Protein: Vital for Maintaining a Healthy Lifestyle
Protein comes from the Greek word protos, meaning “to come first”. Our
bodies are made from thousands of substances made of proteins and behind
water protein is the second largest component of lean body mass which is bodyweight after subtracting fat storage weight. It is an essential nutrient because it is the only source of dietary nitrogen. Compounds that contain nitrogen are called amino acids and they are the building blocks of protein.
There are 20 common amino acids that can be bonded in different
contexts to make proteins with varied configurations and sizes. These
individualized proteins then go off into their metabolic destinies for
*Each in 1 oz multiple functions not limited to hormone and enzyme production, fluid balequivalents
ance, blood clotting, cellular repair, and body regulation and maintenance. It is
amazing how diverse this structure can be and how integral to life thus making
• 1 Egg
it above all others, to come first.
• 1/4 Cup
Our body’s cells, especially in the digestive tract, are constantly breaking
Written by Mandi Nelson, brought to you by Rock House Fitness. Questions are welcome to send
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Increasing
your Daily
Protein
cooked
down from use and building new ones. There is a “pool” of (continued P. 2)
beans
•
1 Tablespoon
From ChoosingMyPlate.gov
Peanut
Butter
•
1/2 oz
nuts or
seeds
•
1 oz meat
•
1 oz
cooked
fish
•
1/4 Cup
tofu or
soybeans
1
July, 2012
(continued from
P.1)
amino acids that
come
from metabolized
protein
we eat
and some that we can synthesize on our own.
Eleven of the amino acids our bodies can make
are called non-essential. The rest however, must
be obtained from the diet and are considered
essential amino acids. Our body pulls from this
amino acid pool for material to make new proteins that may become a part of our muscles, organs, or blood. Unfortunately our body cannot
store protein, so if your pool is adequate, excess
amino acids get eliminated through your digestive system as our body’s goal is to maintain a
nitrogen balance.
Not all protein containing foods are equal.
There are two types of protein, one being complete and the other not. A complete protein
means the food source contains all 9 of the essential amino acids. Meats, dairy proteins, eggs,
and soybeans are all complete proteins and typically diets contain at least one to maintain a
healthy body. So even if you negate certain
foods from your diet by choice such as vegetarianism or by necessity like people with milk allergies, there is a complete protein that can fit your
lifestyle.
If complete proteins are not accessible or
cannot be consumed due to dietary choice or
necessity, there is still a way to ensure you can
receive all the essential amino acids to maintain
a healthy lifestyle. Certain incomplete protein
sources are known to complement each other
and when consumed together they can provide
what the other is missing. When this is your
situation, it is best to work with a Dietitian or Nutritionist as this can be harmful if not practiced
appropriately.
2
USDA’s Choosing MyPlate: Part 2
We learned that MyPlate divides the 5
food groups into fruits, vegetables, grains,
protein, & calcium rich foods as the new
way to judge food portions based on the
same dietary recommendations we’ve always
had. You may have noticed oils is not represented visually on MyPlate. Although oils
are not a food group, they are recognized
as providing essential nutrients in the form
of polyunsaturated and monounsaturated
fats. Oils are fats that are liquid at room
temperature and can come from vegetables,
nuts, seeds, and fish.
Fats that are solid at room temperature, along with added sugars, are considered to be “empty calories”. Empty calories
add calories to food with few or no nutrient
value. By choosing skim milk over whole
milk, lean meat options, and chicken without
the skin are just some ways you can limit
unnecessary calories. Also, drinking water
instead of sugary drinks can help reduce
your empty calorie consumption. MyPlate
wants you to enjoy
your food, but eat less
by avoiding oversized
portions and to choose
balanced meals.
References
Wardlaw, Gordon, and Jeffrey Hampl. “Proteins” Seventh Edition Perspectives in Nutrition. New York. McGraw-Hill, 2007. Print.
U.S. Department of Agriculture. “How Much Food from the Protein
Foods Group is Needed Daily?” ChooseMyPlate.gov. http://
www.choosemyplate.gov/food-groups/proteinfoods_amount_table.html
6 July, 2012
U.S. Department of Agriculture. “What Counts as an Ounce Equivalent
in the Protein Foods Group?” ChooseMyPlate.gov. http://
www.choosemyplate.gov/food-groups/proteinfoods_counts_table.html
6 July, 2012
U.S. Department of Agriculture. “What are Empty Calories?” ChooseMyPlate.gov. http://www.choosemyplate.gov/weight-managementcalories/calories/empty-calories.html 6 July, 2012
Protein Image from http://organicconnectmag.com/wp/wp-content/
uploads/2011/02/getty_rm_photo_of_high_protein_foods.jpg 9 July
2012
July, 2012