
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).
Body weight | Amount of protein |
50 | 90 |
60 | 108 |
70 | 126 |
80 | 144 |
90 | 162 |
100 | 180 |
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.