The purpose of this blog post is to educate you into how to choose the best source of protein snacks rather than “marketed” protein snacks. Did you know that alot of the marketed “source of protein” foods to a consumer only has to contain at least 5g per serving to take that claim. Whereas a “Good Source” contains at least 10g per serving. First and foremost we need to look at why protein is so important to the body:
- It is a component of every cell in your body. In fact, hair and nails are mostly made of protein.
- Your body uses it to build and repair tissue.
- You need it to make enzymes, hormones, and other body chemicals.
- It is an important building block of bones, muscles, cartilage, skin, and blood.
Unlike Carbohydrates and Fat the body foes not store Protein, so the body has no reserved stores if the body is running on low.
How Much Protein Should I Be Consuming Daily?
As a rough guide the RDI (Recommended Daily Intake) for a female is 0.75g per kilo of body weight. For example, a female who weighs 72kg would have an RDI of 54g (0.75 x 72). To provide context, a 200g steak has approximately 60g of protein. It is important to remember that protein requirements are higher for strength and endurance athletes, and are also influenced by other factors such as illness or physical injury.
Protein Content in Wholefoods:
- Chickpeas, drained and canned – 5.4g of protein per 75g serving
- Almonds – 5.9g of protein per 30g serving
- Pumpkin Seeds – 7.3g of protein per 30g serving
- Eggs, Hard Boiled – 8.8g of protein for 2 eggs
- Milk – 12.2g of protein per 250ml serving
- Yoghurt, plain, greek and high protein – 17.4g of protein per 200g serving
- Tuna, canned and drained – 20.2g of protein per 85g serving
Tips
- Take a moment to look at the overall nutritional value on the label. Check the nutrition label to see if the “source of protein” does indeed contain 5g of protein per serving, 5g is quite small. This isn’t to say that the product isn’t nutritious, it just shows that you could potentially make a better choice
- Dont assume that foods with a protein claim are the best choice
- Know that whole foods offer a great source of protein and provide other beneficial nutrients least 10g of protein per serve
***This blog post is for information purposes only. Independent advice suited to individual circumstances should be sought from relevant industry professionals prior to making any decisions.
