How Much Protein Should You Eat?

Do not sacrifice your carbohydrates for a high-protein diet and think twice about spicing up these biceps with protein to make them look better in the gym. Your daily diet should ideally not contain more than 30% protein, as surplus it will do more harm than good. So says Gail Butterfield, Ph.D., head of nutritional studies at the Palo Alto Veterans Administration Medical Center.

Dr. Butterfield says excess protein in your diet can have harmful effects. If you increase the protein without adding more calories and exercise to your daily life, rather than building muscle, you will over-strain your other body systems. And eating more protein while increasing your calorie intake - but at the same training level - will build up an equal amount of extra fat and muscle mass. Meanwhile, a diet where protein is more than 30% of your caloric intake causes a buildup of toxic ketones. A "ketogenic" or ketone-rich diet causes the kidneys to over-release toxins. This can cause you to lose a significant amount of water, which seriously threatens dehydration, especially if you work hard during your workouts.

Such a loss of water will give the impression that you are losing weight when you are not. Also, through this ketogenic diet, you will lose muscle mass and bone calcium, not gain, while the stress of dehydration can also affect your heart. Dehydration through a ketogenic diet can make you dizzy and weak, give you bad breath, and lead to other health problems. This can be the result of a high protein, low carbohydrate "fad" - one that overly emphasizes proteins.

Actual protein deficiency is a very rare condition and is usually confined to older women or people with eating disorders. Protein deficiency is defined as eating 50-75% of the recommended daily amount of protein. You should consume 0.36 grams of protein for every pound of your normal body weight, according to US recommended daily or RDA guidelines. And protein should make up about 15% of your daily calorie intake, not well over 30% of it.

Protein is absolutely necessary for the normal functioning of your body as it helps to synthesize your enzymes and hormones. It maintains your fluid balance and building antibodies against infections. It is also the fundamental building block for your muscles, bones, cartilage, skin, hair and blood and is essential for the formation of all the cells in your body. You should eat high protein foods like meat, cheese, milk, fish and eggs to get enough protein in your daily diet. You can also find protein in soy products, as well as in combinations of foods like rice or corn with beans, when it comes to vegetable proteins that you can consume.

You should eat a balanced diet that is high in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean meats, fish and complex carbohydrates. But protein is optimal for the functioning of the immune system, and you may need larger amounts of it if you are injured or are otherwise undergoing serious healing processes.

Proteins are made up of several different amino acids, some of which can make your body itself. But some of them have to be taken. These are called "essential" amino acids. You need to eat a variety of foods to make sure you get all your essential amino acids. The lack of these can lead to growth failure, loss of muscle mass, diminished immune system function, weakening of the circulatory and respiratory system, and even death.

The most common protein source in the American diet is meat, but milk and other dairy products are rich in it. To avoid using too much fat with your protein, eat leaner pieces of meat, and cook without adding fat by baking, grilling, grilling or cooking your meat. By eating beans and lentils, as well as a variety of vegetables and grains, you can add excellent sources of plant protein to your diet. Nuts and seeds are also great sources of non-animal protein.

The average adult American needs eight grams of protein per day per twenty pounds of normal body weight. Still, we usually eat twice as much protein daily. If you balance your carbohydrates with your proteins and eat a variety of foods to make sure you get all the amino acids you need, you will eat healthily. You should also make sure that you keep your diet low in fats, oils and refined sugars. These substances contain no proteins and few other nutrients, with one gram containing nine calories of energy. Every day you need saturated and unsaturated fats in your food. Unfortunately, junk food-laden American eating habits tend to deliver too much of these fats.

Your daily diet should not contain more than 30% total calories from fats, hopefully far less. The cap on the amount of fat in your diet will depend on how many calories you need to maintain your weight, and reducing fat can help you consume fewer calories. But some dietary fat is needed for good health. It provides energy and the essential fatty acids that like the essential amino acids can only be obtained from your consumption of certain foods. Fats also promote the absorption of fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E and K.

A high level of saturated fat and cholesterol is associated with increased blood cholesterol and increases the risk of heart disease. Fat is also associated with protein foods such as meat and dairy products. So you should reduce the daily amount of protein and fat you consume to an acceptable level, while increasing the amount of complex carbohydrates you consume to at least 50% of your daily calorie intake. This will make sure that you eat every day a proper and not a "fad" - or risky for your health - diet. Meals and snacks rich in whole grains, fruits and vegetables, as well as some high protein and certain "fatty" foods will help you achieve your desired weight and keep you fit - not fat.