Food of the day: Protein!

Did you know that 20% of your daily dietary intake should be protein?  That's anywhere from 60 - 90 grams for most women and 90 - 120 grams for most men.  It's not a small amount and it's almost impossible to get solely from meat alone.  In this world of processed foods, it's almost impossible to get from your normals foods alone.  Catalog what you eat for a couple days and note how much sugar and protein you're taking in - I bet it's more sugar than you realize and way less protein.

The protein helps keep muscles strong and active (including major organs) and processes as energy for longer, so you can burn off the sugar and fat in your system.  If you have too little protein, well you can guess what your body chooses to store and use as alternative fuel, right?

Anyway, I've been researching recipes that can give you the biggest bang for your buck in terms of protein intake.  Here's what I've found (I am doing my best in this list to avoid processed sources):

1.  Eggs are your best friend.  The amount of protein you can get in one egg is pretty great (6 grams).  If you ate 10 - 15 eggs over the course of a day, you'd get in your full protein requirement.  You may also hate breakfast, but there's always a tradeoff, right?  My point is, you can really get a kickstart by having eggs in some form every day - from scrambled to hard boiled.  The danger is what you cook them in or add to them, because you can take this great source and turn it into a fat bomb very easily!  My favorite simple egg recipe is homemade egg drop soup.  It's this easy:  Bring a cup of chicken broth to boil (use homemade or store bought, just watch the sodium content!).  Scramble an egg in a bowl and drizzle into boiling liquid.  Add a dash of pepper (or sriracha).  Done.  If you like your soup a little thicker, add a second egg.  Easy, filling, and healthy.  Otherwise, check out these recipes.

2.  Chicken - I know, sensing a theme right?  But honestly, these birds can't fly - which is good because they are a pretty excellent source of nutrition.  3 ounces of chicken breast is 23 grams of protein.  3 ounces is not a large piece of chicken, by the way, for that amount of protein.  For example, the Chik Fil-A grilled chicken nuggets 8 count entree is 140 calories, 23 grams of protein, and weighs in at right about 3 ounces of chicken.  Pretty good, right?  A whole breast off a chicken is roughly 4 oz, so you're actually getting closer to 30 grams of protein there.  Imagine eating a breast and a wing - half your daily requirement could be met right there!

3.  Fish are food, not friends.  Sorry Nemo, but the truth is a 6 ounce piece of halibut can provide 35 grams of protein.  The range of protein goodness is 23 - 45 grams for a fillet, depending on the size. Not all fish are equal though, so taking the time to find out which ones provide you the most nutrition is important.   Because of overfishing, mercury concerns and other industry issues a lot of the commonly served white fish varieties lack a lot of benefits.  Here are some that come up as winners in a sea of choices (I've included some shellfish as well):  Albacore Tuna (Troll or Pole Caught); Salmon (Alaskan, Wild Caught); Sardines (!) (Pacific, Wild Caught); Rainbow Trout (Farmed); Freshwater Coho Salmon (Tank Farmed); Dungeness Crabs; Mahi Mahi; Cusk; and Snapper (45 grams!).  Don't mistake me, Cod, Haddock, Flounder, Perch and Halibut are good choices as well, but you need to be sure to research their sources.  Fish to avoid right now might be another thing to note, for instance: Bluefin Tuna, Chilean Sea Bass, Grouper, Monkfish, Orange Roughy, Atlantic Farmed Salmon (actually any farmed Salmon that isn't from Alaska).

4.  Dairy!  Back to your childhood, where milk does a body good.  That still holds true, guys.  Milk gives you 8 grams of protein per serving.  Cottage cheese can give you 15 grams per serving.  I do have to caution you to beware the other cheeses because while they have protein, they are also hefty in fat content which can nullify some of the good you're doing.  Also, yogurts can pack a protein punch but if they are over processed, you're looking at a ton of sugar and fat as well. 

5.  Beans.  Beans, beans, good for your heart.  The more you eat, the healthier you are!  I know that's not how it goes, but it's true.  Lentils, black beans, pinto beans, white beans, navy beans, chickpeas and the list goes on - long enough to include my favorite split peas.  These guys can add a lot to a meal in small doses because a cup of them ranges from 20 - 45 grams of protein.  Chickpeas, for instance, pack a wallop.  Fresh made hummus could be a great staple in a changed diet!

6.  Nuts?  No I'm not crazy.  Most people feel these shouldn't be on the list because of the fat content, but moderation is the key here.  Nuts are an easy snack and addition to salads or entrees.  A few nuts can make a big impact on a meal lacking good protein.  The key is which nuts you choose.  Almonds, Peanuts, Sunflower seeds, Pumpkin seeds, Hazelnuts, Macadamia nuts, Brazil Nuts, Walnuts, Pine Nuts and Flax seeds can give you 8 - 15 grams of protein per half cup.  Most people eat between a quarter to half a cup as a snack.  That's a reasonable amount for a pick me up or addition to a meal.  Even the 10- 20 grams of fat aren't that bad if these are not overused in your diet.  Sorry to say, Cashews, Pecans, Chestnuts don't make the list because of their high sugar and fat contents compared to relatively low protein content.  They are yummy, but don't help the overall intake enough.  If you choose peanut butter as a source, go natural with reduced oil, sugar and salt.  The other ones are so processed, your benefits are dramatically reduced.

So, you're wondering why I haven't listed beef or pork, right?  Like you, I love a great steak or pork chop.  Admittedly, a 6 oz steak gives 42 grams of protein but there are some serious issues with large amounts of red meat.  The hamburger that has 28 grams of protein also has so much of the bad fats that you would have to seriously rework your diet to counteract it on a regular basis.  While the pork chop (23 grams of protein) and the loin (29 grams for 4 oz) are great, the rest of the pig has some big issues regarding fat and other contaminants.  If you can get something organic and fresh, great, but it's hard these days.  So these meats are sometimes treats - not part of the regular diet.  Yes folks, that means bacon can't be a staple.  I'll give you a moment to grieve.

Now - this short list is not a complete list of the only things you can eat, but if you can work them into your meals on a regular basis you might see some serious changes in your overall health.  I'm not knocking the calorie counters but just meeting the required amount of protein your body needs to be successful can make startling changes.  The only way to do that is know what you're eating and make choices to include more of these items.

That's what I'm doing, so I thought I would share the news.