Protein: Facts and Opinion

Protein: Facts and Opinion

The subject of protein is a hard one to nail down. If you do much research on the subject you will find conflicting information from different sources. Some will tell you that a diet high in protein will help build more muscle, such as Men's Health (of which I am a subscriber.) Others will tell you that extra protein will not in fact build more muscle; I found two sources saying this: WebMD and the Everything Nutrition book. It is a fact however that you need to take in several servings of protein a day.

The government classifies only meat, poultry, beans, eggs, nuts, seeds, processed soy as proteins. Beans and peas are also part of the vegetable food group. Surprisingly, dairy products are not a protein food group, according to the government. You should take in somewhere between 5 to 5 1/2 ounces of protein foods a day if you are an adult female, and 5 1/2 to 6 1/2 ounces if you are an adult male. The suggested daily amount of dairy products is 3 cups. This is all according to the government choose my plate website. (choosemyplate.gov)

So with all of this conflicting information, how do you decide what to do? You may currently be drinking protein drinks. I know I have in the past; I have also taken Amino Fuel. Amino Fuel is a supplement that that is rich in amino acids which are important to your body's ability to use protein. However, I am currently not using any supplements to improve the results I get from my workouts. I am happy with my weight- currently I am at about 175 lbs at 6'1" tall. I run, lift kettlebells, and go to a gym. My goal is to maintain a healthy balance between stamina and strength.

If your goal is to build more muscle and get bigger, as many people in this country are in that category, you may want to take in more protein. Even if extra protein does not build more muscle, protein rich foods are often higher in calories than vegetables. The higher your caloric intake, the bigger you will get. It is then just necessary that you do a lot of strength training, so as to turn your added size in to power.

To finish off this article, I will state my opinion on the matter of protein. It is true that diet itself can not be all things for everyone. Certainly marathoners do not and can not eat the same as power lifters to achieve their goals. Different people's diets need to be individualized to meet their own personal goals. That being said, I do not recommend protein supplements. Instead, you can eat a diet rich in protein and if you do, try to educate yourself on what are good lean sources of protein. So that the weight gain you do incur is not on your belly.