Protein Is Key For Longterm Health
Protein is one of the three macronutrients (carbs, protein, and fat). It is also the only macronutrient that we do not store in our body. For this reason, we need to eat protein on a daily basis.
Luckily in the American diet we already consume protein on a daily basis! However, there is a chance you may not be consuming enough. Or, more importantly, be better balanced amongst your meals throughout the day.
What is protein?
Protein is a macronutrient that is made up of building blocks called amino acids. These are essentially the building blocks of life. Everything living has some amount of amino acids. We mostly think of protein as animal meat. But some of the food sources of protein may surprise you.
As you can see from the chart above, you have many choices for your protein source, even if you are vegetarian or vegan.
Unfortunately, all protein is not made the same. The protein quality or bioavailability is a score for how much of the protein our body can unlock from the food source and use. Animal based products tend to have greater bioavailability, however some plant-based proteins like quinoa also have a pretty high bioavailability.
If you are following a vegetarian or vegan based diet, schedule your 30 min consultation to make sure you are eating enough protein in your diet.
Amino Acids, the building blocks of life
After we eat a protein source it goes into our stomach where the acid and enzymes start to break it down into amino acids. The amino acids then go into our small intestine where they are absorbed into our body. Once in our blood, amino acids are used in our body for countless important tasks.
Roles of amino acids in the body
Make proteins that our body uses to control our everyday functions
Create and repair tissue
Support healthy hair and nails
Maintain immune system function
Make red blood cells
Synthesize hormones
Aid in digestion and metabolism
An energy source for the body
There are 20 different amino acids, 8 are considered essential amino acids. This means that our body is unable to make these itself and relies on us consuming them in our diet. The rest of the 12 amino acids our body can create on its own.
If you eat animal meat, then you have both types covered. Unfortunately, plant sources of protein do not contain all the essential amino acids. Typically, a variety of different plant-based proteins is required to obtain all 8 essential amino acids for the day. So, if you’re following a vegetarian or vegan diet there is a good chance you may not be getting all 8 of the essential amino acids!
It is best to work with a dietitian to plan out your meals and food choices to ensure you are getting all 8 essential amino acids. However, just remember that our body needs protein to make protein.
How much do you need?
Now that you know our bodies rely on protein for everyday functions, how much do you really need? This will depend on many factors such as losing weight, gaining muscle, recovering from injury or surgery, age, etc.
It is safe to say that the majority of people will need between 80-100 grams of protein per day. Working with a dietitian you will determine how much protein you personally need. There is a chance that you may need well over 100 grams each day.
Unlike money, getting 100 grams in one meal versus spread out throughout the day makes a big difference to your body. Remember that we are unable to store protein in the body! 20-30 grams of protein triggers our body into muscle synthesis. This is the key reason why it is best to consume between 20-30 grams of protein per meal (assuming you eat 3 meals/day) each day.
This becomes even more important as we age or lose weight as we tend to lose muscle with both. Keeping the body’s supply of amino acids high and in muscle synthesis more often throughout the day can minimize muscle loss. This also plays a key role in why you may have stopped losing weight after your initial loss of 10 or more pounds.
Protein supplements are sometimes a great way to increase your protein intake at meals or as snacks if you are unable to consume enough from food. Some mornings you may not have time to eat a good breakfast and a protein shake is an easy on-the-go option. Make sure to sign up for the weekly blog to not miss out on a future blog on protein supplements!
Remember to schedule your free diet consultation today if you are unsure if you're not consuming enough protein. Or check out the new chat with a dietitian option to chat directly with me anytime about all of your nutrition questions.
Written by: Adam Skowyra MPPD, RDN, LD
