February 26, 2025 • 21 mins
This episode dives deep into the critical role protein plays in our diets and how to properly incorporate it into your daily meals. We cover different protein sources, the recommended intake, and practical tips for maximizing benefits.
• Importance of protein for muscle repair and energy levels
• Recommended protein intake based on individual needs
• Connection between protein and rapid weight loss consequences
• Differences between animal and plant-based protein sources
• Practical ways to increase protein in meals and snacks
• The significance of spreading protein intake throughout the day
Thank you so much for tuning in to Simple Nutrition Insights. If you enjoyed this podcast, be sure to subscribe, leave a review, and share it with a friend. If you need more help with nutrition, check out my Instagram at nutrition_with_leonila or send me a text at 559-512-0404 for more personalized guidance.
Protein Sources and Practical Tips
Thank you for listening. Please subscribe to this podcast and share with a friend. If you would like to know more about my services, please message at fueledbyleo@gmail.com
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Hey, hey, welcome back to Simple Nutrition
Insights.
I am your host, leonila Campos,registered dietitian, and I'm
here to help you make nutritionsimple, practical and
sustainable.
No fluff and just practicaltips.
Here Today we are diving intoone of the most important
macronutrients.
Note that the other two are notimportant.
They are also important, butprotein, specifically, is what
(00:24):
we're going to talk about today.
Whether you're looking to buildmuscle, maintain a healthy
weight or simply stay energizedthroughout the day, protein
plays a crucial role in yourhealth.
So what we're going to covertoday in this episode is why
protein is essential for ourbodies, how much protein we
really need, practical ways toincorporate protein in our meals
(00:45):
, whether you follow aplant-based diet or include
animal foods.
I got you covered here, okay,so let's get started.
Why protein matters.
Protein is often called thebuilding block of life, and for
a good reason.
It helps to repair and buildmuscles, supports immune
function, keeps our bodiesfeeling satisfied and satiated
(01:09):
and maintains our healthy skin,hair and nails, produces
important enzymes and hormones,and it also regulates blood
sugars.
You know, when we have ourmeals and we are adding some
kind of protein with every meal,it helps maintain those blood
sugars more stable.
It.
Also, unlike carbohydrates andfats, which are our other two
(01:32):
macronutrients, and we're goingto talk about them in the
following weeks, our bodiesdon't really store excess
protein for later use, right,which means we need to consume
it consistently throughout theday.
However, we can still consumetoo much of it, right, and we
can go over our calories per se.
But because protein keeps ussatiated for a longer period of
(01:55):
time, we oftentimes don't needto add a significant amount,
right, as long as we're addingand I'll go over that in more
detail in a little bit but aslong as we're adding, you know,
just enough to keep us satiated.
That's essentially what we need.
So how much protein do we reallyneed?
(02:16):
Now?
We have the USDA dietaryguidelines, right, and these
guidelines are created by a lotof other healthcare
professionals, other dietitians.
They have a committee and theycreate and update these
guidelines every five years.
So the general guideline, right, for protein is 0.8 grams per
kilogram of body weight for theaverage person.
(02:39):
Now, this is specifically toprevent deficiencies, right?
This would be like the minimumthat we need to not be deficient
.
Now it.
Of course, we also have toaccount for our weight, right.
We also have to account for ifwe have kidney issues, if we are
athletes or if we're trying tobuild more muscle mass.
(03:01):
There's different factors thatplay into knowing how much
protein we need.
This is also why it's soimportant to work with a
dietitian right To figure outthese specific goals based on
what your goals are, and thenyou want to update them based on
your progress.
So the way that I work with myclients, specifically with
(03:21):
athletes or clients that arebuilding muscle mass or doing
body recomposition, wherethey're trying to build muscle
and lose body fat, is that wetake into account the muscle
mass right.
Obviously, we need to haveeither our DEXA scan or a body
scan that is going to give methat information so I can put
that in the calculation and makesure that those specific goals
(03:46):
match the protein, because themore muscle mass that we have,
muscle mass is so metabolicallyactive that it burns calories
even when we're not exercising.
So if we have a high amount ofmuscle mass, we have to consider
that to make sure that we'reeating enough protein to sustain
the muscle mass and to continueto grow.
So super important to work witha dietician right to figure out
(04:10):
these numbers.
But you know, if it's just onaverage the average population
0.8 grams per kilogram of bodyweight, but I usually recommend
a little bit more, at 1.0 to 1.2.
Again, different factors hereto consider, so work with a
dietician to figure that out.
We might increase it a littlebit more if we're wanting to
(04:31):
lose weight but maintain ourmuscle mass and lower our body
fat percentage, which is whatbody recomposition is.
Now I want to stay here for alittle bit longer and talk about
rapid weight loss, right?
Specifically we're seeing thismore so for someone that might
be taking one of these weightloss medications is that there's
(04:54):
a decrease in hunger, right?
That medication is doing itsjob, right?
It's affecting those hunger,fullness, satiety and those
hormones, and so that person isnot very hungry, obviously
losing significant amounts ofweight.
The problem here is that ifwe're not eating enough protein,
by at least meeting those 0.8grams per kilogram of body
weight, we're not only losingbody fat, we're also losing
(05:20):
muscle mass, and that issignificant, right, because that
is not only going to decreaseour metabolism, which then,
because that is not only goingto decrease our metabolism,
which then at one point we'regoing to get into this plateau
but it's also going to affectjust how our bodies recover, how
our bodies repair.
It's going to affect our hair,right, losing a significant
(05:40):
amount of hair, our skin, ournails.
So it's not just about noteating, right, we have to
maximize these meals Even ifwe're not eating a lot.
We have to prioritize ourprotein, right, because we want
to maintain our muscle mass.
Losing muscle mass is somethingcalled sarcopenia, and that has
been shown that as we losemuscle mass, our mortality rate
(06:04):
increases.
Right, we might not see thatsignificantly when we're young,
but definitely as we get older.
I did a podcast last week whereI talked about how, as we get
older after the age of 30, wecan be losing between 3% to 8%
of muscle mass in a decade.
Now it might not sound like alot, right, but that is a lot
(06:26):
because we don't want to loseour muscle mass, and so one of
the ways to help maintain andbuild our muscle mass right is
consuming a protein and, ofcourse, exercising those muscles
.
Super important to really,really remember those things.
But I also wanted you to thinkabout these other factors.
(06:47):
This is not a one-size-fits-allright.
This is why it's so importantto work with a dietician again,
because if someone has chronickidney disease and oftentimes
just like any other chroniccondition.
Most of the times people arenot going to know that, right?
Unless if you do blood workwhere you're monitoring and
tracking your kidney function.
You probably won't know it, andso excess amount or higher
(07:10):
amount of protein intake,specifically coming from animal
sources, can really affect thekidneys.
If you are already havingkidney issues, right.
So if you have diabetes, if youhave uncontrolled high blood
pressure, always talking to yourhealthcare provider about where
your kidney function is,usually if it's not like kidney
failure, then most of the timesthey're not really going to
(07:33):
focus on it.
But it is your job, right?
Ask a patient, ask your doctorwhat is my kidney function,
right, historically?
How is it?
How has it been?
Right?
Is it decreasing?
Is it stable?
You want it to be stable, right?
You don't want it every singleyear that you go and check your
kidneys.
That is decreasing, right,because year after year, right,
(07:54):
we're going to get into thischronic kidney disease.
So you know, talk about that,right?
Obviously, there's otherchronic health conditions that
we have to consider whenincreasing your protein, right,
the types of protein sources andsuch.
But just in general, for theaverage population, we should be
okay.
What I usually recommend myclients specifically if they're
(08:15):
wanting to build muscle mass ordo body recomposition, or if
there are any issues with, like,blood sugar management, let's
start with 30 grams of proteinright, at each meal and we will
work from there, right,depending on how much protein
juice, what we need.
And so if there are no other,you know, chronic conditions,
let's start with those 30 gramsof protein in the morning, right
(08:37):
, because that's we're going tostart our morning with something
that is going to balance ourblood sugars, right, and it's
going to keep us satiated andfeeling, you know, satisfied for
a longer period of time.
And then 30 grams of proteinafter that, right.
The less that we eat, the lessthe opportunity that we have to
meet those goals, right?
(08:58):
So another super importantthing to remember, right and I
emphasize this a lot with myclients it's like if you only
eat one meal, it's really hardto get all the nutrients that
your body needs in just that onemeal, right, even if you're so
strategic, even if you optimizethat meal, it's just so hard to
do it, right, because we need alot of these essential nutrients
(09:22):
that we need and we cannot justget them in one meal.
So you know you can havesmaller meals throughout the day
and just optimize those meals,but having just one meal is just
usually not the way to do it,okay.
So I want to also mention thatit is important to increase your
protein slowly, because ifyou're not used to right, your
(09:44):
digestive system is not used todigesting so much protein at
once, and so you might have someGI problems.
You know some digestion issues,some bloating, feeling too full
, right, and so increasing itslowly or adding a little bit
more at a time, right, can helpwith those symptoms, and that
can help as you continue to dothat week after week.
(10:06):
So let's talk about best sourcesof protein plant-based and
animal-based.
So animal-based protein sources, which are going to in the next
one that I'm going to talkabout, they're going to provide
all the essential amino acids,right, making them a complete
protein.
You don't have to eat themtogether, right.
This is more so for plantprotein sources, because as long
(10:30):
as you eat them throughout theday, you're okay.
Eggs one egg is going to giveyou about six grams of protein,
more or less.
Chicken breast, right.
About three ounces will giveyou about 26 grams of protein.
Salmon three ounces will giveyou about 22 grams of protein.
You don't have to write allthese down or memorize it.
Head over to show notes andyou're going to find a
(10:51):
comprehensive list of theseprotein sources animal and
plant-based that you can use anduse as a reference.
Greek yogurt can range between15 to 20 grams of protein per
serving.
Cottage cheese 14 grams perhalf a cup Lean beef 25 grams
per three ounces.
Now there's other factors toconsider.
(11:14):
Right, if we're struggling withcholesterol, choosing your
leaner sources of protein, andoften what I recommend to you is
pairing it with the plantsources, right.
So, if you are, if you'rehaving issues with high
cholesterol, right, just stickto the three ounces right of
your leanest sources of proteinand add some plant sources.
(11:34):
Right to complement thatprotein.
Or two ounces and add someplant sources.
Plant sources are not going toincrease your cholesterol.
On the other hand, because ofthe high fiber content, it can
help to decrease your badcholesterol and increase your
good cholesterol, so that'ssomething that you can try out.
Or, if you're doing dairyproducts, making sure that they
either are fat-free or 1%.
(11:56):
The higher the fat, the higherthe saturated fat is going to be
and that is what is going toincrease your bad cholesterol.
Pairing your animal protein withfiber-rich vegetables can help
with digestion and also keepsyour meals more balanced.
Now some plant-based proteinsources that are high in protein
(12:17):
are your lentils, 18 grams perone cup, which is a really good
amount.
Chickpeas, 15 grams per cup.
Quinoa, 8 grams per cup, whichis also considered a complete
plant-based protein.
Tofu, 10 grams per half a cup.
Tempeh, 20 grams per half a cup.
Aromame, 17 grams per cup.
(12:37):
And then you also have yourchia seeds, hemp seeds and
peanut butter, which are alsogoing to give you between 4 to
10 grams of protein per 2 to 3tablespoons.
Since many plant-based sourcesare considered incomplete
proteins, meaning that theydon't have all the essential
amino acids, it's important tocombine them throughout the day,
(12:59):
right?
So, for example, rice and beansor hummus with whole wheat pita
, just to ensure that you getall the essential amino acids.
But you don't have to be someticulous and particular about
like okay, I have to always makesure I have this food and this
food.
If you're adding a variety ofthese foods throughout the day,
you should be okay.
Your body is so efficient atgetting those amino acids that
(13:21):
it doesn't matter if you eatthem on the same meal or, you
know, for dinner right.
Your body is still going to beable to use those nutrients and
get, let's see.
So so far we talked about theimportance of protein.
We talked about animal sourcesand plant-based sources.
Oftentimes, excuse me, I getthis question for someone that
(13:42):
follows a vegetarian or aplant-based diet.
Where do they get their protein?
As you heard right, there's somany sources where you can get
your protein from.
You're not going to be proteindeficient.
Even vegetables, even fruit,will give you a small amount
like one or two grams of protein.
So we can get protein fromplant sources right.
Sometimes we might have to bestrategic to make sure that we
(14:05):
do get enough protein right.
So, for example, if we want tohave 30 grams of protein right
with our lunch, we can combine,right, half a cup of tofu that
is going to give us 10 grams,with a cup of quinoa that is
going to give us 18 grams, oreight grams that's going to be a
total of 18 grams, and then weadd three tablespoons of hemp
(14:28):
seeds, of course, our vegetableswith that and that's going to
get us closer to 30 grams ofprotein.
So it doesn't have to becomplicated, you just have to
know, right, and have thisresource that I'm going to give
you for free, and you can makeyour meals that way.
If you're following aplant-based diet and you're
finding yourself hungry all thetime, most likely it's because
(14:49):
you're not adding enough protein.
So take a look at those highprotein sources and make sure,
right, that at each meal, you'regetting at least about 30 grams
of protein Plus.
You know you make your balancedmeals, you're adding your
vegetables, you're adding somekind of other grain or a piece
of fruit or a healthy fat, andyou should be able to stay
(15:10):
satiated if you're making yourmeals this way.
Okay, let's talk about somepractical ways to add protein to
your day.
For example, at breakfast, wecan have Greek yogurt or cottage
cheese to smoothies, right,honestly, you can make a really,
really high protein smoothie,either by adding the Greek
yogurt, the cottage cheese or aprotein powder.
(15:32):
You can add ground flaxseed orchia seeds, you can add spinach,
you can add your fruits andhave, you know, a 30-35 gram of
protein smoothie.
Or you can have Greek yogurt orcottage cheese, right, and just
add some ground or chia seedsor hemp seeds to that, some, you
know, chopped fruit or berries,and you can also have a high
(15:54):
protein Greek yogurt and cottagecheese.
Or you can have scrambled eggsand egg whites, right, if you're
concerned about the cholesterolwhich should be okay with your
cholesterol doesn't have the egg.
Yogurt doesn't have a highamount of saturated fats,
however, if you are, if you havehigh cholesterol already, you
struggle with that.
Sometimes.
(16:15):
It is recommended to limit oureggs to two eggs.
But you can supplement theprotein by adding egg whites,
right?
Add some spinach and have awhole grain toast.
Or have some fruit on the sideand that's a balanced breakfast.
You can even make have you know?
Oatmeal with chia, hemp andpeanut butter.
(16:35):
If you want to add a little bitmore protein, you can add Greek
yogurt to it or the plant-basedGreek-style yogurt for a
plant-based meal.
Even oatmeal can be made highprotein.
At lunch you can have grilledchicken, tempeh or salmon.
(16:55):
You can add that to your salads.
Add more color to your salad.
You don't want to just havelettuce or leafy greens and your
protein, right?
You're not going to be satiatedbecause there's not enough
nutrition.
Of course, you have a highamount of protein, but you want
to make sure that you'rebalancing out that salad, right?
So if you have your leafygreens, our cucumber, tomatoes,
(17:17):
bell peppers, and then add yourprotein to that right, and it's
going to keep you full for alonger period of time.
Or you can do quinoa, a quinoaand black bean bowl, and add
some chopped vegetables, bellpeppers, mushrooms, whatever
veggies you want to add to that.
Or you can do hummus or tofu ina wrap right.
Or you can do tempeh and addagain some, some veggies to it
(17:40):
and that is a balanced lunch fordinner, right, you can do.
Choose any lean meat, fish ortofu to make a stir fry.
Or you can add your quinoa oryour brown rice and to feel more
satiated, and tons of differentvegetables.
Or you can do a lentil soup orchickpea curry right, and add
some vegetables to that.
You can also add peas.
Peas are also high in protein.
(18:02):
So you know, you can complementthose two with adding some peas
or rusted vegetables with ahigh protein grain, like quinoa.
For your snacks, you can have acottage cheese with fruit and
almonds, or two hard boiled eggswith some grapes or other fruit
.
Or you can make yourself aprotein smoothie with
plant-based or whey proteinpowder.
(18:22):
Or you can have aromame withsalt and some carrots, cucumbers
or a piece of fruit, peanutbutter and a whole grain toast.
So it's not difficult to makehigh protein balanced meals and
snacks.
It's just sometimes having thatknowledge and knowing where the
protein or what sources havehigher amounts of protein.
(18:43):
This is why I created thesequick tips and handout for you.
So again, head over to the shownotes and you can get that
handout for free and this wayyou can start adding your meals.
Have your meals be higher inprotein.
That is going to help you withsatiety, blood sugar regulation.
Combine your animal andplant-based proteins if you're
trying to decrease yourcholesterol and your saturated
(19:05):
fat, and increase your fiber,which is also going to help you
with cholesterol management andsatiety.
If you get full really fastbecause you might be on these
weight loss medications,prioritize your protein.
Eat your protein first, thenyour vegetables and then your
grains or any other food thatyou want to add, but prioritize
your protein and then yourveggies, because you need them
(19:25):
for proper digestion, but alsoto feel satiated and to get the
nutrients that your body needs.
Okay, some final thoughts here.
My friends, protein isessential for overall health,
muscle maintenance and satiety,but you don't need to
overcomplicate it byincorporating a mix of
animal-based or plant-basedsources and spreading your
intake throughout the day, youcan easily meet your protein
(19:48):
needs.
So before we wrap up, Ichallenge you to pay attention
to your protein intake today.
Are you getting enough?
What's one meal you can tweakto include more protein?
I get this question asked toyou in terms of cravings, right,
and that inside you, or likewanting desire to eat, and
oftentimes it's because we don'teat enough, right?
(20:11):
Or we don't have breakfast, andso by 10 in the morning we're
like looking for something tohave.
Or if we, let's say, we hadlunch at 12 and we are expecting
to not be hungry until we gethome for dinner around five or
six, we're going to be hungryright Around two or three, maybe
4 pm, and that's what we'regoing to start having, like
(20:33):
these cravings, or like thatdecrease right In energy, and so
add a high-protein, high-fibersnack at that time, right?
If you add enough proteinthroughout the days, that should
also help with cravings.
If that doesn't help, it's moreso that the cravings are due to
high levels of stress or lackof sleep.
(20:53):
So look into those things aswell.
All right, my friends.
Thank you so much for tuning ininto Simple Nutrition Insights.
If you enjoyed this podcast, besure to subscribe, leave a
review and share it with afriend.
If you need more help withnutrition, check out my
Instagram at nutritionunderscore, with underscore
(21:14):
Leonila, or send me a text at559-12004 for more personalized
guidance.
Until next time, stay fueledand stay strong.
Bye-bye for now.
Hey, hey, welcome back to Simple Nutrition
Insights.
I am your host, leonila Campos,registered dietitian, and I'm
here to help you make nutritionsimple, practical and
sustainable.
No fluff and just practicaltips.
Here Today we are diving intoone of the most important
macronutrients.
Note that the other two are notimportant.
They are also important, butprotein, specifically, is what
(00:24):
we're going to talk about today.
Whether you're looking to buildmuscle, maintain a healthy
weight or simply stay energizedthroughout the day, protein
plays a crucial role in yourhealth.
So what we're going to covertoday in this episode is why
protein is essential for ourbodies, how much protein we
really need, practical ways toincorporate protein in our meals
(00:45):
, whether you follow aplant-based diet or include
animal foods.
I got you covered here, okay,so let's get started.
Why protein matters.
Protein is often called thebuilding block of life, and for
a good reason.
It helps to repair and buildmuscles, supports immune
function, keeps our bodiesfeeling satisfied and satiated
(01:09):
and maintains our healthy skin,hair and nails, produces
important enzymes and hormones,and it also regulates blood
sugars.
You know, when we have ourmeals and we are adding some
kind of protein with every meal,it helps maintain those blood
sugars more stable.
It.
Also, unlike carbohydrates andfats, which are our other two
(01:32):
macronutrients, and we're goingto talk about them in the
following weeks, our bodiesdon't really store excess
protein for later use, right,which means we need to consume
it consistently throughout theday.
However, we can still consumetoo much of it, right, and we
can go over our calories per se.
But because protein keeps ussatiated for a longer period of
(01:55):
time, we oftentimes don't needto add a significant amount,
right, as long as we're addingand I'll go over that in more
detail in a little bit but aslong as we're adding, you know,
just enough to keep us satiated.
That's essentially what we need.
So how much protein do we reallyneed?
(02:16):
Now?
We have the USDA dietaryguidelines, right, and these
guidelines are created by a lotof other healthcare
professionals, other dietitians.
They have a committee and theycreate and update these
guidelines every five years.
So the general guideline, right, for protein is 0.8 grams per
kilogram of body weight for theaverage person.
(02:39):
Now, this is specifically toprevent deficiencies, right?
This would be like the minimumthat we need to not be deficient
.
Now it.
Of course, we also have toaccount for our weight, right.
We also have to account for ifwe have kidney issues, if we are
athletes or if we're trying tobuild more muscle mass.
(03:01):
There's different factors thatplay into knowing how much
protein we need.
This is also why it's soimportant to work with a
dietitian right To figure outthese specific goals based on
what your goals are, and thenyou want to update them based on
your progress.
So the way that I work with myclients, specifically with
(03:21):
athletes or clients that arebuilding muscle mass or doing
body recomposition, wherethey're trying to build muscle
and lose body fat, is that wetake into account the muscle
mass right.
Obviously, we need to haveeither our DEXA scan or a body
scan that is going to give methat information so I can put
that in the calculation and makesure that those specific goals
(03:46):
match the protein, because themore muscle mass that we have,
muscle mass is so metabolicallyactive that it burns calories
even when we're not exercising.
So if we have a high amount ofmuscle mass, we have to consider
that to make sure that we'reeating enough protein to sustain
the muscle mass and to continueto grow.
So super important to work witha dietician right to figure out
(04:10):
these numbers.
But you know, if it's just onaverage the average population
0.8 grams per kilogram of bodyweight, but I usually recommend
a little bit more, at 1.0 to 1.2.
Again, different factors hereto consider, so work with a
dietician to figure that out.
We might increase it a littlebit more if we're wanting to
(04:31):
lose weight but maintain ourmuscle mass and lower our body
fat percentage, which is whatbody recomposition is.
Now I want to stay here for alittle bit longer and talk about
rapid weight loss, right?
Specifically we're seeing thismore so for someone that might
be taking one of these weightloss medications is that there's
(04:54):
a decrease in hunger, right?
That medication is doing itsjob, right?
It's affecting those hunger,fullness, satiety and those
hormones, and so that person isnot very hungry, obviously
losing significant amounts ofweight.
The problem here is that ifwe're not eating enough protein,
by at least meeting those 0.8grams per kilogram of body
weight, we're not only losingbody fat, we're also losing
(05:20):
muscle mass, and that issignificant, right, because that
is not only going to decreaseour metabolism, which then,
because that is not only goingto decrease our metabolism,
which then at one point we'regoing to get into this plateau
but it's also going to affectjust how our bodies recover, how
our bodies repair.
It's going to affect our hair,right, losing a significant
(05:40):
amount of hair, our skin, ournails.
So it's not just about noteating, right, we have to
maximize these meals Even ifwe're not eating a lot.
We have to prioritize ourprotein, right, because we want
to maintain our muscle mass.
Losing muscle mass is somethingcalled sarcopenia, and that has
been shown that as we losemuscle mass, our mortality rate
(06:04):
increases.
Right, we might not see thatsignificantly when we're young,
but definitely as we get older.
I did a podcast last week whereI talked about how, as we get
older after the age of 30, wecan be losing between 3% to 8%
of muscle mass in a decade.
Now it might not sound like alot, right, but that is a lot
(06:26):
because we don't want to loseour muscle mass, and so one of
the ways to help maintain andbuild our muscle mass right is
consuming a protein and, ofcourse, exercising those muscles
.
Super important to really,really remember those things.
But I also wanted you to thinkabout these other factors.
(06:47):
This is not a one-size-fits-allright.
This is why it's so importantto work with a dietician again,
because if someone has chronickidney disease and oftentimes
just like any other chroniccondition.
Most of the times people arenot going to know that, right?
Unless if you do blood workwhere you're monitoring and
tracking your kidney function.
You probably won't know it, andso excess amount or higher
(07:10):
amount of protein intake,specifically coming from animal
sources, can really affect thekidneys.
If you are already havingkidney issues, right.
So if you have diabetes, if youhave uncontrolled high blood
pressure, always talking to yourhealthcare provider about where
your kidney function is,usually if it's not like kidney
failure, then most of the timesthey're not really going to
(07:33):
focus on it.
But it is your job, right?
Ask a patient, ask your doctorwhat is my kidney function,
right, historically?
How is it?
How has it been?
Right?
Is it decreasing?
Is it stable?
You want it to be stable, right?
You don't want it every singleyear that you go and check your
kidneys.
That is decreasing, right,because year after year, right,
(07:54):
we're going to get into thischronic kidney disease.
So you know, talk about that,right?
Obviously, there's otherchronic health conditions that
we have to consider whenincreasing your protein, right,
the types of protein sources andsuch.
But just in general, for theaverage population, we should be
okay.
What I usually recommend myclients specifically if they're
(08:15):
wanting to build muscle mass ordo body recomposition, or if
there are any issues with, like,blood sugar management, let's
start with 30 grams of proteinright, at each meal and we will
work from there, right,depending on how much protein
juice, what we need.
And so if there are no other,you know, chronic conditions,
let's start with those 30 gramsof protein in the morning, right
(08:37):
, because that's we're going tostart our morning with something
that is going to balance ourblood sugars, right, and it's
going to keep us satiated andfeeling, you know, satisfied for
a longer period of time.
And then 30 grams of proteinafter that, right.
The less that we eat, the lessthe opportunity that we have to
meet those goals, right?
(08:58):
So another super importantthing to remember, right and I
emphasize this a lot with myclients it's like if you only
eat one meal, it's really hardto get all the nutrients that
your body needs in just that onemeal, right, even if you're so
strategic, even if you optimizethat meal, it's just so hard to
do it, right, because we need alot of these essential nutrients
(09:22):
that we need and we cannot justget them in one meal.
So you know you can havesmaller meals throughout the day
and just optimize those meals,but having just one meal is just
usually not the way to do it,okay.
So I want to also mention thatit is important to increase your
protein slowly, because ifyou're not used to right, your
(09:44):
digestive system is not used todigesting so much protein at
once, and so you might have someGI problems.
You know some digestion issues,some bloating, feeling too full
, right, and so increasing itslowly or adding a little bit
more at a time, right, can helpwith those symptoms, and that
can help as you continue to dothat week after week.
(10:06):
So let's talk about best sourcesof protein plant-based and
animal-based.
So animal-based protein sources, which are going to in the next
one that I'm going to talkabout, they're going to provide
all the essential amino acids,right, making them a complete
protein.
You don't have to eat themtogether, right.
This is more so for plantprotein sources, because as long
(10:30):
as you eat them throughout theday, you're okay.
Eggs one egg is going to giveyou about six grams of protein,
more or less.
Chicken breast, right.
About three ounces will giveyou about 26 grams of protein.
Salmon three ounces will giveyou about 22 grams of protein.
You don't have to write allthese down or memorize it.
Head over to show notes andyou're going to find a
(10:51):
comprehensive list of theseprotein sources animal and
plant-based that you can use anduse as a reference.
Greek yogurt can range between15 to 20 grams of protein per
serving.
Cottage cheese 14 grams perhalf a cup Lean beef 25 grams
per three ounces.
Now there's other factors toconsider.
(11:14):
Right, if we're struggling withcholesterol, choosing your
leaner sources of protein, andoften what I recommend to you is
pairing it with the plantsources, right.
So, if you are, if you'rehaving issues with high
cholesterol, right, just stickto the three ounces right of
your leanest sources of proteinand add some plant sources.
(11:34):
Right to complement thatprotein.
Or two ounces and add someplant sources.
Plant sources are not going toincrease your cholesterol.
On the other hand, because ofthe high fiber content, it can
help to decrease your badcholesterol and increase your
good cholesterol, so that'ssomething that you can try out.
Or, if you're doing dairyproducts, making sure that they
either are fat-free or 1%.
(11:56):
The higher the fat, the higherthe saturated fat is going to be
and that is what is going toincrease your bad cholesterol.
Pairing your animal protein withfiber-rich vegetables can help
with digestion and also keepsyour meals more balanced.
Now some plant-based proteinsources that are high in protein
(12:17):
are your lentils, 18 grams perone cup, which is a really good
amount.
Chickpeas, 15 grams per cup.
Quinoa, 8 grams per cup, whichis also considered a complete
plant-based protein.
Tofu, 10 grams per half a cup.
Tempeh, 20 grams per half a cup.
Aromame, 17 grams per cup.
(12:37):
And then you also have yourchia seeds, hemp seeds and
peanut butter, which are alsogoing to give you between 4 to
10 grams of protein per 2 to 3tablespoons.
Since many plant-based sourcesare considered incomplete
proteins, meaning that theydon't have all the essential
amino acids, it's important tocombine them throughout the day,
(12:59):
right?
So, for example, rice and beansor hummus with whole wheat pita
, just to ensure that you getall the essential amino acids.
But you don't have to be someticulous and particular about
like okay, I have to always makesure I have this food and this
food.
If you're adding a variety ofthese foods throughout the day,
you should be okay.
Your body is so efficient atgetting those amino acids that
(13:21):
it doesn't matter if you eatthem on the same meal or, you
know, for dinner right.
Your body is still going to beable to use those nutrients and
get, let's see.
So so far we talked about theimportance of protein.
We talked about animal sourcesand plant-based sources.
Oftentimes, excuse me, I getthis question for someone that
(13:42):
follows a vegetarian or aplant-based diet.
Where do they get their protein?
As you heard right, there's somany sources where you can get
your protein from.
You're not going to be proteindeficient.
Even vegetables, even fruit,will give you a small amount
like one or two grams of protein.
So we can get protein fromplant sources right.
Sometimes we might have to bestrategic to make sure that we
(14:05):
do get enough protein right.
So, for example, if we want tohave 30 grams of protein right
with our lunch, we can combine,right, half a cup of tofu that
is going to give us 10 grams,with a cup of quinoa that is
going to give us 18 grams, oreight grams that's going to be a
total of 18 grams, and then weadd three tablespoons of hemp
(14:28):
seeds, of course, our vegetableswith that and that's going to
get us closer to 30 grams ofprotein.
So it doesn't have to becomplicated, you just have to
know, right, and have thisresource that I'm going to give
you for free, and you can makeyour meals that way.
If you're following aplant-based diet and you're
finding yourself hungry all thetime, most likely it's because
(14:49):
you're not adding enough protein.
So take a look at those highprotein sources and make sure,
right, that at each meal, you'regetting at least about 30 grams
of protein Plus.
You know you make your balancedmeals, you're adding your
vegetables, you're adding somekind of other grain or a piece
of fruit or a healthy fat, andyou should be able to stay
(15:10):
satiated if you're making yourmeals this way.
Okay, let's talk about somepractical ways to add protein to
your day.
For example, at breakfast, wecan have Greek yogurt or cottage
cheese to smoothies, right,honestly, you can make a really,
really high protein smoothie,either by adding the Greek
yogurt, the cottage cheese or aprotein powder.
(15:32):
You can add ground flaxseed orchia seeds, you can add spinach,
you can add your fruits andhave, you know, a 30-35 gram of
protein smoothie.
Or you can have Greek yogurt orcottage cheese, right, and just
add some ground or chia seedsor hemp seeds to that, some, you
know, chopped fruit or berries,and you can also have a high
(15:54):
protein Greek yogurt and cottagecheese.
Or you can have scrambled eggsand egg whites, right, if you're
concerned about the cholesterolwhich should be okay with your
cholesterol doesn't have the egg.
Yogurt doesn't have a highamount of saturated fats,
however, if you are, if you havehigh cholesterol already, you
struggle with that.
Sometimes.
(16:15):
It is recommended to limit oureggs to two eggs.
But you can supplement theprotein by adding egg whites,
right?
Add some spinach and have awhole grain toast.
Or have some fruit on the sideand that's a balanced breakfast.
You can even make have you know?
Oatmeal with chia, hemp andpeanut butter.
(16:35):
If you want to add a little bitmore protein, you can add Greek
yogurt to it or the plant-basedGreek-style yogurt for a
plant-based meal.
Even oatmeal can be made highprotein.
At lunch you can have grilledchicken, tempeh or salmon.
(16:55):
You can add that to your salads.
Add more color to your salad.
You don't want to just havelettuce or leafy greens and your
protein, right?
You're not going to be satiatedbecause there's not enough
nutrition.
Of course, you have a highamount of protein, but you want
to make sure that you'rebalancing out that salad, right?
So if you have your leafygreens, our cucumber, tomatoes,
(17:17):
bell peppers, and then add yourprotein to that right, and it's
going to keep you full for alonger period of time.
Or you can do quinoa, a quinoaand black bean bowl, and add
some chopped vegetables, bellpeppers, mushrooms, whatever
veggies you want to add to that.
Or you can do hummus or tofu ina wrap right.
Or you can do tempeh and addagain some, some veggies to it
(17:40):
and that is a balanced lunch fordinner, right, you can do.
Choose any lean meat, fish ortofu to make a stir fry.
Or you can add your quinoa oryour brown rice and to feel more
satiated, and tons of differentvegetables.
Or you can do a lentil soup orchickpea curry right, and add
some vegetables to that.
You can also add peas.
Peas are also high in protein.
(18:02):
So you know, you can complementthose two with adding some peas
or rusted vegetables with ahigh protein grain, like quinoa.
For your snacks, you can have acottage cheese with fruit and
almonds, or two hard boiled eggswith some grapes or other fruit
.
Or you can make yourself aprotein smoothie with
plant-based or whey proteinpowder.
(18:22):
Or you can have aromame withsalt and some carrots, cucumbers
or a piece of fruit, peanutbutter and a whole grain toast.
So it's not difficult to makehigh protein balanced meals and
snacks.
It's just sometimes having thatknowledge and knowing where the
protein or what sources havehigher amounts of protein.
(18:43):
This is why I created thesequick tips and handout for you.
So again, head over to the shownotes and you can get that
handout for free and this wayyou can start adding your meals.
Have your meals be higher inprotein.
That is going to help you withsatiety, blood sugar regulation.
Combine your animal andplant-based proteins if you're
trying to decrease yourcholesterol and your saturated
(19:05):
fat, and increase your fiber,which is also going to help you
with cholesterol management andsatiety.
If you get full really fastbecause you might be on these
weight loss medications,prioritize your protein.
Eat your protein first, thenyour vegetables and then your
grains or any other food thatyou want to add, but prioritize
your protein and then yourveggies, because you need them
(19:25):
for proper digestion, but alsoto feel satiated and to get the
nutrients that your body needs.
Okay, some final thoughts here.
My friends, protein isessential for overall health,
muscle maintenance and satiety,but you don't need to
overcomplicate it byincorporating a mix of
animal-based or plant-basedsources and spreading your
intake throughout the day, youcan easily meet your protein
(19:48):
needs.
So before we wrap up, Ichallenge you to pay attention
to your protein intake today.
Are you getting enough?
What's one meal you can tweakto include more protein?
I get this question asked toyou in terms of cravings, right,
and that inside you, or likewanting desire to eat, and
oftentimes it's because we don'teat enough, right?
(20:11):
Or we don't have breakfast, andso by 10 in the morning we're
like looking for something tohave.
Or if we, let's say, we hadlunch at 12 and we are expecting
to not be hungry until we gethome for dinner around five or
six, we're going to be hungryright Around two or three, maybe
4 pm, and that's what we'regoing to start having, like
(20:33):
these cravings, or like thatdecrease right In energy, and so
add a high-protein, high-fibersnack at that time, right?
If you add enough proteinthroughout the days, that should
also help with cravings.
If that doesn't help, it's moreso that the cravings are due to
high levels of stress or lackof sleep.
(20:53):
So look into those things aswell.
All right, my friends.
Thank you so much for tuning ininto Simple Nutrition Insights.
If you enjoyed this podcast, besure to subscribe, leave a
review and share it with afriend.
If you need more help withnutrition, check out my
Instagram at nutritionunderscore, with underscore
(21:14):
Leonila, or send me a text at559-12004 for more personalized
guidance.
Until next time, stay fueledand stay strong.
Bye-bye for now.
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