Everything You Thought You Knew About Protein Is Wrong | Stanford's Professor Christopher Gardner

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Published 2023-04-17
Proteins, carbs, and fats … most people understand what the last two are. Carbs are sugars, and fat is, well, fat. It's protein that’s so important to our diets, but so often misunderstood — by the general public, that is.

Since the 1950s and 1960s, scientists have been measuring how protein affects our performance, how it supports and maintains the body’s structure, and how best to incorporate it into our diets.

From big steaks to protein shakes, tofu to seitan, protein is more available now than ever before. With so many options, surely we’re getting enough protein?

In today’s episode, Jonathan speaks with a leading nutritional researcher to find out.

Christopher Gardner is a professor at Stanford University and a member of ZOE’s scientific advisory board. He’s pioneering the movement to redefine how we understand the quality of our protein intake.

If you want to uncover the right foods for your body, head to joinzoe.com/podcast and get 10% off your personalized nutrition program.

Episode transcripts are available here: joinzoe.com/learn/category/podcasts

Follow Chris: twitter.com/GardnerPhD

Studies mentioned in this episode.
Maximizing the intersection of human health and the health of the environment with regard to the amount and type of protein produced and consumed in the United States: academic.oup.com/nutritionreviews/article/77/4/197…

Books:
- Diet for a Small Planet by Frances Moore Lappé: amzn.to/3QOUOiF
- Every Body Should Know This by Dr Federica Amati: amzn.to/4blJsLg
- Food For Life by Prof. Tim Spector: amzn.to/4amZinu

Perspective: The Public Health Case for Modernizing the Definition of Protein Quality: pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31066877/

Follow ZOE on Instagram: www.instagram.com/zoe/

00:00 - Introduction
01:20 - Quickfire questions
03:13 - What is protein?
07:29 - Can our bodies make the proteins we need?
08:00 - The mechanism for our bodies creating amino acids.
09:00 - What is an essential amino acid?
10:35 - Crazy study Stanford scientists did to find the Estimated Average Requirement of protein.
15:28 - How much protein should we consume?
18:29 - How much protein do we already consume?
23:39 - Can our bodies store protein?
24:41 - What happens to excess protein in our bodies?
25:39 - Protein Scam Alert!
26:16 - Stanford Study: Does the type of protein we consume affect physical performance?
29:21 - Protein requirements for kids and pregnant women.
32:21 - What is Amino Acid Distribution?
34:27 - Are plants missing certain amino acids?
35:12 - How is AAD like the game of Scrabble?
39:35 - What is the healthiest source of protein?
39:46 - Dr. Gardner’s case for changing the way we define “protein quality” in the US
42:52 - Jonathan’s summary
45:25 - Goodbye’s
46:13 - Outro

All Comments (21)
  • I’m sure it’s more very well-intended dietary information. The trouble is the masses are bombarded with such totally opposing advice and information from equally eloquent, articulate, convincing, apparently highly intelligent individuals. It’s so utterly confusing.
  • I am 65 years old, 157 days ago I started eating meat. I lost 50 pounds in 100 days. Carbs gave me heartburn for years, in two weeks it went away. My friend had lost about the same weight eating a vegan diet, great for him. People are different, do what works for you. We can all agree that the average American diet is terrible.
  • @rachaelrb
    What a stress reliever! I just lost a kidney and I have been worried about fitness and kidney health. Thank you, thank you!
  • @dperl5640
    Just came across this channel for this topic. I have to say this host has an incredible ability to take something the professor says and makes it so easy to understand. His analogies are brilliant! I mean him taking the topic of aminos and how they break down and are utilized and says "basically it is like eating Shakespear and a comic book and by the time the body uses it it is simply letters so it has no idea where those letters came from". Amazing ability. I will definitely be checking this channel out more often
  • @lam7750
    After all the wonderful talks and explanations given by your guest speaker and by zillion other scientists and nutritionists out there, I decided to just NOT STRESS about these matters. Just eat healthy and a variety of foods to the extent possible and within my means, and forget the rest.
  • He said it all comes down to calories, yet other "experts" on this podcast have said calories are meaningless. No wonder people have eating disorders.
  • @sonjawells4265
    This is the best ZOE show I have ever watched.😀 I would love to hear more from the two of you. Incredible how much I have learned and now understand. Thank you ever so much!!!🤩
  • @luscao8444
    Hands down the best thing I've seen this week. Brilliant podcast!
  • I believe this man when he says that plants contain all the protein you need, but I don’t believe plant proteins are as bioavailable to us as animal proteins.
  • @atleyflenner
    My personal experience does not align with this guy's talk. Just working out without adding extra protien for a few months did not build muscle. I had to add extra to see results. Diet is crazy important at least in my experience.
  • @Muuip
    Excellent presentation! Thank you, much appreciated! 👍👍
  • Very interesting to hear the research behind the recommendations. Lots of new research is going on thankfully. I am 73 and have found a very noticeable improvement in my nails, hair and skin after I added collagen to my diet at 72. I must have been deficient in these most of my life because they have been a problem as long as I can remember. I have always taken care to eat well but a normal good diet was deficient.
  • @VesS0ul
    Whoever hosts a discussion between Christopher Gardner and Peter Attia will become a legend!
  • @Dan-dg9pi
    Fantastic interview. Extremely useful information.
  • @gordondawson8576
    I loved this podcast, a big big thank you to all involved in its creation. Eat well live well.
  • Such an amazing and interesting podcast/conversation/video I’m subscribing to your channel since i loved this content.
  • At 14:00 — the subjects of the study to determine protein RDA were young men, so the protein requirements of children, women, older adults, pregnant women and the elderly were not taken into account for protein requirements.Also, some people can’t properly synthesize all the amino acids that they should.
  • Extremely informative and presented in great style by a charming expert. Thank you.
  • @lazyidealist
    If you can explain it simply, you know it well enough. Dr. Christopher demonstrated this .
  • @user-xb6fl9ri6g
    would love to hear his thoughts on intermittent fasting since that's the only thing that's really worked for me to regulate my weight/health