Nutritional Basics, Part 1 - Protein

You know that pesky little thing that we humans need to do at least several times a day to stay alive? No, it's not breathing, we do that about 25,000 times per day. No, it's that other silly thing, you know, the one that most of us do either too much or not enough of... Oh man, it's... you know, that thing we do that is essential for keeping both ourselves and our families alive and healthy?

Oh wow, I remember... It's good nutrition.

It never ceases to amaze me how little effort most people put into something they will have to do several times a day or more for the rest of their lives. We're talking about basic nutrition.

So why is it that so many people understand a lot more about their car, their computer or how to sell ice to Eskimo's than they understand about what is required to keep themselves well nourished and working in tip top shape?

My guess is that it's just pure laziness or perhaps it's just that most people still don't fathom, despite the continuous media coverage over the last decade, that nutrition is often our best and sometimes only line of defense against everything from fatigue, cancer, diabetes, obesity, poor physical performance (including sex), lack of concentration, heart disease, acute stress, pre-mature aging, sarcopenia, osteoporosis, reduced immune system, poor digestion, poor memory, cellular damage,etc, etc, etc, etc... The list really does go on and on and it's not just words on a page.

An estimated one third of all cancers are attributable to poor nutrition, physical inactivity, and being overweight. That means that at least one third of all cancers are preventable, probably more.

Anyway, mine is not to deduce the lack, but to try and fill the gap, when and where I can.

So let's start with something everyone should already know.

I want you to do a little self test with me. Just a quick quiz to see where your nutritional knowledge is really at.

Go grab a pen and a scrap of paper. Ready?

#1 Name 3 sources of Protein.

#2 Which of these three items has protein in it. Egg yolk – Goats milk – Bananas – Tomatoes?

#3 For a complete meal is fish a good sole source of protein?

Before you check your answers let's try a few harder ones.

#4 Protein is made up of 20 amino acids. Of these 20 there are a certain number that can't be synthesised in humans and must be ingested. These are called essential amino acids. How many of the 20 are essential?

#5 Failure to obtain even one of these essential amino acids within your nutritional profile can have serious health ramifications True or False?

#6 Is it possible to get enough protein from a vegetarian diet?

#7 Who needs more protein, a 20 year old male, a 7 year old female or a pregnant woman?

Easy or no?

Let's see how you fared.

The answer to number one and two would be any animal, fruit, vegetable, nut or grain. You see every single thing that's considered alive, or at least was alive, has protein in it. From a nutritional point of view we aren't concerned so much with the 'if' but more of the 'how much' protein does it have. Generally animal products contain more usable protein than plant sources.

The answer to number 3 of course is yes, fish is a wonderful source of protein and is especially useful for some people who don't eat a lot of red or other animal meats. An added bonus is you get the wonderfully healthy omega 3 fatty acids from fish.

These other three questions where a little tuffer. Let's break these down a little.

There are 20 amino acids that make up protein. If you can imagine a car as a cell you would find carbohydrate as the fuel and the amino acids as the metal frame and structure. As humans we are able to synthesis or self produce 12 of these amino acids. These amino acids are called non-essential. The other 8 (some say 9, but we shan't tarry here) amino acids are 'essential' in that we must consume them in our diets on a regular basis to ensure proper protein synthesis.

Typically, these essential amino acids are supplied by meat and dairy products, but if those are not consumed, some care must be applied to ensuring an adequate supply. As most vegetable sources of protein are incomplete, meaning they can't fulfil the 20 on their own, they need to be combined correctly to ensure the full amino acid chain is complete. This can be done with the correct combination of cereal grains (wheat, corn, rice, etc.) and legumes (beans, peanuts, etc.)

The downside to any vegetarian diet is that failure to obtain enough of even 1 of the 8 essential amino acids will incur serious health implications and can result in degradation of the body's proteins.

Muscle and other protein structures may be dismantled to obtain the one amino acid that is needed.

From a training point of view this can be very counterproductive to any training program where the need for protein, in all of it's 20 amino acid glory, is essential for muscle building and repair. I constantly consult with clients who are putting in the hours in the gym but are actually losing muscle because their protein intake is inadequate to the demands of the training regime.

So the big summery...

Protein exists in everything, which means if you are eating the recommended 5-6 meals per day, you don't need huge amounts of protein in any one sitting as long as you get the constant supply.

We aren't able to absorb huge amounts of protein in a single sitting anyway, so if you miss meals or don't get enough protein throughout the day, a huge T-bone steak isn't going to be sufficient in making up the lack.

Personally, I would be too lazy to be a vegetarian because I consider the extra time preparing and shopping for the right combination of food too time consuming. Some would dis-agree and that's fine. I know a few friends who do vegetarian very well. They are however the vast minority.

I choose to eat red meat a couple times a week with fish, chicken and eggs making up a large portion of my protein profile. Once again the frequency of my meals means I'm never eating a huge portion of anything. This makes digestion and bio availability (absorption) of nutrients a lot more efficient.

I also use Juice Plus+ Complete (Meal replacement shake) because it has a wonderful profile of vegetable proteins that are in themselves super-heroes for your health.

Replacing meals with a shake is also a great way for me to fulfill the small widow of opportunity needed to maximise the results of my training by consuming carbohydrates 20 minutes post workout, then some protein within an hour or two. (More on post workout nutrition at a later time).

If you'd like more information on Juice Plus+ Complete then check out www.energyclinicnutrition.net

If you'd like to source more vegetable proteins look at beans, peas, spirulina, tofu, artichoke, broccoli, nuts, seeds, brown rice, lentils, etc, etc... Remember it's all just a google away.

How much protein do you need? Well it's hard to get an exact figure as most experts disagree, however a general guide would be 1 gram of protein per kilo of body weight. Athletes, children (especially at growth stages) and expectant mothers may go a little higher with each case requiring special consideration.

Hope this help a little in bringing you up to speed on your lifelong journey with nutrition ;o)

Train hard, train smart.

duncan