Protein Dieting|

Going vegetarian may sound tough. But there are benefits to a vegetarian diet. A vegetarian diet includes fresh fruits, lot of whole grains and leafy vegetables. Infants receive their proteins from breast milk. Given below are some foods which are rich in proteins.

Beans

Beans are rich sources of proteins. Black beans, pinto beans are very good sources of proteins. You could add with some sweet potatoes to make it more tasty and nutritious. It is advised that you go in for fresh beans instead of the usual canned ones. You need to soak these beans the previous night so that you could steam cook it the next day and also add it with your favorite vegetables. A hand blender or a food processor is helpful in making a puree. These can be given to an infant since they can be easily eaten.

Yogurt

Yogurt is sweet as it contains sugar. It could take away the natural taste of curds. Hence, it is advised that you opt for natural yogurts which do not have sweetened flavors. Babies should be fed only full fat yogurts and not the artificially flavored ones because their digestive system would not be able to digest the artificial flavors. It could also result in stomach upset or dysentery. Yogurts containing berries should also be avoided till your child is about a year only. Avoid strawberries since they could be difficult to digest. Vanilla flavor and peach flavor are good options.

Cheese

Cottage cheese could be given to babies by mixing some fruit or vegetables. Babies can be fed on finger foods like cheddar cheese and mozzarella cheese.

Hummus

It contains a sesame paste which is referred to as tahini. You could make your own tahini at home. Some babies develop allergic conditions. You could also finely grind garbanzo beans and other seeds. Add some olive oil to grind it. Add some garlic powder instead of salt. Babies love the taste and you could feed spoonfuls of these.

Tofu

Some children develop an allergic condition while having soy products. Tofu can be cut into squares and can be given to the baby. They form very good finger foods. These squares are slightly slippery. You could also mix some vegetables and fruits to make it more healthy and nutritious.

Eggs

Some children are allergic to eggs. It is best to avoid eggs till your child completes a year. Eggs are great sources of protein. Buy eggs that contain less fat. Make sure that eggs are cooked well. The white of the egg could lead to allergy. Yolks are very good sources of energy. For making it tastier, you could add some cheese to the scrambled eggs. This could also be made into an omelet. Children find it tasty. Add some vegetables to this to make it more tasty and nutritious. Eggs could be slippery for your child to eat by itself.

It is a misconception that vegetarians do not get the adequate amount of proteins from a vegetarian diet. This concept is false. Vegetarians who consume eggs as well as dairy products like milk, curds, cheese and butter are called as ovo-lacto-vegetarians. Vegetarians who eat only dairy products are called as lacto-vegetarians. Dairy products like milk, butter and cheese contain lot of proteins. Lacto vegetarians get their supply of proteins from dairy products.

It is true that people consume too much of protein. They consume excess proteins that are needed by the body. An American eats about two times the recommended protein required by the body. Excess proteins consumed could do more harm than good. It could lead to health problems. Excess proteins could lead to a condition known as osteoporosis. This is a condition where the bones get brittle due to loss of calcium. Most of the foods which contain high proteins also are rich in fats as well. It has now been proved that a low protein diet is healthy for the body. Women are recommended about 50 grams of proteins and men are recommended about 63 grams of protein.

Eggs, curds, yogurt, cheese, nuts soy milk contain enough proteins. Some cereals, breads and vegetables contain very less amount of proteins.

It was previously thought that vegetarians do not get the requisite supply of proteins. But now the notion has changed. In the past it was believed that animal products could provide the necessary amino acids. These amino acids are very useful for humans. Previously, vegetarians used to find it very difficult in planning their meals and combining the necessary protein based ingredients so that they could derive the right proportion or what we term as ‘complete’ proteins.

It has been proven that all plants contain the necessary amino acids required by humans. Some plant foods have more quantity of amino acids while some have a little less. But the fact is that during the course of your day, you eat different types of food which could supply you the protein for the day.

Below are some of the protein rich recipes:

13 Bean soup:

Some of the ingredients which are required for making this tasty soup are 13 bean mixture (you could procure it from the grocery store), one big white onion(you need to chop these onions), one teaspoon or garlic (chop into fine pieces), some salt to taste .

The method of preparing this soup is as follows:

Soak the beans the previous night. Keep it in a pot filled with water. Add some garlic, onions and salt to taste. Boil it and keep the gas in sim position. You could also pressure cook it for about one and half hours till the beans are cooked and become soft.

Black Bean Casserole

The ingredients required for making this dish are 2 cans of black beans. The beans have to be drained well. You need one cup of celery (chopped), one can of tomato sauce or puree, some pepper, and half a cup of cheddar cheese.

Place all the ingredients in the microwave setting the oven to 375. Later pour into a casserole dish and bake it for about 50 minutes. Garnish with some shredded cheese.

It is true that body builders, athletes, cyclists and sportsperson require more proteins. Their daily intake of proteins is comparatively greater as compared to a normal person. What is the amount of proteins which a moderate athlete or exerciser would require? Eggs, meat, legumes and dairy products contain proteins. But are all these enough and will all these provide the necessary proteins? Can we rely only on these sources of proteins or do we need to take some protein supplements?

Extra proteins are required by athletes and sportsmen

Proteins are basically builders of the body. They held in repairing the wear and tear of the body. They help in muscle building. Proteins provide fuel to the body. Athletes and sportsmen need to provide their body with the required fuel. The extra amino acids are derived from the food we eat. What is a complete protein diet ? A complete protein diet has to contain all the necessary amino acids. The amino acids are broken down during exercising and we require more energy. Excess proteins could result in strain on the kidneys and the liver. A healthy liver helps in lesser cholesterol getting accumulated and it also helps in maintaining the right levels of HDL and LDL.

There are different types of proteins and they get absorbed in the blood stream at different rates. Whey proteins get easily assimilated. They stress and overload the kidneys. High albumin Glycoprotein gets absorbed at a medium rate. They do not overstress the kidneys. The proteins are easily filled in the cells and there is less waste released in the form of ammonia. There is a balance in the anabolic state. It helps in building muscle. It also imparts strength and vigor to the athlete and sportsmen.

There is greater need for proteins to support their activities.

Dehydration is dangerous. When athletes, cyclists and other sportsmen work out, lot of water is lost during the activities. This leads to dehydration. The negatives of dehydration are tiredness, cramps and injury. Dehydration could also lead to additional burden on the heart. The performance of the athlete is also affected. There is a fall in the blood volume. When excess water is consumed, the sodium levels are diluted and you develop a condition called hyponatremia. Athletes need to replace the fluids which are thrown out of the body while they are exercising. When sweating takes place, lot of fluids is lost from the body and we experience tiredness and fatigue. Hence, it is necessary that whatever fluids are lost should be ideally replaced back.

It is true that the structure of amino acids is not simple. It is complex. It gels well with water. Water helps in transporting the necessary nutrients to various parts of the body. The movement of electrons results in release of increased energy. The cells which are hydrated help in optimum utilization of proteins and excess toxins are thrown out of the body.

Eggs are high protein food. They provide nutrition and energy to the body. They are also affordable. Egg can be eaten in many ways. You can either eat it raw, cooked or you could also make some different recipes out of it. Body builders and people who undergo weight training are advised to eat egg because it helps in building muscle. It is an instant source of energy. Eating eggs keeps you stomach full and keeps you satisfied for many hours together. Nutrition Today has researched and published that eggs are highly beneficial and they provide nutrition.

Every individual, be it young or old require nutrition. Proteins are very healthy sources of nutrition. It has been advised that we include lot of proteins (preferably high quality proteins) in our diet. This is required for keeping good health and remaining fit and robust. A healthy body emits positivity and self confidence. About 25 studies were conducted on proteins and it underwent review by Nutrition Today. It has been researched and firmly affirmed that eggs are highly beneficial in promoting vigor, liveliness, strength and muscle to the body.

1. Sustained Energy. This is one very important aspect of eating egg. Egg proteins give instant and continuous energy to the body without affecting the blood sugar levels.
2. It contains all the essential nutrients required by the body which includes high quality proteins as well as B vitamins.
3. The protein contained in egg is very useful in building of muscle mass which ensured that body is strong, healthy and robust. Every egg contains about 6 grams of proteins. Eggs also are rich in leucine which is a very beneficial amino acid since it helps in regaining back the energy lost while you are exercising.
4. They are complete sources of proteins. They contain all the amino acids required by our body. Eggs can be crowned as the king of proteins.
5. It has been medically proven that eating 2 eggs daily helps in reducing weight and controlling obesity.
6. As compared to our sources of protein, they are value for money. They are also the richest sources of proteins. They are also affordable and can be adjusted into our daily routine.

Donald K Layman who is a lecturer at the University of Illinois has stated that the American diet is full of proteins. Americans should go in for high sources of protein. High sources of quality proteins simply means including lot of eggs in your diet. You could eat eggs either for breakfast, lunch or dinner. Eating eggs during breakfast provides instant energy. People should also focus on the sources of energy. Eating proteins during breakfast is very beneficial since they keep you satisfied through the day and you would also not suffer from hunger pangs. Including eggs in our daily diet is not only affordable but also provides nutrition, energy and vigor to the body.