There are a number of weight-centric reasons why people may emphasize protein on their plates. Protein may help with satiety and weight loss, muscle growth and weight gain, or lean body mass preservation and weight maintenance. However, it’s important to understand all of the other benefits that protein provides to the body.
Protein is a macronutrient, meaning that it is a source of energy (or calories) for the body. Protein is made up of smaller building blocks, called amino acids, and many of those amino acids are essential, meaning that our bodies depend on external sources (food) for these building blocks.
Protein is found in virtually every body part and tissue, including muscles, bone, skin and hair. Enzymes and hormones are also made up of protein. Enzymes speed up chemical reactions in the cells of our bodies, and they help with processes such as digestion, breathing, and nerve functions. Hormones are chemical messengers that communicate to different parts of the body to perform specific actions, controlling the processes of metabolism, growth, reproduction, sleep cycles, and body temperature, to name a few.
Clearly, consuming insufficient amounts of protein can result in suboptimal health, including decreased immunity, poor growth, loss of muscle mass, and weakened bodily systems, such as digestion and reproduction. While most people who live in developed countries, such as the U.S., are not at risk of outright protein deficiency, it is still important to be intentional about protein intake to support optimal health.
In particular, individuals who may be at risk of sub-optimal protein intake include:
Children & Adolescents
Pregnant & Breastfeeding Women
Athletes and individuals who regularly exercise
Older Adults
In fact, some people may struggle with health problems that are caused by undernutrition and suboptimal protein intake, such as amenorrhea (loss of or irregular menstrual cycle), poor digestion and constipation, frequent bone fractures, and difficulty sleeping. In many of these cases, the issue of poor protein intake is overlooked.
Strategies for Eating Enough Protein
Generally speaking, it can be pretty easy to eat a large amount of protein in one sitting. For example, a can of tuna has over 30 grams of protein! However, many people simply do not eat enough protein throughout the day. To reap protein’s benefits, it is important to space protein intake evenly throughout the day. It can be easy to skip out on protein at breakfast, skimp on protein at lunch, and choose midday and evening snacks that lack protein. An example day might look like:
Breakfast: Bagel with cream cheese and fruit
Lunch: Salad with dressing and a baguette
Snack: Crackers
Dinner: Chicken with pasta and veggies
Snack: Popcorn
In this example, the only substantial protein source is the chicken. Instead, a good goal is to incorporate a small-to-moderate amount of protein into each meal and snack, allowing the body to collect and use those building blocks, amino acids, throughout the day. Some simple swaps can make a big difference! Consider the alternative menu:
Breakfast: Bagel with peanut butter, and Greek yogurt with fruit
Lunch: Salad with chickpeas, pecans, dressing, and a whole wheat roll on the side
Snack: Crackers with cheese
Dinner: Chicken with pasta and veggies
Snack: Popcorn with mixed nuts
Instead of aiming to eat bigger portions of protein in one sitting, try to “sprinkle” protein throughout the day. This will also help to accomplish variety, which is important when it comes to protein sources, since different protein foods offer different nutrients and amino acids.
Some examples of protein foods are:
Eggs (scrambled, omelette, hard boiled, quiche, frittata, fried)
Poultry (chicken, turkey)
Meats (beef, pork, lamb)
Fish & Seafood (tuna, cod, salmon, shrimp, crab)
Dairy (milk, Greek yogurt, cheese, cottage cheese)
Nuts & Seeds (peanuts, peanut butter, almonds, cashews, walnuts, quinoa)
Whole Grains (oats, whole wheat bread, whole wheat pasta, brown rice, corn)
Dry Beans & Lentils (chickpeas, black beans, pinto beans, split peas)
Soy (tofu, tempeh, seitan, soy milk, edamame)
Working with a dietitian is the best way to know how much protein your body requires, as well as how to distribute that protein throughout each day. Consider working with me, and schedule a FREE discovery call here to learn more.
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