Protein is important for healing and growth.

Proteins:

• Maintain normal metabolism

• Repair tissues

• keep you feel full longer

• (after a meal)

• Make up enzymes and hormones for ‘normal’ function

Amino acids are the building blocks of proteins.

Essential amino acids are those that have to be consumed in your diet.

Proteins are present in these foods:

• Meat

• Poultry

• Fish

• Eggs

• Soy foods

• Nuts

• Seeds Dairy products like cheese, milk

• Legumes (Lentil) & grains (brown rice, quinoa)

• Note: Animal proteins provide you with all the essential amino acids that your body needs and cannot be produced in your body.

If you are vegetarian you need to eat protein bars and shakes to get high quality protein in your diet!

How much protein each one of us needs:

Most nutritionists recommend that individuals eat half gram of protein per pound of their body weight.

For example a person that weight 150 pounds would need at least 75 grams of protein each day.

People that are athletes, pregnant women or nursing women or people that are under stress (physical or emotional) would require higher amounts of protein.

Older adults require higher amounts of protein than younger adults because they do not use protein efficiently.

Important to balance your intake of protein with fiber rich carbohydrates and healthy natural fats and cardio and strengthening exercises!