Historically, nutritionists can’t seem to make up their mind about protein. First, we heard it would make us thin and svelte (thank you, Dr. Atkins); then, some health advocates started saying too much protein would kill our kidneys and increase our risk of heart disease. By the time we came back around to seeing protein as something we need to build muscle and stay strong, experts were shouting that Americans already consume way too much.
“I think protein gets a bad rap because, number one, people don’t know how much to consume, and number two, they don’t know when to consume it,” says Kristen Bell, a Los Angeles-based sports dietician who works with endurance athletes. Here, Bell, along with top nutrition researcher Douglas Paddon-Jones, clear up the five biggest myths about the muscle-building macronutrient, with what you need to know to stay lean, strong, and healthy.
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