Everything You Need To Know About Low Protein Diet
Everything you need to know about the low protein diet. This diet is great for people with kidney diseases, weight loss, and hair loss – even for your pet! Let’s learn everything you need to know about a low protein diet!
Table of Contents
Everything you need to know about low protein diet
A low protein diet limits how much protein you can eat each day. Protein is usually found in animal foods. But protein can also be found in some plant foods. You may need this low protein diet if you have liver or kidney problems or gout. But I’ve done this – to lose weight. You gradually cut the protein for the first 2 weeks and no protein for the 2 weeks. My sense of taste got super sharp due to no protein/sugar. It was crazy!
Who should follow low protein diet
Most adults should consume at least 10% of their daily calories in the form of protein. A low protein diet involves eating less protein than this each day.
When a person eats protein, the body produces a compound called urea. If the kidneys are not functioning well, urea can build up in the blood and cause fatigue and a loss of appetite. Some people can’t tolerate high levels of protein. People with these issues should try a low protein diet:
Kidney disease
By lowering protein, people with kidney disease (who are not on dialysis) can reduce stress on their kidneys. Also, a low protein diet prevents the buildup of urea in the bloodstream. The body produces urea during the digestion of protein.
For people who don’t have kidney issues, urea leaves the body through the urine, without causing nausea, fatigue, and loss of appetite. People already receiving dialysis treatment shouldn’t follow this diet.
Diabetic nephropathy
A low-protein diet may improve the symptoms of diabetic nephropathy, which refers to diabetes-induced kidney damage.
Phenylketonuria
Phenylketonuria (PKU) is a rare disorder that occurs when the body doesn’t produce the enzyme needed to break down an amino acid (phenylalanine). Amino acids are the building blocks of protein.
For a person with PKU, eating protein-rich foods can cause phenylalanine to build up in the body. If people with PKU do not receive treatment, it can lead to intellectual disability and other neurologic symptoms, such as hyperactivity, poor coordination, and seizures. A very low protein diet is the lifetime treatment for those.
Homocystinuria
Homocystinuria is an inherited disorder that affects the body’s ability to process methionine, another amino acid. A buildup of methionine causes problems with vision and bone health.
Benefits
- Cancer
- Diabetes
- Heart disease
Drawbacks
A low protein diet requires careful planning to minimize potential health risks and nutritional deficiencies.
- Protein deficiency – impaired immune function, muscle loss and decreased growth in children. swelling, anemia, fatty liver disease, hair loss and reduced bone density
- Lacks in B vitamins, iron and zinc
Foods to eat
Replacing some meat with vegetables and grains is an effective way to reduce protein intake. Vegetables and grains should form the main body of meals, with a supplementary protein source.
Low-protein foods
- Fruits, except dried fruits
- Vegetables, except peas, beans, and corn
- Healthy fats, such as olive oil, coconut oil and avocados
Many other types of food are low in protein, and a person should use moderation when incorporating them into the diet. Some of these foods include:
- Sugar
- Candies that do not contain gelatin
- Tea and coffee, without dairy milk
- Jams and jellies
- Mayonnaise
- Butter
- Many sauces and dressings, including tomato sauces and salad dressings
Moderate-protein foods
On a low-protein diet, people should eat foods that contain moderate amounts of protein sparingly:
- Grains: Rice, oats, bread, pasta, barley, etc.
- Crackers
- Breakfast cereals
- Corn
Foods not to eat
High-Protein Foods to Limit or Avoid
- Meats: chicken, turkey, beef and pork
- Fish and shellfish
- Eggs
- Legumes: beans, peas and lentils
- Dairy products: milk, cheese and yogurt
- Soy products: tofu, tempeh and natto
- Nuts: walnuts, almonds and pistachios
- Seeds: chia seeds, flaxseeds and hemp seeds
More Resources
Keto Diet
Jackson Siegelbaum
National Kidney Foundation
Conclusion: Low protein diet is mainly for kidney diseases, though good for diet. My trainer made me try it for diet. I craved so many bad foods that I ususally never eat - like Carl's Jr and pizza for whatever the reasons. lol. It was very tough for me. So I don't recommend this for weight loss. I feel Keto diet is much easier and matches to my typical eating habits. Human body is amazingly tuned to changes to function well. Depriving something out of the system is never good. MODERATION and balance are the keys for healthy eating. I eat vegetables and tofu a lot as my protein source, so I only eat turkey when I vigorously workout. I'm healthy and in shape - you can do it, too!
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