Enjoying a salad for dinner?
Don’t forget the protein. Protein is pretty much anything that comes from an animal – meat, eggs, and dairy. There are also plant-based sources of protein such as tofu, nuts, and legumes (although legumes are quite high in carbohydrates, they contain lots of healthy fibre which, together with protein, offset some of the impact of carbs in blood glucose levels).
Protein is the building blocks of every single cell in the body. They help keep your immunity strong to fight infections and viral nasties, help make your hormones, and they’re the transport system for nutrients in your blood (think globin for iron for example). Protein makes up the bulk of your skeletal muscles and your organs too.
Unlike glucose and fats, your body can’t store protein so you need to consume some every few hours across the day. How much? That depends on a lot of factors so if you want an accurate range, you’ll need to see a dietitian to assess your needs. As a general rule of thumb though, it’s about 1g per kg of body weight per day. This could be a more if you exercise a lot, or could be less with certain medical conditions.
If you want to know if you’re getting enough protein in your daily intake, click HERE to schedule an appointment to see us.