Macronutrient Basics

Macronutrient Basics (for breast cancer survivors)

Macronutrient Basics

When we talk about macronutrients, we’re referring to complex carbohydrates,
protein, fat, and fiber. We’ll look briefly at each one from an Eating for Health
perspective.

PROTEIN

The Eating for Health model advises eating unadulterated protein from fresh
sources. By unadulterated, we mean that the precious amino acids comprising the
protein have not been stripped out, burned, overheated, extruded, overprocessed, or
tampered with in any significant way. As you might expect, that leaves out such
items as commercial (nonorganic) dairy, grilled meats, and any factory-farmed
animal products.

Protein literally means “of prime importance.” No wonder; protein is essential
for building and repairing tissue, for producing enzymes and hormones, and for
regulating fluid balance in the body. To ensure maximum assimilation, we suggest
having several small portions of protein throughout the day, approximately 12 to 20
grams per serving, depending on your age, activity level, weight, and health status.
Excellent choices are wild, fatty fish; organic, free-range animal meats and eggs;
fermented, unprocessed soy products (miso, natto, and tempeh); legumes; whole
grains; nuts; seeds; and algae.

About Protein and cancer. While small amounts of grass-fed beef can be very
healthy, it is important to avoid overconsuming red meat, because it lowers the
body’s pH. Cancer tends to thrive in an acidic environment (pH of 6.8 or lower) and
is stymied in an alkaline environment (pH greater than 7) (Gatenby et al. 2007). To
track where you are on the acid-alkaline scale, keep a stock of pH strips on hand,
available at any drugstore, to check your saliva before eating or drinking anything
in the morning. If your salivary pH is lower than 6.8, you can take action by adding
more fresh fruits and vegetables and herbal teas to your diet.

Soy protein. Eating soy can be a good alternative to meat. For example, one cup of
tempeh contains about 24 grams of digestible protein, as well as soluble fiber, zinc,
B vitamins, iron, calcium, and magnesium. What’s more, unadulterated soy protein
shows great promise in the prevention and management of cancer, as shown by
several large epidemiological studies, such as the Shanghai Women’s Health Study,
in which soy food intake was shown to decrease the risk of premenopausal breast
cancer (Shu et al. 2009). Soy products appear to inhibit breast cancer by decreasing
levels of circulating estrogens through the action of special chemicals known as
genistein and daidzein.

There are potential problems with soy protein, however. You’ll want to consider
the following issues:

• Digestibility: Many people find it difficult to digest soy, and are reminded of

this in no uncertain terms when they experience gas, bloating, and
indigestion. Should these symptoms occur, try cutting back on portion sizes
or taking a digestive enzyme at the beginning of your meal. Your digestive
system may have an easier time with tempeh, miso, or natto, all fermented
soy foods enjoyed regularly in Asian countries, especially Japan. The
process of fermentation increases digestibility of all foods, including soy.
Fermenting soy also inhibits the activity of goitrogens, natural thyroidblocking
agents found in unfermented soy.

• Genetic modification: Recently, a great deal of concern has been raised about

the long-term safety of genetically engineered (GE) soy, which now
constitutes approximately 80 percent of all soybeans grown (Center for
Food Safety 2011). Developed by Monsanto, GE soy is grown from a special
seed that is resistant to Monsanto’s Roundup, a potent and controversial
herbicide. This resistance allows much heavier doses of pesticide to be used
on the crop, doses many experts believe to be toxic. And many questions
remain about the safety of GE crops overall. For this reason, we very
strongly recommend eating only organic soy foods. Be aware that soy
protein isolate, a highly processed form of soy protein, often genetically
modified, is used as a filler and additive in hundreds of food products. If you
become a conscientious label reader, you’ll be able to quickly recognize
which products contain GE soy.

• Soy controversies. Soy is one of those foods that you either love or hate. In

recent years, soy has been touted as a wonder food by the likes of physician
Andrew Weil, while it has been vilified by others, such as nutritionist Kaayla
Daniel (2005). Is soy indeed either healthy or hazardous for breast cancer
survivors?

We believe that if soy is organic and close to its original form, it can be a
healthy addition to the diet. A cup of warm miso broth, some edamame, or a tempeh
stir-fry can provide high-quality protein in addition to isoflavones, which act as
weak estrogens, helping to guard estrogen receptors from more potent, aggressive
estrogens.

The Japanese typically eat soy from an early age, which may be one key to their
lower rates of breast cancer. In April 2008, researchers (Iwasaki et al.) used blood
and urine samples to measure isoflavone levels in almost 25,000 Japanese women.
Those who had the highest levels of genistein (a soy isoflavone) had the lowest rates
of breast cancer.

Other studies provide mixed and often confusing results, depending on the age
group of the women tested, the length of time soy products have been eaten, what
other treatments are being used, and other variables.

Using an Eating for Health approach can help sort through the confusing data.
E4H supports the use of whole, organic soy, eaten in moderation, just as it supports
the consumption of all whole foods. We do not recommend that you use soy as your
sole source of protein, and we definitely advise against the use of all “fake” soy
products, such as soy bacon, soy chicken, soy meatballs, and other “foods” created
from soy-based, textured vegetable protein. These are not whole foods and, as such,
would fall outside the scope of an E4H lifestyle.

We also suggest that you stay away from soy isoflavones as a supplement,
because some experts have postulated that too much concentrated soy could fuel the
growth of an existing tumor (ACS 2010c). There is also concern that soy might
counteract the protective effects of tamoxifen (Ju et al. 2002). If you have trouble
digesting soy or have thyroid issues, it is best to avoid it altogether.