Protein Particulars

Trying to stay active and eat better? You MUST need more protein right!? Truth is, this common misconception perpetuated by the proverbial muscle head throwing back protein bars and shakes is not always true. Whats more important is consuming the right amounts of protein from nutritious sources.

Source: http://fun-fit.com.au/blog/2011/10/good-sources-of-protein/

So why has protein been placed on a pedestal as a favored dietary nutrient? One reason is that many diet programs use protein to replace carbohydrates and fat. Protein has less calories per gram than fat and while equal to carbohydrates at 4 calories per gram, protein is not the body's main source of energy like carbs. Therefore the body must work harder to convert this nutrient into usable energy. Secondly, since protein (or the amino acids it is made up of) are used to build muscle tissue in our bodies, people looking to gain muscle mass often strive to eat more protein. While an increase in protein intake is helpful and even needed at times, excessive intake can not only add unneeded calories to one's diet but also pose serious health concerns.

In general an adult male needs about 56g per day while women need about 46g. To calculate your personal daily protein requirement take your weight in pounds, multiply it by .45, and then multiply that number (your weight in kg) by .8 grams (the USDA's daily recommended intake is .8g or protein per kilogram of body weight). People in need of extra protein are either in a positive or negative state of nitrogen balance. That is, the protein they are excreting (measured by nitrogen concentrations since protein contains nitrogen) is either more or less than they are taking in. This indicates they are either in a period of growth (using protein to build muscle) or injury/sickness (body structure has been damaged and must be replaced). Active individuals using strength training to build muscle should (at times) fall in to the first of these thus requiring extra protein. However, an consistent intake more than twice a person's daily recommended intake can "cause irreparable damage to the kidneys" because "the extra nitrogen that is included in protein must also be removed from the body through the kidneys." (Nutrition, A Culinary Approach) Additionally since the kidneys separate protein in to it's more basic parts, it too can be strained from excessive protein intake. Protein is needed in healthy amounts though in order for the body to carry out important functions such as transporting materials, creating antibiotics, and building body structure.

The best sources of protein are know as "complete proteins" or those which include all 9 essential amino acids. The body can make all but 9 or these protein "building blocks". Complete proteins include all animal proteins such as meat, eggs, and milk. Other foods such as nuts, seeds, grains and legumes (beans) can provide good sources of protein as well, however, these are know as "incomplete proteins" because they don't provide all essential amino acids by themselves. In order for these proteins to be affective they must be consumed together. "Mutual supplementation" is the practice of combining two or more incomplete proteins together as "complementary proteins" in order to get all essential amino acids in a meal. For example while beans do not contain all 9 essential amino acids, rice contains the amino acids that beans are lacking making them effective complementary proteins. The key is to eat a variety or proteins especially when consuming incomplete protein sources. Remember, even if you consume all or your daily protein it won't do your body any good unless you have taken in all 9 essential amino acids!

Eating a variety or proteins, as with all foods, will not only ensure your getting all necessary amino acids but will also provide your body with an array or nutrients and phytochemicals that are an important part of any healthy diet. By becoming aware of your protein requirements and intake while using creative sources of protein it's easy to begin incorporating appropriate amounts of protein in to your own diet.

          

Sources:
http://www.cdc.gov/nutrition/everyone/basics/protein.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Protein_(nutrient)#Dietary_requirements

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nitrogen_balance
Eaton, Mary Ann., Janet Rouslin, Claudette Lévesque. Ware, and Bradley J. Ware.Nutrition: A Culinary Approach. Dubuque, IA: Kendall Hunt Pub., 2011. Print.

Michi's Ladder: Rank your food's nutrition.

Michi's Ladder is a great resource for anyone trying to eat better. This helpful tool from Beachbody breaks different commons foods down in to 5 "tiers" ranking them from least to most nutritious. Foods in the top tier are generally fruits, vegetables, and lean proteins with more processed foods falling in to the  lower levels. The challenge is then to "climb Michi's Ladder" by eating more and more foods from the top tiers. One of the best things about this tool is that each food is paired with a letter indicating it's main macronutrient(s). For example an apple would be marked with a "c" because it mainly provides carbohydrates. This makes trading less nutritious foods for higher tier foods simple. Lest say you get a good amount of your carbohydrates from white bread (a tier 4 food) all you would have to do is switch that carb for one in a higher tier such as whole grain rice (a tier 1 food). Most important is gaining an understanding of what kind of foods are the best to consume regularly. While not all foods are included in Michi's Ladder, after studying this tool you should be able to get a good idea of where your diet stands. Additionally, you will have a better grasp on the nutritional value of the foods you consume and how you can adjust your meals accordingly.

Greek Life: The new yogurt craze.

Greek yogurt, the increasingly popular health food, is made by straining yogurt through a cloth such as a muslin in order to separate whey (or milk serum) from the milk solids. The result is a thick, creamy yogurt with a higher concentration of protein and less carbohydrates and fat than regular yogurt (when make from low-fat or skim milk). But is greek yogurt always the super food it's cracked up to be?

Source: http://www.seriouseats.com

By comparison greek yogurt contains a more favorable balance of macronutrients than regular yogurt. This is mainly because people trying to eat better often strive to reduce carbohydrates (especially sugars) while increasing their protein intake. Most fat free greek yogurts contain about 16g of sugar in a 5.3 oz serving (Fage & Oikos), 10g better than their regular counter part which contains about 26g per serving (Yoplait & Dannon). Additionally, greek yogurts contain about twice as much protein as regular yogurt, generally 12g or more per serving compared to 6g.

With more protein, significantly less sugar and a creamy, satisfying consistency its no surprise that greek yogurt has become a new favorite among many healthy eaters. But is your greek yogurt really as good as it gets? While we all love the convenience of those single portion yogurt cups with fruit ready to be stirred in, these mixtures often contain not only fruit and yogurt but added sugar as well. Now a little sugar in your yogurt isn't a big deal (especially when the whole thing has 16g total), but consider this, what if instead of the single serve cups you opted for a larger container of plain, non-fat greek yogurt and then added your own flavoring? Not only would this be cheeper than buying single servings, but it would also allow you to use better tasting and more nutritious mix ins such as honey or fresh fruit. Whats more, adding your own fruits and sweeteners would give your yogurt a wider range of flavors, textures, and nutrients. There is certainly some truth to the greek yogurt fad and plenty of ways to make this new phenomenon a great healthy snack!

Sources:  "Strained Yoghurt." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, 27 Feb. 2012. Web. 02 Mar. 2012.    <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Strained_yoghurt>.