Protein!

protein
protein
protein

People are talking too much about "protein" &  most of us will think about "protein shake" and massive muscles, or some types of "high-protein" diet.

Nope.. Proteins are things more complected than that, It was my boring subject at college, I hate to study about things are very impotent & at the same time very difficult. But i'm here to make it easy for you :) .. Lets start..


What is Protein?

"Most proteins consist of linear polymers built from series of up to 20 different L-α-amino acids. All proteinogenic amino acids possess common structural features, including an α-carbon to which an amino group, a carboxyl group, and a variable side chain are bonded." .. EASY HAH!

No i'm not here to say these "Wikipedia"'s very intelligent stuff..

Proteins are part of every cell in your body and organ (Hair, nails, and tissue). The protein in the foods you eat is digested into "Amino Acids".
To make it easy for you, let's say "Amino Acids" are "building blocks", and there are 20 different building blocks "Amino Acids" that join together to make all types of protein.

In our world we divided  these "Amino Acids" into three groups:

1- Essential Amino Acids:
Essential amino acids cannot be made by the body. As a result, they must come from food.

2- Nonessential Amino Acids:
Nonessential amino acids produced by our bodies, even if we don't get it from the food we eat.

3- Conditional amino acids:
Conditional amino acids are usually not essential, except in times of illness and stress.


Here I'll talk about the Essential Amino Acids, what we get from the food..

We divided protein sources according to how many of the essential amino acids they provide:

1- A complete protein source: Provides all of the essential amino acids. also called "High Quality Proteins". Such as meat, poultry, fish, milk, eggs, and cheese (Animal-Based Foods)

2- An incomplete protein source: Low in one or more of the essential amino acids. Such as legumes (dry beans and peas), tofu, grains, nuts, and seeds.

What is a complementary protein?

Plant proteins tend to be limited in one or more essential amino acids. When the amino acids from two or more foods together make up a complete protein with sufficient levels of all the essential amino acids, these food pairings are called "complementary proteins".

Like Rice and beans (rice contains low amounts of certain essential amino acids that can be found in dry beans, and dry beans contains low amounts of other essential amino acids that can be found in rice) together these tow can provide you good amount of essential protein.

here are a list of some common meals that complement each others’ proteins:

- Beans and rice or tortillas
- Peanut butter sandwich
- Macaroni and cheese
- Tofu with rice or grains
- Hummus with pita bread
- Grilled cheese sandwich
- Yogurt with nuts
- Noodle with peanut or sesame seed sauce
- Lentil soup or dairy-based soup with bread
- Whole grain cereal with milk
- Pizza
- Lasagna
- Tacos with beans or lentils
- Quinoa salad with black beans and feta
- Koshary - "big fan for it"

In the past they used to teach us that complementary proteins needed to be eaten at the same meal for our body to use them together. Now a days, New studies show that our body can combine complementary proteins that are eaten within the same day.

These complementary proteins are good helpers to vegetarian to meet their protein needs.

How much protein do I need?

After talking about protein you would think "I'm not eating enough", Yes, you are. most of us eat more protein than we need. It's recommended that 10–35% of your daily calories come from protein.

Here is a table of what you need..

And here is a list of amount of protein in each food

Beef

    Hamburger patty, 4 oz – 28 grams protein
    Steak, 6 oz – 42 grams
    Most cuts of beef – 7 grams of protein per ounce


Chicken

    Chicken breast, 3.5 oz - 30 grams protein
    Chicken thigh – 10 grams (for average size)
    Drumstick – 11 grams
    Wing – 6 grams
    Chicken meat, cooked, 4 oz – 35 grams

Fish

    Most fish fillets or steaks are about 22 grams of protein for 3 ½ oz (100 grams) of cooked fish, or 6 grams per ounce
    Tuna, 6 oz can - 40 grams of protein

Eggs and Dairy

    Egg, large - 6 grams protein
    Milk, 1 cup - 8 grams
    Cottage cheese, ½ cup - 15 grams
    Yogurt, 1 cup – usually 8-12 grams, check label
    Soft cheeses (Mozzarella, Brie, Camembert) – 6 grams per oz
    Medium cheeses (Cheddar, Swiss) – 7 or 8 grams per oz
    Hard cheeses (Parmesan) – 10 grams per oz

Beans and soy

    Tofu, ½ cup 20 grams protein
    Tofu, 1 oz, 2.3 grams
    Soy milk, 1 cup - 6 -10 grams
    Most beans (black, pinto, lentils, etc) about 7-10 grams protein per half cup of cooked beans
    Soy beans, ½ cup cooked – 14 grams protein
    Split peas, ½ cup cooked – 8 grams

Nuts and Seeds

    Peanut butter, 2 Tablespoons - 8 grams protein
    Almonds, ¼ cup – 8 grams
    Peanuts, ¼ cup – 9 grams
    Cashews, ¼ cup – 5 grams
    Pecans, ¼ cup – 2.5 grams
    Sunflower seeds, ¼ cup – 6 grams
    Pumpkin seeds, ¼ cup – 8 grams
    Flax seeds – ¼ cup – 8 grams


Most people eat more protein than they need without harmful effects However, protein contributes to calorie intake, so eating more protein than you need will increase your calorie needs and contribute to weight gain.

Also, animal sources of protein can be sources of saturated fat which has been linked to elevated low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol, a risk factor for heart disease.

And it's important for people with certain kidney diseases to know a lower-protein diet may be recommended to help prevent an impairment in kidney function.



This all for now :)