The three things that can go wrong with protein
If you've been in my office you know we're often talking about protein. Protein is so key to support and maintain:
- Blood sugar balance
- Energy
- Building blocks for neurotransmitters and hormones
- Building and maintaining muscle mass.
Most people could use more. There are a few things that can go wrong though.
1) You're not getting enough calories (especially in the morning!):
If you're having a protein shake for breakfast - say with 1 cup of almond milk and 1 scoop of protein powder, while you may be getting 30g of protein (which is fantastic!), depending on your protein powder you may only be getting 160 calories.
This isn't enough to fuel your body for a morning of activities!
If breakfast consists of a cup of Greek yoghurt + blueberries - you're only getting around 170 calories. Similarly, 3 eggs, while containing 18g of protein, only has 210 calories.
Every person is going to need a different amount of calories depending on activity levels and body composition, but the average 40 year old woman needs about 10x that in the day, if you’re only getting 160-200 all morning it's not enough to fuel this demanding time of day!
2) You're getting too many calories!
Depending on the types of protein that you're choosing, you may be getting too many calories. Many protein sources also have fat in them, and while fat is good for you, it's more calorie dense.
If you're trying to get 20g of protein from peanut butter - you're getting 500 calories from peanut butter (v. 20g of protein from greek yoghurt which would be 120 calories). We often need to choose SOME leaner protein options to meet protein requirements without going too high, things like cottage cheese, greek yoghurt, turkey, chicken, protein powder, tofu, edamame and lentils are all higher protein, lower calorie options.
CLEARLY the conversation is nuanced as my first point was that we need to make sure we’re getting enough! It's all about the balance!
3) You're just prioritizing protein:
If you're just focusing on protein - having the protein shakes, the greek yoghurt, the chicken breast, you're missing other things!
Colourful fruits and vegetables are incredibly important source of fiber, vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and phytonutrients! Complex carbohydrates help to keep bowels moving and manage cholesterol.
Fat is a key building block of hormones and also helps to keep blood sugar stable. Sometimes the conversation swings so much to protein (because it is a piece that many miss or are low in) that the concept of balanced plate is forgotten!
In the end, the goal is to keep up the protein but keep these things in mind too!
Nutrition is confusing and I'm here to support! Reach out anytime by replying to this email or booking a visit by clicking the button below!
In health,
Dr. Janine