N.C. Episode 2: First Principles Of Nutrition Part 2
You don't know what you don't know. Therefore I will tell you how food, supplement companies deceive you and how to disarm them.
You’re on a new health kick. You are feeling motivated, you’ve got some time, some energy, a little bit of free cash to accomplish your goal of slimming down that post high school stomach (or post college). Then you see this beautiful claim:
You’re amazed. This will get you to your goal much faster than just doing the eating whole foods and working out alone. Load. The. Boat. … Or so it seems.
Nothing worth it comes easy and if it does, just wait for the other shoe to drop.
- Rudy G.
Does it Pass The First Principles Test?
Well let’s ask some questions: (Don’t worry about the label, I will teach how to read them later)
What is “healthy” energy? What about the energy makes it “healthy?”
If you recall, your body creates energy from calories, which macronutrients (carb, fat, protein) are composed of. How many calories are in this drink?
Energy is a unit of measure just like heat. When you get electricity into your house from the power company do you know whether it was wind, solar, power plant, a combination? I don’t personally know. Similarly your body makes energy whether it comes from carbs, fat, protein.
How does it have 10 calories, yet zero macronutrients? Because anything under .5g does not have to be listed according to the FDA. Paying attention yet?
It claims to provide 'healthy' energy, yet contains only 10 calories—hardly any energy at all.
Does it truly accelerate metabolism, leading to increased calorie burning?
Well lets think back, what is the main way your body burns energy (60-75%)? Your Basil Metabolic Rate (BMR). The second significant contributor is NEAT (non-exercise activity thermogenesis). Considering these major factors, are the effects of this drink significant enough to make a real difference? Or are we focusing on minor details while overlooking the bigger picture?
It claims to accelerate metabolism because it has caffeine in it. Caffeine very slightly will help you burn calories by raising your heart rate which your body will slightly give off more heat because it is “working harder.”
You don’t want this claim to be fully true. Lets say theoretically it worked like a charm. The heat/energy would have to go SOMEWHERE. You would be burning up at temperature over 101 degrees, encroaching death. Certain substances, including some steroids and unregulated supplements, can have similar effects, but the risks far outweigh the potential benefits. Even illicit drugs like methamphetamine can increase metabolism, but at a devastating cost to health.
Burning body fat. Why only body fat? What advantage would this prove to the body?
Your body will burn stored energy (fat) from wherever it deems is best according to your genetics. Even so, most people will store fat in their midsection primarily as it protects the vital organs from physical harm or even temperature gradient (think extreme cold).
Just as targeted exercises don't lead to spot reduction, supplements cannot selectively burn body fat. Fat loss occurs throughout the body when you maintain a consistent caloric deficit.
Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me.
But This Protein is Better Than That Protein…
When it comes to proteins there are advantages here and there about different kinds, but nothing matters more than the first principles.
Question: If your macros are set at 150 grams per day, does it matter if you take this protein vs that protein vs get it all in food? What the hale is a protein?
A protein is a box of amino acids . There is no protein without amino acids just as there are no macronutrients without calories.
There are 20 total amino acids in the human body 11 of which the body can produce on its own, these are called non-essential amino acids. Your body makes the 11 of these.
The other 9 are called essential amino acids, which your body cannot make and must be obtained through diet. These 9 makeup an entire protein which you intake. When you eat protein, it is broken down into amino acids, which your body then uses for various functions, such as repairing injuries, building muscle, or providing energy. SO! You decide to buy a protein, they’ll all have the essential amino acids in sufficient levels (if you’re buying a reputable brand).
The next consideration is the type of protein, such as whey, casein, etc., which is often a source of confusion. Nothing and I mean absolutely nothing trumps your overall intake of protein. When determining which of these to take, people have done studies and most of them only differ significantly in digesting speeds which has affects blood glucose, muscle protein synthesis. Although Whey has been the biggest mover amongst for muscle building. For staying satiated, Casein. Avoid gimmicky protein powders, such as those promoting a 'carnivore' approach, that make unsubstantiated claims.
I personally would rather you get your protein through your food, but sometimes you need help hitting your overall protein targets, which is what they are for. Protein shakes do not have the nutrition profile to be consumed as meal replacements, they are not. Even if they claim they do, they are missing components of food that make the nutrients (micronutrients) more absorbable. There is no long term shortcut.
A Take on Plant Protein
Perhaps you do it for ethical reasons which I would stop reading here if I were you, but also perhaps you have some sort of milk allergy or see plant protein as “organic healthy eating.”
I understand the appeal of plant protein. However, it's important to recognize that it won't necessarily accelerate your progress, regardless of whether it's organic or not. The key is to focus on overall protein intake and a balanced diet
It's important to note that the bioavailability of plant protein can be lower than that of animal protein. On average, your body may only absorb and utilize around 70% of the protein from plant sources. This can vary depending on the specific food source. For instance, if you consume 100g of plant protein, your body may only utilize 70g. While this can still contribute to your protein needs, it requires consuming more calories and often comes at a higher cost. Now you’ll have to intake around 145g of plant protein for your body to be able to use 100g
Remember the first principles: Protein, the macronutrient, is composed of amino acids. Plants contain varying levels of amino acids, often in lower quantities than animal sources, and the exact amino acid profile can be unpredictable. If you wish to take a dive in that realm, the world is your oyster and I invite you to learn more, but that is out of the scope of this writing.
Spreading The Poison
They worked their ass off. They dieted, worked out hard, sacrificed tons of time. They were taking a pre workout supplement promising to burn tons of fat and a protein that took you to the ancestry realms of eating.
Who gets the credit? As we go back, supplements account for a MAX of 5% of overall success, but most people do not know that so they get feelings of imposter syndrome.
Now they need x supplement to get lean or to get strong, etc. Their friends see the gains and ask “what do you take bro” and of course you give up the cause.
The psychology of the situation is that they are demeaning their success to the level of a supplement, giving it more credit than it should have. It takes away from their overall internal motivation, therefore in the future… They wont be as good without it, at least in their mind, so they’ll cease to work AS hard… A self manifesting defeat.
Question Everything
Would it be insane to think we shouldn’t take the word of a industry that makes 54 billion dollars per year off the consumer?
Our body is made to protect us from an evolutionary standpoint, it has no other “wants.”
I don’t think so. I think we should be skeptical which is part of First Principle Thinking. Why does x happen? How does it draw back to the truths that we know without a doubt and have been proven time and time again?
Is there room for fun stuff like pre workouts, fancy protein shakes, unregulated supplements? Sure there is! After the first principles, but even supplements could have deleterious effects which you could figure out by going back to the first principles of physiology.
I have taken a deep dive in this, been through the bs and now I am passing the information on to you. These are only a few ways to question companies and draw them back to the foundations. It is up to you to be skeptical and form your own opinions based on them, but also being smart about your intake and knowing when to detect a scam which takes your time, energy, attention and what a let down it is to take something you think will make you the next supermodel, only to be disappointed.
You can do it without any of this to be honest, with the exception of protein powder which just makes your life easier as it is a helpful supplement as intended to be.
This also does not include real enhancement like steroids, which is out of the scope of this writing.
Would it be ridiculous if you passed a quiz on what you just read? Here is one of my favorite recipes inspired by thanksgiving and being poor, made by yours truly. This one feeds four and is quick, cheap, high in protein and nutritious.
