Are You Eating Enough Protein?

Are you eating enough protein?

Protein is broken down by the body into essential and non-essential amino acids. Essential means that you must consume this component as the human body can not manufacture it. Therefore eating amino acid containing foods are a must for a healthy happy body.
Foods containing amino acids include:

• All animal products – meat, chicken, fish, eggs, dairy
• Vegetarian sources – nuts, seeds, tofu, lentils

Amino acids are essential for:

• Building and repairing muscles, organs and other structural components of your body
• Immune response (antibody formation)
• Energy (hemoglobulin production-part of red blood cell that carries oxygen)
• Builds enzymes, neurotransmitters and hormones
• Regulates body processes (water balance, transports nutrients etc)

Ideally protein consumption should be around 1.8gm protein per kg of body weight.
(The World Health Organisation recommends a minimum of 0.8gm/per kg to prevent deficiencies, I’m not interested in avoiding deficiencies I want optimal health, in individual circumstances I would increase or decrease the 1.8gm/per body weight but for now it is a good starting point).

Protein Food Values

Meat                                                 Portion                     Grams
Beef                                                    60g                              13
Chicken                                              60g                              13
Crab meat                                          60g                               9
Fish                                                     60g                              11
Lobster                                               60g                              13
Prawns/shrimps                              60g                              12
Salmon                                               60g                              14
Sardine                                               60g                              13
Tuna                                                    60g                              15
Ham                                                    60g                              11
Lamb                                                  60g                              17
Bacon                                                 60g                              12
Pork                                                    60g                              14
Turkey                                                60g                              18
Veal                                                     60g                              15

Other sources
Cheese – cheddar                              30g                               7
Cheese-cottage                                   30g                               5
Chickpeas                                           100g                           10
Cream- fresh                                      100g                             2
Eggs                                                          2                              13
Lentils                                                 100g                              7
Nuts-almonds                                      50g                            10
Nuts-brazil                                           50g                              7
Red kidney beans                            100g                              8
Tofu                                                    100g                             12
Yoghurt                                              100g                              5

Sample day meal planner with adequate protein for a 60kg person

Breakfast:                                                                           Grams
2 egg omelette with cheese and vegetables                         20

Morning tea:
Almonds and fresh fruit                                                          10

Lunch:
Tuna (120gm) and salad                                                          30

Afternoon tea:
Yoghurt (200gm)                                                                       10

Dinner:
Steak (180gm) with steamed vegetables                               39

Total daily protein                                                                   109

The typical western diet is based around carbohydrates e.g. pasta, rice or bread.
A switch in mind set is needed here. Meals instead should be based on protein with salads or vegetables added to it. The trick is not to count your protein consumption but instead by ensuring each meal and snack consumed (at least 5 a day) contains a source and you should be well on way to eating enough.

Make the switch today and instantly feel the benefits.