Smart and Art Nutrition by Delli Creations

The key role of proteins

The majority of diets on the market are protein-based. Not by chance, given that eating protein produces significant results. Why Protein does it make you slim, and when is it harmful to your health?

Many people, on the other hand, believe that eating a lot of protein is bad for you. What, after all, is true?

What exactly are proteins?

Let's start with the fundamentals. Proteins are molecules that serve as structural elements in the human body. Their name derives from the Greek word "proteus," which means "first," and reflects the critical role that they play in the organization's operation. They are made up of smaller compounds called amino acids, which join together to form proteins.

 

Why should we get protein through our diet?

Adequate protein intake is especially important because proteins are involved in many of the human body's functions.

Proteins, in particular, can have structural functions, such as collagen, the most abundant protein in the human body and a basic component of skin, bones, tendons, the muscular system, and so on.

Furthermore, they may have transport functions, such as hemoglobin, which transports oxygen from the environment to the body's tissues.

Proteins also have an immunological function, which is to strengthen the immune system. Consider antibodies, which are proteins produced by our immune system.

Furthermore, proteins have a regulatory function, such as insulin, which regulates blood sugar levels, or serotonin, which regulates mood.

Finally, proteins help to regulate body fluids, restore and grow muscle tissue, and so on. So, without a doubt, adequate protein intake is required for proper body functioning.

How much protein should we consume in our diet?

The truth is that this question is fraught with ambiguity. So let's put things in context.

Many factors influence your daily protein intake, but the most important is your level of physical activity.

As a result, the daily protein intake for a healthy sedentary individual is set at 0.8 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight. So, if you lead a sedentary lifestyle, simply multiply your weight by 0.8 to calculate your protein requirements.

For example, if you weigh 75kg, you should consume (750.8) = 60 grams of protein per day. This amount is sufficient to avoid protein deficiency.

What happens when we increase our physical activity?

 

As your level of physical activity rises, so will your protein requirements. The amount of protein you should consume is determined by the type, duration, and intensity of your exercise, as well as your personal goal.

 More specifically, the recommended protein intake for regular physical activity aimed at health and well-being is 1.0 gram/kg of body weight, with an emphasis on the quality of the protein received. So, if you fall into this category, multiply your weight by one to determine how many grams of protein you should consume.

 This amount can rise to 1.2 grams per kilogram of body weight in older people.

What about protein intake in athletes?

In the case of athletes, the recommended daily protein intake ranges from 1.0 to 1.5 grams per kilogram of body weight for athletes who exercise at a moderate frequency (2-3 hours per day, 5-6 times per week).

 If we do the multiplication again, this translates to 75-113 grams of protein per day for a 75 kg athlete.

 Athletes who engage in high-intensity exercise on a regular basis (1-2 training sessions per day, 3-6 hours per day, 5-6 times per week) should consume 1.5 - 2 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight.

What are the best protein-rich foods?

Proteins, as previously stated, are made up of amino acids. There are nine "essential" amino acids that the body cannot synthesize on its own and must obtain through diet.

 As a result, the "essential" amino acids in a protein determine its quality, biological value, and availability. Thus, animal proteins derived from egg, dairy, meat, fish, and seafood have a higher biological value because they contain all of the essential amino acids.

Plant proteins, on the other hand, such as those from legumes, cereals, and vegetables, are characterized as having low biological value because they lack all of the essential amino acids.

 

Below you can see the protein content of some common foods/100 grams.

 

Animal Sources of Protein

Type: Food Grams of protein (/100g)

Meat Chicken breast (ex. skin) 32.0

Beef steak 31.0

Roast pork 31.6

Fish: Tuna (can) 23.5

Mackerel (grilled) 20.8

Salmon (grilled) 24.2

Cod (grilled) 20.8

Seafood: Shrimps 22.6

Mussels 16.7

Crayfish 10.0

Eggs: Eggs: 12.5

Dairy products: Whole milk 3.3

Semi-skimmed milk 3.4

Full cheddar cheese 25.4

Full-fat yogurt 5.7

Low-fat yogurt 4.8

Cottage cheese 12.6

Plant Sources of Protein

Legumes: Lentils 7.6

Peas 8.4

Beans 5.2

Kidney Beans 6.9

Soy 8.1

Cereals: Bread (white) 7.9

Bread (coffee) 7.9

Rice (boiled) 2.6

Pasta (cooked) 6.6

Oats 11.2

Nuts: Almonds 21.1

Walnuts 14.7

Hazelnuts 14.1

Cashews 18.2

Brazil nuts 14.1

Macadamia 8.0

Protein intake in vegetarians

 As we have already seen, vegetable proteins are characterized as having low biological value as they do not contain all the essential amino acids. More specifically, the amino acid methionine is absent from the legume group, while lysine and threonine are absent from the cereal group.

For the above reason, a vegetarian diet should be based on the principle of protein complementarity, i.e. the combination of plant foods (e.g. legumes with cereals or cereals with nuts) in order to complement each other of amino acids. This tactic increases the nutritional value of plant proteins and ensures that you get the essential amino acids that our body is unable to synthesize on its own.

 The complementary proteins do not need to be consumed in the same meal, but during the day. For example, if you ate beans for lunch, you can eat some nuts as a snack to achieve protein complementarity.

Does protein intake contribute to weight loss?

Protein-rich meals do increase satiety and delay post-meal hunger, lowering total daily calorie intake.

 According to the findings of a recent study, people who followed a six-week weight loss diet lost the same amount of weight regardless of whether they followed a high-carbohydrate or a high-protein diet. Those who ate a high-protein diet, on the other hand, reported more "satisfaction" and less hunger!

 As a result, make sure to include a protein source in each meal.