animal protein foods have been linked specifically to increased risk of colon cancer?

A
  • Red and processed meat
7
Q

Under what circumstances might a high protein diet reduce heart disease risk?

A
  • High PRO-low CHO diet from vegetable sources lowers risk of heart disease. Low CHO alone did not reproduce these effects
8
Q

Explain the possible connection between dietary protein, acid-base balance, and bone loss.

A
  • PRO digestion releases acid into the blood, which is buffered with calcium which may be pulled from bone
9
Q

Why might increased protein intake contribute to successful weight control?

A
  • Increased healthy PRO intake leads to less caloric intake of highly processed CHO
10
Q

What are the reasons soy foods may be heart-healthy alternatives to other protein food choices?

A
  • They usually replace less healthful choices, like red meat, and they deliver plenty of polyunsaturated fat, fiber, vitamins, and minerals, and are low in saturated fat
11
Q

Explain the controversy over the potential hormonal influences of increased soy intake on: a) menopausal symptoms and b) breast cancer risk

A

a) Soy contains isoflavones, a plant-based estrogen that may replace dwindling levels of estrogen in menopause (but this doesn’t seem to actually play that big of a role).
b) Soy may block estrogen actions in breast tissue = less division of cells (aka cancer activity), but this has not been proving and some studies actually say it could CAUSE cancer. Spooky!

12
Q

What protein sources other than the diet appear in the intestine and contribute to the total amount of protein requiring digestion and absorption?

A
  • Protein comes in from the gut wall in the form of digestive enzymes and old cells from the gut lining. This endogenous PRO contributes just as much to the digestion process as the diet does.
13
Q

What are the various fates of amino acids absorbed into the body’s amino acid pool? What factors regulate what happens to them?

A
  • They become available to tissues for PRO/peptide/molecule synthesis, large excesses are catabolized. The amino acid pool refers to the blood and ECF. Protein intake, metabolic need, and growth/maintenance regulate their fate
14
Q

What is likely to happen to body weight and urine composition when someone increases protein intake above their requirement without decreasing intake of other calorie sources?

A
  • Measure nitrogen balance in the urine, as that is a marker of protein loss. Body weight might also increase since PRO can be converted into fat and then stored in the body as potential energy
15
Q

How are protein requirements determined for humans?

A
  • Body size, physical activity, growth (pre-adult and pregnancy)
16
Q

What are the assumptions made about populations for whom the protein RDA is intended to be a recommendation?

A
  • Adult Recommended Daily Allowance (RDA) = 0.8 g/kg body weight (0.37 g/lb)
  • Assumes typical mix of dietary protein quality
  • Assumes calories are sufficient
  • Assumes no growth, no substantial tissue repair
  • Assumes typical adult lifestyle (non-athletic)
17
Q

What is the likelihood a healthy patient eating a Western diet will be protein deficient? What type of patients will be most likely to be protein deficient?

A
  • 90% of US women and 95% of US men meet the adult RDA for PRO
  • People who restrict their caloric intake will need to increase the % of PRO in their diet, or else they will be deficient
  • Athletes will need more PRO to account for cell growth, also they have a lean body mass with more tissue requirements
18
Q

What factors can affect protein requirements and raise them above RDA levels?

A

Activity level

- Athletes will need more PRO to account for cell growth, also they have a lean body mass with more tissue requirements

19
Q

How do the protein requirements of different athletes compare to non-athletes?

A
  • Athletes burn more calories, therefore needing more PRO
  • Power athletes/ Resistance training athletes/elite endurance athletes need more PRO
  • They don’t need a higher % of PRO from total caloric intake though
20
Q

How likely is it that athletes eating enough calories will not be getting enough protein from their diet?

A
  • Not likely, because they are increasing their overall caloric intake with the same % of PRO within the entire caloric intake.
21
Q

What criteria are useful for deciding what dietary protein sources are most healthful?

A
  • The protein in the food itself is not as important as what else that specific food item contains “health-wise”. So this is to say that you either get 6g of protein from red meat that contains saturated fat vs. 6g of protein from beans that come along with high levels of polyunsaturated fats.
22
Q

What are the foods in your diet that are highest in protein per serving?

A
  • Meat, poultry, fish
  • Milk products
  • Legumes, nuts/seeds, whole grain foods
23
Q

What did the OmniHeart Trial conclude about the cardiovascular effects of diet high in carbohydrate, protein, or fat?

A
  • Overall heart disease risk was improved best with the higher healthy protein and higher healthy fat diets, however choosing healthier options is more important than choosing higher or lower intakes of macronutrients
24
Q

How can higher protein content help in weight loss and weight maintenance diets?

A
  • High protein weight loss diets seem at least as effective as other diets, and may have special benefits in controlling appetite and increasing energy metabolism.
25
Q

Discuss the issues in the debate about high protein consumption and the health of the kidneys.

A
  • There is evidence that high protein intake can worsen chronic kidney diseases. However, studies so far of healthy populations have not linked high protein diets with kidney dysfunction.
26
Q

Explain the relationship between foods and acid-alkaline balance in the body.

A
  • Protein foods (meat) produce acid residues that need to be buffered. Calcium phosphate in the bone is used as a buffer to keep pH in normal limits. This may lead to osteoporosis and kidney stones since calcium must be excreted once in the blood.
27
Q

What are the potential hazards specific to a high meat protein diet?

A
  • Red meat is associated with increased cancer risk, especially colorectal cancer.
28
Q

What aspects of meat processing and preparation may be especially important for a relationship between meat consumption and cancer?

A
  • Increased heterocyclic amines (HCAs) and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) from OVERCOOKED meat.
  • Nitrite preservatives in ham, hot dogs, and deli meat can bio-transform to N-nitroso compounds
29
Q

What dietary protein choices may be important when following a low-carbohydrate diet?

A
  • Choosing plant-based protein, white meat and legume alternatives.
30
Q

List the common foods that belong to the legume family

A
  • Beans, peas, lentils, peanuts, and soybeans
31
Q

Name the phytoestrogen family found in soybeans

A
  • Isoflavones
32
Q

What are the mechanisms by which legume consumption decreases the risk of type 2 diabetes?

A
  • Low GI lessens the release of insulin in the blood, from the pancreas
33
Q

Which cardiovascular risk factors are affected by legume consumption?

A
  • By lowering total cholesterol and LDL, lowering homocysteine levels via folate, magnesium and potassium also contribute to lowering BP
34
Q

Which cancer risks appear to be reduced by consumption of legumes?

A
  • Prostate and breast cancer (only soy for breast)
35
Q

Is soy protein considered a complete protein?

A
  • Yes!
36
Q

What are the challenges to doing research to answer questions about the benefits and risks of soy consumption?

A
  • The biological mechanisms are complex, where animal models may not act like their human counterparts. Soy effects being undetermined also poses an ethical question as to how to pursue research.
37
Q

What is the current status of the understanding about the role of soy in cardiovascular health?

A
  • Soy isolates/supplements do not have any recognizable benefit. There is conflicting evidence in regards to its effect on lowering serum lipoprotein profiles.
38
Q

What is the current status of the understanding about the role of soy in bone health?

A
  • Some human research agrees that soy foods reduce indicators of osteoporosis risk
39
Q

What is the current status of the understanding about the role of soy in cancer risk?

A
  • Discussed in 11 of nutrition source

- Generally, increased soy intake is associated with modest cancer prevention and hormonal effects.