High protein low carb eating plans have received so much attention in the media covering the spectrum of Dr Atkins to the caveman diet . Yet with everything else in life there needs to be a sense of balance. It is no good having an 8oz piece of steak every night slathered with béarnaise sauce and a few lettuce leaves and think you are doing your body a favour. Sure, the messages can be confusing when first it’s eat high carbohydrate low fat food and then protein is the flavor of the month. 

The protein message

However the message is loud and clear: we do need to focus on good quality protein with every meal in balance with other nutrient dense foods like vegetables, fruits, legumes and wholegrains. Protein is a rich source of the minerals iron and zinc and a range of the B complex vitamins especially B3, B6 and B12. Fish, seafood, nuts and seeds are also rich sources of Omega 3 essential fatty acids which are lacking in modern diets. 

Protein is ultra important because it is the building blocks for all our cells, tissues and organs and is involved in almost every biological process through the production of hormones, immune substances, enzymes and brain chemicals which affect mood. Hair, skin, nails, ligaments, tendons and muscles are all made out of protein. Protein rich meals help keep hunger at bay and are more effective for fat and weight loss whilst preserving muscle mass. They also help to lower triglyceride levels and LDL (bad) cholesterol especially if you choose fish as your main source of protein. 

In preliminary studies conducted on women in Australia by the CSIRO, (albeit funded by the Meat and Livestock Corporation at www.themainmeal.com.au) weight loss diets high in protein were better than diets high in carbohydrates when it came to fat loss and muscle preservation. That’s good news for keeping your metabolic rate up and burning more calories. 

Symptoms of low protein intake

Protein requires adequate levels of gastric hydrochloric acid in the stomach to be broken down into shorter chains of amino acids and enough pancreatic enzymes to complete digestion in the small intestine. So it doesn’t matter how much good quality protein you put in the top of the tube if it is not digested well you may become protein deficient. 

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Signs of protein deficiency include:

• Loss of lean body weight (muscle atrophy)
• Horizontal corrugated nail ridges with week peeling nails
• Hair thinning and loss
• Finger pulp atrophy (pads on tips of fingers are shriveled)
• Low energy, fatigue and weakness
• Loss of appetite with change in diet to snack type carbohydrate meals
• Apathy and mental dullness, depression. 

People most at risk of protein deficiency include those who are:

• Mothers with several young children and a history of prolonged breastfeeding
• Economically disadvantaged
• Hospital patients and the chronically ill
• Elderly
• Long term dieters on calorie and fat restricted diets
• Chronic drug users – alcohol, tobacco and medications
• Anorexic/bulimic 

How much protein?

A rule of thumb when working out your protein requirements is one gram of protein for every kilogram of body weight. A 65kg woman should consume 65gm of pure protein divided in meals (23gm per meal) throughout the day. If you are exercising at a higher intensity you do require more protein.  

This translates into:

• 90-120gm (3-4oz) of fish, seafood, chicken, lean beef, lamb, turkey
• 100-150gm of lentils or chickpeas if vegetarian
• 2eggs

with each meal.  

Make a start with a nourishing breakfast and high protein snacks (depending on individual needs and tolerances): 

Breakfast could include:

• Coarse oatmeal soaked overnight in organic soy/rice milk or live yoghurt with ground nuts and seeds (pumpkin, sunflower, almond, hazelnut, flaxseeds) topped with fruit
• cooked quinoa with puffed amaranth, nuts, seeds and rice/soya milk
• 2 eggs with sauteed spinach and mushrooms on wholegrain rye toast
• Salmon with cream cheese and rye bread or sardines/mackerel on toast
• For a quick protein fix in the morning try soya milk or yoghurt smoothie with berries and 1 scoop of whey protein powder 

For snacks:

• 1-2 oz  of raw nuts and seeds
• 2 Ryvita with nut butter (almond, hazelnut) spread
• fruit and yoghurt with chopped nuts and seeds
• cottage cheese and fruit
• boiled egg and raw veg sticks
• celery sticks with nut butter/hommos  

Magrudy’s Bookshop stocks books by Dr Robert Atkins, Atkins for Life or visit his website www.atkinscenter.com

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