Summary
In this podcast episode, the host interviews a nutrition expert named Don, who has a background in nutritional biochemistry. Don's philosophy of nutrition is centered around two tissues: the brain and skeletal muscle. He believes that if these two tissues are healthy, a person can avoid obesity, diabetes, and cancer. Don also discusses the role of insulin in muscle metabolism and the relationship between glucose and fat utilization. He challenges the idea that fat is inherently toxic and argues that excess carbs are more likely to cause problems such as diabetes. The conversation then shifts to the legacy of Ancel Keys and the Minnesota Coronary Experiment, which tested the hypothesis that saturated fat intake leads to increased major adverse cardiac events. The experiment showed no difference in cardiac events between a group consuming high saturated fat and another consuming high polyunsaturated fat, despite the latter group having much lower cholesterol levels.
The podcast also discusses the challenges of understanding the true protein content of food and the limitations of current methods for measuring protein quality. The speaker introduces the concept of diaz scores, or digestible indispensable amino acid scores, which are used to measure the quality of protein in food. However, the speaker argues that current diaz scores are too low and do not compare apples to apples, making it difficult for consumers to accurately assess the protein content of their food. The speaker suggests focusing on a subset of essential amino acids, including leucine, lysine, and methionine, to ensure adequate protein intake.
The podcast also delves into the effects of childhood malnutrition, particularly the condition known as kwashiorkor, which is caused by a protein deficiency and leads to a disproportionate accumulation of body fat. The discussion also covers the optimal distribution of protein intake throughout the day, with emphasis on consuming at least 30 grams of protein at the first meal of the day to stimulate muscle protein synthesis and prevent muscle breakdown.
The podcast concludes with a discussion on the importance of protein intake and distribution in adults, particularly in muscle health and prevention of muscle loss with aging. The study conducted by Doug and the speaker found that distributing 90 grams of protein evenly across three meals, with a higher proportion at breakfast, resulted in higher net protein synthesis. The speaker acknowledges that their research has been funded by industry, but notes that this was necessary to unlock knowledge about protein and muscle health. They also discuss the limitations of funding for non-disease related nutrition research by the National Institute of Health.
