PROTEIN is an extremely important nutrient whether or not you are a gym bunny and want to increase the size of your muscles.
WHAT DOES PROTEIN DO FOR OUR BODIES?
As part of a healthy, balanced diet, protein:
- repairs, preserves and reduces muscle breakdown after exercise
- supports the health of our bones, hair, skin and nails
- prevents hunger and helps control appetite
- increasing the protein content of a weight loss diet also prevents the slowdown in metabolic rate that occurs with weight reduction
How much do I need?
Inactive women require approximately 0.8g protein per kg body weight.
Active women require 1-1.5g per kg body weight.
For example, an active 60kg woman needs 60-90g of protein per day preferably spread over 3 meals.
After training aim to consume 20-25g protein and 60-100g carbohydrates.
How much protein is in different foods?
- an average glass of milk (200ml) has 7g of protein
- a steak 30g
- salmon fillet 25-30g
- chicken breast 25-30g
- an egg 6g
- handful of almonds (about 10) 3g
Some of the top protein rich foods are oily fish, lean white meat, chickpeas, kidney beans and whey protein.
Top tips:
Quinoa has twice the amount of protein than couscous
'Total' Greek yoghurt has double the amount of protein of regular yoghurt so will fill you up for longer.
Combine your protein with lots of vegetables, especially green leaves and 25-45g fat for a nutritious and balanced meal.