Protein and You, Part 2

16 Sep Protein and You, Part 2

Is anyone else experiencing horrible allergies lately? I know in Arizona, we have 2 allergy seasons: one in March/April, and again in September/October – I read somewhere recently that as long as the temperatures are under 100 and above 80, we have more pollen and allergens floating in the air. Makes it hard to stay on the fitness track when your sinuses are all inflamed. To make it worse, the temperatures are so nice in the morning, it’s finally time for outdoor fitness activities! I’m off to see an allergist to see what I can do to make this tolerable. I’m dying to get out running again!

In the meantime, lets talk about protein sources and serving sizes.

Sources of Protein

In general, animal protein sources, such as meat, poultry, fish, and eggs contain about 7 grams of protein per ounce. For example, a 4 ounce serving of beef would provide 28 grams of protein. Beans and nuts contain 5 to 7 grams of protein per ounce, but need to be paired with grains in order to have the full effect. Grains in themselves contain between 2 and 4 grams per ounce. Combining a serving of beans (4 ounces, or 1/2 cup) and a serving of rice (4 ounces, or 1/2 cup) would provide you with 9 grams of protein. Dairy and the soy alternatives average between 6 and 8 grams per ounce.

Serving sizes of Protein

• One serving of meat, poultry, fish equals 3 to 6 ounces, about the size of a deck of cards for between 21 and 42 grams per serving. Two eggs is one serving and 14 grams of protein.
• A serving of whole nuts is 1/3 cup (1 and 1/2 ounce), 1/2 cup of beans and legumes, 2 tablespoons (1/2 ounce) of seeds, or nut butter; providing between 16 and 2 grams of protein.
• One half cup of rice is one serving, and 9 grams of protein.
• 8 ounces of dairy (1 cup) is a serving and 6 grams of protein.

Putting in together

If your goal is to include a minimum of 61 grams of protein in your diet every day, you now know you can reach this goal by having 2 eggs over beans and rice for breakfast (39 grams), add 2 tablespoons of peanut butter to an apple for a snack (7 grams), and 4 ounces of fish for dinner (28 grams), and you’ve exceeded your minimum goal. Remember to mix and match animal proteins with plant based protein, and when choosing plant protein sources, add grains to get the most out that protein source. Now you can take your meal planning to the next level.

Coming up:

Next week, I have some product reviews to tell you about: protein bars, a gluten free cracker and a frozen desert made from almond milk! Until then, be sure and message me any question, comments or suggestions!

Eat well!

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