Original Health Newspaper
Protein is the material basis of life, and it can be said that there is no life without protein. People who lack protein may experience symptoms such as tiredness, weight loss, and anemia, especially when the following phenomena occur, if it is not caused by disease, it is necessary to consider whether the body is deficient in protein, and it is necessary to follow the doctor's instructions to intervene in time. So, what are these phenomena, and how should we supplement protein in our daily life?
5 phenomena to judge protein deficiency
Nail pathology The main component of nails is protein, and if there is a long-term lack of protein, the nails will become soft, brittle, slow to grow, and easy to break.
Brittle, thinner hair The main component of hair is also protein. In the absence of protein, in order to conserve energy and store protein, the body reduces the amount of protein in the hair, so that the hair will be yellow, brittle, thin, dry, dull, and easy to fall out.
Muscle Relaxation Protein is the key to building and repairing muscle tissue, and a lack of protein can lead to muscle loss, relaxation, and decreased strength, affecting exercise performance.
Edema The blood also contains protein, and a long-term lack of protein will reduce the osmotic pressure of the plasma, prompting the water in the blood vessels to penetrate into the tissues outside the blood vessels, causing edema, and usually the lower body will start to be edema first. You can press your body with your hands, such as the front of your calf, and if the dent doesn't go away for a long time, you may have edema.
Weakened immunity and frequent illness If protein intake is insufficient, immune cells cannot repair and multiply quickly, making people sick often.
How much protein you need to consume
In general, the protein intake should not be less than 55 grams per day for adult women and 65 grams per day for adult men.
For special groups such as the elderly over 65 years old and vegetarian groups, the intake of protein should also be increased.
Protein supplementation isn't always better. Especially for people with abnormal kidney function, excessive protein supplementation can put a burden on the kidneys and lead to aggravation of the condition.
How to supplement with high-quality protein
Steamed bread and rice can also provide protein for the human body, but the protein in such staple foods is not high-quality protein. Food sources of high-quality protein are eggs, milk, soybeans, fish, and lean meats (white meat, red meat). The intake of high-quality protein should be 1/2 to 2/3 of the total amount of protein the body needs in a day. The average adult recommends the following 6 foods per day:
Moderate staple foods Staple foods are calculated in terms of raw weight, men consume more than 300 grams per day, and women consume more than 250 grams per day, and these foods can provide about more than 20 grams of protein.
1~2 bags of milk Drink 300~500 grams of milk every day, 300 grams of milk can provide about 10 grams of protein.
1 egg A medium-sized egg provides about 7 grams of protein, and older people with high cholesterol can eat 1 egg every other day.
150 grams of lean meat Aquatic, poultry, and livestock meat can be selected, providing about 30 grams of protein.
25 grams of soybeans is equivalent to 100~150 grams of soy products, which can provide about 10 grams of protein.
500 g vegetables, 250 g fruits These fruits and vegetables provide about 5 grams of protein.
The above protein content is a rough estimate, and the specific content will vary depending on the ingredients and different brands of food. In daily life, you can also refer to the "Dietary Guidelines for Chinese Residents (2022)" to arrange your diet and supplement sufficient protein. For special groups of people who need to avoid food due to illness, the diet should follow the doctor's instructions.