In a world where dieting is the norm, protein intake is the exception to the rule. Protein is everywhere, found in shakes, powders and bars. It’s the new wave, and everyone from bodybuilders to your average YMCA member is obsessed with it.

Protein is hailed as the key to maintaining a body as sculpted as a professional athlete’s, and achieving a butt as voluptuous as Kim Kardashian’s or Nicki Minaj’s. It is a common idea that one can never get too much protein, but that is untrue.

It is possible to have too much of a good thing.

Protein comes from animal products like beef, chicken, pork, fish and dairy. Animal protein is a great source of B vitamins, iron, zinc and calcium.

However, different plant products can also be rich in protein. Quinoa, almonds, walnuts, pistachios, peanuts, lentils and soybeans are packed with it, and plant protein is high in fiber, phytochemicals and heart-healthy unsaturated fat.

Protein is made of amino acids. Of the 20 different amino acids our body needs, some are non-essential because the body can make them itself. Others are considered essential because the body can’t produce them, and these amino acids must be obtained through the foods we eat.

The Institute of Medicine recommends that average adult eat 0.8 g/kg of body weight for protein. So a 154-pound adult (70 kg) would need 56 grams of protein. Surprisingly enough, the average consumption of protein is much higher, checking in at 70 grams per day.

The Institute of Medicine also recommends that only 10-35 percent of the total calories you eat in a day should come from protein. This is significantly less than the recommendation that 20-35 percent of the total calories you eat in day should come from fat. This gives some indication that body doesn’t need as much protein as most people think.

Excess protein has been linked with osteoporosis, kidney disease and calcium stones in the urinary tract. The average American diet is often too high in protein, especially from animal sources.

Eating too much protein also causes high levels of nitrogen in the body. This places a strain on the kidneys, which must excrete the extra nitrogen through urine. When your kidneys are overworked, toxic substances can build up in your bloodstream and damage the kidneys themselves.

And while fat is the dietary substance most associated with unhealthy behavior, protein also plays a role in increasing cancer risk, according to the Physicians Committee. Researchers believe the fat, protein, natural carcinogens and absence of fiber in meat all increase the risk of colon cancer.

Additionally, some high-protein diets include foods such as red meat, which may increase your risk of heart disease. The American Heart Association recommends eating more chicken, fish and beans because red meats like beef, pork and lamb have higher levels of cholesterol and saturated fat. Cholesterol and saturated fat can increase the amount of unhealthy blood fat and increase your risk for heart disease.

But in the end, incorporating more plant based foods into your diet is the best solution. To consume a diet that contains enough protein, but not too much, replace animal products with grains, vegetables, peas, beans, lentils and fruits. If you enjoy red meat, choose lean and skinless meat options, and aim for protein sources low in saturated fat and processed carbohydrates and rich in many nutrients.

Khija Rockett is a senior nutrition major. Her column appears weekly in Pulp. She can be reached at kmrocket@syr.edu.

Published on March 8, 2016 at 8:29 pm