My Crohnstipated Life

Many times when I’m out and about the subject of protein usually rears its head in some form or another. This brings to the thought that there are actually thousands of people who don’t really know what protein is or what it’s purpose is. Please allow me just a moment to clear up some mis-conceptions.

The word protein comes from an ancient Greek word meaning of greatest importance. And that points to how fundamental protein is to health. It’s the chemical workhorse of the body and the building block of skin, internal organs, hormones, and enzymes. Despite its great importance, protein has endured much controversy over the past 40 years which is quite understandable. The reason goes back to Dr. Robert Atkins’ high-protein, low-carbohydrate diet — once thought to be somewhat dangerous.

Could protein actually be dangerous? Doctors and dietitians believed that high-protein diets translated to high saturated-fat diets, which could increase the risk of heart disease. Everyone has an opinion but for one thing, protein isn’t always loaded with saturated fat. Secondly, there’s controversy about whether saturated fat deserves its bad rap.

We receive so many emails and submissions with the concern of consuming too much protein. Many of our customers are afraid that the protein will cause unwanted side-affects or other health issues such as kidney damage. So, here I am proud to say that added protein is only bad for your kidneys for those with impaired kidney function. The basic understanding here should be this basic: for most people, consuming more protein may help you lose weight and improve glycemic control.