Protein
One of the body’s nutrients that build and repairs tissues. Protein is made of amino acids and can be categorized as complete and incomplete.
1. Complete proteins - come from a food that contains all of the essential acids. Foods derived from animal sources such as beef, chicken, fish, eggs and milk naturally contain all of the essential amino acids.
2. Incomplete proteins - are those foods which may have some of the essential amino acids, but not all. These include vegetables, fruits, grains, seeds and nuts.
How Much Protein Do I Need?
The body cannot store protein so it needs a fresh supply every day. The Food and Nutrition Board of the National Academy of Sciences has established a daily Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) for protein based on a person’s age and weight. RDA for adults is 0.8 grams of protein for each kilogram (2.2 pounds of body weight)
What Are Good Sources Of Protein?
Many foods that are relatively high in protein are also high in fat. Try to limit your intake of protein sources that derive more then 30% of their calories from fat.
| Dairy and Eggs
| Serving
| Protein (grams)
| Fat Calories
|
| Cheddar
Cheese |
1 oz |
7 |
70 % |
| Cottage Cheese (2 %) |
1/2 cup |
16 |
17 % |
| Egg |
1 |
6 |
68 % |
| Milk (skim) |
1 oz |
8 |
5 % |
| Mozzarella (part skim) |
1 oz |
8 |
56 % |
| Yogurt (low fat) |
1 cup |
12 |
25 % |
| Meat and Fish |
Serving |
Protein (grams) |
Fat Calories |
| Chicken Breast (skinless) |
4 oz |
31 |
26 % |
| Ground Beef |
4 oz |
33 |
56 % |
| Sirloin Steak |
4 oz |
35 |
37 % |
| Tuna (in water) |
4 oz |
33 |
12 % |
| Turkey Breast (skinless) |
4 oz |
24 |
6% |
| Grains |
Serving |
Protein (grams) |
Fat Calories |
| Oatmeal (cooked) |
1 cup |
6 |
12 % |
| Rice Brown (cooked) |
1 cup |
5 |
4 % |
| Spaghetti (cooked) |
1 cup |
6 |
5 % |
| Whole Wheat Bread |
2 Slices |
6 |
13 % |
| Legumes and Nuts |
Serving |
Protein (grams) |
Fat Calories |
| Almonds |
1 oz |
6 |
82 % |
| Cashews |
1 oz |
4 |
71 % |
| Lentils (cooked) |
1/2 cup |
8 |
4 % |
| Lima Beans (cooked) |
1/2 cup |
8 |
3 % |
| Peanut Butter |
2 Tsp |
10 |
76 % |
| Red Kidney Beans (canned) |
1/2 cup |
8 |
4 % |
| Soybeans (cooked) |
1/2 cup |
10 |
38 % |
| Tofu |
4 oz |
9 |
55 % |
Carbohydrates
The body’s main source of energy. Carbohydrates are put into two main categories, simple carbohydrates and complex carbohydrates.
1. Simple carbohydrates - include sugars such as fruit sugar (fructose), corn or grape sugar (dextrose or glucose), and table sugar (sucrose).
2. Complex carbohydrates - include everything made of three or more linked sugars (starches).
How Do I Determine Which Carbohydrates Are Good?
The glycemic index, measures how fast and how far blood sugar rises after you eat a food that contains carbohydrates.
Bad Carbohydrates - White bread, for example, is converted almost immediately to blood sugar, causing it to spike rapidly. It's classified as having a high glycemic index.
Good Carbohydrates - Brown rice, in contrast, is digested more slowly, causing a lower and gentler change in blood sugar. It has a low glycemic index.
* All Carbohydrates are not created equal*
What Are Good Sources Of Carbohydrates?
Low Glycemic Load
1. High-fiber fruits and vegetables (not including potatoes)
2. Bran cereals (1 oz)
3. Many legumes, including chick peas, kidney beans, black beans, lentils, pinto beans (5 oz cooked, approx. 3/4 cup)
Medium Glycemic Load
1. Pearled barley 1 cup cooked
2. Brown rice 3/4 cup cooked
3. Oatmeal 1 cup cooked
4. Bulgur 3/4 cup cooked
5. Rice cakes 3 cakes
6. Whole grain breads 1 slice
7. Whole-grain pasta 1 ¼ cup cooked
8. No-sugar added fruit juices 8 oz
High Glycemic Load
1. Baked potato
2. French fries
3. Refined cereal products 1 oz
4. Sugar-sweetened beverages 12 oz
5. Jelly beans 10 large or 30 small
6. Candy bars 1 2-oz bar or 3 mini bars
7. Couscous 1 cup cooked
8. Cranberry juice cocktail 8 oz
9. White basmati rice 1 cup cooked
10. White-flour pasta 1¼ cup cooked
Fat
It’s something a lot of people worry about – fat in the foods they eat…body fat…fear of fat can lead people to make some unhealthy choices.
Knowing some facts about fat can help you put things in perspective and find a healthy balance.
FICTION: Body fat is “bad”
FACT: You need body fat. Without it you’d be dead. Fat cushions your internal organs, protects the body from cold and helps keep bones strong.
FICTION: You have to lose all your excess fat to improve your health.
FACT: Even a few pounds can make a big difference. For every 2 pounds of excess fat lost, blood cholesterol drops by an average of 3 points. Some studies have shown a drop in blood pressure with the shedding of excess pounds. Here’s what a strict diet with no exercise gets you:
- Larger fat cells
- Increase in fat
- Less muscle tissue
- Slower metabolism
Exercise is the key to losing excess body fat!
FICTION: You don’t need to exercise if you’re dieting
FACT: You have to eat fewer calories, particularly fat calories, and exercise aerobically to lose fat. A regular program of moderate exercise not only trims visible fat but also reduces abdominal fat.
FICTION: You can lose body fat in one spot
FACT: Exercise and changing your eating habits can take off fat, but you can’t target specific areas. Women tend to lose fat from all over, while men lose it from their bellies and chests.