Protein. Let's talk.

It’s every bodybuilder’s favorite macronutrient and for good reason. It's on the top of the list for discussion in lectures and round table discussions.

 

Protein is wonderful. It an essential part of our make up, is extremely satiating and is a true anabolic.

Though how much is too much ? Would it be too much if your kidneys exploded ??

Today I woke up to make my morning smoothie and decided upon something different. I was going to combine all the ingredients I use for my "usual" but would grind the nuts, grains and seeds to store in the fridge as a protein mix.

This got me thinking. While I am blessed to have studied nutrition and know how to create my perfect protein concoction for myself .. what about everyone else? Are they really still using synthesised products in an attempt to get their daily dose of the good stuff?

 

The answer is yes. Millions of people all over the world are still stuffing their bodies with flavoured powder in order to justify their protein intake.

Fitness professionals all over the world are still recommending a daily intake of approximately 1g per pound of body weight.

Well, isn't it the building block to our body !? Yes. Of course. Protein is awesome… but..

You are consuming too much of it .

According to the FSC, a balanced diet is recommended to allow a daily protein intake of 50g. This is almost a quarter of what most athletes are consuming.

Dr Mike Roussell put's it in plain text when he refers to protein saying "it can be downright dangerous".

Excess protein can lead to calcium deposits as the body is attempting to alkalise and maintain it's norml PH (somewhere between 7 and 7.4. You guessed it, this can lead to kidney stones and other urinary tract problems. Ouch !

So if excess protein is not conducive to a healthy body, why are we consuming pounds of supplements in an effort to become lean and mean ?

Not sure..

Absolutely, one upon a time when people weren't health conscious there was a drastic need for a supplment to aid consumption of protein but these days with all the amino acid talk, what we need to look at is getting enough protein from food sources and less from synthesised chemicals containing harmful metals that will affect us long term.

So, we all know the downside to over consuming of protein and subjecting our bodies to large quantities of supplements filled with disease causing chemicals.. but what are the highest protein foods and how much do we need ?

If you consume meat and eggs, a combination of 1 or 2 of the following coupled with foods from the table below may actually give you all the protein you need.

Eggs

Eggs are one of those foods that always makes the top five list when it comes to nutrient density and high protein content. They should always come from organic, free range chickens to provide optimum nutrition to the body. 1 large whole egg on average contains:

• Fat: 5 grams
• Carbohydrates: 0 grams
• Protein: 6 grams

Chicken Breast

Chicken breast is a staple of bodybuilding building diets because it’s considered very high in protein. What isn't taken into consideration is the health of the chicken, how it was manufactured and therefore what benefits it is actually bringing to the body. One serve of organic free range chicken breast of 50g contains on average:

• Fat: 0.6 grams
• Carbohydrates: 0 grams
• Protein: 11.5 grams

Tuna Steak (Raw)

Tuna is one of the highest protein foods in the seafood department. A 50g serving of clean fish contains:

• Fat: 0.5 grams
• Carbohydrates: 0 grams
• Protein: 11.7 grams

Vegetarian

If you prefer not to eat meat, you are not limited by choice !! The table below has kindly been outlined by the Vegetarian Althete sourced from the World Health Organisation.

You may be surprised to know how many foods actually contain protein.

Amino acid	WHO Mg/ kg body weight	WHO Mg/ 55 kg (121 lbs)	WHO Mg/ 80 kg (176 lbs)	Good dairy/egg sources (per 200 calories)	Best vegan sources (per 200 calories)
I Isoleucine	20	1100	1600	Egg whites 2754 mg Cottage cheese lowfat 2022 mg	Soy protein 2650 mg Watercress 1691 mg Chard 1540 mg Spinach 1322 mg Sunflower seed flour 1474 mg Kidney beans 1297 mg
L Leucine	39	2145	3120	Egg whites 4233 mg Cottage cheese lowfat 3540 mg	Soy protein 4226 mg Watercress 3017 mg Alfalfa seeds raw 2322 mg Kidney beans 2103 mg Tofu 2500mg Sesame flour 2307 mg Sunflower seed flour 2148 mg
K Lysine	30	1650	2400	Egg white 3358 mg Cream cheese 2859 mg Cottage cheese lowfat 2784 mg	Soy protein 3319 mg Watercress 2436 mg Tofu 2253 mg
M Methionine+ C Cysteine	15 (total)	825	1200	Egg whites 1660 mg	Sesame flour 994 mg Seaweed spirulina 908 mg Soy protein 690 mg
F Phenylalanine+ Y Tyrosine	25 (total)	1375	2000	Egg whites 2435 mg Cottage cheese lowfat 1856 mg Cottage cheese 1489 mg Cream cheese 1465 mg Cheddar cheese 1363 mg	Soy protein 2862 mg Cottonseed flour 1870 mg Sesame flour 1596 mg Kidney beans 1473 mg Spinach 1428 mg
T Threonine	15	825	1200	Egg white 1942 mg	Watercress 2418 mg Soy protein 1755 mg Spinach 1496 mg Sesame seed flour 1250 mg Sunflower seed flour 1202 mg Kidney beans 1230 mg
W Tryptophan	4	220	320	Egg white 673 mg Mozzarella cheese 399 mg Cottage cheese lowfat 383 mg	Soy protein 695 mg Spinach 690 mg Sesame flour 659 mg Sunflower seed flour 451 Watercress 544 mg Turnip greens 400 mg Broccoli rabe 390 mg Asparagus 322 mg Kidney beans 303 mg Oat bran 280 mg
V Valine	26	1430	2080	Egg white 3371 mg	Soy protein 2554 mg Watercress 2491 mg Mushrooms, white 193 mg Sunflower seed flour 1703 mg Sesame seed flour 1682 mg Snow/snap peas 1595 mg Kidney beans 1503 mg

Do your body a favour and find the healthy balance in your life.

If you have explored all avenues and are sure you require excess protein in your diet, consider protein swapping so you are not eating large quantities of foods and synthesised products that are harming your body long term.

Choose an array of foods from the table above to compliment your training and keep hormones controlled, thus providing better functioning, allowing better workouts and ultimately creating a more balanced body.

Our bodies are incredible machines that have the ability to provide us with strength, lean muscle mass, energy and functionality.

Give your body a chance by fueling it right and you may just be surprised what can be acheived.

Stay motivated and dedicated to your health.

Always committed to your success,

Marissa
www.marissanieves.com
http://marissapurelifefitness.wordpress.com/2012/09/27/purelife/?preview=true&preview_id=53&preview_nonce=5bd56f16b7