Lily Nichols, RD on protein vs amino acids, micronutrients, and real-world perspectives on nutrition

Friend and fellow dietitian, Lily Nichols is back to catch us up on what she’s been up to and fill us in on the latest in nutrition research. Since our first episode together, Lily has been busy advocating for updated dietary guidelines, especially as they relate to pregnancy and postpartum. She is the author of two books: Real Food for Pregnancy and Real Food for Gestational Diabetes. Lily is also the co-founder of Women’s Health Nutrition Academy, an organization dedicated to providing continuing education in women’s health.  

In this episode, Lily and I take a deep dive into all things protein. There is a long-held belief in dietetics that as long as you are getting enough total protein in your diet then your amino acid requirements will be met too.  Lily sets the record straight by pointing to new evidence that shows this simply isn’t true. In fact, the need for the full array of amino acids for children is so important, that deficiencies during certain development periods can cause irreversible problems.

There’s so much to cover in this episode that we actually ran out of time so stay tuned as I’m sure to have Lily on the show again.

Even if you are not pregnant or considering getting pregnant, you’re sure to find something interesting in this episode. Listen in to hear us rant about the need for protein and so much more including:

- Why the RDA (recommended dietary allowance) for protein needs an update

- All things B12 

- Cheap nutrient-dense food options

- The need for culturally appropriate nutrition recommendations 

- A thought experiment about the environmental cost of being unhealthy

- Why meat does not have to be grass-fed to be healthy

- Why nutrition professionals need real-world perspective

- Our personal results from continuous glucose monitoring and why everyone should try it

Resources:

Women’s Health Nutrition Academy

Sacred Cow

Research Paper: Animal Source Foods, Rich in Amino Acids Important for Linear Growth and Development of Young Children in Low- and Middle-Income Countries

US News and World Report “Best” Diets

Levels

Lily’s books:

Real Food for Pregnancy 

Real Food for Gestational Diabetes

Lily’s Articles

Protein Requirements in Pregnancy are Higher Than Previously Thought

Vegetarian Diet in Pregnancy: Nutrients of Concern

Choline in Pregnancy: Folate’s Long-Lost Cousin

Budget-Friendly Prenatal Nutrition Following Real Food for Pregnancy Principles

Why Prenatal Nutrition Guidelines Needs to be Updated

Liver and Organ Meat: Nutritional Benefits & How to Make it Palatable

Connect with Lily:

Website: Lily Nichols, RDN

Instagram: @lilynicholsrdn

Twitter: @LilyNicholsRDN

Facebook: Lily Nichols, RDN

LinkedIn: Lily Nichols, RDN

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Episode Credits:

Thank you to all who’ve made this show possible. Our hosts are Diana Rodgers and James Connelly. Our producer is Emily Soape. And of course, we are grateful for our sponsors, Patreon supporters, and listeners.

This episode was brought to you by my new Sustainavore Course! Are you confused about which diet is best for your health and the planet? Are you feeling frustrated with quick-fix diets and conflicting nutrition information? Check out Sustainavore.  You will learn how to feel confidant that the food you’re buying is the right choice for your health and the environment. The course includes over 7 hours of video instruction from me and 60 daily emails full of tips, tricks, and motivation to keep you going - plus lots of bonus material. For a limited time, I am offering special discount pricing so head over to The Sustainavore Course now!

This episode is also being sponsored by Levels, a continuous glucose monitor that gives you individualized insight into your metabolism. This is a tool I personally use and recommend to people I work with. It’s helped me figure out what foods spike my blood sugar and which ones keep me level. I can also see how certain tricks like walks after a meal affect my body. Right now Levels has a waiting list of over 150,000 but they are allowing my listeners to skip the line if you go to sustainabledish.com/levels and sign up. Try it out to see how the food you eat affects your metabolism. This is a must-have tool for anyone interested in personalizing their nutrition.