Protein An essential nutrient! Protein – An essential nutrient that builds and repairs body tissue, supports cell growth, and provides energy for the body. Amino Acid – Building blocks from which new proteins are made. There are 22 different ones but only 9 are essential for good health.

Protein has multiple functions Build and repair body tissue Maintain cell growth Energy 4 calories per gram

Must be supplied daily Constantly needed to replace wear and tear of tissue and keep up protein concentration in the blood serum

Protein provides energy Can take the place of some fat and carbohydrate Excess protein converted to energy Stored as fat

Fats and carbs cannot replace protein Needed to replace wear and tear of tissue and keep up protein concentration in the blood Excess protein, once converted to energy, cannot convert back to protein

The best animal sources of protein Milk Eggs Fish Poultry Red Meat

The best plant based sources of protein Soy Tofu Quinoa Legumes Lentils Beans Nuts and Seeds Vegetables Broccoli Avocado Kale

What the heck are legumes??? Legumes are plants that bear their fruit in pods, which are casings with two halves, or hinges. Legumes are a very healthy food because it is low in fat and high in protein.  Legumes are also very high in fiber and other nutrients.

What the heck are lentils??? Lentils are legumes along with other types of beans. They grow in pods that contain either one or two lentil seeds that are round, oval or heart-shaped disks and are oftentimes smaller than the tip of a pencil eraser. They may be sold whole or split into halves with the brown and green varieties being the best at retaining their shape after cooking.

Excessive Protein It is not necessary to eat a lot of protein. May do more harm than good.

How to Calculate Your Protein Needs: 1. Weight in pounds divided by 2.2 = weight in kg 2. Weight in kg x 0.8-1.8 gm/kg = protein gm. Use a lower number if you are in good health and are sedentary (i.e., 0.8). Use a higher number (between 1 and 1.8) if you are under stress, are pregnant, are recovering from an illness, or if you are involved in consistent and intense weight or endurance training.

Amino Acids Building Blocks from which new proteins are made. There are 22 different ones, but 9 are essential for good health.                                                                 

Complete Protein Any food that has all 9 essential amino acids are considered complete proteins. All animal proteins are classified as complete proteins. Support growth and maintenance of body tissue

For those who don’t eat meat…

Complete protein plant sources Some plant based proteins are complete proteins: Brewers Yeast Certain nuts Soybeans (tofu) Cottonseed Germ of grains

Partially Complete (aka-Incomplete) Amino Acids Provide normal maintenance Do not support growth Some plant foods contain protein, but not all essential amino acids Incomplete Proteins

Incomplete proteins can be combined to form a complete protein Eat a variety of foods to make certain the body gets all the essential amino acids. Make proteins complete by: Combining plant and animal food Combining plant protein from variety of cereals and grains Rice and beans Granola and nuts

Protein that’s is not immediately needed… Is excreted by the body, or Is converted to Fat and stored in adipose (fat) tissues in body. Cannot be converted back into amino acids

Protein needs influenced by Age Body Size Quality of the proteins Physical state of the person 3-6 ounces per day or 2-3 “servings”

Insufficient Protein Lower one’s resistance to disease, Damage liver Death Tiredness Weight loss Lack of energy Stunt growth Not common in U.S.

Severe protein deficiency – Kwashiorkor Disease