Guest Information
Alistair Monteyne
Alistair Monteyne is the lead author on some recent RCTs examining the impact of mycoprotein on muscle protein synthesis.
Alistair is currently a PhD student at the University of Exeter, and has a MSc. in Sport and Exercise Nutrition from Loughborough University.
In this episode we discuss:
- What is mycoprotein?
- Nutritional profile of mycoprotein
- Are there safety concerns?
- Muscle protein synthesis as the target of protein-based meals to build/repair muscle
- Typical comparisons of animal-based vs. plant-based protein sources
- Why animal-sources typically outperform plant sources
- Role of leucine and EAA content
- Impact of mycoprotein on MPS
- Implications for vegan and vegetarian diets
Links & Resources
- Monteyne et al., 2020 - A mycoprotein based high-protein vegan diet supports equivalent daily myofibrillar protein synthesis rates compared with an isonitrogenous omnivorous diet in older adults: a randomized controlled trial
- Monteyne et al., 2020 - Branched-Chain Amino Acid Fortification Does Not Restore Muscle Protein Synthesis Rates following Ingestion of Lower- Compared with Higher-Dose Mycoprotein
- Nutritional Physiology Research Group - University of Exeter
- Twitter - @uoe_npg
Comments
What are your thoughts on mycoprotein and it’s impact on insulin levels and glycemic control? I see there have only been a been a few studies so far.
I have been substituting with Quorn products more often because the macro breakdown looks really good. However, do you still think the processed nature of Quorn products makes them less desirable than whole food alternatives.
Many thanks.
Hey Carl,
So far I don’t have any major concerns, but the benefits of consuming such products probably comes down to what it’s replacing in the diet. So while it could be positive if it reduces someones intake of fatty cuts of meat (presuming their intake is high), then that is a net benefit. But I think there are many open questions about processed foods like these, and someone could make an argument that many whole food options would be the safest to hedge our bets on.
So pragmatically, right now my position would be that these can be included in an overall healthy diet as a convenient source of protein, particularly for those looking for non-animal proteins. However, it’s probably best to have a variety of whole or minimally processed foods also within the diet.