The “Macros” are the nutrients that the body uses in large amounts and each day our bodies need a fresh supply of these macronutrients. There are three macronutrients: Protein, Fat, and Carbohydrate. Yes, your body needs all three to function in a healthy way, but we are each individuals, so our personal needs will vary. Let’s start with protein.
“Good health is not something we can buy. However, it can be an extremely valuable savings account.”
Anne Wilson Schaef
Roles of Protein
- Building material for growth, repair, and maintenance.
- Maintains volume and composition of fluids.
- Regulates pH in the body.
- Transports nutrients.
- Can be used as an energy source, is a very dense form.
It is important to find YOUR balance when it comes to the amount of protein YOU need. Are you getting too much or too little? Check out the signs or symptoms of an excess or deficiency of protein.
Excess
- Acidosis
- Dehydration
- Constipation
- Loss of Bone
- Musculoskeletal Issues
- Kidney Dysfunction
- Ammonia or Nitrogen in the Blood
Deficiency
- Loss of Muscle Tone
- Slow Wound Healing
- Food Cravings
- Thin Hair
- Weak Nails
- Irritability
- Fatigue
- Muscle Weakness
You might be wondering how much protein you need in your diet? Here is a general chart for suggested daily protein. If you would like to be more specific, check out calculator.net.
Animal sources of protein?
Animal protein provides a portion of all nine essential amino acids necessary for the human diet and are considered complete proteins. Sources can be poultry, fish, seafood, beef, lamb, pork, goat, eggs, and wild game. Dairy items will also be complete proteins, and sources include milk, yogurt, kefir, cheese, and cream. The quality of both animal and dairy sources is very important. The best option is organic pasture-raised/grass-fed for the meat and dairy; and for fish and seafood, wild-caught. Quality will reduce the amount of toxins you may be exposed to which is important for your liver which is the main site of protein synthesis.
Now let’s look at plant proteins. All but one plant protein (quinoa) are not complete proteins. What does this mean? They will be lacking one or more of the nine essential amino acids. They are still good sources, but more planning will be required to make sure you are obtaining all nine essential amino acids from your diet. This can be accomplished by combining different plant proteins in your diet.
Sources of Plant Proteins
- Legumes include beans, lentils, peanuts, and soy (note that if you consume soy, it should be organics and fermented).
- Whole grains include rice, millet, amaranth, quinoa, and oats.
- Nuts and Seeds include sesame, flax, hemp, almonds, walnuts, pecans, and etc.
- Microproteins include such things as spirulina, algae, chlorella, and nutritional yeast.
With plant proteins, it is very important that they are properly prepared. Here are post on how to properly prepare nuts and seeds, beans, and rice to reap the most nutritional benefits from these foods.
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Your health is an investment not an expense. Invest wisely!
Investing in yourself is important. We take care of our homes, cars, lawns, clothes, and etc., making an investment in your health through food and lifestyle choices is an investment that can pay huge dividends to better enjoy those other things. Next week we will be looking at the macronutrient fat, and the following week will be carbohydrates.
Did you calculate the amount of protein you need in your diet? Was is it more or less than you are currently eating?
Be blessed and be a blessing,
Heather
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