Archive for August, 2009
Part I of the protein puzzle-
As we discussed in our Blog metric conversion confusion the use of the metric system can make things a little challenging for those of us on the standard system of measurement and this is especially true when it comes to figuring out how much daily protein you need in your diet for optimal health.
The ongoing discussion among health professionals on how much protein you actually need each day is still a hot debate with no definitive answer in sight. The most widely excepted model for the minimum daily intake is 1 gram of protein for every kilogram of lean body mass ether by whole food or a protein supplement. Here we go with the metric system again. Not to mention getting an accurate reading on lean mass. And do not rely on a personal trainer using the body fat caliber method to be even close to accurate, but that’s for another day.
Lets first get this metric thing sorted out. A 180 lb person converts to 81.647 Kilograms and lets say our average person has a 25% body fat, that leaves 61.235 kilograms of lean mass. Using the current theories this person needs a minimum 61 to 62 grams of protein per day to sustain there health. Derived either through whole foods our protein supplements. This of course is not taking into consideration any other factors such as lifestyle, health and genetics.
Next up how do I meet the required amount I need.
How much protein can be absorbed at each meal has been an ongoing topic of conversation among athletes especially body builders for sometime now. The most definitive answer so far has come from several resources in the scientific community one of which is D. M. Matthews Department of Chemical Pathology, Westminster Medical School, London.
Their research supports similar studies that the body absorbs 90 to 95% of the intake. In other words if you ate a serving of chicken containing 20g of protein, on average the body would uptake approximately 18g, 30g=27g, 40g=36g and so on. The source of the protein such as a lean cut of beef vs. say a protein shake does not make a significant difference in absorption.
An important note about this is that just because the body extracts it from the digestion process does not mean it uses all of it. Some of the protein may be excreted if not needed. Just how much your body needs per day or meal is another topic and deserves further discussion.
So regardless of your preference in food chocies you might say when it comes to protein you get what you pay for, well ok all but about 5 to 10% but that is still a bargin in todays economy.