The chemistry between the nutrinut and protein (part 3 of "411 on proteins")

Hey there Nutrinutters!

Hope ya'll are doing great! :)

Ready to continue about proteins?? If you are just joining me and feel a little lost, the last 2 posts were on the importance of protein and a very easy and quick way to calculate how much protein your body needs.
Now that we all know how much protein you need (and how much I weigh too! SHOCKED/EMBARRASSED SMILEY, lol) we can see what harm may come from wanting way too  much of all the awesome benefits that protein has to offer by overdoing it.

When over 30% of your average calorie intake comes from protein (for a 2000 calorie diet, that would be 150 grams of protein) is about the time where your body starts having a hard time to process it. Now don't get mad at me, but I'm going to need a little help from chemistry to explain this one.

This is what a protein chain looks like:

Do you guys see the little N in blue? That means there's nitrogen in its chain. Yes, we do need this, however in the right amount. When you take too much protein, it becomes challenging for your body to get rid of what you don't need and this is when it becomes toxic for you. What this means is that your body will have to work extra hard to maintain the balance it needs to properly function. Think in your situation..what happens when you have to work extra hard at work or school?? You become exhausted, right? This is what happens with important organs that work in eliminating the excess nitrogen, such as your kidneys. Now, I'm not saying that everyone that overdoes it will get kidney stones (and that sounds awfully painful) or other more serious problems...but you must be aware that it can happen.

Plus we should always be aiming to be healthy right? The best medicine is PREVENTION! Which is what nutrition is aaaall about ;)

Another problem with having too much protein is that you are likely not having enough carbohydrates. Although the poor carbs have a bad rep, they are VERY IMPORTANT! They give us energy fast and fiber is a carbohydrate, remember the fiber post and how it is good for us??

Should we become paranoid and start counting exactly how much protein is in each food item we eat?

Not quite either....if you are eating balanced meals (like I explained in the my plate post)...you most likely are doing it right! This however should be carefully considered when deciding to take protein supplements and/or trying crazy protein diets...did I mention that they are crazy? lol!

Refresher - How your plate should look like: 

Just so it doesn't seem like I'm "scolding" protein shakes, here are just a few questions to reflect upon:

• Has anyone wondered what's in those protein shakes??
• Did you know that many many of them are not FDA approved? Meaning they can add whatever they wish in those products. 
• Have you also noticed that sometimes they are mysteriously discontinued?? Now I love a good mystery, but that just sounds too sketchy for comfort. Isn't it easier to just drink milk, eat meat, yogurt?? Those without a doubt must taste better and have a lot of other nutrients! :)

Next post: What snacks should I have before and after a workout?

See you then!!

-The Nutrinut-

How much protein do I need (part 2 of "411 on Proteins')

Ciao Nutrinutters!

On the last post we were just getting our feet wet when it comes to protein. If you haven't had a chance to check it out, do visit the "411 on proteins", where we learned why protein is so important. Moving on to how much our bodies actually need...with protein being such an important nutrient, maybe I should quit carbohydrates and fats and just stick to proteins right? Hey, at least my hair will look nice!
The thing is carbs and fats are actually quite important to our bodies and it turns out that protein out of the 3 is the one we need in less amount.

So let's do some math together to figure out how much each one of you need of protein per day...I'll use me as an example...calculators in hand, or if you are one of those math wizzes, no need ;)

First step: Convert your weight from pounds to kilograms by dividing it by 2.2

                My weight in pounds is 160 =>  160 / 2.2 = 72.73 (this is how much I weigh in kilograms)

Second step: Multiply your weight in kilograms by the following:

0.8 - if you are not very physically active (basically if you're a student or work at a desk, walk less than 2 miles per day)
1.0 - if you have a light physical activity level (jog, walk, bike not every day)
1.2 - if you are physically active every day (run, bike, swim, every day)
1.5 - if you are physically active and are trying to build muscle

Usually when you calculate your needs of a nutrient per day, you estimate a range since we don't eat the same thing every day. I fall somewhere in between the first and second, so what I'll do the following:

72.73 x 0.8 = around 58g  AND
72.73 x 1.0 = 73g

So the range of how much protein my body needs is about 58-73 g

IMPORTANT: Keep in mind we are talking about grams of protein and not calories ok?

Now that we have all calculated and know how much protein our bodies need, here are
some good food sources and how many grams each have:

- 3 ounces (this is about the palm of your hand) of lean meat, fish or
poultry => 21 grams

Vegetarian options:
- 1 cup of yogurt => 10 grams
- 1 cup (8 ounces) of milk => 9 grams
- 1 egg => 6-8 grams
- 1 slice of packaged fat-free cheese => 5 grams

Vegan options:
- 6 ounces of tofu => 13 grams
- 1 cup of soymilk => 7 grams
- 6 ounces of soy milk yogurt => 6 grams
- 1 cup of oatmeal => 6 grams
- 1 cup of cooked brown rice (equivalent of a fist) => 5 grams
- 1 tablespoon of peanut butter => 4 grams

Next post we'll learn what is wrong with overdoing proteins and taking protein shakes!
Until then! ;)

-The Nutrinut-