Protein

As I've mentioned in previous blogs, fat and carbohydrates have both spent their fair share of time in the bad guy role, even if it wasn't deserved. Protein has been more of the opposite story, and rightly so. Protein is the major source of building material for muscles, blood, skin, hair, nails, internal organs, and hormones. Protein can also be broken down into amino acids and used for energy if needed but this is not the body’s preferred source of energy. It is definitely important to get enough protein in your diet. If you don't, you run the risk of your body breaking down its own muscles to utilize the amino acids for the many roles protein serves in the body. However, eating protein in excess of your needs won't help and can be hard on your kidneys. And don't be mislead into believing that eating protein builds muscles. Weight training builds muscles. I challenge anyone to sit on the couch all day eating protein and tell me how much muscle they gain!

It's a good idea to incorporate protein into all your meals and snacks. This will help that you meet your daily protein needs, but will also help keep your blood sugars stable and help keep you full until your next meal or snack. How much protein do you need? Protein should comprise anywhere between 10-25% of your daily calories, depending on your activity level and nutrition and health goals. The minimum amount of protein necessary to prevent deficiency is 0.8 grams/kg of body weight (0.36 grams/lb of body weight). However, if you are an active individual and/or trying to lose weight you will probably need more. Endurance athletes should consume 1.2-1.4 grams of protein/kg of body weight (0.54-0.64 grams/lb). Strength trained athletes should consume 1.4-1.7 grams/kg of body weight (0.64-.77 g/lb). People trying to lose weight should be somewhere in those ranges as well to make sure the weight loss comes from fat, not muscle.

It is usually possible to get enough protein in your diet without the use of supplements. Some good sources of protein are lean meats, chicken, fish, eggs, soy, dairy, nuts, seeds, and beans.
It's okay to add a protein powder or bar as a supplement if you are not getting enough protein from food alone but aim to meet your needs from food first, supplement second.