#BodyAndHealth: How to Maintain a Balanced Diet 2; Protein

Protein: This refers to protein rich foods which mainly includes animal produce. For this reason vegetarians and vegans often don't consume enough protein, although this can be avoided since there are vegetarian foods containing lots of protein. However, most people do not struggle to consume enough of this food group.It is an important part of your diet as it's vital for many functions inside the body.

Why it's important: It's main function is for growth and repair, so it's needed for hair and nail growth, repair of nerve cells, muscle growth and repair, and healing injuries. A diet which lacks protein can cause muscle deterioration, arthritis, heart problems and organ failure, so it really is important to consume enough. If you want to know whether you are deficient in protein, you should visit a doctor, but some of the symptoms include hair loss, muscle soreness and cramps, slow healing of wounds and loss of sleep.

How much do you need: The recommended daily amount for an adult women is 45g, and the recommended daily amount for an adult man is about 55.5g per day. However, opinions vary on this as research is still being done to determine how much is required. This number also changes depending upon your lifestyle and natural build and weight. If you regularly exercise or are trying to build more muscle, then more protein will be required in your diet. If you rarely do exercise and you have a small build, then you won't need as much. To make it easier to decide whether or not you are consuming enough protein, it's suggested that you eat 2-3 portions a day. Some examples of what is considered a portion are: 100g meat, poultry or fish, 2 eggs, 3tbsp nuts, seeds or beans.

What foods is it in: Some of the main protein-containing foods are; meat, poultry, eggs, seafood, nuts, seeds, pulses and soya products. For people who don't eat meat, meat supplements are available which usually contain plenty of protein. Protein from animal products is best as they contain the full range of important amino acids, but be aware that red meat contains high levels of saturated fat which can lead to heart problems, as well as this, a diet that is too high is red meat or too high in processed meat increases the chance of developing certain cancers. Oily fish is a good source of protein, and also provides good fatty acids such as Omega 3 which reduce the likelihood of developing a cardiovascular disease.

· How to bring it into your diet: Here are some ways of increasing your protein intake;

· Spread peanut or almond butter over your toast at breakfast

· Try sprinkling seeds or nuts over a salad for lunch

· As a snack, dip foods such as sliced carrot and celery into a hummus dip.

· Have a tuna sandwich with seeded bread at lunch

· Try soy-based yogurts in place of what you usually buy



· Always include a portion of meat/poultry/fish in your main meal.

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