In T. Colin Campbell’s book, “Whole: Rethinking the Science of Nutrition,” he discusses 20 years of research that he has done on the link between excess animal proteins in the diet and cancer. He and his colleagues found that certain types of proteins could cause cancers to “turn on.” Removing the protein from the diet quickly switched the cancer growth off.
In fact, Campbell and the others found that many so-called carcinogenic substances, such as aflatoxin (a fungus found on peanuts), induced cancer only when high-protein diets were eaten.
One of the worst culprits they found was the protein casein — a milk protein. Casein is high in glutamate and is usually labeled on food labels as sodium or potassium caseinate. This goes along with the finding that glutamate promotes cancer growth.
High-protein diets are currently popular. I have been an outspoken opponent of protein shakes, bars and other proteins concoctions for many years. High protein intake stresses the kidneys and liver, raises blood glutamate levels and suppresses a process called autophagy — a cell cleaning system. Impaired autophagy is seen in a number of diseases, such as Alzheimer’s disease.
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