Protein. The Key Component to Nutrition

Tue, 14 Oct 2008 21:04:00 -0500

Protein. Everyone has heard of it, and most people know what it is but I think there is a lot more information out there that people don't ever learn that is definitely important to one who exercises and cares about their health. I am going to throw a lot of "inside" information to you that I think is worth reading and understanding.

First, lets start with the basics and define protein. Protein is an important component of every cell in the body. Hair and nails are mostly made of protein. Your body uses protein to build and repair tissues. You also use protein to make enzymes, hormones, and other body chemicals. Protein is an important building block of bones, muscles, cartilage, skin, and blood.

Protein is a macro nutrient, along with fats and carbohydrates, which means the body needs relatively large amounts of it. Vitamins and minerals, which are needed in only small quantities, are called "micro nutrients." Each gram of protein equals to 4 calories. (Fat-9 calories, Carbohydrates-4 calories, Alcohol-7 calories).

Protein is naturally found in lots of food. Poultry, such as chicken and turkey (around 25 grams per 4 ounces), Beef (steak, ground beef, etc), Fish (tuna, salmon, etc), Eggs (6-7 grams each), Beans (kidney beans, black beans, etc) Nuts (almonds, walnuts, peanuts, etc), Dairy (milk, yogurt, cheeses).

Although, all the previously mentioned sources of protein are in fact, protein, they all have what is called Biological Values (BV). BV's are numbers given to protein to show comparisons in their availability within the body. Before supplemental protein powders became available, the highest ranking was 100 for eggs. A whey protein isolate powder could be up to 157! Basically, not all protein is created equal. Here I'll give you a chart of BV's:

**Biological Values of Protein**
Whey protein Isolate	157
Whey Protein Concentrate	104
Eggs	100
Milk Protein	91
Cheese	84
Meat Protein	80
Casein	77
Soy	74

Proper nutrition is essential to help athletes recover from workouts. Protein ingestion helps you recover from exercise, burn fat, and promote muscle growth, but questions remain regarding the optimal amount, type and timing of protein needed to efficiently optimize your exercise programs. I always see different opinions on how much people who exercise regularly need a day, ranging from half a gram per pound of bodyweight to as high as 2 grams per pound of bodyweight. Personally, i found as little as up to 1 gram gram per pound of bodyweight to be efficient enough. That even might sound to you like thats impossible to do, but if you eat 4-6 meals a day, all containing high protein foods, you won't even have to worry. Also, supplementing with different types of protein powders will also make it a lot easier. Aim for 24-40 grams of protein per meal.

The last piece of knowledge I am going to share with you about protein is rate of absorption. Every different source of protein has a different rate of absorption. I am going to keep it simple and tell you this: If your seriously about gaining muscle mass, or retaining muscle while trying to lower body fat, knowing the rates of absorption is important because it allows you to know what types of foods are best to eat at the given time of the day.

Egg protein digest over a 2-3 hour period. That is why eggs are the perfect breakfast protein source.
Whey protein digests over a 30 minute-1 hours period. This is why supplementing with whey protein powder before and after a workout is essential. Fast absorption to quickly recover!
Casein protein (found in milk, cheeses, yogurt) digests over a 6-7 hours time period. Perfect for nighttime use, for a continuous flow of protein during sleep, or when you know you cannot eat another meal for a longer period of time. Also, can be found in supplemental form although more expensive than whey.
Meat protein digests over a 3-4 hour period. Perfect for regularly scheduled meals, at anytime!

OK! So I hope you learned more about the importance of protein. Most Fresh Portions meals are packed with quality protein, so eat there now to meet your nutrition needs, and most importantly, your fitness goals! (Check the menu section of our website for the exact amount of protein and every other nutritional value of our menu items).

See you next week - Bryan

Welcome to my Fresh Portions blog!

Sun, 05 Oct 2008 18:16:00 -0500

Hello ladies and gentlemen! Obviously you are here reading this because you have interest in Fresh Portions. From that, I am going to assume you may have some interests in either health, nutrition, or exercise. Maybe all three. So what does this mean? It means you should always come back to freshportions.com and check out all of my future blogs. I have an extreme passion for the three previously mentioned interests (health, nutrition, and exercise) and I always feel that a good portion of people are misinformed about these topics. My plan is to educate you as much as possible with what I feel is important to know, because what you may not know, could be what's in your way of reaching your goals.

So let me introduce myself. My name is Bryan, and I am 20 years old. I live in Massapequa, so I am lucky to live very close to Fresh Portions. If you're a customer reading this right now, you probably know who I am since I work just about everyday and I absolutely love it. Why do I love it? Because my favorite hobby is working out and to successfully achieve your goals in an exercise program, you need to eat the correct foods. Fresh Portions is a health and exercise lovers dream come true. No, I'm not just saying this because I work there. Long before I got the job I was an everyday customer. With goals of muscle gain and fat loss, Fresh Portions has the foods with all the correct nutrients that is needed to attain both. For example, grilled chicken; one serving (4 oz) contains 26 grams of protein, ZERO grams of fat, and ZERO grams of carbohydrates (A later blog will explain more in detail about the importance of protein). Also, Fresh Portions uses a special bread called "Roll Ups" for wraps and panini's that is very low in carbohydrates and fat, but high in fiber and protein, so you can have a great tasting sandwich without worrying about the traditional high calorie, processed breads. In a nutshell, Fresh Portions is a great source of what I like to call "functional" foods with amazing tastes.

OK, well that well be all for now, but always come back and check for my new posts. Expect a new post at least once a week. My next blog will explain in detail all you could possibly want to know about protein. You will be surprised with what you will learn here...

Fresh Portions - Latest Blog Entries

Protein. The Key Component to Nutrition

Whey protein Isolate

Whey Protein Concentrate

See you next week - Bryan

Welcome to my Fresh Portions blog!