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Writer's pictureNatasha Reyes

A Short Guide to Protein

Protein is without a doubt one of the most discussed nutrients we get from food on a daily basis.


There have been many debates and myths surrounding this nutrient, so in this article, my goal will be to tell you more about everything you NEED to know regarding protein.


Is Protein The Most Important Nutrient?


If you look into biology, most of the body is made out of protein, including muscle tissue, enzymes, hormones and others.


Now, when it comes to ESSENTIAL nutrients, there are two of them - Protein & Fats.


Protein and fats provide essential amino & fatty acids, respectively, which the body needs but cannot produce on its own.


This is why a deficiency in those nutrients can lead to unwanted side effects, such as low energy, poor recovery, hormonal function, brain fog, and others.


How Much Protein Do I Need?


I like that this is one of the questions many of my clients have asked. It shows me that they have some understanding of how important Protein is.


The widely recommended protein intake has circled around 1 gram of protein, per pound of body weight, per day.


In other words, if you weigh 180 lbs, you’d need roughly 180 grams of protein per day.


However, this appears to be more relevant for actively training individuals that hold more lean body mass.


In other words, if you don’t really hit the gym very often, you’d need about 0.6-0.8g of protein per lb of bodyweight, to sustain health and optimal functioning.


On the other hand, if you are very active and use your muscles, you’d be closer to 1g of protein per lb of bodyweight.


What Are The Best Sources Of Protein?


First off, you must know not all proteins were made the same!


Proteins are made up of amino acids - There are a total of 20 amino acids and 9 of them are essential.


On top of that, each food provides protein that is digested, absorbed, and retained differently.


Based on the amino acid profile, as well as other properties like the ones we just mentioned, each food can be rated in terms of bioavailability.


The bioavailability is a fraction of a nutrient in certain foods, that is absorbed and used.


The things that change the biological value of foods are their chemical form, interactions with other compounds.


Bottom line,


Animal products appear to be of the greatest biological value for the human body!


These are the foods that provide all essential amino acids, along with healthy fats and a multitude of vitamins.


Nevertheless, mass-production of animal products implies unnatural growth, where the animals don’t have enough room to run freely and are fed with processed, low-quality animal foods.


For this reason, I have put up a list of the BEST animal sources of protein:


  1. Grass-fed beef

  2. Wild-caught salmon

  3. Free-range chicken

  4. Pork

  5. Cheese & Other dairy

  6. Eggs


Most of these foods are saturated with quality protein, meaning that you will need just a couple of portions to meet your daily needs!


What If I’m Plant-Based?

-For all my plant-based eaters. I didn't forget about you all. : )


As I mentioned, animal foods are the only products that contain the full set of essential amino acids, along with the greatest bioavailability.


Plant foods, unfortunately, lack one or more essential amino acids and take up a lot of space in the stomach, for little caloric value.


Nevertheless, if you’ve decided to not eat meat, your best bet would be to combine different plant products, in order to compensate for their lacking nutrients.


Here are some of the best plant-based protein sources:


  1. Lentils

  2. Beans

  3. Other legumes

  4. Cashews

  5. Almonds

  6. Edamame

  7. Tahini

  8. Peanut Butter

  9. Peas

  10. Macadamias


In combining those, you will be more inclined towards providing sufficient amounts of protein for your body, on a daily basis!


Protein Timing


I believe you should consume protein with every meal. I know I do. However, we all often struggle with getting the amount we need daily. Even us Trainers, here at Fitt Life, struggle to meet our individual protein goals, so we understand.


With that being said, if you want to further optimize your protein intake and how it’s being used, try timing it to your workouts.


Have a solid protein feeding 2 hours before your workout, and then within 2 hours AFTER the workout.


This will give you a slight boost in terms of the constructive, anabolic processes that happen after the workout.


Conclusion


Protein is a powerful nutrient that keeps us healthy, alive, well and recovered, which is why, you just can’t ignore it!


Place quality, protein-rich products at the core of your daily nutrition and you will see the difference for yourself! Focus on quality-fed meats, along with some dairy and eggs, and if you are a plant-based eater, just stick to grains, legumes, nuts and seeds!




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