The Quest for Protein
One of the most frequent questions I get from my clients is what foods contain protein? I always feel a little astounded by this question, but given the lack of real education we receive about nutrition, it is a valid one. So what is protein and why do we need it? Our muscles are made of protein and it is considered the building block of the body. Protein also contains necessary amino acids that help our bodies repair damage, drive metabolism and rebuild muscle. Collagen is the most abundant protein in the body and is used to build joints, ligaments, hair and nails. Essentially, protein helps keep us strong and healthy and function properly. Now that we know what protein does for the body, how do we get iit? We cannot make protein in the body so we must rely on food sources to get it.
Let’s start with the basics. A true source of protein comes mostly from animal products. Yes you read that correctly. Examples of animal proteins are chicken, beef, pork, eggs, fish, turkey, duck, lamb and the like. These products contain the majority of the calories from protein and some from fat, but notice NONE from carbohydrates. There are a few exceptions where you can consume protein from legumes (beans) dairy and nuts, but those sources also contain other calories from fats and carbohydrates. What is the big deal about from where you consume your protein? As I had mentioned above, protein contains essential amino acids that are needed for protein synthesis in the body. While beans and nuts yes have protein, they do not contain a complete chain of amino acids. These foods need complementary foods to go along with them to complete the amino chain. Take beans and rice for example. Together they form a complete protein with all the amino acids necessary for the body; separately they do not. It would be like building your house without installing windows. There would just be holes in the walls. No one wants that.
Now to the point of this blog! Keeping a sufficient amount of protein in the diet can be a struggle. Trust me, this is my plight everyday! Many people like to supplement with protein powders and bars, but that is just not my style. I keep processed foods OUT of my diet because it aggravates my digestion. Period. It’s more important to have a happy belly than it is to consume mass amounts of processed proteins. My general rule of thumb is have at least 4 ounces of a true protein source at every meal, including snacks. Now that I’m in full swing with a Paleo challenge, this is really easy to accommodate. Every three-ish hours I have one serving of protein with at least one cup of veggies and maybe a tablespoon of fat (think nuts and seeds). With this type of schedule, it’s easy to consume the amount of protein my body needs to accommodate the amount of work I put it through on the daily. Meal prep is very important during a Paleo challenge. It’s easy to heat up already prepped chicken with green veggies every few hours. Had I not had anything on hand, it would have been way more difficult to stick to this way of eating.
What I always find interesting is the testimonial that follows once my clients start to consume a more balanced diet. They feel stronger, more energized and more importantly, in a lot less pain. The flood of proper nutrients will make you feel amazing. Trust me I know this one from experience! Over the past year I have added a powdered collagen supplement to my diet and it has made a major difference in my hair, skin and nails. I can also feel a difference in joints. They tend to ache a lot less and feel nice and lubricated. Now you are in the know for the next time you go looking for protein, just remember to consider the source.
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