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The Importance of Protein
Health | January 28, 2015
Most of us know that protein helps build and maintain our muscles. That said it’s not necessary for us to eat huge amounts of it while working out at the Zgym. There’s no need to eat one gram per pound of bodyweight or follow some other kind of ‘swole logic’ alchemy. We are Warriors after all, not bodybuilders or power lifters. For most of us, our goals are to shed unwanted fat and build lean, sexy muscles, not look like The Hulk. Just make sure you’re getting a sufficient amount of protein from unprocessed sources such as meat, fish, poultry, nuts, legumes, etc.
So why exactly is protein so important? Here’s a little breakdown of the effects protein has on our bodies, in particular, after working out and why it’s a daily necessity.
All those squats, pushups and kettlebell swings tax our muscles to exhaustion. That’s a good thing. However, this stress causes micro-tears in our muscle fibers. These tears send a signal to our immune system that help is sorely needed (pun intended).
Enter protein or, more specifically, amino acids. When we eat protein, enzymes in our digestive system break it down into amino acids. Amino acids are our body’s basic building blocks for a variety of things. These amino acids not only repair these tiny tears, they reconnect the muscle tissue so that it’s stronger. Amino acids not only help with repairing and building muscles, they aid our immune system among so many other biological functions.
Here’s the real kicker though: our body can only produce 10 of the 20 essential amino acids necessary for our health and our muscles. Unlike fat and carbs, our bodies do not store extra amino acids when not in use. We must get them from foods. That’s why protein is an essential part of our diet. Without it, our body breaks down existing muscle to get the amino acids necessary for proper bodily function.
What’s your main source of protein? Do you mix it up or use supplements?
Here’s a link to one of my favorite protein supplements I use when I don’t have the luxury of real food or when I want to give my body the protein it needs right after my workout: Vita Whey Protein
Private Member |
Zuzka, I know you don’t eat soy (I wonder why not?) but sometimes I use tofu as my protein as I am vegan. I know there is estrogen in it which is not healthy in high doses so I don’t consume a lot of it. I am looking for a good vegan protein powder now but I haven’t found one I like yet. Usually I will just add a lot of green leafy veg (yes there is a lot of protein in those) as well as mushrooms, nuts/seeds or hemp hearts to a salad. I know meat is the most “efficient” source of protein but there are many ways of getting the amino acids without eating meat. I just cannot eat meat because it really grosses me out. I have always felt that way, even since I was little. It is a myth that it is difficult to find protein from vegetable sources. I am very lean and strong and I don’t think animal products are required to attain the body you want if you do it right. That is just my opinion and it comes from experience.
Private Member |
Hi Zoe, to be honest, I’m still rather confused over the soy debate. There seem to be many studies proving that soy disrupts our hormonal balance, which has detrimental knock-on effects on our metabolism, digestive and immune systems. Personally, I am Asian and grew up eating tofu, soy milk, tempeh, edamame. I have substituted almond for soy milk, and stopped eating the rest (in part because they’re expensive where I am based now!) But I think it’s really a personal choice.
Some sources: http://authoritynutrition.com/is-soy-bad-for-you-or-good/
http://www.thehealthyhomeeconomist.com/170-scientific-reasons-to-lose-the-soy-in-your-diet/
Private Member |
lodz, poland
Zoe, take a look at this:
http://www.foodrenegade.com/dangers-of-soy/
Private Member |
montreal, canada
Hello Zoe, I’m vegan too, and i use Vega Sport Performance protein powder (vegasport.com) and I like it a lot. I wonder if you tried that one.
Private Member |
No I haven’t but I heard a rumour a couple years ago that Vega had non-vegan ingredients and some folks weren’t too pleased. I guess I better look that up 🙂
Private Member |
I used to consume soy products but discovered that soy inhibits the uptake of thyroid supplementation. So, for people diagnosed as hypothyroid, soy products are not a good choice.
Private Member |
lodz, poland
Hi Zoe, I’m not Zuzka of course, but I’ve heard opinions that soy messes up with our thyroid gland.
Maybe that’s the reason Zuzka avoids it too. At least this is why I do so.
Kisses, M.
Private Member |
lake tahoe, nv, usa
Hi Zoe, I don’t eat soy because there’s not a single soy bean in America that hasn’t been genetically modified. Is it good or not, I don’t know, but I just try to avoid GMO as much as I can. Also foods high estrogen are not good for someone who stores fat in their thighs like me as I already have high estrogen levels. And besides all that, I don’t even like the taste of soy products to begin with. Have you tried a pea protein? I had one with vanilla flavor and it was pretty good, I just don’t remember the name. I got it in Wholefoods.
Private Member |
…and this is what scares me a lot about America…so much GMO food:/
Private Member |
Thanks for your reply and all the others. I have done a lot of research and I know the good, the bad, and the ugly on soy which is why I hardly eat it but I know that you can in fact find non GMO soy products in the States. They have to be heavily flavoured (as all soy products tend to) or else they have no taste. I try to avoid salt as well so salty soy based meat subs are a no go and while I’m not a fan of meat I’m certainly not big on fake meat. Canada has the same GMO problem as the States but non GMO foods are starting to pop up everywhere. It’s hard to find non GMO soy but I know it’s out there (holla makers of soy curls in Portland, Oregon!) those things are bloody good (without the blood hehe…just had to throw that in there.) That still doesn’t mean I believe soy has the greatest health benefits. I have been looking into pea protein and have tried a few products that are pretty tasty. Thanks for the tip! Zwarriors FoLife!!
Private Member |
Hi Zuzka, I’ve been following you off & on since your days of doing vids on those roof tops of CR! I’m in South Bay LA btw 🙂 Just want to provide some input here. I used to be a personal trainer & fitness coach and I’ve done beyond my fair share of research and personal experimentation. I can without a doubt say Soy is not good long term, avoid it. My mother consumed it for years and she has since had to have her thyroid removed. She has been told by her doctors not to consume soy. I was vegan for 2-3 years and consumed quite a bit of soy. Over time I noticed my libido dropped, it was more & more difficult for me to maintain dense muscle (started to have a lean but soft look) and after blood test I discovered my T count had fallen. I dropped soy and started bringing back a little bit of white chicken & scallop/shrimp into my diet. Within a few months I was back to normal, feeling great, feeling strong, T count was back up to the upper end of the range. For the past 8 years I’ve lived an 80% vegan lifestyle and I can honestly say I feel the most balanced & healthy. For protein supplementation I use Garden of Life RAW Protein. It is a vegan, no soy, no gluten protein powder. It mixes very very well with 1-2 bananas and unsweetened coconut milk + ice. Probably the best tasting and best result protein I’ve ever had. And believe me I’ve tried most over the years. Whey protein is good but I personally gave it up because it often made me feel bloated or my skin looked and felt puffy. I hope this helps in some way. Take care all!
Private Member |
lake tahoe, nv, usa
Thank you for sharing!!
Private Member |
Thank you for this!
Private Member |
mexicali, baja california, méxico
ZUZANA! I was looking for a webpage yo orden almond meal in a better prive than my local health food store and i bumped into this.. I would like to know what you think.. Thanks! http://empoweredsustenance.com/avoid-almond-flour/
Private Member |
lake tahoe, nv, usa
If you read the article carefully you’ll see that it’s just someone’s personal opinion, and a lot of the things there said are contradicting each other. For example in the first point the author says that almond flour is way too high in calories. The author gives a recipe from Elana’s pantry as an example and says that “there are about 135 almonds in the entire batch, and 33 almonds per serving (for 4 servings). That’s a lot of almonds to eat in one sitting.” It seems like the author forgot to do the math because if one pancake is worth 33 almonds, that’s actually only about 220 calories a pancake which is clearly stated in the recipe as 1 serving. Is that a lot? I don’t think so. Not unless you eat all 4 servings yourself instead of sharing the pancakes with your family. And all the nonsense about polyunsaturated fats being heat unstable has been updated by the author himself as not accurate. Then the enzymes part. Overconsumption of nuts might not be the best thing for us, but using almond flour which is free of the brown skins doesn’t seem very concerning to me. And if soaking the almonds first should help to get rid off the “inhibitors” then Im sure that soaking the flour in eggs, and oil as we do before we bake it in the over, should do the job. I Just don’t see a single point in this article that would convince me about almond flour being unhealthy.
Private Member |
mexicali, baja california, méxico
Yes! I completey see your point.. It so hard nowadays with so many opinions.. It is the first time I read something like that so I thought of you and wanted to read your opinion about it 🙂 thanks so much for your reply!
Private Member |
lake tahoe, nv, usa
You’re very welcome, thank you for sharing the article 🙂
Private Member |
Warrior food is a great vegan protein powder. A little chalky but that goes away w a banana
Private Member |
That’s a good article. Do you consider legumes a WE or FM? since they have some carbs too…
Private Member |
lake tahoe, nv, usa
Legumes are WEM
Private Member |
hi Zuzka, I like your articles. I´m vegetarian, so my main source of protein is from lupin steak, seitan, legumes (like hummus, pita with brown rice and beans, baked beans, lentil salad, peas…). I rarely eat soy, but I do supplement with hemp protein, spirulina and protein shakes. My favourite protein supplements are vega sport protein (chocolate) and vega one. It is designed by Brendan Brazier, by the way also author of one of my favourite cookbooks. Have a great day 🙂 XOXO Mila
Private Member |
wold bcaa in a protein shake after a workout be good. I sometimes struggle knowing whether I should just drink the bcaa with water or a protein shake with fruit in it for the extra vitamins… and the chance to eat a bananas after a workout. So combining or is that just too much of a good thing?
Private Member |
lake tahoe, nv, usa
Your body can really absorb only certain amount of protein (amino acids) so I think that BCAA or Protein, but I don’t see the reason to have both. BCAA after workout is good for weight loss, because you’re getting just the protein for recovery without the calories.
Private Member |
Thanks!!!!
Private Member |
Hi Zukka,
I am unable to source the vita whey protein from from m the UK
How do I get a UK supplier to send it to me?
Many thanks
Kate
Private Member |
lake tahoe, nv, usa
I have no idea, that would be a good question for that company that makes it.
Private Member |
Kate, if you’re in the UK you might like to try this: http://organicproteincompany.com/ – I use 2 scoops in my protein muffins and they taste great.
Private Member |
pilot butte, saskatchewan, canada
Great article. I really notice when I don’t focus on getting enough protein! I would love to find a paelo friendly protein shake that I like, for emergencies when I have not stocked up on chicken etc. I have hemp protein at the moment, but it tastes awful, lol.
Private Member |
ca, usa
Hi Nikki, I really like the chocolate SunWarrior protein powder. The chocolate is better, in my opinion, than the vanilla or plain.
Private Member |
pilot butte, saskatchewan, canada
Hi Cari, is that Paleo friendly do you know? 🙂
Private Member |
I use ORGAIN Organic protein which is plant based after my workouts.I found using whey protein I maintain the same weight & doesn’t allow me to shed pounds.I eat 3 times a day & make sure I have protein with every meal & when I can’t I do lean towards protein bars which may not be the best option.
Private Member |
lake tahoe, nv, usa
I have to agree that protein bars bought from stores have not worked for me either. Maybe I just haven’t found a good one, but they’re usually full of ingredients that I’m trying to avoid in the first place.
Private Member |
Hey Z :). ..As you know I’m a vegetarian n I’m addicted to tempeh, what’s your thoughts on that? I eat the one with flax seeds every day. Also my daughter that lives in LA too 🙂 like you, is hooked on Quest bars and when she was home for the holidays, she had a box of Quest bars in a matter of a week. I know she works out every single day she actually follows Michael Matthews method thinner leaner stronger r something like that. Not a good idea right? Thanks so much Zuzka I love your recipes n this post. Ciao Bella
Private Member |
lake tahoe, nv, usa
Hi Angela, I’m not a big fan of Quest bars. They contain some type of carbs and fiber that I don’t fully understand. All I know is that it’s heavily processed. Here’s the thing about tempeh and other soy products. Just because it’s made out of “naturally growing” ingredient doesn’t make it a health food. It’s processed and like I mentioned before, there isn’t a single soy bean in the US that wouldn’t be GMO. I don’t want to freak you out or anything, I mean there are worse things you could eat or drink then soy products, it’s just my personal take on this. XO ciao bella 🙂
Private Member |
HI Zuzka 🙂 thanks for your reply I know that quest bars are not too good for you but my daughter thinks that are the best in the industry now.can’t change her mind, I am going to try to stop eating tempeh much as I do anyway, I am going to check your recipes, I have a lot of you old videos and I have to start making them like I used to.. I am addicted to your apple muffins they are delicious also my boss birthday is Monday and I’m going to make some for her she will enjoy them so much I do. Arrivedercy Bella 🙂
Private Member |
ca, usa
I believe so, it is made with hemp and pea protein.
Private Member |
pilot butte, saskatchewan, canada
thanks for your reply Cari, but I can’t eat pea protein on paleo as it’s a legume. 🙁
Private Member |
For protein bars I normally have 22days in my cupboard. But if I am away I grab promax bar or at least a KIND bar from the store.
Private Member |
toluca, state of mexico, mexico
Hi zuzka!
I’m vegetarian also and I like to eat very simple and natural; just lately my father gave me a powder called LEBASI which is a swiss lactoserum enriched with lots of vitamins, minerals and aminoacids. I like it a lot and it makes me feel energized. I drink it in a glass with juice every third day 🙂
Nice article!! ;*
Private Member |
santa cruz, ca
A much as I agree with you, Zuzka, I also feel that protein is only a small part of the picture. I think that when people do not eat enough concentrated protein foods, they are missing out on a tremendous amount of nutrition that is necessary for our bodies to be healthy and balanced. Low protein or vegetarian diets will keep people alive, but not optimally healthy.
With that said, I don’t think that eating meat necessarily solves our problems either. When we look at traditional, healthy diets (of traditional peoples before civilization or modernization with agriculture and technology) we see that people generally consumed either entire animals, using all parts of the animal as food, or at least animal products, and also cooking methods we generally don’t use today. We no longer use very long cooking to extract nutrients efficiently and make food more digestible. We also focus on eating the meat of animals more than the organs, tendons, and bones for broth. These parts of the animals provide us with all the building blocks we need to not only build and repair muscle, but for all our body systems. We need more than protein to keep our ligaments, joints, and muscles healthy and supple. Bone broths have everything we need in them to keep minerals balanced in our bodies, to have healthy bones, muscles, blood cells, etc.
I think that people who eat processed foods, AND people who only eat meat without eating the nutritious parts of other animals will inevitably suffer from something that could have been prevented with nutrition. This is why our modern diseases of civilization exist and are rampant.
Also, I am learning Traditional Chinese Medicine. In China’s ancient food tradition, the muscles of animals (or what we call “meat”) was actually the least valuable part of the animal for consumption, usually given to the dogs. People prized the organ meats, tendons (which are EXTREMELY nutritious), and bones. These have everything, including protein, that is necessary for all your body systems to stay healthy.
It’s worth it to include a small amount of organ meat in one’s diet each week, as well as tendon, and to make bone broth. It’s easy. Put bones in a crock pot with boiling water, add vinegar, and cook low for one to two days. Skim off the fat up top, strain the bones. Simple as that.
Private Member |
Francesca, you say people do not use long cooking anymore (as french , I’m still doing it… lots of receipes needing 2 or 3 hours) and you propose to cook bones for 2 days ??? Ok it needs time but 3 to 4 hours is fair enough and add 1 small piece of meat (one part with tendons like beef knuckle) and vegetables (carotts, cabbage, leeks, turnips…) it’ll be far better 😉
Hi Zuzka I didn’t write anything till your new website and and see plenty of new names follwing you…funny ! have a nice day. not only Z… all of you girls
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I meant “following” of course
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Hi Anne- Caroline (pretty name ) I agree with you I’m actually italian n I cook everyday n on weekends i do make longy recipes I even soak my legumes 🙂 Btw adding vegetables always make a better dish. Have a great weekend 🙂 Ciao
Private Member |
Your recipe sounds delicious! That sounds like a lovely broth. I cook my bone broth in a Crock Pot and leave it on for 2 days, until the bones are so used up that they’re crumbling. What results usually is so thick that it turns to gel in the refrigerator! This is how you know you’ve pulled out as much of the nutrients and minerals, and gelatin out of those bones as possible! I have added vegetables, usually the parts of vegetables that I don’t eat in my meals, to my broth. Like the ends of celery and asparagus. I sometimes also add onions and garlic and bay leaves. But usually I am lazy and just throw the bones in with boiling water and vinegar (the vinegar is to extract minerals from the bones). My local natural food markets sell organic beef marrow bones, and sometimes the bones of other animals, too. Lucky me.
Private Member |
santa cruz, ca
Anne, your recipe sounds delicious! That sounds like a lovely broth. I cook my bone broth in a Crock Pot and leave it on for 2 days, until the bones are so used up that they’re crumbling. What results usually is so thick that it turns to gel in the refrigerator! This is how you know you’ve pulled out as much of the nutrients and minerals, and gelatin out of those bones as possible! I have added vegetables, usually the parts of vegetables that I don’t eat in my meals, to my broth. Like the ends of celery and asparagus. I sometimes also add onions and garlic and bay leaves. But usually I am lazy and just throw the bones in with boiling water and vinegar (the vinegar is to extract minerals from the bones). My local natural food markets sell organic beef marrow bones, and sometimes the bones of other animals, too. Lucky me.
Private Member |
So if I have just bcaa after workout… can I do the protein right at the end of my two hour window for meal….. so I can have that carb?
I am trying to lose a little weight and get lean.