What’s New –

Can Protein Help

with Weight Loss?

Eating protein-rich foods with your meals and snacks may help to curb hunger between meals. That’s why enjoying plenty of lean protein as part of a healthy balanced diet may help with appetite control and weight loss.

Research shows...

 

Appetite management

A number of studies have found protein can help keep people feeling full between meals, more so than either carbohydrate or fat. Therefore protein may help to control hunger, which may in turn help you to eat less. So if you’re looking for a way to better manage your appetite, choosing foods that are higher in protein may be part of the answer.

Weight loss

If you want to lose weight, you need to burn more calories than you eat. In studies where people chose how much they ate, they generally ate fewer calories and lost more body fat when they were on a higher protein diet, at least up to a year. Since protein may help curb your hunger it may help you to control your calorie intake and lose more weight.

Weight maintenance

People often find that it’s difficult to keep weight off after losing it. Research shows that higher protein diets tend to help preserve more muscle during weight loss and weight maintenance compared to higher carbohydrate diets. Since muscle actually helps your body burn more energy, having more muscle may make it easier for you to keep weight off.

How much protein?

Current dietary guidelines tell us that adults can safely consume 10 to 35% of their daily energy (calories) from protein. This translates to a range of about 50 to 175 grams of protein for an adult who eats 2,000 calories a day. Most Canadians eat well within this range. In fact, average adult protein intakes are at the lower end of the range, at about 17% of energy. This suggests most people can enjoy more protein-rich foods, which may benefit their health.

Put lean protein on your plate

There are all kinds of ways to add lean protein to your meals and snacks. Try these ideas to help you enjoy more protein.

Breakfast

• Enjoy poached, hardboiled or scrambled eggs. Add some lower-fat cheese and lean meat to an omelette for added protein.
• Top your cereal or yogurt with a small handful of nuts and seeds (such as slivered almonds, crushed walnut and sunflower seeds).
• Put some lean protein on your morning bagel or toast with a lower-fat melted cheese, nut butters or lean deli meat.
• Make a yogurt or soy smoothie with frozen bananas and berries.

Lunch

• Top a salad with strips of steak, chicken, or ham, tuna, hardboiled egg, nuts, seeds or chick peas.
• Make a wrap with beef, turkey or ham.
• Go for some sushi.
• Enjoy a warm bowl of chili.

Dinner

• Make a stew with lean meat and vegetables.
• Stuff whole grain tortilla wraps with cooked lean ground meat, shredded cheese, lettuce, salsa, avocado and a spoonful of plain yogurt.
• Enjoy a glass of milk with your meal.
• Put plenty of meat or tofu and a handful of sesame seeds in your stir-fry.

Snacks

• Pack beef jerky in your lunch for an afternoon boost.
• Top your fruit with some cottage cheese after your workout.
• Spread tuna on whole grain crackers for a great afternoon snack.
• Grab a handful of almonds.

 

Mexi-Grill Burgers

• 500 g (1 lb) lean ground beef
• 75 mL (1/3 cup) salsa
• 50 mL (1/4 cup) dry bread crumbs or small flake oatmeal
• 1 egg, beaten
• 5 mL (1 tsp) chili powder
• 2 mL (1/2 tsp) mustard powder
• 4 large flour tortillas or onion buns
• Sliced onions
• Shredded Cheddar or Monterey Jack cheese
• Corn relish

In large bowl, lightly combine ground beef, salsa, bread crumbs, egg, chili powder, and mustard powder. Shape into 4 patties, each about 1.5 cm (1/2") thick. Preheat barbecue. Cook patties on lightly oiled grill, over medium-high heat, 5-7 minutes per side, turning only once. When patties are almost done, remove from heat and insert a digital food thermometer sideways into the centre of the burger. If the temperature registers at least 71°C (160°F), the burger is done, if not, continue cooking until a minimum temperature of 71°C (160°F) is reached. Serve each burger in a flour tortilla; and top with onions, cheese and relish. Makes 4 servings.

Greek Burgers

• 500 g (1 lb) lean ground beef
• 50 mL (1/4 cup) dry bread crumbs or small flake oatmeal
• 1 egg, beaten
• 15 mL (1 Tbsp) dried oregano leaves
• 5 mL (1 tsp) each garlic powder and crushed dried rosemary
• 2 pitas (20 cm/8" size), halved or 4 hamburger buns
• Crumbled feta cheese
• Sliced black olives
• Chopped red onions, cucumbers and tomatoes
• Tzatziki sauce

In large bowl, lightly combine ground beef, bread crumbs, egg, oregano, garlic powder and rosemary. Shape into 4 patties, each about 1.5 cm (1/2") thick. Preheat barbecue. Cook patties on lightly oiled grill over medium-high heat 5-7 minutes per side, turning only once. When patties are almost done, remove from heat and insert a digital food thermometer sideways into the centre of the burger. If the temperature registers at least 71°C (160°F), the burger is done; if not, continue cooking until a minimum temperature of 71°C (160°F) is reached. Serve each burger in pita pocket half and top with cheese, olives, onions, cucumber, tomatoes and sauce. Makes 4 servings.

Is grass fed beef

more nutritious than

grain fed beef?

 

All beef provides 14 essential nutrients plus energy. Preliminary studies have shown that grass fed beef has elevated levels of Omega 3 fatty acids and conjugated linoleic acid (CLA). More research is required to determine whether these increased levels are high enough to provide positive health benefits.

 

I heard that beef takes

3 to 4 days to digest.

Is this true?

A cut of beef is mainly made up of water and protein, with smaller amounts of fat and other vitamins and minerals. After we eat, the body is busy working to break down and absorb the nutrients in food. Protein is the main nutrient in beef. Protein is broken down into amino acids in the stomach and then absorbed in the small intestine. This whole process takes only about 4-12 hours. (The fat, vitamins and minerals are also digested within this time frame).

Protein helps us to grow, fight infections and to build and repair muscle and other tissue. Our bodies need protein and our digestive system is naturally built to digest and absorb it.

Red meat is just as easily absorbed as other sources of protein such as chicken, fish, and pork. Eating Well with Canada’s Food Guide recommends 1 to 3 servings of Meat & Alternatives each day – one serving is:

• 75 grams (2 ½ oz) of lean meat, fish, shellfish or poultry
• 175 mL (¾ cup) cooked legumes (dried peas and beans), lentils or tofu
• 2 eggs
• 60 mL (¼ cup) nuts and seeds
• 30 mL (2 tablespoons) peanut butter