You will hear me talk about protein a lot. Why because it is so important for women to be eating adequate bioavailable protein. The bioavailability of protein means how quickly & easily its absorbed. When I have women join my programs I often find they are under eating protein. I am sure you know roughly what protein helps with but here are the reasons
Why We Need It….
So many reasons but the top ones are protein components (amino acids) are the building blocks of your bodies cells & tissues therefore they are essential to keep us alive & healthy.
Protein contributes to good thyroid and liver function (especially detoxification which is vital) so if you you don’t eat enough protein your liver can’t actually do it’s job, kinda important right?
So gut health is the number one thing women ask for help with when they come to me for help. So getting a bit sciency but protein is also needed to produce digestive enzymes & hydrochloric acid. HCL is key as it breaks down our food & kills our bacteria. If your stomach acid is weak this can lead to poor digestion & nutrient deficiencies due to malabsorption.
Hard to live without stress in todays world & protein protects the body against stress. Stress hormones actually break down pro-metabolic muscle tissue., so you always want to make sure you’re getting enough protein to counteract this but it only works when eaten with carbohydrates.
What Kind Do You Need
The best bioavailable proteins, the ones most quickly broken down & absorbed animal proteins take top of this list but have added the best plant based ones also
Most Bioavalable Animal Proteins
Lean Red Meat
- Poultry
- Fish
- Eggs
- Diary
Whey Protein Isolate & Casein
While vegan-vegetarian foods have improved greatly in look and taste in recent years, we should not forget that the protein yield of some of these meals is still rather low.
That is not to say plant proteins are not valuable, it just means that soy, pea, beans, rice and seed proteins have very different protein profiles and should not be put in the same box. Legumes, especially soy, have the best plant sources of protein in terms of quantity, amino acid profile and bioavailability.
Most Bioavaiable Plant Based Proteins
- Soy Protein
- Beans
- Rice
- Pea Protein Isolate
- Chickpea and Edamame
- Peas and legumes
When Do You Need It
You need protein spread out throughout your day, my rule of thumb is have a protein source with each meal & each snack, then it’s easier to hit your daily protein target. But protein is most important post your workout, having enough protein after your training session ensures optimal muscle repair & growth.
How Much Do You Need
This one varies depending on your goals & your body type. Generally speaking 0.8g-1g of protein per kilogram of body weight (or if you’re an athlete 1.2g-2g). This is about 30-40g per meal & 15-20g per snack.
So make it your mission this week to consume more bioavailable protein sources.
Love Tam x
Tam Kerr is a health & wellness coach and is passionate about creating positive healthy change in people’s lives. Tam loves creating strong bodies alongside strong minds and believes that our health is the most important part of our lives and should be given our greatest amount of attention. Tam is the founder of Tam Tribe, a community that is inspire people to be the healthiest, happiest version of yourself.
