Confronting Our (American's) Love Affair with Animal Protein.

I've become a student and a follower of a highly respected but somewhat controversial researcher by the name of T. Colin Campbell.  He is a PhD in biochemistry.  He presently runs the Nutritional Institute at Cornell University.  He is the author of The China Study and Whole: Rethinking the Science of Nutrition to name only a couple of his books.   His groundbreaking research in the causes of Cancer and Nutrition have been stellar and provocative.  He is one of the researchers featured on the shocking documentary, Forks Over Knives, available on Netflix.

Campbell set up extensive labs for years at both Virginia Tech and Cornell, to investigate the role of nutrition in preventing or causing cancer.  His chief focus was on the biochemical connection between proteins, enzymes and cancerous cell development.  His research was demonstrating "beyond any doubt, that not just excess dietary protein, but a particular type of excess dietary protein, promoted cancer formation and growth.  And these results, seen in our experiments with rats, were consistent with human populations and case-control studies that showed impressive associations between animal-based protein consumption and cancer rates."  P. 31, Whole.

So, when we think of protein, what kind of foods do you think of?  Meat, Dairy products and Eggs!  Did you know that calorie for calorie, Spinach and Kale have about twice as much protein, per calorie, as a lean cut of beef!  Campbell says, "can you image our shock when animal protein, but not vegetable protein, was the culprit in turning on cancer in our studies?"

He further found, "clearer than expected, that animal protein intake determined cancer development far more than the dose of the chemical carcinogen."

When addressing a large audience at a convention of the World Congress of Nutrition in Seoul, South Korea, a well -known advocate of consuming more, not less, animal protein arose and lamented, "Colin, you"re talking about good food!  Don't take it away from us!" You see, He was not questioning the validity of the research results; he was concerned that, "I was trying to undermine his personal love for animal protein!"  A few take aways!

• Even rational, data-driven scientists could be sent into prolonged states of hysteria when presented with evidence that their favorite foods might be killing them!
• It is interesting that "My questioner has since traveled to greener pastures, at an age much too young.  He suffered from a kind of heart problem that is promoted by animal-based proteins!"
• So called, "high quality" protein (animal protein) might not be as high quality as always thought.
• Associating a valued nutrient like animal protein with increased growth of a feared disease like cancer was heresy squared.  No wonder the health industry resists the data against animal protein.
• Our most revered nutrient (animal source protein) actually promoted our most feared disease! (Cancer)

For information on the research:  The China Study, chapter 3,  Prevent and Reverse Heart Disease.

Eat to Live, by Joel Fuhrman, chapter 4

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