The body can utilize proteins more effectively if it has normal kidney functions and that protein consumption causes hair loss is a misconception, Chou Chien-hsin (周千欽), a nutritionist at Taipei City Hospital’s Songde Branch, said on Sunday.
Proteins are made up of one or more amino acid chains and are categorized as “complete,” common in soybeans, fish, eggs, meat and dairy products, “partially complete” (whole grains, rice and oatmeal) or “incomplete” (animal hooves and tendons), Tsai said.
Complete proteins contain an adequate proportion of the nine essential amino acids necessary for muscle protein synthesis and muscle growth, she said.
It is recommended that a healthy adult consume about as many grams of protein per day as their weight in kilograms, Chou said. For example, a person weighing 70kg should consume about 70g of protein per day.
People seeking muscle growth and lifting weights can increase their protein consumption 1.6 to two times the recommended amount, she said.
Studies show that a healthy person with well-functioning kidneys can metabolize two times the recommended daily protein intake, but a high-protein diet can affect people with kidney diseases, Chou said.
People on a high-protein diet should drink plenty of water to avoid dehydration and to flush out excess nitrogen, she said. They should choose protein sources carefully, as some high-protein foods are also high in calories and can be stored as fat, causing obesity.
Fatty red meat has a lot of saturated fatty acid and can raise blood cholesterol levels and increase the risk of cardiovascular disease, she said.
People should eat more soybeans, fish and chicken for proteins, as soy-based foods can help reduce cholesterol and fish is a good source of omega-3 fatty acids, which are good for the heart, she said.
People who eat boiled meat with no condiments should also consume vegetables and get enough carbohydrates and minerals, she said.
Hair loss is most often due to hereditary factors or stress, rather than high protein intake, Chou said.
Studies show that people who regularly do weight training are more likely to lose their hair as exercise boosts testosterone levels, while dehydroepiandrosterone is a common ingredient in protein supplements, although it is not used in Taiwan, she said.
People who have poor kidney function, diabetes or chronic diseases should not have a high-protein diet, Chou said. People should consult a doctor or a nutritionist before starting a diet and not consume more than two times the daily recommended intake of protein.
When excessive protein is ingested, nitrogen compounds, such as ammonia, urea and uric acid, can build up in the body, she said. There is also an increased risk of osteoporosis, as phosphorus in meat can affect calcium absorption.
Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Chairman Eric Chu (朱立倫), spokeswoman Yang Chih-yu (楊智伃) and Legislator Hsieh Lung-chieh (謝龍介) would be summoned by police for questioning for leading an illegal assembly on Thursday evening last week, Minister of the Interior Liu Shyh-fang (劉世芳) said today. The three KMT officials led an assembly outside the Taipei City Prosecutors’ Office, a restricted area where public assembly is not allowed, protesting the questioning of several KMT staff and searches of KMT headquarters and offices in a recall petition forgery case. Chu, Yang and Hsieh are all suspected of contravening the Assembly and Parade Act (集會遊行法) by holding
PRAISE: Japanese visitor Takashi Kubota said the Taiwanese temple architecture images showcased in the AI Art Gallery were the most impressive displays he saw Taiwan does not have an official pavilion at the World Expo in Osaka, Japan, because of its diplomatic predicament, but the government-backed Tech World pavilion is drawing interest with its unique recreations of works by Taiwanese artists. The pavilion features an artificial intelligence (AI)-based art gallery showcasing works of famous Taiwanese artists from the Japanese colonial period using innovative technologies. Among its main simulated displays are Eastern gouache paintings by Chen Chin (陳進), Lin Yu-shan (林玉山) and Kuo Hsueh-hu (郭雪湖), who were the three young Taiwanese painters selected for the East Asian Painting exhibition in 1927. Gouache is a water-based
Taiwan would welcome the return of Honduras as a diplomatic ally if its next president decides to make such a move, Minister of Foreign Affairs Lin Chia-lung (林佳龍) said yesterday. “Of course, we would welcome Honduras if they want to restore diplomatic ties with Taiwan after their elections,” Lin said at a meeting of the legislature’s Foreign Affairs and National Defense Committee, when asked to comment on statements made by two of the three Honduran presidential candidates during the presidential campaign in the Central American country. Taiwan is paying close attention to the region as a whole in the wake of a
OFF-TARGET: More than 30,000 participants were expected to take part in the Games next month, but only 6,550 foreign and 19,400 Taiwanese athletes have registered Taipei city councilors yesterday blasted the organizers of next month’s World Masters Games over sudden timetable and venue changes, which they said have caused thousands of participants to back out of the international sporting event, among other organizational issues. They also cited visa delays and political interference by China as reasons many foreign athletes are requesting refunds for the event, to be held from May 17 to 30. Jointly organized by the Taipei and New Taipei City governments, the games have been rocked by numerous controversies since preparations began in 2020. Taipei City Councilor Lin Yen-feng (林延鳳) said yesterday that new measures by
RSS