7.7: Moderation in Protein Intake The Middle Road to Good Nutrition

Too much protein can be harmful too. The animal foods rich in high-quality protein are often rich in saturated fats, and high in calories. Meats, milk, and eggs are also devoid of fiber. Thus the same foods that can “cure” the hungry in impoverished countries—foods such as hot dogs, fried chicken, pizza, cheeseburgers, and ice cream— are excessive in the American diet.

In contrast, much of the malnutrition in developing countries stems from a diet that contains only plant foods—foods that contain fiber, and are generally low in fat and calories. The typical American diet can be improved by more of these foods.

The traditional diets of many countries contain moderate amounts of protein. In these diets, animal sources of protein are not the center of the meal as they tend to be in the American diet. Rather, they are often just one of several ingredients in the main course. Examples include Chinese stir-fried broccoli with bits of beef, an Indian dish of lentils and vegetables mixed with small cubes of cheese, and the Middle Eastern dish of couscous—a flavorful mound of crushed grain topped with vegetables mixed with bits of meat.

We can do the same with our American menus by, for example, eating smaller portions of meat and more generous portions of the plant foods that we often consider the “side dishes.” A prudent diet is one that contains a variety of foods, that includes only a moderate amount of animal proteins.