ALL ABOUT PROTEIN
Why do fitness professionals keep telling you to eat more protein?
What’s all they hype about protein?
what actually is protein?
Do you know how much protein you need?
What is protein?
In short, protein is a macronutrient made up of amino acids. Amino acids are the building blocks of life in that we use them to create reactions that are essential for our being. Typical reactions we use them for include the creation of; blood, enzymes, DNA, hormones, muscle, neurotransmitters, hair, and connective tissue.
Therefore protein has a fundamental role in the maintenance of a healthy body.
Why you need to eat enough protein?
If you have a sufficient protein intake for your bodies needs (and everyone is different), you will benefit from: good muscle mass, a well functioning immune system and good bone health (assuming you have no other conditions that would inhibit this.)
What happens when you don’t eat enough protein?
It therefore makes perfect sense that if your diet does not include sufficient amounts of protein, your body will suffer. Typical side effects of a diet low in protein include:
weakened immune system therefore more susceptible to falling ill. (This is because proteins make antibodies that enable white blood cells to fight viruses, intruders, and bacteria. Proteins also help with transporting waste and toxins to enable detoxification.)
Lower muscle mass, weakness and slower recovery time (if you recover slowly from injuries, cuts and wounds or harder workouts, it could be related to your protein intake.)
Weaker bones (insufficient protein intake has been linked to lower bone mineral density, decreased bone strength, increased risk of fractures and weakened joints)
Weak and brittle nails, dry and flaky skin conditions and weak and lacklustre or thinning hair (skin is made of proteins such as keratin, collagen, and elastin. Hair is made up of keratin. When these proteins are lacking in the diet, your nails, skin, hair will pay the price.)
Increased risk of injury (muscle weakness from lack of protein can result in pulling a muscle and muscle atrophy)
Crappy moods! (insufficient protein intake may result in the bodies inability to make sufficient hormones (such as serotonin and dopamine) and neurotransmitters. These hormones regulate our moods and create happiness levels and are essentially made up of amino acids.)
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The link between protein and weight loss
Out of all the macronutrients, protein is the one with the highest degree of satiety, ie it is the most filling (refer to source: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0268005X1630340X).
It naturally follows that when you feel full, you will stop eating! Hence comes the influx of protein rich diets, protein bars and protein shakes and the market is flooded with high protein products, cook books etc. The easiest way to change your lifestyle is to make sure that your protein intake is adequate to meet your needs and if possible, you include some protein with each meal.
Eating a protein rich meal will ensure satiety and prevent you reaching out for less healthy snacks within a short period after the meal - as long as we learn to eat mindfully, listen to our bodies and react to hunger as opposed to habit. (We will delve into mindful eating in another blog post.)
What are some of the benefits of satiety:
improved appetite control
Improved mood
Reduced sugar cravings
Improved blood sugar levels
Weight loss
Improved sleep
Healthy eating habits
How much protein does your body need?
The amount of protein people need will depend on their age, their sex, their body weight and activity levels. Pregnant women will need to increase their intake in the second and third trimesters (by about 1kg per body weight per day) and intake should also be increased while breast feeding.
The typical recommendation for the average person is to consume 0.8g of protein per kilogram of body weight per day.
There are times however when a higher protein intake is required, such as:
Pregnancy
Breastfeeding
Recovery from an injury
Suffering from gastrointestinal upsets (eg acidic stomach, damaged gut)
Very sporty*
Source: https://www.nrv.gov.au/nutrients/protein
“Elite athletes eat around 2g per kg every day”
(Dr Karen Reid, a sports science nutritionist who's worked with the Wales rugby team. https://www.menshealth.com/uk/nutrition/a754243/how-much-protein-should-i-eat-to-build-muscle/)
This is a really useful online calculator tool if you would like to work out your own required daily protein intake:
https://www.calculator.net/protein-calculator.html
If you want to work it out yourself, try this:
Weigh yourself in kg
Multiply your weight in kg by 0.8 grams.
It’s that easy!
(Bear in mind this is for an ‘average’ person)
So for example, if you weigh 65 kilos, you will need 52g of protein per day if you lead a normal lifestyle (65 x 0.8).
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Check out this great article to get your learn what foods are high in protein:
https://www.coachmag.co.uk/nutrition/healthy-eating/3525/high-protein-foods-16-of-the-best
Protein comes in animal and plant based sources. Animal sources tend to be denser and more easily absorbed by the body so if you lead a vegetarian lifestyle you just need to be a bit more savvy and combine food sources well to ensure you reach your adequate protein intake levels.
Animal Protein Sources
Animal protein sources include;
Eggs
Chicken, Beef, Pork
Beef
Fish + shellfish
Dairy (cottage cheese, Greek yogurt, cheese)
Plant-Based Protein Sources
Plant based protein sources include;
Tofu
Tempeh
Pulses
Whole grains
Seeds + nuts
Green vegetables (in large quantities)
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Bon appetit!