The chances are that at some point you have been told to ‘eat more protein’, and with a wealth of benefits there is plenty of reason to do so. The one problem is…do you even know what protein is? do you know how much you know how much you should be consuming or even what the best sources of it are?? Below I have made understanding protein very, very simple.
What actually is it? – protein is one of the three macronutrients (food groups) and acts as a major structural component of all cells within the body. The body uses protein as a building block for things such as your muscles, bones and hormones, as well as things such as hair, skin and nails.
One of proteins most valuable assets is that it is the most satiating (filling) of food groups, which basically means it will keep you fuller for longer. This can be a great tool when dieting, an example of this would be that if you were to have a high protein evening meal the chance of you snacking later on would be significantly reduced.
How much should you eat? – Those of you who are looking to build lean muscle and change your body composition (which is most of us) should aim for around 1.2-2.2grams of protein per kg of your bodyweight. A quick jump on the scale and will help you determine how much you need.
All of the above is great, but the main thing is where are the best places to get our protein from?? below I have listed some everyday food items that contain good quality levels of protein. All values are per 100g…
Chicken breasts – 25g protein
5% fat beef mince – 21g protein
Ham – 21g protein
Tuna – 25g protein
Eggs – 14g protein
Salmon – 25g protein
0% fat Greek yoghurt – 10g protein
Start looking on food labels more often to see how much protein is in your food, this awareness will help you eat healthier and get in an adequate level of protein.
Hope all this helps!