The health effects of fats and carbohydrates are controversial. However, everyone agrees that proteins are important. While it is true that most people eat enough protein to prevent deficiency, others would do better with a much higher protein intake.
Starting at the age of 35, we begin to lose muscle mass, and proteins – one of the main macronutrients – are necessary for everyone, not just athletes or bodybuilders. As Itziar Digón, a general health psychologist and nutrition expert, indicates, “we have a series of recommendations such as consuming 0.8 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight.” As of today, the recommendation is already at one gram or even 1.2 grams per kilogram of body weight.
This would be, for a person weighing 60 kg, a daily intake of just over 60 grams of protein per day. How can we achieve it? The nutrition expert Itziar Digón recommends good menu planning “ensuring an animal protein or a good plant protein.” Above all, make use of legumes, which is a product we have naturally in our environment, and which is a wonderful plant-based protein.
Protein-rich foods
Each protein is composed of chains of amino acids, essential molecules that act as the “bricks” needed to build and repair the fundamental components of the organism. Some of these amino acids are produced naturally by the body, while others must be obtained through the diet. Different protein sources, such as meat, fish, eggs, and legumes, provide unique amino acid profiles, highlighting the importance of variety in protein intake.
“Proteins have a good image, but an excess of animal protein, which contains more fats and are usually not good fats, but one must reflect on whether this protein is necessary.” The more plant-based, the better. This is in the form of legumes, tofu, seitan… like the preparations or supplements that I use.
The benefits that proteins provide include antioxidant power and their ability to strengthen the immune system and improve recovery, but it is scientifically proven that, when a lot of exercise is done, they can also help increase and fix muscle mass. That doesn’t mean we should abuse them or, of course, that they should replace training.
Supplementation, yes or no?
The market is full of all kinds of supplements, including proteins, such as Suprey, a dietary supplement for active people who care about nutrition and fitness. Regarding this topic, it is not always necessary, but expert Itziar Digón comments that it is indeed needed if you are going to do strength training, for example. In this case, the recovery that supplementation provides is necessary. If you eat at home, if you have a good source of animal protein, a good ham, if you consume proteins from legumes at noon, if you have fish at night, you’re good but safe, but if one day you can’t manage it, you need to finish it with supplementation,” advises the nutritionist.
To the question of whether he counts the amount of protein he consumes daily, Digón assures that he does: It’s a matter of priorities. I want to take care of myself, I like a healthy diet, and I am responsible and aware that if I don’t consume the amount I need, I will eventually notice it.
Niklas Gustafson, an expert in dietetics and nutrition and author of the book “Change What You Eat and You Will Change the World,” advises that we should pay attention to “ensuring that they are 100% natural products: that they do not contain additives or sugars.” We can also compare the different protein percentages they achieve. “There are very different varieties, such as ‘whey’ protein, which is extracted from whey, or vegan protein, which can combine different plant sources,” he says.
