Protein For Women
Tips on Managing Protein for Women on a Diet
Protein is an important nutrient for the body and if you are considering a diet based on it you should know about the expert recommendations of protein for women.
Protein is called a macronutrient which plays an important part in the functioning of the body. There are 21 amino acids which are the components of protein and of these nine are called essential amino acids while the other eleven are referred to as non-essential amino acids. Your diet has to provide your body with the essential amino acids. Of the different sources of protein, animal and soy proteins are referred to as complete proteins as they do deliver all the essential amino acids. However, this does not mean that other sources of proteins such as plants, legumes or nuts, which are referred to as incomplete proteins, are not a good idea. It just becomes critical that vegetarians or vegans who are relying on plant protein should supplement the right food combinations to get their nine essential amino acids.
Despite the value-loaded words complete and incomplete proteins, there is more to the decisions in choosing between animal and plant protein. Animal protein sources are often higher in fat, notably saturated fat, and they tend to be a lower source of fiber than plant-based sources. Plant proteins tend to not contain saturated fat, they are typically cholesterol free and they are also a source of phytochemicals known to be helpful in fighting diseases. Having said this, it is worth noting that there are lean complete proteins such as seafood, pork tenderloin, lean beef, the breast meat of poultry, egg whites and nonfat milk, which are easily available for most of us. Choose your sources of protein keeping your entire diet in mind and try and maintain a balance of the various needs of the body.
There is a real concern among medical professionals that women on a protein diet sometimes consume way more protein than their bodies need and this can lead to problems in the long run. It is important to feed your body what it needs for there to be a healthy balance. So, how much is the right amount of protein for women? The recommended daily allowance (RDA) of protein for women who are described as mildly active is .4 grams per pound of ideal body weight. Mildly active refers to women who exercise 2-3 times a week for 30 to 60 minutes. So a 140 pound woman should consume about 56 grams of protein which is 12 to 15 percent of her total daily calorie intake.
Women who are moderately active, who exercise 4-6 times a week, can take as much as .7 grams and that is generally about 20 percent of daily calories intake given the numbers above. Protein for women who exercise for over an hour everyday can be as much as 1 gram and that translates to about 30 percent of daily calories for a woman whose ideal weight is 140 pounds. This higher level of protein consumption is recommended for people recovering from major illness or physical problems as protein is an essential nutrient for repairing the body’s cells.
Eating more protein than the RDA can lead to some health problems. A diet that is heavy on protein at the cost of vegetables and grains can leave the body without other necessary nutrients. Protein calories can count as calories also and by eating an indiscriminate amount of protein, you can end up putting on weight as the body will store it as fat. There is also the risk that when the body flushes out extra proteins from the body, critical minerals such as calcium can get washed away. Doctors have found a connection between calcium loss and excessive consumption or protein and while the cause is not clear this means the risk of osteoporosis in the long run.
By managing the required protein for women, it may be possible to control one’s weight but it always important to take a balanced perspective of holistic health and well being and avoid over-emphasizing one nutrient to the exclusion of all else.