As part of your effort to lose and maintain your weight, eating right is the key to long term weight control and living a quality life. This means you need to maintain a balanced and healthy diet.
One of the key nutrients for our body is protein. Protein is essential for our body to form structural components such as muscle tissue, connective tissues and the support tissue inside bones and teeth. And the lack of it will weaken the immune system, delay healing from injury and slower metabolism. It also helps to maintain your fluid balance, transport nutrients in your bloodstream, aid in blood clotting.
However you need to know that too much or too little of protein can be hazardous to your health. A low-protein diet may also increase your odds of osteoporosis. Too much protein may put you at risk for high blood pressure, and too much protein from meat may increase your risk of certain cancers. This is due to the build-up of acid in our body.
To meet your protein needs, here are some recommendations:
* Eat at least two servings of high-protein foods per day. A serving consists of 90g of lean meat, poultry or fish, 1 or 2 eggs, 1/2 cup of legumes, 1/3 of tofu. High protein foods also include yogurt, low-fat milk and cottage cheese.
* Eat fish at least three times a week. There is real benefit of eating a lot of fish because it is a great source of protein without the high saturated found found in fatty meats. Choose heart-healthy omega-3 fats especially in salmon, sardines, trout, mackerel and herring. Limit your intake of swordfish, shark and tuna to no more than once a week and less frequently for children.
* Choose a plant-based diet for your proteins such as nuts, beans, soy foods (tofu, soy flour, soy beverages, soy protein powders, soy meats or fermented soybeans mixed with grain). Soy foods contain plant chemicals that may protect you from several health problems. Regular consumption of soy foods can protect your heart, lower blood cholesterol levels, slow bone loss.
* Choose lower-fat animal-protein foods. such as lean cuts of beef (sirloin, lean ground beef, flank steak), chicken breast and turkey. These foods offer less saturated fat and cholesterol than their higher-fat counterparts. Avoid charring animal foods on the grill.
* For meat eaters, limit your intake to no more than 90g per day.
* Consider eating organically raised meat and poultry. Get to know your local organic farmers and ask questions about how they raise their animals.
When you understand the importance of protein, you will appreciate how important it is to include protein in your weight loss program. Never consume too much or too little as this will hamper your progress. If you continue to eat a balanced diet, you will get to shed your fat and keep it off.
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