Know Your Nutrition: Protein

Turkey

Protein is your number 1 nutrient to get right in your diet.

Why Protein?

Protein is the building block of life and is essential for the growth of cells and for tissue repair. This includes the building and repairing of muscle.

Key functions of protein:

  • Helps to build lean muscle mass and assist muscle recovery, contributing to better bone health.
  • Helps the immune system to function properly.

Good sources of protein:

  • Eggs
  • Fish
  • Poultry and lean white meat
  • Lean red meat
  • Nuts and seeds
  • Beans and pulses
  • Protein based shakes and bars

Proteins that contain all of the essential amino acids are called complete or high quality proteins e.g. meat, eggs and dairy products.

How much protein should I take?

Protein requirements for sedentary individuals are 0.83g/kg body weight/day.

For endurance and strength training, protein recommendations are a little higher between 1.3 to 1.7 grams of protein per kg of your body mass per day. e.g. A 70kg person who exercises regularly should consume between 90 to 120g of protein per day.

When to take protein:

The recovery period after exercise is a time when our bodies are very receptive to using dietary protein to build muscle. During recovery, 20-25 g good quality protein is sufficient to maximally stimulate muscle protein synthesis.

Protein and Herbalife

Herbalife has high quality protein products such as Formula 1 shakes and F3 Personalised Protein Powder to help you reach your daily protein needs and help build and maintain lean muscle mass, along with exercise.