Protein: Can You Get Enough Without Meat?

Protein is known as an essential nutrient for our bodies, but it's not actually any more crucial than carbohydrates or fats. Excessive protein intake can even harm your kidneys. Therefore, the key is to consume protein in appropriate amounts; it's a case of 'too much is as bad as too little,' not 'the more, the better.'

What's the Recommended Daily Protein Intake?

The National Academy of Medicine in the U.S. sets the Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) for protein at 0.8g/kg/day. This figure is designed to meet the needs of 97.5% of healthy individuals, not the absolute minimum to avoid deficiency. However, many media outlets misinterpret this RDA as the 'minimum to prevent deficiency,' a distortion likely influenced by marketing strategies from the meat and food industries.

Vegan Diets: No Protein Deficiency?

According to a study by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) involving about 70,000 participants, protein deficiency was not observed across various dietary patterns including omnivorous, semi-vegetarian, pescatarian, lacto-ovo vegetarian, and vegan diets. Notably, individuals following a vegan diet were found to consume about 50% more protein than their daily requirement, exceeding it by 100%.

• It's possible to get enough protein even on a vegan diet.
• You can obtain protein from various plants without eating meat.

The Role and Requirements of Protein

The primary role of protein is in growth. The most rapid growth period in a human's life is the first year after birth. During this time, a baby triples its weight, yet the protein in breast milk accounts for only 7% of its caloric content. This implies that adults, whose growth is complete, do not require more than 7% of their calories from protein.

• Rice (brown): 8% protein
• Sweet potato: 8%
• Potato: 10%
• Beans: 40%

As you can see, if we eat a normal diet, protein deficiency won't occur even if we don't eat meat at all.

The Reality of Excessive Protein Intake

Modern diets already provide more protein than the recommended amount (RDA). Individuals following Western diets consume an average of 1.3-1.4g/kg of protein daily, which is 170% of the recommendation. Koreans are in a similar situation; according to the 2016-2018 Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, men consume 1.17g/kg and women consume 1.05g/kg.

Therefore, unless you are a refugee suffering from starvation in Africa, protein deficiency simply doesn't exist. We live in an era where overconsumption is more common, so it's time to stop worrying excessively about protein.