Proteins:

Protein is a structural molecule assembled out of amino acids, many of which the body can’t produce on its own. Protein is essential for building and maintaining your muscles, bones, organs and other tissues and to keep your body functioning. Animal foods (meats, fish, eggs, poultry, cheese and other animal and dairy products) are usually high in protein and are known as complete proteins meaning, they have all the essential amino acids that we need. However some plant foods are also fairly high in proteins, Pseudo Grains, Legumes, Nuts, Seeds, Millets, and whole Grains, even hand pounded rice all contain proteins, but grains also contain too much carbs and also may each not have all the necessary essential amino-acids, hence the need to consume them along with a wide variety of other foods to enable formation of complete proteins therefrom. Getting enough proteins and essential fatty acids from other foods is more challenging and requires advice from a good nutritionist.

Protein is not just about quantity. It’s also about quality, though too much is as bad as too little. Too little protein may push you body into a negative nitrogen balance and cause muscle loss. Too much can shift you out of ketosis due to excess protein converting to glycogen. However, a few grams extra is not something to worry about. It is when it is significantly extra that you have to watch out for. Too much protein enhances the activation of the mTOR signaling pathway.

So how much protein is just right?

The DRI (Dietary Reference Intake) is 0.8 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight.

The “right” amount of protein for any one individual depends on many life style factors, including activity levels, age, muscle mass, physique goals and current state of health.

The minimum amount required to prevent downright deficiency for:

Babies – 10 gms/day

School age Kids – 19-34 gms/day Teenage boys – up to 52 gms/day Teenage girls – up to 46 gms/day Sedentary adult men – about 56 gm/day

Sedentary adult women – about 46 gm/day (71 gms if pregnant or breast feeding)

Studies show that this meagre amount is far from sufficient to ensure optimal health and body composition.

You should get at least 10 percent of your daily calories, but not more than 35 percent from protein according to the Institute of Medicine. If you are watching your weight, try including protein with every meal. It will help you feel full longer and is also good for your muscles, something especially important as you get older and start to lose muscle mass.

Eat more, cheese and yoghurt and the right variety of beans. Cook the beans properly.

Most people don’t really need protein supplements, but they can be useful for athletes and bodybuilders and those who cannot get 30 gms of Protein for breakfast. Whey protein isolate, Casein protein isolate and Egg protein isolate are good, so also are Isolates of Pea protein, and Hemp protein which have a good mix of most of the EFA’s.

Protein at around 30 percent of calories has been shown to boost metabolism by up to 80 to 100 calories per day, compared to lower protein diets and seems optimal for weight loss in the Low-Carb Diet. As a rule of thumb you should try to keep your macronutritents in the low carb diet around 65 to 70 percent fats. 25 to 30 percent proteins and 5 percent net carbohydrates. In the Ketogenic Diet protein is further reduced to about 10 percent of daily calories while fat is increased.

Protein is also much more satiating than both fat and carbs and thus reduces your appetite.

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