Protein is one of the basic building blocks of the human body. It is an important component of every cell in the body, playing a major role in all the cells and most of the fluids in the body. About 16 per cent of the total body weight of any one person is made up of protein. Muscle, hair, nails, skin, and connective tissue (joints) are mainly made up of protein. Many of the body’s important chemicals, such as enzymes, hormones, neurotransmitters and DNA, are also partially made up of protein.

By Sharil Dewa

Getting Enough Protein

Proteins are made up of smaller units called amino acids.
As the human body cannot manufacture the nine amino acids required to sustain a healthy person, it is important to include all these amino acids in the daily human diet.

Why Do We Need Protein In Our Daily Diet?
Protein is a macronutrient, meaning that the body needs a relatively large amount of protein to sustain a healthy individual. However, unlike fat and glucose, the human body does not have the capacity to store protein. Although the body is good at “recycling” protein, people tend to use protein constantly on a daily basis. Therefore, it is essential to replenish the body with protein to prevent serious damage to the body. Within the day, muscles would start breaking down to sustain the body, bones would become brittle, and joints would start to sore and get stiff. This deterioration would continue until the body is replenished with protein.

Recommended protein intake
The amount of protein needed in a body depends on an individual’s age, size and activity level. To estimate the minimum daily protein requirement, multiply the body weight in pounds by 0.37 (or weight in kilograms by 0.8). This is the number of grams of protein that should be the daily minimum for each individual. For example, a person weighing 130 pounds should eat 48.1 grams of protein a day.

Beef 6 oz steak – 42 grams protein; most cuts of beef – 7 grams of protein per ounce Chicken 3.5 oz chicken breast – 30 grams protein; chicken thigh (average size) – 10 grams protein; drumstick – 11 grams protein; wing – 6 grams protein; 4 oz cooked chicken meat – 35 grams Fish Most fish fillets or steaks are about 22 grams of protein for 3 1/2 oz (100 grams) of cooked fi sh, or 6 grams per ounce of fish; 6 oz can tuna – 40 grams protein Pork 4 oz pork chop – 22 grams protein; 4 oz pork loin or tenderloin – 29 grams protein; 3 oz serving of ham – 19 grams protein; 1 slice bacon – 3 grams protein Eggs and dairy Large egg – 6 grams protein; 1 cup milk – 8 grams; 1/2 cup cottage cheese – 15 grams; 1 cup yogurt – usually 8 -12 grams,depending on label; soft cheeses (mozzarella, brie, camembert) Beans (including soy) 1 oz tofu – 2.3 grams protein; 1 cup soy milk – 6 -10 grams protein; most beans (black, pinto, lentils) – 7-10 grams protein per half cup of cooked beans; 1/2 cup cooked soy beans – 14 grams protein Nuts and seeds 2 tablespoons of peanut butter – 8 grams protein; 1/4 cup almonds – 8 grams protein; 1/4 cup peanuts – 9 grams protein; 1/4 cup cashews – 5 grams protein; 1/4 cup fl ax seeds – 8 grams protein

Is too much protein harmful?
The only known danger from high protein diets is for individuals with kidney disease. The US National Academy of Sciences recommends that 10 to 35 per cent of daily calories come from protein. They also point out that increased protein could be helpful in treating obesity. Extra protein can be broken down into glucose in a process called “gluconeogenesis”. This occurs from those on low carbohydrate diets. The benefit of obtaining glucose from protein is that it is absorbed into the bloodstream very slowly, so it doesn’t cause a rapid blood sugar increase.

Melinda Manore, Ph.D., chairwoman and professor of the department of nutrition and food management at Oregon State University says, “If you consume more protein than you really need, you risk several negative consequences. First, you could gain weight. Consuming more calories than you need in a day, even if they’re protein calories, will cause your body to store the extra calories as fat. In addition, eating protein at the expense of vegetables, grains and other healthy foods can deprive your body of essential nutrients. Plus, it can cause dehydration because it takes a lot of water to eliminate extra protein.”

Protein & Healthy Eating

High Quality Protein
High quality protein does not have to be animal protein – vegetable protein can also provide high quality, complete protein. According to Barbara Minton, Natural Health Editor in her article Increase Complete Protein and Lose Weight, “The amino acids found in vegetables are just as high quality as the amino acids found in animals products and can be used just as effectively by the human body. The superstars of vegetable protein are: quinoa, buckwheat, hempseed, soybeans (which should only be eaten fermented) and blue green algae (spirulina, chlorella and others). These five vegetarian sources offer complete protein and can standalone as the main protein source in any meal.

Foods that offer high levels of incomplete protein include beans, peas, nuts, seeds, and many grains. Beans, lentils, and peas can be easily combined with brown rice or corn to create a delicious complete protein dish. Cheese added to legume or other vegetable dishes, or to grain dishes, creates a complete protein for non-vegetarians. Other combos that create complete protein include bean or lentil soup combined with a side of whole grain crackers, peanut or other nut butter on whole grain bread, whole grain pasta with peas or broccoli, hummus on pita bread, and veggie burgers on whole grain rolls.”

(full article on www.naturalnews.com)

Is losing weight your goal? Here’s how to do it the healthy-diet way.
First eat high carbohydrate foods moderately. These are foods that are not easily broken down in the body like bread, rice, potatoes and pasta. Then, stick with small amounts of animal products added to a diet that features non-starchy vegetable protein. If you are a vegetarian and trying to shed some pounds, eat the superstar complete protein vegetable list as often as possible.