When it comes to information about diet and nutrition, the amount of information can be overwhelming. There are plenty of myths that people believe about protein, but as we are learning more and more about nutrition, we now know that many of these myths are incorrect. Also, there are numerous fad diets out there.
Some diets claim that you will lose weight in just a week, and those that say you can eat only one nutrient and still be healthy. Others advise dieters to eat extremely high amounts of protein, even unhealthy foods like bacon and other fatty foods. These diets can be extremely unhealthy and dieters may feel hungry and unsatisfied while they are on them. The best way to achieve weight loss the healthy way is by exercising regularly, and maintaining a healthy, well-balanced diet. Fad diets will always come and go, but when you know how to eat properly to lose weight, you can maintain a healthy diet for life.
We Must Have Protein in Our Diets
There are three macronutrients that we all need in order to survive: carbohydrates, fats and proteins. Protein is essential to our good health. It helps to build and repair muscles, as well as to promote muscle growth. Our hair, nails, skin and cells are made from protein. Protein is also a natural source of energy. According to the American Heart Association, the American Diabetes Association and the American Cancer Society, we should be getting about 35% of our daily caloric intake from protein.
Pregnant women require more protein than most adults, approximately 60-70 grams daily. This is not only to provide them with the proper nutrition, but also to provide proper nutrition to the unborn child. When a woman is pregnant, her blood volume will increase by approximately 50% and protein helps to create new blood cells. Protein also helps to keep the skin supple, which is important for pregnant women whose bellies will stretch over the course of the pregnancy. Protein can also help to alleviate morning sickness. Following the birth of the baby, the mother will still need plenty of protein in her diet, especially if she is breast feeding. A lactating mother requires an additional 20 grams of protein daily to make sure there is enough milk for the baby.
We also need protein to:
– Build and repair soft tissues, such as muscles, tendons and ligaments
– Build cell membranes
– Build the bone matrix
– Help to maintain a proper fluid balance
– Regulation of blood pH levels
– Form enzymes and hormones for digestion, sleep and ovulation
– Create antibodies to help the immune system
– Create neurotransmitters
Sources of Protein
There are all kinds of delicious, healthy dietary sources of protein. When we think of dietary proteins, many of us automatically picture eggs and red meat. However, there are so many more sources of protein that you can incorporate into your diet that are great-tasting and will even help to promote weight loss. There are two sources of dietary protein, animal and plant. Either source is a good option because it is essential that we get the protein we need to remain healthy and strong. Some dietary proteins are complete proteins, while others are incomplete. You can combine incomplete proteins to get all of the protein you need in the course of a day.
Complete proteins are made up of 8 essential amino acids and 14 non-essential acids. The essential amino acids are eucine, isoleucine, valine, methione, threonine, phenylalanine, tryptophan and lysine, and these are amino acids that the body is not able to create on its own. All animal proteins are complete, while soy is the only vegetable protein that is considered to be complete.
Other terrific sources of proteins are milk and milk products. Of course, if you are lactose intolerant or allergic to milk and milk products, these are not the protein sources for you. Soy or rice would probably be better, as well as meat, nuts and whole grains. Remember, you are not limited to white milk. For those of you who love to have a bit of chocolate during the day, it has been found that chocolate milk has the same nutritional benefits as white milk. Not only is chocolate milk rich in proteins, it also contains the good carbohydrates we need and provides a wonderful little energy boost. Chocolate milk is becoming more and more popular with athletes because it is ideal for muscle recovery following workouts.
Using Protein Supplements as a Part of a Well-Balanced Diet
A lot of people are using protein supplements to get the nutrients they need in their diets. Often, we just cannot get everything we need from dietary sources, and if we tried, we would be constantly eating all day long, which wouldn’t be ideal for a weight loss diet. Liquid diets are okay, but they should not be used long term. Liquid protein supplements are great to incorporate into a regular diet for added nutrition. Too much protein can also be harmful, and can even cause gall stones.
There are a number of ways that you can add protein supplements to your diet and still enjoy all of your favorite foods. There are all kinds of different protein supplements available, so you can always change things up. Some of the most popular protein supplements include powdered protein supplements and liquid protein shots.
Protein Powders – These are one of the most versatile types of protein supplements. You can use the unflavored powders and add them to just about all of your favorite recipes (rice protein is probably best for this because it has very little flavor). Or you can get flavored protein powders, which you can use to make delicious shakes and smoothies.
Liquid Protein Shots – These are becoming
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