During a recent nutrition coaching session the topic of nuts (and nut butters) as a protein source came up.
TL;DR
Yes, nuts contain protein.
No, nuts should not be considered your protein source in a meal.
In discussing the "nuts are protein" myth with other coaches I can attest that we've all had this talk with clients more times than we can count.
It is so widespread that I feel like a national PSA needs to be made.
So, here we go. Please share far and wide.
📢 Nuts. Are. Not. A. Good. Source. Of. Protein. 📢
Why, you ask?
First, let's talk about proteins.
Proteins are organic molecules made up of amino acids – the building blocks of life.
Our bodies need proteins and amino acids to:
Produce important molecules like enzymes, hormones and antibodies
Replace worn out cells
Transport various substances throughout the body
Aid in growth and repair
Without adequate protein intake, our bodies can’t function well.
So, how much protein do we need?
That depends on a few factors, but most important are:
Your activity level and
Your goals
For untrained and generally healthy adults the basic protein recommendation is 0.8 grams per kilogram of body weight.
This means a 150 lb person would need to consume around 54 grams a day.
However, this amount is only enough to prevent protein deficiency in inactive individuals.
It isn't enough to ensure a baseline of protein synthesis (the creation of new proteins from individual building blocks) in active individuals.
For active individuals protein needs can go up to 1.4-2.0 grams per kilogram of body weight.
Consuming more protein can also help you:
✔ Control body fat
✔ Stay more muscular
✔ Keep a strong immune system
✔ Improve athletic performance
✔ Maintain a healthy metabolism
✔ Feel full longer (which can help you manage body weight)
So, if our hypothetical 150 lb person is moderately active and pursuing a weight loss goal, their protein needs are now around 95-135 grams of protein per day.
In short, we need a small amount of protein to survive, but we need a lot more to thrive.
But here's the catch, we can only store so much protein at one time, which means you can't just eat a gigantic steak for breakfast and call it a day.
Since the body needs its protein stores to be continually replenished, it's necessary to consume moderate amounts of protein at regular intervals (like at every meal).
What's a "moderate amount"?
According to the research by Dr. Don Layman, approximately 30 g protein per meal is ideal for satiety and optimal muscle protein synthesis.
Which means our example person above would need to have 3-4 30 g servings each day in order to hit their 95-135 gram/day goal.
What does 30 grams of protein look like?
As you can see, in order to get 30 grams of protein from nuts you would need to eat 90 grams of fat AND over 1,000 calories. 😱
If our 150 lb person:
Was moderately active 3-4x/week
Had a sedentary job
Wanted to lose 10-15lbs in the next 3 months
Was eating in a calorie deficit
That 1,000+ calories of nuts would be:
More than half of their daily calorie recommendation AND
Almost double their daily fat recommendation
Oh, and it would only be 1 of the 4 servings of protein needed for the day!
If you are aiming to lose (or just maintain) weight it is practically impossible to hit your protein needs AND stay within your calorie needs by using nuts as your primary or even secondary protein source.
So, if nuts aren't a good source of protein, what is?
Protein sources for omnivores:
✔ Fish and shellfish
✔ Lean meats and poultry
✔ Eggs and egg whites
✔ Plain greek yogurt and cottage cheese
✔ Protein powders
Protein sources for plant based eaters:
✔ Tempeh
✔ Lentils and beans
✔ Edamame
✔ Tofu
✔ Protein powders
Look, nuts are a great source of monounsaturated fats (one category of "healthy fats") and fats are necessary for keeping your hormones healthy, your energy levels up, and your insulin sensitivity high.
However they are a poor source of protein and protein is key in weight management, muscle-building, immune health and hormone regulation.
So, feel free to incorporate nuts into your diet (along with other healthy fat sources), but a let's call a spade a spade.
Nuts are a good source of fats, NOT protein.
Sorry, not sorry. 🤷🏼♀️