Nutrition Basics PROTEIN

Why is protein important? Basic units are amino acids “building blocks of protein” Protein is needed for growth, tissue replacement, and tissue maintenance Muscles, cartilage, skin, bones and blood Enzymes, hormones, and vitamins Protein provides 4 calories/gram During this presentation we will talk about many aspects of protein, from why we need it to tips on how to make good choices. To begin, proteins are made up of amino acids. Different amino acids come together to form different types of protein, of which we will talk about in a later slide. Protein is needed in the body for many reasons, most commonly for growth, as well as tissue replacement and maintenance. As a side note, protein provides 4 calories for each gram consumed. This may be helpful to be able to estimate about how much protein you are consuming daily.

Amino Acids (AA) Non-essential Essential Your body can synthesize them Do not need to get them from the diet Essential Your body can't make nine AA They are called essential AA because it's essential that you get them from the foods you eat. As previously mentioned, proteins are made up of amino acids. There are two types of amino acids, essential and non-essential. True to their names, non-essential AA can be synthesized by your body, and therefore it is not essential to get them from your daily diet. The other type of AA are essential, which means it is necessary to get them from your diet.

Complete vs. Incomplete Contains all nine of the essential AA Protein from animal sources Meat and milk Incomplete Lacks one or more of the essential AA Most vegetable protein Beans, lentils, nuts Taking what we have learned about essential and non-essential AA, we can now discuss two more categories of protein. The categories are complete and incomplete proteins. A protein is considered “complete” when it contains all of the essential AA. Common sources of this type of protein are animal sources such meat and milk. Incomplete proteins, therefore, are proteins that lack one or more of the essential AA. Common sources of this type of protein are most vegetable protein.

Complementary Proteins Combination of incomplete protein that when put together forms a complete protein Rice and Beans Another type of protein that also exists are complementary proteins. Complementary proteins consist of two or more incomplete proteins, that when mixed together, form a complete protein. A classic example of this is rice and beans. Separately, they lack specific AAs, but together provide a complete protein.

What Foods Contain Protein? Protein is found in many foods: Beef Pork Poultry Fish Dry beans Peas Eggs Nuts Seeds At this point, you may be wondering which foods contain protein. It is found in many foods. All foods made of Meat, Protein, and Fish contain protein, as well as other sources such as dry beans or peas, eggs, nuts, and seeds.

Pop Quiz! Are foods from animal products typically complete or incomplete proteins? [Read quiz question] Answer: COMPLETE!

How Much Protein Do I Need? MyPyramid recommends eating 5 ½ ounces every day Recommendations made in ounce equivalents (oz eq) For example 1 soy or bean burger patty = 2 oz eq 1 ounce of meat poultry or fish = 1 oz eq 1 small lean hamburger = 2 to 3 oz eq At this point, you may be wondering how much protein you need to consume daily, how much is too much, or am I getting enough? One excellent resource for understanding how much protein you need daily is www.mypyramid.gov. According to MyPyramid, adults should get 5 ½ oz of protein every day. Recommendations are made in ounce equivalents. For example, 1 meat patty is about 2 oz equivalents. All foods have an oz equivalent, and once they are learned, all you have to worry about is getting 5 ½ of them daily!

Serving Sizes 1 can of tuna, drained = 3 to 4 oz eq ¼ cup cooked dry beans or 1 cup bean soup = 2 oz eq 1 egg = 1 oz eq 1 tablespoon of peanut butter = 1 oz eq ½ ounce of nuts or seeds = 12 almonds, 24 pistachios, 7 walnut halves = 1 oz eq Listed here are some other examples of common foods and their oz equivalents: [Read list]

Typical Serving Sizes Restaurant Recommended Previously, some questions about whether you are getting enough protein may have arisen. Americans typically do not have any problem getting sufficient protein. As we can see from these pictures, portion sizes in a restaurant are very large compared to the actual amounts that are recommended. We can assume the picture on the right (recommended) is about 2-3 oz equivalents, a typical serving of meat. Meanwhile, the picture on the left is about 2-3 times the recommended amount. There are a few negative effects from eating too much protein. Typically, there are no major problems, but some problems that could arise are increased work for your kidneys and dehydration due to loss of water through urine.

Portion Sizes 1 oz. meat: size of a matchbox 3 oz. meat: size of a deck of cards or bar of soap—the recommended portion for a meal 8 oz. meat: size of a thin paperback book 3 oz. fish: size of a checkbook 1 oz. cheese: size of 4 dice 2 Tbs. peanut butter: size of a ping pong ball Listed are some tricks to remember how much of different foods equal an ounce equivalent. Remember to pay attention to the thickness of the example as well as the size. [Read list]

Pop Quiz! Is it possible for vegetarians to get enough protein? What are some examples of protein sources available to vegetarians? [Read question] Answer: Yes!

Vegetarian Proteins Eggs (for ovo-vegetarians) Beans Nuts Nut butters (peanut butter, almond butter) Peas (chickpeas, cowpeas, lentils, or split peas) Soy products (tofu, tempeh, veggie burgers) We can see that the answer is definitely yes! This is a short list of vegetarian sources, depending on the type of vegetarian you are. [Read list]

Tips for Making Good Choices Choose lean cuts of meat such as round steak, tenderloin, boneless, skinless chicken breasts, and ground beef that is at least 90% lean Trim visible fats from meats and poultry before cooking Skip or limit the breading on meat, poultry or fish Broil meats or use small amounts of oil when frying Here we have listed some tips for making good choices for protein sources. [read]

Here is a picture of a nutrition facts label Here is a picture of a nutrition facts label. This is simply to show where you can look on a nutrition label to find protein. You will notice that protein is listed in grams, but we have discussed protein needs in “ounce equivalents”. Roughly, 7 grams is equal to one ounce equivalent.

Summary Needed for growth, tissue maintenance and repair Complete vs Incomplete Complementary Food sources Animal: beef, chicken, fish, pork, eggs Vegetable: beans, lentils, peas, nuts, seeds Daily needs Healthy choices In summary, protein is needed in the body for growth, tissue repair, and tissue maintenance. There are different categories of protein which include complete, incomplete and complementary. Sources of complete protein are meat and milk, and most sources of incomplete protein are vegetable such as nuts, seeds, beans and peas. Complementary proteins are combinations of incomplete protein that when combined make a complete protein, such as rice and beans. It is recommended that adults get five and a half ounce equivalents of protein each day. Remember to choose lean sources of meat and use healthy cooking methods to meet your protein needs.