Survey
* Your assessment is very important for improving the workof artificial intelligence, which forms the content of this project
* Your assessment is very important for improving the workof artificial intelligence, which forms the content of this project
Protein Power! Think all protein is created equally? Think again! Including protein in your diet is important for a number of reasons. However, it is also important to include high-quality protein to ensure you are meeting your body’s nutritional needs. Recommended Protein Intake The general protein recommendations for the average healthy adult is to have a minimum of 0.8 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight. For the average adult Proteins are made of amino acids, which are the building blocks the growth and repair of cells like those in your muscles, skin, and nails. Additionally, your body uses protein to make enzymes and hormones. Recent research shows that adequate protein can help with weight maintenance, and in the prevention of osteoporosis, type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and sarcopenia. So, needless to say, a healthy diet means including adequate amounts of protein. When you do not consume enough carbohydrates and fats, protein can also be used for energy. Therefore, it is important that you get enough calories from carbohydrates and fats so that protein is spared to be used for its many important functions in the body. Determining Protein Quality The quality of protein is based on the type and amount of amino acids found. Proteins are made up of amino acids. There are two types of amino acids; essential and non-essential. Non-essential amino acids are made by your body and therefore do not need to be consumed in your diet. Essential amino acids are ones that your body cannot make and therefore must be consumed in your diet. this means at least 50-60 grams of protein each day. It is best to distribute this protein throughout the day. Aim for 15-30 grams of protein with each meal, and 5-10 grams of protein with your snacks. High-quality, or complete, proteins contain all nine of the essential amino acids. By consuming foods that contain complete protein, you are ensuring that you are getting all of the essential amino acids – preventing possible deficiencies. Another indicator of quality in protein is the amount of the essential amino acid leucine that is present. Leucine is an amino acid that triggers the initiation of muscle synthesis (the building and repair of muscle tissue). Also, emerging evidence suggests that leucine may help enhance satiety (feeling of fullness). The more leucine in food, the higher it’s protein quality. Protein Sources Protein can be found in many foods, however some foods contain more, and higher quality, protein – which is the case with animal products. This includes meat, poultry, fish, eggs, cheese, milk, and yogurt. These foods are considered complete protein sources because they contain all of the essential amino acids. Protein can also be found in beans and lentils, nuts and seeds, in soy products, like tofu and soy beverages, and grains products. However, the protein found in these plant sources tend to be incomplete proteins because they are missing one or more of the essential amino acids. Combining two or more incomplete proteins together can create a complete protein. An example of this is having peanut butter on a slice of toast. This is important to remember when animal sources of protein are absent, such as in vegetarian or vegan diets. Certain foods are high in the amino acid leucine - for example, dairy foods, legumes, beef, salmon, shrimp, chicken, eggs, and nuts such as peanuts, almonds, and walnuts. Because these foods are high in leucine, they are considered higher quality proteins and should be incorporated into your diet. Protein supplementation (for example, whey protein powders) will add protein to your diet, however they may not be necessary. For vegetarians and vegans, including protein supplements may be recommended to ensure you are consuming adequate amounts of protein. Talk to your registered dietitian if you are unsure. How to incorporate high quality protein into your diet… - - - Add yogurt to your day, either as a snack or as part of your meal. For example, have yogurt with granola and fruit in the morning for breakfast. Try Greek Yogurt! It can provide around 8-10g of protein per 100g serving (a small container). Add two hard boiled eggs to your salad. Two large eggs will provide you with around 12g of protein. Try cottage cheese! Cottage cheese has the highest amount of leucine compared to other dairy products. It also contains about 14g of protein per ½ cup serving. Include meat, fish, or poultry every day with at least one of your meals. A 3 oz. serving (approximately the size of your palm), or a ½ cup (125mL), can contain around 22 grams of complete protein. Includes a ¼ cup (60mL) of peanuts, almonds, and/or walnuts in your breakfast cereal, as a snack, or in your favourite salad. Written by Elizabeth Gullaher, R.D., M.H.Sc. © 2013 Journey to Health Nutrition Consulting References Dietitians of Canada. (2011). Quick Nutrition Check for Protein. Retrieved from Practice-based Evidence in Nutrition. Dietitians of Canada. (2008). Food Choices for Increasing Your Protein Intake. Retrieved from Practice-based Evidence in Nutrition. Giles-Smith, K. Milk Proteins – Packing a Powerful Nutrition Punch. Today’s Dietitian. 2013;15(3):26-30.