Why Protein is An Essential Part of Any Diet

Are you getting enough protein in your diet? Protein consumption has to be a major part of your meals because it is essential for our bodies and our health. Unfortunately, most mainstream health advice improperly warns people against consuming too much protein.

In The Healing Revolution Diet, protein is identified as the second most important nutrient for health and regarded as a key building block of the body, but both government and health organizations recommendations have gotten protein recommendations wrong, including the demonizing of eggs and red meat, and the recommendation to make protein only a small part of their so-called “healthy” diet.

The truth is that healthy proteins are right behind healthy fats as key elements people need to eat for good health. Only in people with severe kidney problems should protein levels be monitored; numerous studies show that high protein consumption has no negative impact on people with healthy kidneys.

That said, the key is for each person to find the right amount and type of protein that works for their bodies; just remember how essential protein is for your body and many bodily functions.

Key Benefits of Protein

• Helps build and maintain muscles

• Strengthens skin, hair, and nails

• Good for bone health

• Aids in hormone production

• Boosts metabolism and fat-burning, helping burn more calories

• Enhances brain function and mental clarity

• Provides satiety, reducing hunger and producing the sense of being “full”

• Reduces food cravings

• Modulates cortisol levels

• Supports lower blood pressure

• Assists in making antibodies that fight off infections and illnesses

• Promotes healthy aging

• Speeds injury recovery (because protein is the main building block of tissues and organs)

Our bodies want healthy proteins – of all types. The challenge for all of us is to find both the right types of proteins and eat them in the right amounts. Unfortunately, not all protein is healthy.

If you have ever talked with a vegan or seen pictures of chicken houses or feedlots, you should be aware of how bizarrely far afield conventional ranchers have gone in the raising of animals for human consumption. I refuse to buy any conventionally raised meats, dairy, or eggs.

All farm animals should be 100 percent raised on pastures, allowed to graze, dig, and peck for their foods. Instead, we put thousands and thousands of chickens into dark, enclosed structures and we send cattle to congested feedlots that are biohazard sites. These animals are fed food that is unhealthy and unnatural for them (GMO-grains such as corn and soy because it’s the cheapest). At the same time, these animals are also treated with antibiotics and growth hormones – all to make plumper chicken breasts and more marbled cuts of beef.

Unfortunately, the same is true for many ultra-processed forms of protein manufactured for vegans and plant-based enthusiasts. These fake meats are produced using conventionally raised plant proteins (coated in chemical residues from farming practices) that are subjected to several industrial processes, including nutrient fracking and added chemicals to increase the food’s appeal (in terms of color, smell, taste, and texture).

What are the best and healthiest sources of protein?

Healthy Sources of Protein

• Eggs from pastured, free-ranging hens

• Pastured, grassfed beef

• Wild, free-ranging animals (including elk, bison, deer)

• Pastured, free-ranging chickens and turkeys

• Wild-caught fish (salmon, trout, sardines, mackerel)

• Grassfed dairy products

• Nuts and seeds

• Organic quinoa

• Organic tofu

• Organic tempeh

• Organic beans and lentils

Final Thoughts on the Power of Protein

One of the easiest ways to add a bit more protein into your diet is to add it to your breakfast, which is often a meal filled with excess sugars and simple carbs from cereals and sugary drinks.

Some protein-rich breakfast ideas:

• Eggs of all types (fried, baked, soft-boiled, hard-boiled, scrambled, poached, omelets, quiches), as well as extra protein with a steak and egg combination.

• Plain Greek yogurt (flavor with seeds, nuts, cinnamon)

• Tofu

• High-protein fruit smoothie (with seeds)

• Chickpea flour omelet

• Homemade nutty/seedy no-sugar granola

Note… it is especially important for older adults, starting about age 40 and above, to consume more protein… because after age 40, people generally start to lose muscle mass, even more so in a condition known as sarcopenia. With adult women, perimenopause and menopause are also reasons to eat more protein.

Finally, protein intake is essential, but to get its full potential, you must also be doing daily exercises and movement to keep and build muscle, including walking, dancing, biking, and other aerobic exercises, but especially resistance training – specific types of exercise designed to maintain and build muscular strength and endurance. These exercises can use your own body weight (such as with planks, squats) or include weights, bands, barbells, kettlebells, or even household items (such as jugs of water or a tote bag with canned foods).

Additional Protein Information Sources

• Benefits of Protein

• 10 Science-Backed Reasons to Eat More Protein

• 9 Health Benefits of Protein

• The 10 Science-Backed Benefits of Protein You Need to Know

• Why Protein Is More Important Than You May Think, And 5 Common Protein Myths

• How Much Protein Should Menopausal Women Take Daily?

• A Building Block for Good Health: The Benefits of Protein

• Why You Should Start Your Day With More Protein At Breakfast

• 40 Keto Breakfast Ideas (High-Fat, Low-Carb)