Protein – are you getting enough?

5 c) Protein

Our bodies need protein. Protein is essential component for building & strengthening muscle. A balanced diet would be to ingest about 30 % of our caloric intake in proteins. Unfortunately, without paying close attention most of us ingest far less.

Source for below: http://ajcn.nutrition.org/content/87/5/1554S.full

“There is a trend for decreased protein intake as Americans age, although percentage of calories from protein increases slightly in older Americans. Given the rising concern about sarcopenia, protein intake in older Americans deserves increased attention.

MyPyramid food patterns have been estimated to provide a protein intake ranging from 17% to 21% of calories, but very few Americans are consuming this amount of protein. Given the positive benefits of higher protein intake on satiety and other physiologic functions, efforts should be undertaken to help Americans consume the recommended amounts of protein. Furthermore, given the prevalence of being overweight or obese in America and the role protein may play in managing body weight, it makes sense to consider increasing protein intake recommendations even further, to 25–30% of calories, a level that is still within the AMDR. Virtually none of the population approaches the highest AMDR for protein of 35% of calories. “

Again, not all proteins are created equal:

Good Proteins and Bad Proteins by Laurie Lynch, ND

 People are beginning to question the adequacy and safety of our protein consumption, since meat and dairy industry advertising contradicts independent scientific research. Let’s look at some protein information.

Proteins are the building blocks that promote growth and repair, and the only food source of essential nitrogen. Protein is broken down into 20 different amino acids that are variously arranged in a chain to form different proteins. Most plants can biosynthesize all amino acids, while animals must obtain some from food.         Essential amino acids needed from food: histidine, isoleucine, leucine, lysine, methionine, phenylalanine, threonine, tryptophan, and valine. Some other anino acids may be required in the diet if the body doesn’t manufacture enough.”

Stay tuned for more next week on protein.