4. Protein Is Powerful and Important
Nowadays, we hear a lot about protein in the
media as if it is a new wonder nutrient. However, it has always been
crucial to a balanced diet. It contributes to the development of
muscles, bones, cartilage, skin, antibodies, hormones, and enzymes in
your body. It is important in the building and maintaining of all bodily
structures. It even acts as a source of energy when there are not
enough carbohydrates and fats in the diet.
How Protein Is Used in the Body
Protein is built by a combination of chemical
structures called “amino acids.” There are about twenty amino acids that
the body needs, and these are often referred to as the building blocks
of body. Of the twenty amino acids, nine are essential to the diet,
meaning they must be supplied by the foods we eat. The remaining amino
acids can be made in the body. When a food is consumed that includes all
nine of the essential amino acids, it is referred to as a complete
protein source. Meat, poultry, fish, eggs, and dairy products like milk
and cheese all are complete protein sources. Incomplete sources of
protein are those that do not contain the amount of essential amino
acids needed by the body. These sources are primarily fruits and
vegetables. But some plant sources offer some of the essential amino
acids while others offer the remaining ones.
If you are a vegetarian, this is particularly
important. You want to be sure you get your complete proteins. This can
be accomplished by combining various sources of plant proteins with each
other, therefore adding up to a complete protein. For example, if rice
is consumed with beans, this combination becomes a complete protein
source.
Protein Requirements
The amount of protein needed by a person is
based on age, sex, and body size. The recommended dietary allowance for
protein in adult males over twenty years of age ranges from 58 to 63
grams per day. For adult females over twenty, the allowance ranges from
46 to 50 grams per day. Most people do not have trouble meeting protein
requirements. In fact, many often consume up to twice as much.
Protein and Weight Reduction
Many people are into high-protein
weight-reduction diets. They may have found that these high-protein
diets can lead to weight loss. But excess protein in the diet is not a
wise choice. Too much protein (and in many cases the excess fat that
results) can lead to risk of health problems along with a condition
called “ketosis.” By not having enough energy from carbs, the body
starts using protein for energy. This makes your liver and kidneys work
extra hard. You may not notice it right away, but this condition can be
harmful in the long run. This is one reason that consuming excess
protein through high-protein diets is not a healthy way to lose weight.
Besides, many people on a high-protein diet are already eating more
protein than their diet recommends.
Contribution of Protein to the Overall Diet
Protein should account for about 10 to 35
percent of total daily calories. For a person consuming a 2,000-calorie
diet, with 15 percent from protein, this would equate to about 300 total
calories. A variety of lean meats, poultry, fish, eggs, low-fat dairy
products, and dried beans and peas should contribute to this intake.
5. You Can Eat Fat
Fat often conjures up negative feelings.
Certainly too much fat is linked to health problems like heart disease,
stroke, obesity, and some types of cancers. But, in fact, fats are an
essential part of all cells in the body. Fat helps maintain the health
of the skin and hair, transports fat-soluble vitamins (vitamins A, D, E,
and K) throughout the body, cushions the body organs to keep them safe
from injury, and serves as a protective insulator to the body on cold
days.
In addition, fats contribute to the taste,
smell, and texture of foods as well as providing a satiety factor of
fullness after eating foods that contain it. The reason fats take so
long to digest is because they are so calorie dense, containing 2.5
times the number of calories that are found in carbohydrates and
protein. But in order to meet your body’s need for fat, you should aim
to eat foods with the right type and amount of fat.
The Various Types of Fat
Understanding fats can be confusing. We often
hear the terms “good” and “bad” fats. I use them too. In fact, the fat
in my diet is primarily made up of “good” fats but I have the “bad” fats
on occasion as part of my “discretionary calories.” Don’t you just love
those? Following is a list of the various types of fat.
The differences between these types of fats are
a result of their chemical makeup. The more hydrogen the chemical
makeup contains, the more saturated the fat becomes. It is also possible
to distinguish some fats by their appearance. Saturated fats are those
that are typically solid at room temperature, like lard, butterfat, and
beef fat (the fat marbled throughout meat).
The bad trans fats are making headlines
regularly. They are made up of polyunsaturated oils that are saturated
with hydrogen atoms. Food companies love these because they help extend
the shelf life of a food product. They have often been labeled as
hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated, which is very misleading. New
laws are forcing corporations to label food products as having trans
fats and to not use them at all. I wish trans fats would disappear from
the planet. Try not to use these at all, even as your “discretionary
calories.”
Health risks are primarily associated with diets
high in saturated or trans fats and are known to increase overall risk
of heart disease and some types of cancer. Unsaturated and
polyunsaturated fats are usually from plant sources and are liquid or
soft at room temperature. These fats can actually help decrease
health-related problems and reduce risk factors of heart disease and
various types of cancers.
Cholesterol
Cholesterol is not a fat but is often
categorized with fats. It’s a white, waxy substance found in animal
products. It builds tissues and cell walls, and it is required for the
manufacturing of hormones and bile. Cholesterol, a component of many
foods like butter, egg yolk, meat fat, poultry skin, organ meats, and
shellfish, is also made in the body. Because of health concerns with
excessive consumption, cholesterol should be limited to 300 milligrams
or less per day.
Fat and Weight Control
For most Americans, cutting back to 20 to 35
percent or less of total calories from fat is a suggested goal, with 10
percent or less of this total coming from saturated fat. But it is not
necessary to track the percentage of every kind of fat you eat. Instead,
a simpler method would be to watch those fat grams. A diet that
combines a variety of foods, both higher and lower in fat, in moderate
portions helps to provide the variety and balance you need.
