Here's my desktop sticky to remind me of why I should gobble fat instead of meat:
1) Please see this excerpt from Phinney's review "Ketogenic Diets and
Physical Performance":
"The third dietary factor potentially affecting physical performance
is adjusting protein intake to bring it within the optimum
therapeutic window for human metabolism. The studies noted herein
[13-15,20] demonstrate effective preservation of lean body mass and
physical performance when protein is in the range of 1.2 – 1.7 g/kg
reference body weight daily, provided in the context of adequate
minerals. Picking the mid-range value of 1.5 g/kg-d, for adults with
reference weights ranging from 60–80 kg, this translates into total
daily protein intakes 90 to 120 g/d. This number is also consistent
with the protein intake reported in the Bellevue study [9]. When
expressed in the context of total daily energy expenditures of 2000–
3000 kcal/d, about 15% of ones daily energy expenditure (or intake if
the diet is eucaloric) needs to be provided as protein.
The effects of reducing daily protein intake to below 1.2 g/kg
reference weight during a ketogenic diet include progressive loss of
functional lean tissue and thus loss of physical performance, as
demonstrated by Davis et al [21]. In this study, subjects given
protein at 1.1 g/kg-d experienced a significant reduction in VO2max
over a 3 month period on a ketogenic diet, whereas subjects given 1.5
g/kg-d maintained VO2max.
At the other end of the spectrum, higher protein intakes have the
potential for negative side-effects if intake of this nutrient
exceeds 25% of daily energy expenditure. One concern with higher
levels of protein intake is the suppression of ketogenesis relative
to an equi-caloric amount of fat (assuming that ketones are a
beneficial adaptation to whole body fuel homeostasis). In addition,
Stefansson describes a malady known by the Inuit as rabbit malaise
[8]. This problem would occur in the early spring when very lean
rabbits were the only available game, when people might be tempted to
eat too much protein in the absence of an alternative source of
dietary fat. The symptoms were reported to occur within a week, and
included headache and lassitude. Such symptoms are not uncommon among
people who casually undertake a 'low carbohydrate, high protein' diet."
2) Also, Ron Rosedale in his book recommending a "high fat, low
nonfiber carbohydrate, moderate protein diet," has charts that start
on page 207 to help you figure out daily protein requirements.
Basically, for those who are not overweight, the number is half your
weight. There are a few more calculations involved for the
overweight -- but the gist is the same as Phinney above.
Here's a quote from the book:
"The fact that protein is essential for life... doesn't mean that you
can eat it in unlimited quantities. When you eat more protein than
your body needs to replace and repair body parts, excess protein is
largely converted into glucose and burned as fuel. It turns you
into a sugar maker and sugar burner! This is not desirable or healthy."
