Healthy Living for Every Body
PROTEIN: YOU NEED IT!
It doesn’t matter if you are a sports enthusiast or a couch potato: we all need protein in our diet. Protein plays an important function by building and repairing tissues, including muscle. Also, when you eat protein along with carbs in a meal, protein helps carbs digest more slowly, making you feel full for a longer period of time.
IT’S ALL ABOUT QUALITY or GET THE COMPLETE PICTURE
Protein is made up of amino acids. There are some amino acids that our body can produce (non-essential amino acids) and some we need to get from food sources (essential amino acids). Animal protein sources are considered complete proteins because they contain all the amino acids your body needs. It’s crucial that we eat foods which will provide the essential amino acids our bodies need. Foods that contain all the essential amino acids are called complete proteins. Examples of complete proteins are dairy products, meat, chicken, fish, and eggs. Plant food sources are considered incomplete proteins because they don’t give you all the amino acids your body needs (the one exception is soy, which is a complete protein). However, it’s possible for your body to get the essential amino acids it needs by combining specific plant-based foods in your diet. If you are a vegetarian, see the brochure, “Becoming a Healthful Vegetarian,” for more helpful tips on plant-based protein sources.
HOW MUCH IS ENOUGH?
Unlike fat and carbs, protein can’t be stored in the body. As a result, we need to eat protein sources daily. The amount of daily protein needed depends on your gender, activity level, weight, and age. Most athletes need slightly more protein. The average adult needs .4 grams of protein/pound body weight. For example, here are the daily protein needs for a person who weighs 150 pounds:
150 pounds x .4 = 60 grams protein
60 grams of protein = 4 oz meat (the size of the palm of your hand)
2 slices of lunch meat (1 oz. each)
1 cup milk
1 cup yogurt
As you can see, you don’t need to eat a lot of protein in order to meet your body’s daily need. Most of us eat plenty of protein each day.
Here's a list of common foods and their protein amounts:
 |
FOOD |
SERVING SIZE |
PROTIEN AMOUNT |
| Beef, chicken or fish |
4 oz. |
28 g |
| Yogurt |
1 cup |
12 g |
| Peanut Butter |
2 Tabl. |
9 g |
| Tofu |
1/2 cup |
8 g |
| Milk |
1 cup |
8 g |
| Soy milk |
1 cup |
7 g |
| Cheese |
1 oz. |
7 g |
Egg
|
1 |
6.5g |
A LITTLE MORE CAN’T HURT…
If a little protein is good, then a lot more protein is better, right? That’s not the case. Since your body is unable to store protein, if you eat more than you body needs, the excess is either used as energy or converted to fat. In fact, too much protein can be harmful to your body. Excess protein in your diet can overwork your kidneys, cause your bones to lose calcium, and cause dehydration.
EAT PROTEIN, GET STRONGER?
Eating protein does not make you stronger. Protein is the building block of muscles, but it doesn’t make them get bigger. Exercising the muscle is what causes the muscle to get stronger. Including protein in your diet is like having the materials for a house. Having a bunch of bricks, concrete and wood doesn’t make a house—you need to build the house by working with the materials that you have. The same is true for building muscles. If you’re looking to grow your muscles, make sure you not only eat enough protein but also get out and work those muscles! One more thing: don’t forget to eat enough carbs so your body has enough energy to do the work.
CAN MY MUSCLE TURN TO FAT?
Muscles can’t turn into fat anymore than a dog can turn into a cat! Fat and muscle are two separate entities. When you exercise your muscle, it grows. If you stop exercising your muscle, it will shrink in size, making the fat in that area more obvious.
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