The Pros of Protein

WHAT IS PROTEIN?

Proteins are made up of amino acids, which are essential building blocks for the cells in our body. The proteins that we eat are broken down and used to build and repair all of the muscles, tissues and organs in our bodies.

Protein is found in the following foods:

• meats, poultry, and fish


• legumes (dry beans and peas)


• tofu


• eggs


• nuts and seeds


• milk and other dairy products


• grains, some vegetables, and some fruits (provide smaller amounts of protein relative to other sources)

Most people probably consume enough protein, but is it from the right sources? The struggle that most of us face is to replace high-fat protein in our diet with lean, low-fat sources. Overwhelming your body with too much high-fat proteins can lead to kydney disfunction and other health problems over time.

Here are some suggestions for incorporating healthier protein options into your lifestyle:

• Choose meats that are leaner cuts and trim away any fat you can see.


• For chicken and turkey, remove the skin to reduce fat.


• Substitute pinto or black beans for meat in chili and tacos.


• Choose low-fat or fat-free milk and yogurt.


• Choose low-fat or fat-free cheese.


• Choose egg whites or pasteurized egg white products.


• Limit animal protein to one serving a day, focus on eating more soy, beans, and legumes

My family eats a lot of ground beef which can be very high in fat, mainly because the fat is mixed into the meat and cannot be removed. I try to always buy the lowest available fat composition and limit our consumption to once or twice a week. Usually the lowest fat option that I can find is 93/7. Lately I have been substituting ground turkey for ground beef and have seen great results. It is much lower in fat, and as long as I don't point it out to my family, they never notice the difference. In fact, the other day my husband commented that the dinner we had was the best I'd ever made it. The only change I had made was switching out the beef for turkey!

WEIGHT LOSS AND PROTEIN

Normal recommendations for protein intake say that about 46 grams for women and 56 grams for men (per day) are sufficient to maintain your body's health (you may need more depending on your weight). However, studies have shown benefits to increasing your protein while attempting to lose weight. Experts say that your body can handle any where from 10-35% of your daily calories to come from protein (as long as you don't have chronic kidney problems). I usually aim for 75-99 grams of protein per day, but have heard people recommend getting up to 120 grams. If you make a substantial increase in your protein intake, make sure you don't eliminate the other food groups that you still need. I really like this quote found on Webmd.com:

"It is all about balance," says Tallmadge, author of Diet Simple. While she recommends including lean and low-fat sources of protein at every meal, she says it should be part of a calorie-controlled diet that's also rich in 'smart carbs' such as fruits, vegetables, and whole grains, along with healthy fats like nuts, seeds, olives, oils, fish, and avocado.

When dieting, we sometimes fail to eat enough protein which can result in loss of muscle mass and slowing of metabolism. Alternately, if we are exercising and getting enough protein, we can build muscle which burns more calories and most importantly speeds up your metabolism (muscle is much more metabolically active than fat, so replacing fat with muscle is A++++ for many reasons!).

Recent research has also shown that protein aids greatly in hunger control when dieting. For many people, it helps them to feel full longer and does not result in the constant cravings that you might have if you were to eat a diet high in carbs. For best appetite control, aim for eating small meals/snacks, more often during the day and incorporating lean protein and/or low-fat dairy into each of those.

Here are examples of protein found in common foods:

• Milk, 1 Cup: 8 grams


• Cheddar/Swiss Cheese, 1 oz : 7 grams


• Cottage Cheese, 1/2 Cup: 12 grams


• Yogurt, 1 Cup: - 7 grams


• Chicken, 3 oz: 25 grams


• Egg (1): 6 grams


• Turkey, 3 oz: 27 grams


• Beef, 3 oz: 20 grams


• Pork, 3 oz: 21 grams


• 1/2 cup cooked kidney/navy/pinto beans: 7 grams


• Salmon, 3 oz: 17 grams


• Halibut, 3.5 oz: 26 grams


• Peanut Butter, 2 tbsp: 8 grams


• Walnuts, 1/4 cup: 6 grams


• 1/2 cup vegetables: 2 grams


• 1/2 cup most grains/pasta: 2 grams

I know this is a lot of info, but to summarize, it is highly beneficial to incorporate healthy sources of protein into your diet. It is one of the major things I try to focus on every day.

Along with fruits and vegetables, here are a few of my favorite EASY snacks that have provide decent amounts of protein:

• Hard-Boiled Egg
• Celery w/ Peanut Butter
• Herbalife Protein Snack Bar
• 1/2 Cup Low-Fat Cottage Cheese
• Yoplait Light Yogurt (I also add 1 TBSP of protein powder to bump it up a little!)