Have you ever wondered why you crave certain foods or how much protein you really need? My guest today shares fascinating insights from decades of research on animals and humans that reveal the science behind our food desires and ideal protein intake.
Introduction
What do you have in common with a locust? More than you might think, according to today’s guest. In fact, humans share a fundamental similarity with every animal when it comes to food and diet. This overlooked connection could transform how we think about nutrition forever.
I recently had the pleasure of speaking with a professor who has dedicated his career to understanding the dietary choices of animals ranging from locusts to primates. Along with his colleague, he is the author of an incredible book called “Eat Like the Animals,” which digs into the eating habits of wildlife to uncover lessons for human health.
In this post, I’ll share the key takeaways from my discussion, including:
- The surprising truth about food cravings
- How animals balance their nutrient intake
- The ideal daily protein target for humans
- Why protein overconsumption can be harmful
- The problem with processed and ultra-processed foods
The Research That Started It All
To grasp the significance of this research, we first need to understand how it began. Decades ago, my guest and his colleague set out to answer a fundamental question: How do animals balance their diets in the wild?
We know from lab studies that dietary balance is critical for health. But how do animals with no nutritional labels or science guiding them consume a balanced diet in nature?
To unravel this mystery, my guest’s team needed an easily manipulable test subject. They chose locusts, which met key criteria like rapid growth and reproduction.
Using locusts allowed them to strictly control food composition and precisely track effects on longevity, growth rates, and other outcomes. The discoveries from the initial locust experiments laid the foundation for a broader theory applicable to many species, including humans.
The Surprising Truth About Food Cravings
So what did the locust studies reveal? The researchers found that locusts don’t have a single appetite. Rather, they have multiple “nutrient-specific appetites” – cravings for specific nutrients depending on bodily needs.
For instance, when locusts are protein-deficient, an appetite for protein kicks in. They selectively seek out protein-rich foods until this craving is satisfied. The same applies for carbohydrates, fats, and other nutrients.
In this way, nutrient-specific appetites work together as a feedback mechanism, nudging the locusts to eat optimal proportions of different foods to meet nutritional requirements. The end result is a balanced diet.
This discovery in locusts launched investigations across the animal kingdom. Time and again in species from cockroaches to cats, the pattern held true. Animals have evolved separate appetites for key nutrients that guide their food choices toward an ideal nutritional intake.
The Fundamental Role of Protein
Now that we understand how nutrient-specific appetites create dietary balance, let’s look specifically at protein. Why does protein play such an outsized role in food cravings?
As my guest explained, many species share a dominant appetite for protein. When forced to choose between complete protein intake and balanced fats/carbs, animals overwhelmingly prioritize meeting protein needs.
The reason appears to be that protein cannot be efficiently stored in the body. Critically important on a daily basis for cellular repair, growth, and other processes, protein must be regularly consumed.
In contrast, excess carbs and fats can be banked as stored energy. This makes animals highly motivated to hit an optimal protein target each day, even if it means under-eating other macronutrients.
However, this strong protein drive has an evolutionary purpose. Consuming adequate protein while moderately limiting carbs and fats may offer longevity benefits, as we’ll discuss soon.
The Ideal Human Protein Intake
So how can we translate protein lessons from the animal kingdom into an ideal protein target for humans? Here are some simple ways to estimate your daily needs:
- Take your body weight in pounds and multiply by 0.36. This gives you your recommended daily protein intake in grams.
- Use an online calculator to determine your total calorie needs. Then multiply this number by 15% to get your ideal daily protein calories. Divide this number by 4 to convert to grams of protein.
- For a more personalized number based on age, use the USDA’s interactive nutrient calculator.
As my guest notes, we don’t need complex formulas to determine our protein needs. Our innate nutrient-specific appetite for protein will guide us to the right intake, as long as we eat whole, unprocessed foods.
The Downside of Excess Protein
While adequate protein is essential, what are the potential downsides of overdoing it? Two key reasons emerge why we should be mindful about overconsuming protein:
- Increased toxicity. Excess protein cannot be stored and must be detoxified, placing strain on the body.
- Accelerated aging. Abundant protein intake triggers pathways associated with rapid growth, reproduction, and lifespan shortening.
Research across species suggests that high protein intake is linked to earlier onset of age-related disease and compressed longevity. Moderately low protein for humans, similar to traditional diets in long-lived populations, appears protective.
My guest also explained how protein interacts with other nutrients to influence weight and metabolic health. When protein is diluted by processed carbs and fats, our strong protein appetite can drive overeating and obesity. We overconsume empty carbs and fats trying to hit our protein target.
In contrast, protein balanced by whole, healthy carbs and fats satisfies us at a lower calorie intake. Fiber also plays a key role in promoting satiety.
The Problems with Processed Foods
This brings us to the profound health impacts of processed foods. As my guest outlined, ultra-processed foods subvert our innate nutrient appetites and taste preferences for profit rather than wellbeing.
For instance, synthetic flavor additives hijack our taste buds’ response to real foods like strawberries. Refining carbs removes satiating fiber. Lower relative protein content breeds overeating.
In short, processed foods are optimized for hyper-palatability, extended shelf life, and commercial interests – not our health or nutrient status. Over time, this can warp natural appetite signals and damage metabolic health.
The Way Forward
In closing, what are some practical tips for leveraging this knowledge?
- Determine your ideal protein intake and make whole food choices to meet this target. Don’t worry about counting grams.
- Avoid protein extremes. Moderation and balance is key for longevity.
- Limit processed foods whenever possible to prevent overconsumption.
- Eat more whole, unrefined carbs high in fiber such as legumes, vegetables, and fruits.
- Allow your innate nutrient-specific appetites to guide food choices based on needs.
- Focus on food quality and diversity instead of hyper-fixating on single “superfoods.”
Our bodies possess incredible wisdom about optimal fueling if we tune out the noise and align with our evolution. A diet in harmony with nature, not industry, is the recipe for lifelong health.
Conclusion
I’m profoundly grateful to today’s guest for devoting his career to uncovering the eating strategies that sustain wildlife. Hopefully, you feel similarly awed and inspired by the sophistication of nature.
This research reveals that within each of us are the instincts to thrive, if given the chance. All it takes is removing what doesn’t serve us and realigning with timeless principles.
