Present in every human cell, protein makes up about 20% of the human body. From Maricopa: the word protein is a Greek word, meaning “of utmost importance.” Proteins are called the workhorses of life as they provide the body with structure and perform a vast array of functions.
Bones are calcified tissue composed of 60% hydroxyapatite, 10% water and 30% protein.
Want to grow strong bones?
Consume adequate protein!
Proteins Provide Amino Acids
From verywellfit: Proteins are macromolecules made up of amino acids, the building blocks of life. When you eat foods that contain protein, the digestive system breaks it down into amino acids that are absorbed into your bloodstream. From there, the amino acids are used to build the proteins that make up your muscles, organs and tissues.
Essential and Non-Essential Amino Acids
Some amino acids are essential amino acids that must be consumed in the diet because the body cannot manufacture them. In contrast, the body can make many amino acids from the leftover bits of old amino acids and a few other raw materials found in the body.
Complete vs Incomplete Proteins
While foods that contain all nine essential amino acids are considered complete proteins, those that don’t are considered incomplete proteins. From Maricopa: sources of complete proteins include animal meats, dairy, eggs, quinoa and soybeans. Some incomplete proteins can be combined to make complete proteins. Examples include beans and rice, peanut butter on toast, and salad with chickpeas and sunflower seeds.
Animal Proteins are Complete
While animal proteins are complete, animal and vegetable proteins provide different amino acid profiles and varying vitamin, mineral, and fat content. Animal proteins typically contain high amounts of B vitamins, vitamin E, iron, magnesium and zinc. Plant proteins typically contain high fiber.
Plant Proteins
From verywellfit, below is a list of complete or nearly complete plant proteins:
- Edamame
- Amaranth
- Quinoa
- Hemp seed
- Chia
- Buckwheat
- Spirulina
However, “grains and cereals are extremely low in lysine. So low that they can’t even be considered a source of lysine. If you only eat grains and cereals, you won’t get enough lysine. However, legumes, such as peanuts, peas, dry beans, and lentils, contain a lot of lysine. On the flip side, legumes aren’t good sources of tryptophan, methionine, and cystine, but those amino acids are found in grains and cereals. As long as you eat some grains and some legumes, you’ll get some of each essential amino acid.”
It is best to vary food and protein sources so the body can obtain adequate levels of different nutrients.
Keep in mind that too many beans, legumes and lentils can lead to leaky gut. (See Food Toxins and Antinutrients in chapter 3.) Additionally, there are some nutrients and co-factors needed by the human body that are not available in the plant kingdom. For vegetarians to be healthy, food combining and supplementing are essential.
Combining Plant Proteins
From verywellfit: grains and legumes are complementary proteins because when combined, they provide all of the essential amino acids. Similarly, nuts and seeds are complementary to legumes because they contain tryptophan, methionine, and cystine. Consider:
Grains and Legumes Nuts and/or Seeds Plus Legumes
Bean soup and crackers Hummus (chickpeas and tahini)
Black beans and rice Lentils and almonds
Pasta and peas Roasted nuts or seeds and peanuts
Whole wheat bread and peanut butter
However, be aware that besides leaky gut concerns, plant-protein combining can create glycemic issues. From Kaye T. Collins, a Colorado-based nutritionist available for complimentary 20 minute consults at greensandgenes, “recommending that people eat bean soup and crackers is a glycemic nightmare waiting to happen! Most of my clients do much better and see lower inflammation levels when they remove grains and legumes from their diet.”
How Much Protein?
The National Institutes of Health (NIH) recommends that adults get 0.3636 grams of protein daily for every pound of body weight. For instance:
165 lbs * 0.3636 = 60 grams of protein per day
Some experts recommend that 10% to 35% of daily calories come from protein. However, those who are active, pregnant or nursing need more protein. Older adults should aim for 50% of daily calories from protein. In fact, adults over age 65 should strive for 0.45 to 0.55 gram of protein per pound of body weight daily. For example:
150 lbs / * 0.5 = 75 grams of protein per day
There are other experts, including Kaye, who see the NIH recommendations as “woefully inadequate,” implying that our bodies need even more healthy sources of protein for optimal health. Also consider this: if you do not digest or assimilate foods well, not only are undigested food particles contributing to chronic inflammation throughout the body, but also only a fraction of the nutritional content of foods is being delivered to the body.
From verywellfit: if you aren’t getting enough protein in your diet, you will notice weak nails and hair, loss of muscle mass, increased risk of bone fractures, and a weaker immune system.
High-Protein Foods
While I choose animal proteins and conscientiously limit dairy, eggs, beans, legumes and lentils due to their inflammatory-inducing characteristics, here are examples of high-protein foods from Harvard Medical School:
Lean meats such as chicken, turkey, beef, and pork are excellent sources of high-quality protein (~20 grams of protein per 3 oz serving) as well as important nutrients like iron and zinc. To avoid unhealthy saturated fat, opt for lean or low-fat meat options such as lean ground beef, pork loin, or skinless chicken breasts.
Fish like salmon, tuna, and mackerel are not only rich in protein (~20 grams of protein per 3 oz serving) but also contain omega-3 fatty acids, which are beneficial for heart health. Look for seafood options that are lower in methylmercury, such as salmon, anchovies, and trout.
Dairy products like milk, cheese, and yogurt are rich in protein (4-35 grams of protein per cup), calcium, and other essential nutrients. Greek yogurt is a great option, as it is high in protein as well as nutrients such as calcium, vitamins, and minerals. Dairy products can be high in saturated fat, so choose low-fat dairy options and limit the amount of cheese you eat.
Eggs contain all of the essential amino acids, making them a complete protein source (~6 grams of protein per egg). Eggs are also a source of vitamins, minerals, healthy fats, and antioxidants.
Beans, peas, and lentils (13-25 grams of protein per 100 gram serving) include kidney beans, pinto beans, white beans, black beans, lima beans, fava beans, soybeans, chickpeas, black-eyed peas, pigeon peas, split peas, lentils, and edamame. These plant-based foods are excellent sources of protein as well as fiber, folate, potassium, iron, and zinc.
Nuts and seeds (9-17 grams of protein per ½ cup serving) include almonds, hazelnuts, walnuts, peanuts, chia seeds, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, and peanut butter. They are not only rich in protein but also provide healthy fats, vitamins, and minerals. Nuts are high in fat and calories, so be mindful of portion sizes.
Quinoa is a plant-based protein source that is also a complete protein (~8 grams of protein per cup of cooked quinoa). Quinoa is also a good source of minerals such as manganese, phosphorus, and copper.
Soy products such as tofu and tempeh are good sources of protein: one-quarter cup of tofu provides 7 grams of protein.
Consider the Source
However you source your proteins, consider:
- going organic
- obtaining clean (even kosher), sustainably and humanely raised proteins
- balancing proteins right for your blood type with your body’s overall nutrient needs
- that variety helps deliver the full spectrum of nutrients needed by the body
- that animal fat is needed to assimilate animal protein
- that animal or plant fat is needed to assimilate plant protein.
Be aware that too lean proteins can result in undigested food particles and inflammation throughout the body.
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