Protein: Not Too Much, Not Too Little, But Juuuuuuust Right

Recently, Fredericksburg Fitness was gifted some protein bars and drinks. Never ones to turn down free anything, we have been happily snacking on our "nutritious" snacks. I use the term "nutritious" loosely here, of course, because these bars and drinks are no less nutritious than a candy bar that's high in protein. For example, in a Muscle Milk bar there are 300 calories (99 of which are from fat), and a whopping 11 grams of sugar. After seeing that, the 25 grams of protein seems like an after-thought. PowerBar Protein Plus bars are also 300 calories and have even MORE sugar—19 grams. So, for fun, I thought I'd compare these bars with the nutritional value of a Snickers candy bar. A Snickers is 266 calories (34 less than the protein bars), 98 calories from fat (1 less than the Muscle Milk bar), 28 grams of sugar, and 5 grams of protein. I will hand it to the protein bars that they do deliver more protein than the Snickers, but all these bars are loaded with fat and sugar; at least the Snickers does not try to masquerade as a "healthy" choice. A good rule of thumb is if something has more than 10 grams of sugar (and it's not a piece of fruit), there is most definitely a healthier choice (see: list at the end).

Then there is the question of how much protein is enough protein. Most people, especially Americans, get plenty of protein without even trying; some studies have shown that the average American eats more than 50% more than the recommended daily amount of protein (40-70 grams). For those of us who exercise regularly, we need a little bit more; for exercisers, multiply 0.5 times your weight and the total will be how many grams of protein you need daily (most of us will fall between 55 and 95 grams per day). Any more than this is excessive. Although protein is a vital part of muscle repair and growth, excess calories are excess calories, and excess calories turn into fat in the body. Don't fret too much about not getting enough protein because you probably are, assuming you are eating a healthy, well-rounded diet, which should include some of the following healthy sources of protein:

-- Lean meats: chicken and fish
-- Nuts (especially almonds)
-- Beans
-- Lentils
-- Whole Grains
-- Mushrooms
-- Soy products
-- All kinds of seeds

* Please note: This same article, written by yours truly, appears in this month's Fredericksburg Fitness Newsletter. You can subscribe to the Fredericksburg Fitness Newsletter here.