Simple Nutrition Insights

Are You Getting Enough Protein? The Overlooked Nutrient

• Leonila • Season 2 • Episode 15

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This episode dives deep into the critical role protein plays in our diets and how to properly incorporate it into your daily meals. We cover different protein sources, the recommended intake, and practical tips for maximizing benefits.

• Importance of protein for muscle repair and energy levels
• Recommended protein intake based on individual needs
• Connection between protein and rapid weight loss consequences
• Differences between animal and plant-based protein sources
• Practical ways to increase protein in meals and snacks
• The significance of spreading protein intake throughout the day

Thank you so much for tuning in to Simple Nutrition Insights. If you enjoyed this podcast, be sure to subscribe, leave a review, and share it with a friend. If you need more help with nutrition, check out my Instagram at nutrition_with_leonila or send me a text at 559-512-0404 for more personalized guidance.

Protein Sources and Practical Tips

Thank you for listening. Please subscribe to this podcast and share with a friend. If you would like to know more about my services, please message at fueledbyleo@gmail.com

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Speaker 1:

Hey, hey, welcome back to Simple Nutrition Insights. I am your host, leonila Campos, registered dietitian, and I'm here to help you make nutrition simple, practical and sustainable. No fluff and just practical tips. Here Today we are diving into one of the most important macronutrients. Note that the other two are not important. They are also important, but protein, specifically, is what we're going to talk about today. Whether you're looking to build muscle, maintain a healthy weight or simply stay energized throughout the day, protein plays a crucial role in your health. So what we're going to cover today in this episode is why protein is essential for our bodies, how much protein we really need, practical ways to incorporate protein in our meals, whether you follow a plant-based diet or include animal foods. I got you covered here, okay, so let's get started. Why protein matters. Protein is often called the building block of life, and for a good reason. It helps to repair and build muscles, supports immune function, keeps our bodies feeling satisfied and satiated and maintains our healthy skin, hair and nails, produces important enzymes and hormones, and it also regulates blood sugars. You know, when we have our meals and we are adding some kind of protein with every meal, it helps maintain those blood sugars more stable. It. Also, unlike carbohydrates and fats, which are our other two macronutrients, and we're going to talk about them in the following weeks, our bodies don't really store excess protein for later use, right, which means we need to consume it consistently throughout the day. However, we can still consume too much of it, right, and we can go over our calories per se. But because protein keeps us satiated for a longer period of time, we oftentimes don't need to add a significant amount, right, as long as we're adding and I'll go over that in more detail in a little bit but as long as we're adding, you know, just enough to keep us satiated. That's essentially what we need.

Speaker 1:

So how much protein do we really need? Now? We have the USDA dietary guidelines, right, and these guidelines are created by a lot of other healthcare professionals, other dietitians. They have a committee and they create and update these guidelines every five years. So the general guideline, right, for protein is 0.8 grams per kilogram of body weight for the average person. Now, this is specifically to prevent deficiencies, right? This would be like the minimum that we need to not be deficient. Now it.

Speaker 1:

Of course, we also have to account for our weight, right. We also have to account for if we have kidney issues, if we are athletes or if we're trying to build more muscle mass. There's different factors that play into knowing how much protein we need. This is also why it's so important to work with a dietitian right To figure out these specific goals based on what your goals are, and then you want to update them based on your progress. So the way that I work with my clients, specifically with athletes or clients that are building muscle mass or doing body recomposition, where they're trying to build muscle and lose body fat, is that we take into account the muscle mass right. Obviously, we need to have either our DEXA scan or a body scan that is going to give me that information so I can put that in the calculation and make sure that those specific goals match the protein, because the more muscle mass that we have, muscle mass is so metabolically active that it burns calories even when we're not exercising. So if we have a high amount of muscle mass, we have to consider that to make sure that we're eating enough protein to sustain the muscle mass and to continue to grow. So super important to work with a dietician right to figure out these numbers. But you know, if it's just on average the average population 0.8 grams per kilogram of body weight, but I usually recommend a little bit more, at 1.0 to 1.2. Again, different factors here to consider, so work with a dietician to figure that out. We might increase it a little bit more if we're wanting to lose weight but maintain our muscle mass and lower our body fat percentage, which is what body recomposition is.

Speaker 1:

Now I want to stay here for a little bit longer and talk about rapid weight loss, right? Specifically we're seeing this more so for someone that might be taking one of these weight loss medications is that there's a decrease in hunger, right? That medication is doing its job, right? It's affecting those hunger, fullness, satiety and those hormones, and so that person is not very hungry, obviously losing significant amounts of weight. The problem here is that if we're not eating enough protein, by at least meeting those 0.8 grams per kilogram of body weight, we're not only losing body fat, we're also losing muscle mass, and that is significant, right, because that is not only going to decrease our metabolism, which then, because that is not only going to decrease our metabolism, which then at one point we're going to get into this plateau but it's also going to affect just how our bodies recover, how our bodies repair. It's going to affect our hair, right, losing a significant amount of hair, our skin, our nails.

Speaker 1:

So it's not just about not eating, right, we have to maximize these meals Even if we're not eating a lot. We have to prioritize our protein, right, because we want to maintain our muscle mass. Losing muscle mass is something called sarcopenia, and that has been shown that as we lose muscle mass, our mortality rate increases. Right, we might not see that significantly when we're young, but definitely as we get older. I did a podcast last week where I talked about how, as we get older after the age of 30, we can be losing between 3% to 8% of muscle mass in a decade. Now it might not sound like a lot, right, but that is a lot because we don't want to lose our muscle mass, and so one of the ways to help maintain and build our muscle mass right is consuming a protein and, of course, exercising those muscles. Super important to really, really remember those things. But I also wanted you to think about these other factors.

Speaker 1:

This is not a one-size-fits-all right. This is why it's so important to work with a dietician again, because if someone has chronic kidney disease and oftentimes just like any other chronic condition. Most of the times people are not going to know that, right? Unless if you do blood work where you're monitoring and tracking your kidney function. You probably won't know it, and so excess amount or higher amount of protein intake, specifically coming from animal sources, can really affect the kidneys. If you are already having kidney issues, right. So if you have diabetes, if you have uncontrolled high blood pressure, always talking to your healthcare provider about where your kidney function is, usually if it's not like kidney failure, then most of the times they're not really going to focus on it. But it is your job, right? Ask a patient, ask your doctor what is my kidney function, right, historically? How is it? How has it been? Right? Is it decreasing? Is it stable? You want it to be stable, right? You don't want it every single year that you go and check your kidneys. That is decreasing, right, because year after year, right, we're going to get into this chronic kidney disease. So you know, talk about that, right? Obviously, there's other chronic health conditions that we have to consider when increasing your protein, right, the types of protein sources and such. But just in general, for the average population, we should be okay.

Speaker 1:

What I usually recommend my clients specifically if they're wanting to build muscle mass or do body recomposition, or if there are any issues with, like, blood sugar management, let's start with 30 grams of protein right, at each meal and we will work from there, right, depending on how much protein juice, what we need. And so if there are no other, you know, chronic conditions, let's start with those 30 grams of protein in the morning, right, because that's we're going to start our morning with something that is going to balance our blood sugars, right, and it's going to keep us satiated and feeling, you know, satisfied for a longer period of time. And then 30 grams of protein after that, right. The less that we eat, the less the opportunity that we have to meet those goals, right? So another super important thing to remember, right and I emphasize this a lot with my clients it's like if you only eat one meal, it's really hard to get all the nutrients that your body needs in just that one meal, right, even if you're so strategic, even if you optimize that meal, it's just so hard to do it, right, because we need a lot of these essential nutrients that we need and we cannot just get them in one meal. So you know you can have smaller meals throughout the day and just optimize those meals, but having just one meal is just usually not the way to do it, okay. So I want to also mention that it is important to increase your protein slowly, because if you're not used to right, your digestive system is not used to digesting so much protein at once, and so you might have some GI problems. You know some digestion issues, some bloating, feeling too full, right, and so increasing it slowly or adding a little bit more at a time, right, can help with those symptoms, and that can help as you continue to do that week after week.

Speaker 1:

So let's talk about best sources of protein plant-based and animal-based. So animal-based protein sources, which are going to in the next one that I'm going to talk about, they're going to provide all the essential amino acids, right, making them a complete protein. You don't have to eat them together, right. This is more so for plant protein sources, because as long as you eat them throughout the day, you're okay. Eggs one egg is going to give you about six grams of protein, more or less. Chicken breast, right. About three ounces will give you about 26 grams of protein. Salmon three ounces will give you about 22 grams of protein. You don't have to write all these down or memorize it. Head over to show notes and you're going to find a comprehensive list of these protein sources animal and plant-based that you can use and use as a reference. Greek yogurt can range between 15 to 20 grams of protein per serving. Cottage cheese 14 grams per half a cup Lean beef 25 grams per three ounces.

Speaker 1:

Now there's other factors to consider. Right, if we're struggling with cholesterol, choosing your leaner sources of protein, and often what I recommend to you is pairing it with the plant sources, right. So, if you are, if you're having issues with high cholesterol, right, just stick to the three ounces right of your leanest sources of protein and add some plant sources. Right to complement that protein. Or two ounces and add some plant sources. Plant sources are not going to increase your cholesterol. On the other hand, because of the high fiber content, it can help to decrease your bad cholesterol and increase your good cholesterol, so that's something that you can try out. Or, if you're doing dairy products, making sure that they either are fat-free or 1%. The higher the fat, the higher the saturated fat is going to be and that is what is going to increase your bad cholesterol.

Speaker 1:

Pairing your animal protein with fiber-rich vegetables can help with digestion and also keeps your meals more balanced. Now some plant-based protein sources that are high in protein are your lentils, 18 grams per one cup, which is a really good amount. Chickpeas, 15 grams per cup. Quinoa, 8 grams per cup, which is also considered a complete plant-based protein. Tofu, 10 grams per half a cup. Tempeh, 20 grams per half a cup. Aromame, 17 grams per cup. And then you also have your chia seeds, hemp seeds and peanut butter, which are also going to give you between 4 to 10 grams of protein per 2 to 3 tablespoons.

Speaker 1:

Since many plant-based sources are considered incomplete proteins, meaning that they don't have all the essential amino acids, it's important to combine them throughout the day, right? So, for example, rice and beans or hummus with whole wheat pita, just to ensure that you get all the essential amino acids. But you don't have to be so meticulous and particular about like okay, I have to always make sure I have this food and this food. If you're adding a variety of these foods throughout the day, you should be okay. Your body is so efficient at getting those amino acids that it doesn't matter if you eat them on the same meal or, you know, for dinner right. Your body is still going to be able to use those nutrients and get, let's see.

Speaker 1:

So so far we talked about the importance of protein. We talked about animal sources and plant-based sources. Oftentimes, excuse me, I get this question for someone that follows a vegetarian or a plant-based diet. Where do they get their protein? As you heard right, there's so many sources where you can get your protein from. You're not going to be protein deficient. Even vegetables, even fruit, will give you a small amount like one or two grams of protein. So we can get protein from plant sources right.

Speaker 1:

Sometimes we might have to be strategic to make sure that we do get enough protein right. So, for example, if we want to have 30 grams of protein right with our lunch, we can combine, right, half a cup of tofu that is going to give us 10 grams, with a cup of quinoa that is going to give us 18 grams, or eight grams that's going to be a total of 18 grams, and then we add three tablespoons of hemp seeds, of course, our vegetables with that and that's going to get us closer to 30 grams of protein. So it doesn't have to be complicated, you just have to know, right, and have this resource that I'm going to give you for free, and you can make your meals that way. If you're following a plant-based diet and you're finding yourself hungry all the time, most likely it's because you're not adding enough protein. So take a look at those high protein sources and make sure, right, that at each meal, you're getting at least about 30 grams of protein Plus. You know you make your balanced meals, you're adding your vegetables, you're adding some kind of other grain or a piece of fruit or a healthy fat, and you should be able to stay satiated if you're making your meals this way.

Speaker 1:

Okay, let's talk about some practical ways to add protein to your day. For example, at breakfast, we can have Greek yogurt or cottage cheese to smoothies, right, honestly, you can make a really, really high protein smoothie, either by adding the Greek yogurt, the cottage cheese or a protein powder. You can add ground flaxseed or chia seeds, you can add spinach, you can add your fruits and have, you know, a 30-35 gram of protein smoothie. Or you can have Greek yogurt or cottage cheese, right, and just add some ground or chia seeds or hemp seeds to that, some, you know, chopped fruit or berries, and you can also have a high protein Greek yogurt and cottage cheese. Or you can have scrambled eggs and egg whites, right, if you're concerned about the cholesterol which should be okay with your cholesterol doesn't have the egg. Yogurt doesn't have a high amount of saturated fats, however, if you are, if you have high cholesterol already, you struggle with that. Sometimes. It is recommended to limit our eggs to two eggs. But you can supplement the protein by adding egg whites, right? Add some spinach and have a whole grain toast. Or have some fruit on the side and that's a balanced breakfast. You can even make have you know? Oatmeal with chia, hemp and peanut butter. If you want to add a little bit more protein, you can add Greek yogurt to it or the plant-based Greek-style yogurt for a plant-based meal. Even oatmeal can be made high protein.

Speaker 1:

At lunch you can have grilled chicken, tempeh or salmon. You can add that to your salads. Add more color to your salad. You don't want to just have lettuce or leafy greens and your protein, right? You're not going to be satiated because there's not enough nutrition. Of course, you have a high amount of protein, but you want to make sure that you're balancing out that salad, right? So if you have your leafy greens, our cucumber, tomatoes, bell peppers, and then add your protein to that right, and it's going to keep you full for a longer period of time.

Speaker 1:

Or you can do quinoa, a quinoa and black bean bowl, and add some chopped vegetables, bell peppers, mushrooms, whatever veggies you want to add to that. Or you can do hummus or tofu in a wrap right. Or you can do tempeh and add again some, some veggies to it and that is a balanced lunch for dinner, right, you can do. Choose any lean meat, fish or tofu to make a stir fry. Or you can add your quinoa or your brown rice and to feel more satiated, and tons of different vegetables. Or you can do a lentil soup or chickpea curry right, and add some vegetables to that. You can also add peas. Peas are also high in protein. So you know, you can complement those two with adding some peas or rusted vegetables with a high protein grain, like quinoa.

Speaker 1:

For your snacks, you can have a cottage cheese with fruit and almonds, or two hard boiled eggs with some grapes or other fruit. Or you can make yourself a protein smoothie with plant-based or whey protein powder. Or you can have aromame with salt and some carrots, cucumbers or a piece of fruit, peanut butter and a whole grain toast. So it's not difficult to make high protein balanced meals and snacks. It's just sometimes having that knowledge and knowing where the protein or what sources have higher amounts of protein. This is why I created these quick tips and handout for you. So again, head over to the show notes and you can get that handout for free and this way you can start adding your meals.

Speaker 1:

Have your meals be higher in protein. That is going to help you with satiety, blood sugar regulation. Combine your animal and plant-based proteins if you're trying to decrease your cholesterol and your saturated fat, and increase your fiber, which is also going to help you with cholesterol management and satiety. If you get full really fast because you might be on these weight loss medications, prioritize your protein. Eat your protein first, then your vegetables and then your grains or any other food that you want to add, but prioritize your protein and then your veggies, because you need them for proper digestion, but also to feel satiated and to get the nutrients that your body needs. Okay, some final thoughts here. My friends, protein is essential for overall health, muscle maintenance and satiety, but you don't need to overcomplicate it by incorporating a mix of animal-based or plant-based sources and spreading your intake throughout the day, you can easily meet your protein needs.

Speaker 1:

So before we wrap up, I challenge you to pay attention to your protein intake today. Are you getting enough? What's one meal you can tweak to include more protein? I get this question asked to you in terms of cravings, right, and that inside you, or like wanting desire to eat, and oftentimes it's because we don't eat enough, right? Or we don't have breakfast, and so by 10 in the morning we're like looking for something to have.

Speaker 1:

Or if we, let's say, we had lunch at 12 and we are expecting to not be hungry until we get home for dinner around five or six, we're going to be hungry right Around two or three, maybe 4 pm, and that's what we're going to start having, like these cravings, or like that decrease right In energy, and so add a high-protein, high-fiber snack at that time, right? If you add enough protein throughout the days, that should also help with cravings. If that doesn't help, it's more so that the cravings are due to high levels of stress or lack of sleep. So look into those things as well. All right, my friends. Thank you so much for tuning in into Simple Nutrition Insights. If you enjoyed this podcast, be sure to subscribe, leave a review and share it with a friend. If you need more help with nutrition, check out my Instagram at nutrition underscore, with underscore Leonila, or send me a text at 559-12004 for more personalized guidance. Until next time, stay fueled and stay strong. Bye-bye for now.