Do we need Protein and How much?

Proteins are an part of every organ, tissue and cell in our bodies.  We are constantly breaking down and replacing these proteins so it is very important that we supply our bodies with the right nutrients.

You can find protein in:

Meats

Eggs

Fish

Tofu

Legumes

Nuts and seeds

Milk and Milk products

Grains and some fruits and vegetables.

Other  lesser-known  but good sources of protein are:

Pumpkin seeds

Chia seeds

Plain Greek Yogurt

Hemp Protein

Lentil Chips

Roasted Soy Nuts

Edamame

Our body uses proteins (when broken down-amino acids) as building blocks.  Our body can make some of these proteins but there are other Essential amino acids that we need to get through our diet.  Our protein demands depend on our age, activity level and size.  It is recommended that 10-35% of our calories from protein.   That is about 46 g of protein for women and 56 g for men.