Protein is an important element in your diet. It builds strong muscles, improves brain function, restores cell structure and gives you energy. It's important to make sure you're getting enough protein in your daily diet without eating the wrong foods.
How Much Protein Do You Need?
The amount of daily protein you need changes with age and lifestyle:
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Babies – 10 grams per day
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Teenage Boys – 52 grams per day
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Teenage Girls – 46 grams per day
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Adult Men – 56 grams per day
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Adult Women – 46 grams per day
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Adult Women (pregnant or breastfeeding) – 71 grams per day
According to the Institute of Medicine and the Mayo Clinic, you should get at least 10%, but not more than 35% of your daily calories from protein. Here's a daily calorie guide based on age and lifestyle.
Lifestyle refers to the amount of daily physical activity a person is getting.
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Sedentary (s) – light physical activities on a daily basis
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Moderate (m) – walking 1.5 to 3 miles per day at a pace of 3-4 miles per hour
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Active (a) – walking more than 3 miles per day at a fast pace or equivalent physical exercise
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Males: Ages 19 - 30 - (s) 2,400 - 2,600 (m) 2,600 - 2,800 (a) 3,000
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Males: Ages 31 - 50 - (s) 2,200 - 2,400 (m) 2,400 - 2,600 (a) 2,800 - 3,000
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Males: Ages 51+ - (s) 2,000 - 2,200 (m) 2,200 - 2,400 (a) 2,400 - 2,800
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Females: Ages 19 - 30 - (s) 1,800 - 2,000 (m) 2,000 - 2,200 (a) 2,400
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Females: Ages 31 - 50 - (s) 1,800 (m) 2,000 (a) 2,200
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Females: Ages 51+ - (s) 1,600 (m) 1,800 (a) 2,000 - 2,200
High-Protein Diets – Good or Bad?
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Ketosis – When you cut carbohydrates out of your diet, you lose weight quickly because you lose water. Without extra carbs, the body begins burning its own fat for fuel, a body function known as ketosis. This process makes dieting easier because you feel less hungry but ketosis can cause nausea, headaches, irritability, kidney trouble and heart palpitations.
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Risk of Heart Attack – Eating an excess of fatty meats and dairy foods can raise your cholesterol levels which can put you at a higher risk of a heart attack. A more moderate diet, with lean proteins and less fats is a healthier, safer option.
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Lean Meats – Nothing says protein like a fat, juicy steak, but a lean cut will give you plenty of protein with less fat. A lean cut of beef like a top round steak has about the same amount of saturated fat as a similar-sized skinless chicken breast.
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Poultry – Choose white meat when you buy chicken or poultry since it has a lot less fat than dark meat and remove the skin which is loaded with saturated fat.
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Pork – Pork offers a lot of protein with little fat. If you choose rib or top loin cuts they will be leaner.
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Fish – Fish is full of protein and omega-3 fatty acids that are heart healthy. Even salmon and tuna that have more fat are excellent choices.
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Eggs – Eggs have a lot of cholesterol, but one a day is safe for healthy adults. Opt for the egg whites since the yolk contains all of the cholesterol and less than half the protein.
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Soy – Plant based foods like soy are great sources of protein and eating 25 grams of soy protein each day can actually lower your cholesterol levels.
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Beans – A cup and a half of beans has the same amount of protein as a 3-ounce steak. The fiber in beans also makes you feel full longer and helps lower your LDL ("bad") cholesterol.
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Low-Fat Dairy – Milk, cheese, and yogurt provide protein and calcium for strong bones and a healthy heart. Low-fat, nonfat, or reduced-fat dairy products can help you keep calories down.
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Whole Grains – Most high-protein diets limit grains, so make sure to include whole grains for fiber and nutrients. Check labels for sugar and fat content.
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Fruits and Vegetables – Don't eliminate fruits and vegetables if you choose a high-protein diet.. They provide nutrients you can't get in most other foods.
Eating A Balanced Diet
A balanced diet is important to good health. It should consists of lean proteins, complex carbohydrates, healthy fats, vegetables, fruits and plenty of water every day. The combination of these foods is necessary to provide essential nutrients that your body needs.
Good Sources of Lean Proteins
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turkey and chicken – white meat (without the skin)
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lean beef – sirloin, top loin, extra lean ground beef, flank steak, rump roast
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lean pork – tenderloin, center loin
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fish with omega-3 fatty acids – lowers cholesterol and fights inflammation
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low-fat dairy products
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beans, legumes
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quinoa
Carbohydrates
Many people avoid carbohydrates to avoid weight gain but the truth is your body needs them. Carbohydrates turn into sugar that your body uses for energy but you need complex carbohydrates to stay healthy.
Complex Carbohydrates
These carbs, like fiber and starch, slow down the absorption of simple sugars and stabilize your blood sugar levels.
Sources of Healthy Carbohydrates:
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whole grain breads and pastas
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brown rice
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potatoes
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corn
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beans, legumes
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green leafy vegetables
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cereals
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fruits
Fats
Like carbohydrates, fats are an essential part of your diet for energy. If you eat too many calories, your body will produce fat naturally, so it's important to eat healthy unsaturated fats.
Sources of Healthy Unsaturated Fats
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oils – olive, canola, peanut and flax
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vegetable oils – sunflower, safflower, cottonseed, corn and soy
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all types of nuts
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pumpkin and sunflower seeds
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avocado
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poultry
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fatty cold-water fish (omega-3 fatty acids) – mackerel, herring, salmon
Saturated Fats – unhealthy fats (limit to ten percent of daily calories)
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animal products – red meat, pork, sausage, bacon, hot dogs
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lard, butter
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oils – palm, coconut
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cheeses
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pizza
Trans Fats – unhealthy fats (limit to one percent of daily calories or avoid completely)
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red meat and dairy products – (trans fats occur naturally)
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margarine
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prepared desserts like pies, cakes, cookies and donuts
If you are ready to speak to a fitness expert to get you set up on a protein plan, contact us today.
