Food Sources of Proteins
Proteins from animal sources are generally of higher quality than proteins from plant sources. Meat, poultry, fish, eggs, milk, cheese and yogurt provide all nine essential amino acids. Because of that, they are often referred to as complete proteins.
Legumes, such as beans and peas, seeds and nuts, also supply protein. In smaller amounts, so do grain products and many vegetables. Plant proteins, except soy, lack one or more essential amino acids. When you eat a variety of foods, however, you get all the amino acids your body needs. Eat a variety of plant foods - legumes, nuts, seeds, grains, vegetables and fruits and enough calories throughout the day. Whatever amino acid one food lacks can come from other foods you eat.
Food tip: What is the most nutrient-dense source of protein? Water-packed tuna, which has more than 80% of calories as protein, followed by chicken breast without skin.
If you eat a plant protein that lacks one or more amino acids, getting that amino acid from another food can make up for the shortfall in the first. This is called complementing. Some examples of good pairs of plant proteins that together give all of the amino acids needed are as follows:
Legumes (beans, peas and lentils) paired with grains.
Peanut butter sandwich.
Red beans and rice.
Baked beans and wheat bread.
Lima bean and rice casserole.
Bean burrito (bean filling in corn tortilla).
Split pea soup and rye bread.
Bean chili and wheat toast.
Legumes (starchy beans, peas and lentils) paired with nuts and seeds.
Snack mix of roasted soybeans, nuts and seeds.
Hummus (ground chickpeas and sesame seeds).
Tofu dishes with sesame seeds.
Power Buy: Legumes
Legumes are plants with seed pods that contain one row of seeds. They include garden peas, green beans, red beans, lima beans, pinto beans, black-eyed peas, garbanzo beans, lentils and soybeans. Dried varieties of the seeds give an impressive contribution to the protein, vitamin, mineral and dietary fiber content of a meal.
Legumes are a power buy. Legumes are a very inexpensive source of protein that can meet your protein needs. A bonus of legumes is that they contain many other nutrients. Although legumes are a source of incomplete protein, they can be combined with rice, corn or other grains or with small amounts of complete protein in meat, eggs or cheese to provide a high-quality protein balance.
Legumes are versatile. You can make tasty soups, salads, casseroles, dips and chili with legumes. You can mash them and combine with other ingredients to make a sandwich filling. Try to include legumes in your meals at least two or three times a week for maximum health benefits.
Tip: Do you have problems with intestinal gas when eating legumes? If you have avoided eating legumes because they may give you intestinal gas, you can do some things to help avoid this problem. When you first add beans to your diet, start with lima beans, split peas and lentils. They are less likely to cause gas. Eat small amounts of legumes at first and give your body a few weeks to adjust.
An enzyme product called Beano is also available. You can buy it in the store. Taken right before a meal, it helps digest the indigestible carbohydrates in beans that contribute to intestinal gas.
Cooking tip
Most legumes except lentils need to be softened before cooking. Soak them overnight or boil for two minutes, uncovered. Remove from heat, cover, and let stand one hour. Discard the water. Add seasoning and fresh water for cooking. Keep in mind that dried beans double or triple in volume as they cook.
Nutrition Labeling of Meat and Poultry Products
Nutrition labeling is mandatory for most processed meat and poultry foods, such as chicken franks, meat burritos and pepperoni pizza. Single-ingredient, raw meat and poultry products, such as ground beef, chicken breasts and whole turkey, are subject to a voluntary nutrition labeling. According to the guidelines of the voluntary program, supermarkets can use labels or point-of-purchase materials, such as brochures, posters and signs, to provide nutrition information.
Nutrition Labeling of Protein
Protein is required on nutrition labels. The amount of protein in one serving of the product is given in grams (g). Nutrition labels, however, do not have to provide information on the % Daily Value for protein. The % Daily Value for protein is optional on the nutrition label.
How many servings from the Meat and Beans Group do we need each day? The Food Guide recommends 5.5 ounce equivalents each day from the Meat and Beans group. The total amount of these servings should be the equivalent of 5.5 ounces of cooked lean meat, poultry or fish.
What counts as a serving from the meat and beans group?
1 ounce equivalent is:
1 ounce of cooked lean meats, poultry, fish.
1 egg.
¼ cup cooked beans or tofu.
1 tablespoon peanut butter.
How Much Protein Do You Need?
You need to balance protein you eat with losses from the urine, feces, skin, hair, nails and from other ways. This maintains the body in a steady state of protein balance. If someone is growing, pregnant or recovering from an illness or surgery, that person needs to eat more protein to produce new tissues. That person's need for protein increases. You also need to get the amount of calories your body needs, so amino acids are not used for energy. Your body prefers to use calories from carbohydrate and fat for energy and save calories from protein for important bodily functions
Dietary Reference Intakes (DRI) were introduced in 1997. They include the Recommended Dietary Allowances (RDAs). Each nutrient is being studied, and recommended intake is being revised or updated based on current research. At present, the protein RDA for adults is 50 g, based on 10 percent of a 2,000 calorie reference diet. The following chart shows the amounts of protein needed daily for different calorie levels:
|
Calories |
1,600 |
2,000 |
2,200 |
2,500 |
2,800 |
3,200 |
|
Protein
(g = grams) |
46g |
50g |
55g |
65g |
70g |
80g |
Review of Food Guide:
Write down the answers to these questions:
1. Which food groups are good sources of protein?
2. Where in the food guide are they located?
3. How much protein do you need each day?
4. What are inexpensive sources of protein?
5. What are some tasty ways you can prepare legumes?
Web Sites to Visit:
www.eatchicken.com - Healthy recipes and general information about chicken.
Summary
In this lesson, you learned that protein is one of the three nutrients that supplies calories. Your body prefers to use the protein calories for its important work and use calories from carbohydrates and fat for energy. Protein helps build and repair all body tissues, regulates body processes, helps form antibodies to fight infection and supplies energy. The Milk group and Meat and Beans group of the Food Guide include foods that provide complete or high-quality protein. The Bread and Cereal group and the Vegetable group provide sources of incomplete protein. Pair plant proteins to maximize the protein value. Plan your meals around plant foods that include legumes, rice, whole-wheat breads, vegetables and fruits, and round them out with low-fat animal foods. Follow the Daily Food Guide.