Protein Probs

My friends and family are well aware of this topic and how it makes me feel..... packaged protein.

Protein is one of the three essential macronutrients our bodies need to function (Carbohydrates, fat, and protein).

My personal favorite sources of protein:

- Egg: 6 grams

- Black beans: 8 grams

- Salmon: 17 grams

- Edamame: 18.5 grams

- Chicken breast: 20 grams

_ Lean beef: 22 grams

- Quinoa: 24 grams

How many grams do we need each day?

If you are eating a balanced diet with 1 lean protein food with each meal.. we don't need to worry about it. Most Americans meet their protein goal already, we don't need all of the extra protein powders. Our bodies have a threshold with how much protein we can actually absorb in one sitting- the rest, to be real, we just pee out.

A typical American needs an estimated 0.8grams of protein per kilogram. Have I lost you?

Example - if you weigh 140 pounds, which is 63 kilograms, you need ~50 grams of protein per DAY. Glancing up at the list above, you can see that is easily achieved by whole foods- the chicken and quinoa alone provides almost 50 grams.

If you are eating a balanced diet with fruits, vegetables, grains, and protein, I don't mind if you get more than your recommended protein amount from real food (beans, lean meat, salmon, etc). Why? These foods have many other health benefits such as fiber, omega-3's, iron, and so-on. The powders and protein bars... not so much.

Now that we know we can easily achieve this protein goal through ƒood, should this change the way we are looking at protein bars and powders? Especially ones that are oreo-chocoloate-peanut butter flavored? Absolutely. Unless you are a body builder (which I'm guessing you aren't) save your kidneys, save your wallet, save my sanity.. eat real foods that are high in protein. Ask yourself if your decisions and purchases are backed by scientific evidence or someone without a nutrition degree.

Until next time :-)

Morgan Mendenhall, RDN/LD