Discussion of health and vitality must include information on protein, since protein is the primary building material of all the structures of our bodies. To stay healthy, we must have adequate quantities of protein daily. However, many of us lack a true understanding of the fundamental concepts involved with protein nutrition, even though this major component of our diets is so essential in nearly all of aspects of cellular metabolism. A good understanding in protein nutrition is especially important when we are exploring health and vitality.

Guidelines for determining quality protein:

• Protein is considered a quality protein when it is easy to digest and absorb into the blood stream from the small intestine. Since the digestive system is what breaks up proteins into predominately single amino acids, the easier the protein source to break apart, the more efficiently the body assimilates the amino acids.

• The more nitrogen from ingested protein that is actually retained in the body, the better the quality of the protein is assumed to be. The net protein utilization (NPU) is a measurement of growth in body mass relative to the amount of protein ingested. Some foods have high NPU and some don’t. For example, beans have a low NPU since much of its protein is bound up with indigestible fibers, and therefore, some of its protein is excreted from the body.

• The human body lacks as many as ten essential amino acids. We must get these essential amino acids from our daily intake of food to stay healthy. Therefore, the nutritional value of protein depends in part on the percentage of its essential amino acids composition.

Bottom line, the higher the quality of the protein you eat, the healthier you’ll become. Remember, it’s not the quantity of the protein you eat, it’s the quality of the protein that contributes to your health and vitality.

To learn more about protein and its nutritional value and about one of the best quality protein foods on the planet, we hope you’ll enjoy reading the following two page article.

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NOT ALL PROTEINS ARE CREATED EQUAL!

Protein - fuel for the body. People often worry about not getting enough protein. According to Dr. Ted Morter, author of Your Health, Your Choice, we need approximately 20 grams of protein each day so our bodies will function best (p. 129). But, as with cars, the quality of the fuel becomes important when you operate the engine. So, when it comes to protein, one needs to consider quality before quantity.

What determines quality protein?

Amino Acid Profile:

Amino acids are the building blocks of protein. They are about twenty in number, and they need to be in a balanced ratio for maximum utilization. Those amino acids we cannot produce internally and must get from the food we eat are called essential amino acids. Proteins are valued by their amino acids profile. The higher the food in its composition of essential amino acids, the greater its quality. For example, many people think of soy as a good quality protein. However, soy is lacking in the essential amino acid, methionine (Snyder, p. 88). Carl Abrams, professor of chemistry at Saddleback College in Orange County, California, believes that the highest protein content of any known food on the planet is Super Blue Green® Algae (SBGA) (p. 22). He documents that SBGA essential amino acids compose an amazing 48.2 percent of its dry weight, compared, for example, to only 30 percent in the soy bean protein (p.25).

Net Protein Utilization:

The net protein utilization (NPU) is an index of how well amino acids can be assimilated by humans. NPU are percentages of nitrogen or protein excreted in relation to the amount of nitrogen or protein consumed. “For example, beans have a low NPU since much of their nitrogen is bound up with indigestible fibers, and therefore some of its protein is excreted from the body” (Christiansen, p.21). Professor Abrams writes that some grains are difficult to completely digest. Their proteins are coated with so much cellulose that human enzymes cannot easily penetrate them. Animal protein that makes up a large portion of most diets today is also difficult to digest. However, Abrams documents that the protein in SBGA is one of the highest quality proteins because of the ease of its digestibility (p. 23). Kim Elia in his Algae Resource audiotape series says that the net protein utilization value of SBGA is 75% while that of red meat is surprisingly low, at only 18 to 25%.

Molecular Weight and Size:

Small proteins are more easily absorbed across the intestinal wall. According to Dr. Donald Snyder who is a member of the Expert Protein Advisory Committee for the UN, the nutritional value of protein is based on the food nitrogen in protein that the body retains. The more nitrogen from ingested protein that is actually retained in the body, the better the quality of the protein is assumed to be (p. 87).

Different foods produce their proteins from different sources of nitrogen and that can affect the molecular weight of their protein. For example, Super Blue Green® Algae metabolizes nitrogen directly from the air. This process allows the formation of what is called low molecular weight peptides (protein). These peptides are the precursors of neurotransmitters which are used by various regions of the brain and body to influence every function in the human body. Most vegetables, on the other hand, produce their proteins from nitrogen in the soil, thus producing high molecular weight proteins. High molecular weight proteins can feed the body only. Low molecular weight proteins like those found in the SBGA proteins are small enough in size to also nourish the brain. This is why SBGA is considered by many health practitioners as an ideal brain food. The low molecular weight proteins of SBGA can move from the bloodstream across the blood-brain barrier to nourish the cells of the brain (Simply the Best, p. 1).

Acid/Alkaline Balance:

The body is more alkaline than acid. When cellular pH is too low, i.e., too acid, enzymes can not work and other health-sustaining processes are unable to function normally. The standard sources of protein in the American society are meat and dairy products. This kind of protein produces large amounts of acid in the body. Over time, if too much acid is produced, the body could be drained of its alkaline reserves which would create imbalance and set the stage for degenerative forces to begin their destructive pathway.

A good quality protein food is usually balanced in its contents of protein and alkaline minerals at the same time. Because of the balance of protein and minerals, the end result after digestion and assimilation is an addition to the body’s alkaline reserves, which contributes to the correct pH of the cells. Again, SBGA is considered nearly a perfect food because of its high content of protein, balanced with its full spectrum of chelated minerals and trace minerals.

Conclusion:

The value of proteins differ from one food to another. Some foods have poor nutritional values of protein and some foods have high nutritional values. What determines the nutritional value of protein is how easily it is digested in the small intestine, its complete essential amino acid profile, its nitrogen retention in the body, its low molecular weight, and its acid/alkaline balance. If we take all these criteria and measure them up against some well known high protein foods, such as meat and soy, we will find that those protein foods fall short in their quality. However, one food that meets all of the above criteria for a high quality protein food is Super Blue Green®Algae.

There are many theories about what to eat. We encourage you to read, learn and experiment to decide what will serve you best in the short term and give you the greatest benefit in the long term. Eating quality protein is one of the ways we have to move in the direction of a vibrant body, a peaceful mind, a heart filled with joy, and a long life.

References:
Abrams, Karl. (1996). Algae To The Rescue! Studio City, California: Leonard Buschel.
Christiansen, Alan. (Jan. 2001). The Protein Connection. Nutrition Science News, Vol. 6, No. 1, 20-23.
Elia, Kim. Algae Resource Tape Set.
Morter, Ted. (1976). Your Health, Your Choice. Hollywood, Florida: Fell Publishers, Inc.
______________. Simply The Best.
Snyder, Donald. (Oct. 1998). Protein Fundamentals. Townsend Letter for Doctors and Patients, 87-88.

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