Every cell in the human body contains some form of protein, from our muscles and tendons to our skin and nails.  Within our bodies, protein has many important roles, including; muscle repair, cell development, and fluid/electrolyte balance.  Protein consists of amino acids which are the building blocks of the human body.  There are two types of amino acids; non-essential and essential.  Non-essential amino acids are made within the body, and essential amino acids cannot be made in the body and must be ingested from a food containing protein.

Protein can be categorized as complete or complementary.  Complete proteins, also known as high quality proteins, contain essential amino acids mostly from animal products, such as; meat, poultry, eggs, seafood, and dairy.  Complementary proteins, also known as low quality proteins, are mainly derived from plant based protein sources, including; soy, nuts, seeds, whole grains, and some fruits/vegetables.  Complementary proteins must combine two plant based protein foods to create a complete protein (see chart below). 

The majority of Americans overindulge in protein each day.  What most of us do not realize is the amount of protein we a getting from other food items, such as; milk, cheese, yogurt, beans, and nuts.  Continued overconsumption of protein could put you at risk for decreased kidney function, obesity, bone loss, heart disease, some types of cancers and type II diabetes.  When calculating the appropriate amount of protein for your body, we must take into consideration the variety of food you consume, your age, gender, height, weight, activity factor and genetics. 

There is a misconception that excess protein consumption increases our muscle size.  Even though we know protein builds and repairs our muscles, we must understand that excess protein will be stored as sugar or fat within the body, similar to over consumption of carbohydrates and fats.  Exercises including weight lifting, push-ups, and resistance training will all aid in increased muscle growth.  When we workout our muscles tear and protein aids in rebuilding these muscles once they have been damaged.  The key is to find the recommended amount of protein and proper exercise regimen to maximize your health. 

Choosing lean meats or plant based proteins, appropriate portions, and understanding the proper amount of protein for your metabolism and activity level are great steps towards a healthy diet.  If you follow a vegetarian diet, please see the complementary food chart at the bottom of the page to insure adequate protein intake.

Serving size:

• 3 oz. of meat = ~21g protein
  • Visually:  deck of cards or the palm of your hand
  • 6-8 Shrimp
  • ~4 oz. of fish = ~24g protein
    • Visually:  checkbook
    • ½ cup of beans, tofu
      • Visually:  the size of a tennis ball
      • 1 egg = ~7 grams of protein
      • 8 oz. of milk, 6 oz. of yogurt, 1 oz. of cheese = 8g of protein each

Healthy high protein foods:

Lean animal proteins

• Choose meats that are lean and the fat has been trimmed
• Choose for hormone and antibiotic free meats
• Seafood
• Remove skin from poultry: white meat is leanest
• Eggs/Egg substitute
• Low fat dairy: 0-2% milk, low or reduced fat yogurt, 2% cheese, fat free or 2% cottage cheese

Plant based proteins:

• Beans: black, pinto, navy, lima
• Soy: tofu, meat substitutes, soy beans
• Nuts/Seeds/Peanut butter (monitor portions due to higher fat content)
• Plant based proteins should be combined with a complementary food to ensure a complete protein.  See chart below.