To stay healthy, we need to eat a healthy diet that contains all food groups, our meals should contain more carbohydrates, protein, and fat they are also referred to as macronutrients. As long as you keep eating a healthy diet, you can get all the vitamins and nutrients you need.
You want to know how much protein you really need to stay healthy; Well any straight answer to this questioned can be argued on because there are a lot of factors to consider before stating the amount of protein a person needs but we all know that when you don’t get the right amount of protein your body needs; you are bound to fall sick. If you consume meals that are low in protein, your body finds a way to generate protein. Since muscles are made out of proteins, the body now breaks down some muscle and supply the protein gotten to other parts of the body.
This mode of generating protein is giving extra stress to some organs and not a healthy option for you.
Children who do not eat enough protein usually do not grow well and when adults to don’t eat enough protein; their muscles reduces and become weak not leaving out the heart which is a vital muscle to the body. When you lack protein your immunes do not function properly; every cell in your body becomes weak and these may lead to death.
Eating protein is very important if you want to stay healthy and alive. Proteins are called bodybuilding food as they help build and repair muscle tissues, bones, cartilage, skin, and blood; it is also responsible for hair and nail growth.
The National Academy of Sciences (NAS) recommends that the amount of protein needed by an adult man is 56grams, adult woman 46grams, and a pregnant woman 71grams every day. Harvard School of Public Health says it should be 9grams for every 20 lbs of weight for both men and women. Take for instance if you weigh 180 lb; then you need to take about 81grams of protein every day.
The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) gave some guidelines about dieting in which it was stated that if a person eats 2000 calories per day, it should contain 18% protein, 55% carbohydrates, and 29% fat. A recent study conducted by the International Journal OF Sports Nutrition states that people who do rigorous training must eat at least 1.6 to 1.7 grams per pound, this literarily means that if a person weighs 200 pounds he or she needs 140grams of protein every day. This means that it is appropriate for us to eat about 7grams to 9grams of protein per pound of body weight daily. Since most women have more body fat than men it would be best for them to eat 7-8 grams of protein.
Some healthy sources of protein are;
- Lean meat: eat more healthy lean cuts of meat that are without fat. If you eat chicken or turkey, it is best you peel off the skin.
- Fish is also a healthy source of protein because it contains low fat and cholesterol. it also contains Omega-3 fatty acid which is healthy for the heart.
- Eggs and most importantly egg whites: Egg whites contain proteins alone, it is the best source of fat and cholesterol-free protein.
- Dairy products: eat low-fat cheese, milk, and yogurt. Cottage cheese is a very healthy source of protein and can be added to meals if you don’t like the texture.
- Legumes such as peas, beans, lentils, and peanuts are also good sources of protein.
- Whole grains such as rye, wheat, rice, barley, and oat are very healthy too.
- Nuts especially almonds are very tasteful and a good source of fat and protein.
Protein cannot be stored in the body like fats and carbohydrates. It is usually used up immediately. It is not necessary to eat a lot of protein at once because too much protein that is not used will be processed into sugars and fatty acids. Therefore a moderate amount of protein is what you should consume.
Just so you know, taking protein supplements cannot make you fat instead it assists a person who is on a diet because the amino acids produced by the protein supplements in your body helps regulate your blood sugar levels. It is important you maintain a healthy body sugar level to prevent you from craving for food.
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