🥩💪 Interview: Can Your Body Use Protein From Chicken Better Than From Peanuts?
- Passion Fit Food
- Jun 15
- 2 min read
Today we’re diving into a question that might seem simple at first, but has a surprisingly powerful impact on your health and fitness. We’re joined by Seçkin, a performance nutrition expert, who’s here to unpack it all. Seçkin is an endocrinologist and cellular behaviour specialist doctor in Ankara Medical University.
So Seçkin, someone asked a very specific question the other day:
“If I eat 50 grams of protein from chicken, is that better than 50 grams of protein from peanuts?”
At first glance, protein is protein, right?
⸻
Seçkin:
That’s what a lot of people assume. But the truth is: not all proteins are created equal. While the amount of protein might be the same—50 grams in this case—what your body can actually use from that depends on where the protein comes from.
⸻
Okay, that’s interesting. So how does the body decide what it can use?
⸻
Seçkin:
Great question. Think of protein like a box of Lego bricks. The body needs very specific shapes and colors (called essential amino acids) to build and repair tissues, especially muscle.
Now, chicken gives you a full box with all the right bricks, in perfect condition. But peanuts? They give you a smaller box, missing a few pieces, and some of the bricks are damaged or stuck together.
⸻
So, even if both meals have 50 grams of protein on the label, they don’t do the same thing in the body?
⸻
Seçkin:
Exactly. Let me break it down:
🔹 Chicken protein is what we call a complete protein. It has all 9 essential amino acids, and your body digests it really well.
👉 So, 48 to 50 grams of that 50g is actually usable by the body.
🔸 Peanut protein is incomplete and harder to digest. It’s missing some essential building blocks (especially one called lysine) and contains fiber and compounds that reduce absorption.
👉 So you might only get 20 to 30 grams of usable protein from that same 50g.
⸻
Wow. So, in terms of building muscle or recovering from training, chicken clearly wins?
⸻
Seçkin:
Every time. If your goal is performance, recovery, or muscle gain, you want high-quality, bioavailable protein. Chicken, fish, eggs, whey, these are top-tier. Peanuts are healthy in other ways (good fats, calories), but not efficient for muscle protein synthesis unless you pair them with other plant proteins that balance the amino acid profile.
⸻
That’s a game-changer. Any final tips for readers?
⸻
Seçkin:
Just remember: Quantity isn’t quality when it comes to protein. It’s not just about hitting your protein grams, it’s about what your body can actually use. If you’re relying on plant sources, mix them wisely. And if you’re training hard? Lean on complete proteins.
⸻
Comments