Protein – What medieval knights already knew
We are certainly no longer in the Middle Ages, but in those days people had sufficient sources of protein. And to stay with the ‘wordplay’, I would like to take this opportunity to make a case for more protein in our diet.
Advantages of a protein-rich diet
A higher protein content in the diet causes the body to produce more satiating hormones. This means you eat less! A higher protein content also ensures that muscle loss is reduced during weight loss. In addition, muscle maintenance slows down the metabolism less. The basal metabolic rate does not drop as sharply. Calories are also burned during the absorption and subsequent utilisation of fat, carbohydrates and protein (thermogenesis). Overall, this accounts for about 10% of the basal metabolic rate in an average diet. Here, too, protein is advantageous because it is about eight to ten times more effective than fat and about four to five times more effective than carbohydrates.
Animal protein is, of course, very high quality. However, when consuming animal-based foods, you also consume many accompanying substances (cholesterol, purine, pro-inflammatory arachidonic acid and others). For example, TMAO, which is harmful to blood vessels and is produced from the bacterial metabolite TMA, causes inflammation, obesity, arteriosclerosis and, in a broader sense, cardiovascular disease. With a predominantly plant-based diet that was varied, the knights of the Middle Ages would also have fared well. It definitely produces enough protein. So what can we learn from the Middle Ages? Eat protein!
