Live Fresh! Eat Right! – Protein for Optimum Health:
High-protein, ‘slow-burn’, low glycemic index carbohydrates and lower fat meals is smart eating for colder days ahead. Avoiding ‘carb-centric’ meals requires going back to planning meals around the protein.
Are you getting enough protein per day? Two 100 gram (3 ½ ounce) servings of lean meat or meat equivalent provides 45 – 50 grams of pure protein, the minimum amount of protein that most adults require for a healthy immune system and daily repair and maintenance of the body. Higher lean body mass, increased exercise, physical stress and illness or injury further increase the demand for protein energy and nutrient intake. Dietary protein is not only essential, but eating high protein as part of each snack helps maintain blood sugar levels in balance and this can decrease carb cravings. Drinking a minimum of 1 ½ litres of water per day is essential with high protein diets.
Summary: most people can improve their diet in these 3 easy ways:
1. Eat two or more high quality protein servings per day; eat protein-rich foods with each snack.
2. Choose mostly slow-burn, low glycemic index carbs such as coloured veggies (peas, carrots, yams), quinoa, barley, brown rice, raw veggies, and reduce consumption of sugars and refined carbs.
3. Limit animal fat intake and consume more “good fats”, polyunsaturated high quality plant oils that are minimally processed, such as extra virgin olive oil and organic coconut oil; avoid deep fried foods, modified or partially hydrogenated fats. Many processed foods contain these low quality, rancid or harmful fats.
*FYI – Total protein content varies according to specific meat, fish and protein types.
- Approximate protein equivalents (25 g = 1 high protein serving)
Adult male and female (Canadian) Dietary Reference Intake (DRI) for protein is 0.8g per kg per day (g/kg/day). Example: 62.5 kg (137 lb) person: 62.5 x 0.8 = 50 g protein per day.
References:
1. www.livestrong.com
2. www.csep.ca/cmfiles/publications/dfc/protein_booklet_e.pdf
3. www.the-gi-diet.org/lowgifoods
4. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/dr-mercola/coconut-oil-benefits_b_821453.html