How low protein intake could be affecting your health and fitness goals
What was once touted purely as bicep fuel for body builders and gym junkies alike, has since gained traction among the female masses - and with damn good reason! Proteins are the building blocks of life. In fact, every single cell in our glorious little bodies contains protein. While the macronutrients credentials are generally linked in with muscle recovery, repair and growth; proteins’ impressive resume tell us that the string of amino acids has far more to offer…
When we eat protein our digestive processes break the molecule down into amino acids, which are passed into the blood and throughout the body. From this point our cells have the ability to hand-pick the amino acids they need for the production of new body tissue, hormones, enzymes, antibodies, neurotransmitters and blood cells. Impressive, right? The problem is that if we don’t get enough protein through the diet, these processes are impeded, which results in a whole host of issues ranging from muscle wastage, energy loss and hunger, all the way to poor immunity, hormonal imbalances and difficulty losing weight. No thank you!
Ever wondered why you are still peckish an hour after you eat or those post-meal sugar cravings are beyond concerning? Chances are insufficient protein is your culprit. Protein is broken down and digested gradually, which results in a slow sustained release of energy. Ensuring that you are getting a high quality source of protein with each meal will help to safeguard against the dreaded mid-morning slump while keeping those afternoon freddo frog cravings at bay!
As a blanket recommendation it is suggested that active women consume approximately 1g of high quality protein per day for every kg of body weight. So someone exercising daily and weighing in at 65kg would require roughly 65g of protein per day to meet the recommended requirements. While wholefood sources of protein are always the first port of call, meeting these requirements can be a tricky feat for even for the best in the biz.