Virtual Interview - Part 2, Protiens

Motivation:

"Concentrate on where you want to go, not on what you fear." ~Anthony Robbins

Diary:

D: steak and sliced potatoes, salad (at sister's home)
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B: bagel and peanut butter, coffee
S: protien bar
L: lean cuisine, mixed greens, xs, vitamins
S: orange, maybe canned salmon OR ham and cheese slices
G: elliptical 1.78 miles, walk 1 mile, sauna, shave.

Notes:

continuing our virtual interview (made up) with Dr. Chester J. Zelasko.

Chazz Vader: Yesterday we spoke about Carbohydrates, which is one of the three macronutrients that run our bodies. Can you tell us about Protiens today?

Dr. Zelasko: Yes Chazz, Protiens are another macronutrient. Proteins are actually made up of many thousands of smaller units called amino acids. Some amino acids can be made by the body while others have to be eaten in the foods we consume. Proteins are generally not used for energy by the body except under conditions of starvation, or prolonged, strenuous exercise like long distance cycling and running. The proteins that we eat are used to make:

• Structural Fibers. Muscle is the best example of structural proteins, but there are many more. Proteins help make up the hardest substance in the body -- the enamel of your teeth. They also make up the tough fibers of your ligaments and tendons that keep your skeletal system (bones) together. Finally, they make up the cartilage that covers the ends of your bones and acts as a shock absorber.
• Enzymes, the catalysts which speed up the millions of chemical reactions that occur every minute in your body.
• Hormones such as insulin and glucagon which regulate your blood sugar.
• The antibodies of your immune system which ward off bacterial and viral infections.
• The elements of your blood that are responsible for clotting when you get cut.
• and there are still more...

You can see that proteins have many functions in the body. Proteins contain about 4 calories per gram. But the lowest priority for proteins is to make energy for our normal activities.

CV: You said that protien isn't really used for energy, so what does the body do with protien after we eat it?

Dr. Z: Proteins aren't really stored in the body. By the nature of its structural function, muscle is the largest "storage" container of protein in the body. The building blocks of protein -- amino acids -- circulate in your bloodstream and lymph system and make up the metabolic amino acid pool. Proteins are constantly broken down and the component parts used again and again. This turnover rate is variable; some cells in your digestive system turnover in 3-4 days while cartilage cells take years to turnover. This variability is important because major organs like the liver and heart will be spared from breakdown during starvation at the expense of not-as-essential cells.

CV: Wow, so your body sort of "rebuilds" itself over the course of a year! That is pretty cool. I think it is obvious to ask where Protiens come from, and I assume that I know the answer. Protiens come from MEAT, correct?

Dr. Z: In the typical American diet, the sources of protein are meat, fish, and dairy products. The advantage is that the proteins are complete -- they contain all of the amino acids. However, most of these foods can also be high in fat and total calories.

Beans, lentils and nuts are examples of vegetable sources of protein. It is best to select foods that contain the highest amount of protein with the least amount of fat, especially saturated fat. Some of the amino acids that your body needs to make proteins can be made by the body and some can’t. The ones that can’t are called essential amino acids.

CV: I am confused again. Meat is a good source of complete protiens, but is higher in Fat, Calories, and I imagine cholesterol. Beans and nuts have protien, but don't have all the amino acids for body-building and repair. Are you saying that we need to eat meat to get all essential amino acids?

Dr. Z: Absolutely not, but it will take some effort to learn what foods to combine to receive all the amino acids your body needs. When we combine plant foods to ingest all of the essential amino acids, it’s called using complementary proteins. Depending on what type of vegetarian a person wanted to be, they would use some of the following combinations:

• Cereal + Milk
• Pasta + Cheese
• Bread + Cheese
• Rice + Beans
• Croutons + Split Pea Soup
• Tortillas + Beans
• Corn Bread + Chili beans
• Brown Bread + Baked Beans
• Tahini + Hummus
• Tofu + Sesame Seeds

CV: Thanks Dr. for the information. This will make meal planning easier to make sure we are getting the right combination of foods to complete our protien intake. How much protien do we need per day?

Dr. Z: The Food and Nutrition Council of the National Research Council recommends the following minimum protein consumption for adults: 0.8 grams/kg BW/day where kg stands for kilograms, BW stands for body weight, and Weight (kg) is your weight in kilograms. To convert your weight from pounds to kilograms, simply divide your weight (lbs.) by 2.2

CV: Thanks for the lesson in Protiens. I think I learned something new today, and hope that our readers appreciate the hints and tips. Can you stay around one more day and tell us about Fats? There are so many different Fats that I get confused.

Dr. Z: I would be happy to discuss this tommorow. Did you run 1.78 miles on the eliptical today? Good job.

more later..

Chazz Vader