The Power of Protein: What it Is and Why We Need It
WRITTEN BY HANNAH BAKOWSKI
Ahh, protein. There are many myths surrounding this macronutrient, specifically regarding the amount you should be consuming as well where it's sourced. However, let’s first generate a basic understanding of what protein actually is.
What is protein? Protein is an essential macronutrient that our bodies need. It is also found throughout our bodies. In fact, more than 40% of our body's protein is in our skeletal muscles (the muscles attached to our bones that we can control and move our arms and legs) and over 25% is found in our organs, with the rest being in our blood and our skin1. Proteins are essential to all living things and this is because of the amino acids that they contain1. Amino acids are important because they help make up our entire body and make our lives possible1. So to sum it all up, we need proteins in our diet because they are the building blocks for our bodies and are needed in order to live and grow2.
Are there different kinds of protein? Yes, there are technically different kinds of protein based on the different amino acids they contain. The more important question, however, is are there different sources of protein? The answer to this question is YES! There are both animal sources and plant sources of protein. Most of us are more familiar with animal sources: meat such as beef and pork, poultry such as chicken and turkey, eggs, and seafood3. Plant sources of protein are becoming more and more popular these days as more people become vegetarian and vegan, and include things such as beans, peas, lentils, seeds, and soy products3. Since these diets are becoming more popular, in recent years there has been a rise in plant-based protein sources such as Beyond Beef, Impossible Burger, and Gardein products.
How much protein do I need? The amount of protein we need can be a complex thing to calculate, but it doesn’t have to be too complicated. According to the most recent Dietary Guidelines for Americans, adults need about 0.8 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight which comes out to be about 0.36 grams (0.013 ounces) of protein per pound3. If you compare this to a 2,000 calorie diet, the Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommend 5 ½ ounces of protein a day for adults3. They also recommend that everyone consumes a variety of different protein sources every week. Their recommendations include3:
Meats, poultry, eggs: 26 ounces/week
Seafood: 8 ounces/week
Nuts, seeds, soy products: 5 ounces/week
This information, however, is based on a generalization for the population and is not specific to an individual’s needs. While it is a great guideline, sometimes people prefer to have the estimated amounts for their bodies. Luckily, this information can be calculated based on your height, weight, age, sex, and physical activity levels2, and what’s even better is that there are numerous online calculators like this one here that do the math for us! Feel free to use the online calculator to see how much protein you should be eating every day. You might be surprised - like I was - that you don’t need as much protein as the fitness industry says. For some reason, health and fitness influencers are convinced that the only way to gain muscle and to be healthy is to eat a lot of protein. And while they are right in saying our bodies need protein, they often encourage people to eat more protein than they really need. Luckily it won’t harm us if we eat too much protein, but it might harm our wallets since animal protein is one of the most expensive items at the grocery store! Try this vegetarian chili recipe4 for a hearty meal that provides our body with plant-based protein sources!
Vegetarian Chili
Recipe adapted from All Recipes.
Ingredients:
1 tablespoon olive oil
½ medium onion, chopped
2 bay leaves
1 teaspoon ground cumin
2 tablespoons dried oregano
1 tablespoon salt
2 stalks celery, chopped
2 green bell peppers, chopped (I prefer to use poblano peppers!)
2 jalapeno peppers, deseeded and chopped (leave in a few seeds if you like it spicy!)
3 cloves garlic, chopped
2 (4 ounce) cans chopped green chili peppers, drained
3 (28 ounce) cans whole peeled tomatoes, crushed
¼ cup chili powder
1 tablespoon ground black pepper
1 (15 ounce) can kidney beans, drained
1 (15 ounce) can garbanzo beans (chickpeas), drained
1 (15 ounce) can of black beans, drained
1 (15 ounce) can of pink beans or pinto beans, drained
1 (15 ounce) can whole kernel corn
Directions:
Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Stir in the onion, and season with bay leaves, cumin, oregano, and salt. Cook and stir until onion is tender, then mix in the celery, green bell peppers, jalapeno peppers, garlic, and green chile peppers. When the vegetables are heated through, reduce heat to low, cover pot, and simmer for 5 minutes.
Mix the tomatoes into the pot. Season chili with chili powder and pepper. Stir in all of the beans. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, and simmer for 45 minutes. Stir in the corn, and continue cooking 5 minutes before serving.
Notes:
Add some water or vegetable stock (low sodium) if the chili is too thick
Add in some quinoa for more protein
Serve over a portion of brown rice to increase the fiber (it also makes the delicious chili last longer!)
Try to find canned beans that are low in sodium to reduce your sodium intake
Freeze half for a quick lunch or dinner in the future!