Questions from readers

Questions from readers

I received a few great questions from readers about information in the Breakfast Maker (see April post):

Question 1:  "How do you get 30 gram of protein in those examples of breakfasts you gave?  5 eggs=30 gm protein (1 egg=6 gm) or 3 cups beans, or a whole bunch of nut butter, or 4+ oz of cheese.  It seems tough to eat all that."   

Answer: Rather than consume 30 gm protein at breakfast, 30 gm at lunch, and 30 gm at dinner, I like to think of it as consuming 30 gm throughout each 1/3 of the day. Taking in 30 gm of protein from the time I rise in the morning up until lunch time is doable but requires careful selection of high quality protein foods so that I don't go overboard on calories and unwanted weight gain.

A few examples:

- Breakfast: 1 egg, a bowl of fruit & walnuts provides ~8 gm protein.

Mid morning snack: 1/2 c cottage cheese with a fresh pear provides ~16 gm protein.
Total ~24 gm protein.

- Breakfast: 1/2 cup oatmeal with fruit, flax seeds, and a scoop of protein powder provides ~ 20-25 gm protein.

These examples do not add up to 30 gm protein.  But I'm headed in the right direction.  If you want to calculate your protein intake, here's a worksheet that's helpful.  For even greater detail with calculating your protein intake, try www.myfitnesspal.com.

The recommendation to consume 30 gm protein at breakfast is based on one set of research and may not be ideal for everyone.  An alternative to counting grams of protein is to use the Breakfast Maker as a rough guide to help you choose all three macronutrients (protein, carbohydrate, and healthy fat) at your breakfast meal.  If you are not eating a good protein source at breakfast, start by adding one.  Any amount of protein is better than none.  See how you feel 2-3 hours after eating breakfast.  If you feel energetic, satisfied, and focused, chances are your breakfast is fueling you well.  On the other hand, if you feel lethargic and foggy-headed, you can experiment with increasing your protein.

Question 2:  "Does the fact that protein powder is processed take away from the nutritional value?" 
 

Answer:  The answer is a very definitive, "it depends".  It depends on how it's processed and what is added.  There are plenty of protein powders on the market that I will not buy, especially those with soy and artificial sweeteners.  Do an internet search on the good and bad of protein powder, and you'll find a war zone akin to hotly debated subjects like religion and politics.  Suffice it to say that although protein powder is processed, it still provides a complete source of high quality protein without packing a lot of extra calories.  If you choose to use it, it should merely be a supplement to a naturally occurring whole foods diet packed with nutrients.