Understanding Protein

Proteins are the basic building blocks of the human body. They are made up of amino acids, and help build muscle, blood, skin, hair, nails and internal organs. After water, protein is the most plentiful substance in the body, and most of it (around 60-70 percent) is located in the skeletal muscles. There are 20 amino acids that are required for growth by the human body, and the adult body manufactures 12 of them. The other 8 amino acids, called "essential" amino acids, must be supplied to the body through food and/or supplements. Both essential and nonessential amino acids are necessary for the synthesis of tissue proteins.

What does all this mean? It means that if you don't supply your body with the essential amino acids it needs, the amount of protein your body can use for building muscle is limited.

Getting the Right Kind of Protein

Foods that contain all of the essential amino acids are called complete proteins. These foods include beef, poultry, fish, eggs and milk. Incomplete proteins do not have all of the essential amino acids and generally include vegetables, fruits, grains, seeds and nuts.

Vegetarians need to make sure they are getting the complete proteins their bodies need. They can do this by combining foods from two or more of the following groups.

• Grains: Oats, whole-grain breads
• Legumes: Barley, beans, lentils
• Vegetables: Green leafy, broccoli, peas
• Seeds and nuts: Sesame seeds, sunflower seeds, peanuts, walnuts, cashews and other nuts
• Rice, pasta, soy products

Lower-in-Fat Protein Choices

Meat and Fish
For red meat, choose lean cuts Although meat is high in protein, essential vitamins such as B12 and other important minerals, it can also be a rich source of fat, including saturated fats that can raise cholesterol levels and contribute to heart disease. For red meat, choose lean cuts that are the least marbled with fat. Your butcher can tell you which ones are best. When buying deli meats, choose fat-free or low-fat types.

The best poultry choices are Cornish hen and turkey or chicken breast – all with their skins removed before cooking. All types of kosher fish are good, but watch those that have a high fat content.

Soy: The New Rage – Understand It
Soybeans, in their natural form, are an excellent low-fat, low-carb source of protein, which makes them a real powerhouse in the dietary world. However, it's a good idea to read the nutrition facts and to be careful about added flavors (sweeteners) and portion sizes.

Some good, natural sources of soy are: tofu, tempeh, miso, soy milk, natto, tamari and shoyu. The health benefits of consuming soy products is controversial and currently being studied. Consult your health-care professional for what is right for you.

Some good soy choices are:

• Soy milk – low-fat, plain, or sugar-free flavored varieties
• Soy crumbles
• Soy crumbles (dried) – great wherever breadcrumbs are called for
• Soy nuts – great for snacks and a terrific substitute for mini-croutons in chicken soup or salad
• Soy flour
• Soy protein powder – a great thickener
• Soy "chicken" strips
• Soy deli meat
• Soy hot dogs and burgers – buy only those with less than 3 grams of fat and 2-5 grams of carbs per 2-3-ounce serving
• Tofu (packaged, either soft or firm) – choose a variety with lower fat
• Tofu cheese substitutes
• Tempeh (oriental spiced tofu)
• Smoked tofu
• Yuba (bean curd or sheet)

Dairy
Many low-fat and/or fat-free products are high in sodiumLower-fat cheeses include American, cheddar, feta, mozzarella, Parmesan, provolone, ricotta and string. You can purchase low-fat or fat free versions. Low-fat or fat-free cottage, pot and cream cheese are available as well. Many low-fat and/or fat-free products are high in sodium, so always check nutrition labels.

Milk and yogurt also have low-fat and fat-free versions.

Beans and Legumes
Beans and legumes are an excellent source of protein. These include black beans, butter beans, chickpeas (garbanzo beans), green beans, Italian beans, kidney beans, lentils, lima beans, pigeon peas, soybeans (never consume raw!), split peas and wax beans.

Nuts and Seeds
The nutritional benefits of nuts are many. Although they are high in fat and should, therefore, be limited if one wants to lose weight and/or restrict fats, nevertheless, a few nuts added to desserts, baked goods and salads, or eaten as a snack, are delicious and healthy.

Eggs
Ask you doctor whether you should restrict your use of whole eggs. Use egg whites and egg substitute as desired. Since the yolks of the egg contain fat and the whites contain protein, in order to help reduce the fat content in many recipes here, egg whites are substituted or added. Three egg whites are equivalent to one whole egg.

Calculating Your Protein Needs

Low-carbers can go the vegetarian route as well, but they will be more limited. Choosing a regimen higher in protein does not have to mean higher in fat. The recommended amount of protein a person needs to eat is from 0.8-1.8 grams per kilogram of body weight per day. Most North Americans more than meet this requirement. In fact, the average American consumes about 50 percent more than the recommended daily amount of protein. However, resistance training and endurance workouts can rapidly break down muscle protein, so the more you exercise, the greater your protein needs.

To calculate your daily protein needs, divide your weight in pounds by 2.2 to get your weight in kilograms. Then multiply that number by a figure between 0.8 and 1.8. Use a lower number if you are in good health and are sedentary. Use a higher number (between 1 and 1.8) if you are under stress, pregnant, recovering from an illness or involved in consistent and intense weight or endurance training. If you are on a regimen that requires your daily protein intake to be a percentage of calories ingested, simply divide the number of daily required protein calories by 4 to get the number of daily protein grams required (1 gram of protein has 4 calories).