Why you should include protein in your diet
A study of overweight women at Saint Louis University in Missouri looked at hunger and the calories consumed following either an egg-based or bagel-based breakfast, both of which contained about the same number of calories. When eggs were on the menu, the women consumed an average of 163 fewer calories for lunch and about 418 fewer calories in 24 hours than those who ate the bagel breakfast.
Another lesser-known perk of protein is that small amounts can boost your metabolic rate, which is your calorie-burning capacity. This phenomenon, called thermogenesis (essentially heating the body), also contributes to that energetic boost you get from exercise.
North Americans seem to have the timing of their protein preferences reversed in comparison to other cultures; for example, in Asian cuisines, much less animal protein is consumed on the whole, and Asians eat their protein earlier in the day, whereas North Americans love their protein-laden evening meals.
Time your protein intake appropriately
Time eating protein with a workout and you'll reap the rewards. Having a protein-packed snack right after a workout has been shown to help build muscle mass -- a definite plus if you're doing weight training.
But going overboard by choosing a high-protein diet can take a toll on more than just your arteries. Excess animal protein can cause calcium loss from bones and contribute to bone thinning. And for those whose kidney function may be compromised -- as it can be for people with diabetes -- too much animal protein can hasten a decline in kidney function.
Plant proteins, on the other hand, can offer a range of disease-fighting compounds. Soy foods, with their healthy fats and phytoestrogens (plant compounds with estrogen-like action), and legumes, which are chock-full of blood-cholesterol-lowering fibre, supply numerous health perks.
Where's the protein?
FOOD |
AMOUNT |
PROTEIN |
Beef, lean sirloin, cooked |
100 g/3-1/2 oz |
31 |
Chicken breast, no skin, roasted |
100 g/3-1/2 oz |
31 |
Wild Atlantic salmon, cooked |
100 g/3-1/2 oz |
25 |
Kidney beans, cooked |
250 mL/1 cup |
15 |
Milk (2%) |
250 mL/1 cup |
10 |
Tofu, extra firm |
100 g/3-1/2 oz |
7 |
Cheese, part-skim mozzarella |
30 g/1 oz |
7 |
Egg, large |
1 |
6 |
Brown rice, cooked |
250 mL/1 cup |
5 |
Peanut butter |
15 mL/1 tbsp |
4 |
Whole wheat bread |
1 slice |
4 |
Broccoli |
125 mL/1/2 cup |
2 |
*Grams |
|
|
Rosie Schwartz, RD, is a Toronto-based consulting dietitian. Page 2 of 2
 | This article was first printed in the June 2007 issue of Homemakers Magazine. Click to subscribe online and don't miss an issue. |
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