Focus on Protein

Mention ‘healthy eating' and most people think about reducing their saturated fat and salt while getting their 5ADay. Protein, despite being essential to good health, is often ignored by all but body builders and Atkins diet aficionados.

So why do we need protein?

Protein provides amino acids which are found in the structure of every cell in the body. Aside from helping to build muscle they're also vital for making hormones, neurotransmitters (brain chemicals that effect mood) and enzymes (that facilitate thousands of reactions in the body). High protein intake has even been linked to reduced risk of cardiovascular disease and wrist fractures in women.

Protein is particularly beneficial for dieters as most people lose muscle mass as well as fat stores when they lose weight. A protein rich diet combined with regular resistance training can prevent this. The other benefit of protein rich foods is that they tend to be the best at keeping hunger at bay.

How much do we need?

The Department of Health recommends simply 45g per day for women and 55g per day for men. This advice is adequate for many people but it may be insufficient for those who are overweight or carry a lot of muscle. Here the US guidelines are more useful as they recommend 0.8g of protein per kg of body weight per day (which equates to 5g of protein per stone of body weight per day).

Sometimes protein guidelines are given as a percentage of total Calorie intake (ranging from 10% to 35% of total Calories, with 15% being the norm). This guidance can be useful for individuals such as sports professionals, but is usually only used by those working in the field of nutrition as it requires detailed analysis of a person's entire diet.

How to get it

Protein should appear in every meal. The key foods are meat, poultry, fish, dairy produce, beans, lentils, eggs, nuts, seeds and small amounts from grains. Variety is important as they all have their strengths and weaknesses. Red meat for example provides plenty of iron, zinc and some of the B vitamins, but high intakes of processed and overcooked red meat have been linked to heart disease, diabetes and some cancers. Choose fresh red meat rather than processed, and have it just twice a week. Oily fish provides essential omega 3 fats and vitamin D alongside the protein, but mercury can accumulate in oily fish (particularly large, carnivorous fish like Tuna) so again, two portions per week is generally advised. Poultry and most white fish can be eaten more often.

Many meat eaters overlook vegetarian sources of protein. Dairy produce (associated with reduced risk of heart disease, diabetes and osteoporosis) are packed full of nutrients, just avoid large quantities of full fat cheese due to the high saturated fat content. Eggs are a great source of protein, and research has shown they won't raise your cholesterol as was once thought. Beans and lentils are good for cholesterol levels and keeping the digestive system healthy. A handful of nuts or seeds each day will provide plenty of vitamins, minerals and healthy fats alongside the protein. Vegans should make sure they have protein from grains and beans / pulses each day to ensure that their diet provides all the essential amino acids.

Here are a few suggestions (protein content shown in brackets):

Small chicken breast (29g)
120g beef steak, raw weight (28g)
120g mackerel fillet, raw weight (22g)
90g tin of tuna, Fish4Ever brand (22g)
2 eggs (16g)
125g yogurt (6g)
125ml milk (4g)
100g feta cheese (17g)
35g handful of nuts (8g)
Tablespoon of sunflower seeds (4g)
Half a tin of chick peas (120g) (8g)
40g wild rice (uncooked weight) (4g)

Please note that separate guidance exists for children, sports professionals and for women during pregnancy and while breast feeding. Some medical conditions can also be influenced by protein intake (kidney problems in particular) so check with your GP if unsure.

For further information visit www.eatwell.gov.uk or the US sites www.dietaryguidelines.gov and www.nutritiondata.com

Julia FitzGerald is available for individual consultations at Still Point House in Bovey Tracey on Wednesday afternoons. Please see www.korunutrition.co.uk or call 01626 830536 for further info.