There are many reasons that humans need to consume enough protein in their daily diets. Proteins play a vital role in virtually every function of the body, including a major role in the building, repair and maintenance of the muscles. Without protein, we would have a serious lack of the eight essential amino acids that are not made by the body, but must instead be supplied by adequate protein consumption or supplementation. And finally, we need to consume protein in adequate amounts or face increasing weight gain because of the role that protein plays in our feelings of satisfaction. It’s not like it would even be possible to eliminate all sources of protein from our diets in the first place, and humans would be very miserable if they could.
The Function of Protein
Protein is so important in the body because it plays a vital role in every cell in the body. Protein works to help build hair, skin and nails as well as building lean muscle mass. Protein is transformed into enzymes that work to push biochemical reactions forward. These reactions further carry compounds across the body’s membranes and through the blood.
Protein and Amino Acids
Most proteins have a number of amino acids in them. The body can create its own amino acids, however, there are eight that are considered to be essential that the body cannot create on its own. These eight essential amino acids must come from food sources, both plant based and animal based. Because most food sources usually contain more of one type of amino acid and less of another, it is important to make sure that you are getting a variety of foods to make sure that there is no deficiency. The eight essential amino acids supplied by the typical diet are:
– Leucine
– Isoleucine
– Valine
– Threonine
– Methionine
– Phenylalanine
– Tryptophan
– Lysine
In addition to these, histidine is considered to be an essential amino acid for children.
(Source: The Vegetarian Society)
Protein’s Role in Keeping Us Feeling Full
The body needs to have its key nutrients in the right amounts to function properly. The body is an amazing and complex machine and will eat until the right amounts and right types of protein are reached. If we are not getting the right amounts of protein or the right types, then there will be excessive calories consumed in the hope of getting what is needed. The less protein-rich foods that we eat, the more foods we will need to eat to get up to the right protein level, which leads to obesity.
(Source: Science Alert, Massey University)
However, when we do get enough protein in our diets, we feel fuller for longer and can eat far fewer calories. Strangely, the reason for this is not exactly known because studies are showing that increased protein intake is not changing the levels of either ghrelin (the hunger hormone) or leptin (the satiety hormone). (Source: The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition). The suggestion is not eating all protein or eating more protein than what is needed. The studies did not suggest that elimination of other nutrients in favor of protein was necessary either. In fact, the study that was conducted by the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition showed that the best eating plan for weight loss was a diet that consisted of 30% protein, 20% healthy fats and 50% carbohydrates. The majority of the carbohydrates should be complex, of course.
The average person gets around 14-18% of his or her calories from protein. The typical vegan diet gets around 10-12%. Increasing protein intake to 15-30% can help with feelings of fullness and weight loss, but could be problematic to some people. Before increasing protein intake to nearly double the average recommended amount, it is best to consult a doctor or nutritionist for recommendations.
Using a protein supplement, especially a liquid protein shot, can be an easy way to boost your protein intake without increasing calories too much. At 100 calories, Profect liquid supplement contains 25 grams of protein, making it a perfect snack for between meals and keeping the average person from succumbing to a snack attack. Profect is available from Protica and comes in a number of flavors.
Protein’s Many Sources
Most people think of protein as coming from foods such as chicken and turkey, but there are actually many sources of protein that are not only animal, but also plant based. Vegetarians and vegans get adequate protein from the various foods that they eat because there are so many different places to find it. There are two kinds of protein: complete and incomplete. In most cases, animal proteins are complete while plant proteins are not. The exception for plant based proteins is soy-based foods and soybeans (including tofu), which are complete.
Some protein rich foods include:
– Turkey, chicken and other poultry
– Whole grains
– Legumes
– Nuts and seeds
– Low fat dairy products, including milk and cheeses
Every food choice has its pros and cons. For instance, among poultry choices, turkey is considered to be the best choice, especially skinless, roasted turkey breast which is low in calories and saturated fats. The same amount of skinless, roasted chicken breast has more calories and is higher in saturated fats. Duck, goose and pheasant, all excellent sources of protein, are all notoriously high in fat and calories.
Whole grains should not be confused with processed flour and foods such as pasta or breads. Make sure that you are carefully reading the labels on the foods that you eat so that you are finding real, whole grains. The first ingredient listed should be “whole grain”, whole wheat or other sources. Steer clear of anything that says “enriched” because it is no longer a whole grain choice but rather a processed food that has had most of its nutrients stripped away. Remember, brown bread is not necessarily good-for-you bread.
Beans of virtually every variety are low calorie options that are great sources of protein. Low in cost, high in fiber and virtually magical in the kitchen, beans can be used in so many different ways and in so many recipes that they should be considered indispensable to the average family. In addition to being a low fat, high fiber protein source, beans are high in B vitamins, iron, folate, potassium, magnesium and phytonutrients. Bonus information: you can use pureed bean paste in place of fat in your baking with no change in flavor and only a slight change in texture. In addition, you can add pureed beans to soups as a thickener.
It is important that dairy or alternative sources of calcium are consumed, especially in the presence of high protein. Excessive protein may cause calcium to be excreted in the urine, leading to a potential increased chance for osteoporosis. Milk and other dairy products have been shown to play a role in weight loss, however, it might be surprising for most people to know that it is full fat dairy that actually does the best job in this regard. Full fat dairy might provide the feeling of satisfaction in a far smaller amount than low fat or no fat milks and cheese would. (Source: Superfoods Rx)
Protica Research (Protica, Inc.) specializes in the development of Capsulized Foods. Protica manufactures Profect, IsoMetric, Pediagro, Fruitasia and over 100 other brands, including Medicare-approved, whey liquid protein for cancer patients. You can learn more at Protica Research – Copyright