Eat more protein

Hello everyone,

How do you like these temperatures? If you have not been out doing some kind of physical activity what are you waiting for?

I want to tell you more about protein. Lean protein and protein from plant sources can be one of your best friends for keeping hunger at bay. Protein is the most difficult foods for your body to break down and digest. It therefore helps to keep you feeling full longer than any other food you eat, with maybe the exception of bark and twigs (just kidding).

Most Americans are eating too little protein. Lean protein should make up 20 to 30 percent of your calories (see my earlier post on how much of each food to eat). Protein with large amounts of fat should be avoided or eaten in very small quantities. It is a good idea to add a little protein to each meal, besides keeping you feeling fuller longer; it will help to reduce the amount of insulin your pancreas releases from sugars and carbohydrates you eat.

Here is a list that includes proteins to choose most often, choose more often, and choose least often.

Choose most often:
Fish and shellfish, poultry without skin, nuts (watch the calories here), low-fat cheese, fat-free or low-fat milk, fat-free or low-fat yogurt, eggs, split peas, lentils, green peas, all dry beans, soy foods (avoid if you have issues with soy, if in doubt consult your physician), quinoa, buckwheat

Choose more often:
Lean beef, extra-lean ground beef, lean pork, lean ham, lean lamb, Canadian bacon

Choose least often:
Marbled beef, regular ground beef, pork ribs, pork sausage, bacon, bologna, salami, hot dogs, chicken with skin, whole milk, butter, cream, full-fat cheese.

Stuart