Protein Versus Fat

[brittaney 5]

I am doing better getting my daily amount of Protein but I noticed that with the a protein also I'm getting a very high amount of fat in my diet. does anybody have any ideas on how to get the protein minus the fats?

[gottobeme 81]

What types of Protein are you using? There are non-fat greek yogurts, low fat cottage cheese as well as protein shakes/bars are usually a good source with lower amounts of fats. chicken and Fish are the better meats to eat for high protein/lower fat.

[bigenuff 302]

Most meat Protein has a lean ( more expensive) version but honestly personally I don't worry about that I try to get it in and decrease the sugar intake.

[brenty 27]

Your body needs fat, so don't cut it completely. Some essential Vitamins are fat-soluble, and many functions and structures in the body require it as well. Your brain, for example, is mostly fat. However, we only want as much as we need, so that the remainder isn't stored...

Significantly though, there are different types of fat. meat is high in Protein, but also saturated fat. As gottobeme suggested, a better option for regular consumption is fish (which contains high amounts of the fabulous Omega3 fatty acid) or -- failing that -- poultry. Soy Beans are a great alternative of Protein (which contains all of our essential amino acids, unlike other plant sources), and you can make pretty much anything with soy. My wife is a carnivore, but she loves soy chicken and Tofurkey (I was afraid to try it, but seriously, it is delicious)!

If you balance your protein sources with these considerations in mind, you can easily meet your protein requirements while limiting fat to a reasonable amount.

[DELETE THIS ACCOUNT! 12,703]

What do you consider a high amount of fat? What percentage of your diet comes from fat?

What type of Protein are you eating?

[brenty 27]

What do you consider a high amount of fat? What percentage of your diet comes from fat?

What type of Protein are you eating?

I am vegetarian, so it is mainly soy for Protein. I try to stay around 10% fat, but since that is completely relative, yours may vary. cheese is my vice, though, so some days I overindulge.

[Jachut 487]

I dont think we entirely understand it yet, I'd shoot for moderation. Look at it this way

Saturated animal fat is positively associated with heart disease and cancer - in a statistical sense. We may or may not be on the wrong track, since all the proponents of the caveman/paleo style diets have some convincing evolutionary arguments. So....... dont be completely afraid of it, but dont overindulge. Choose low fat dairy products, and dont eat too much red meat.

We know the good fats help to prevent cancer and heart disease and may do good things hormonally for our bodies in terms of where we carry weight, how we burn fat etc. So eat oily fish and incude good olive oil in your diet.

The worst kinds of fats are trans fats - the crap that's in processed foods - baked goods, fast foods etc. Dont eat it if you can avoid it.

If you have high fat, you're going to have high calories. So regardless of whether or not we have our facts on fat right, if you eat a lot of it, you might struggle to keep your calories in check. So keep your fat to the current guidelines of 30% or so of your calories per day and try to make a good portion of that the good fats, and less saturated fat.

All it really means is avoid full fat dairy, dont have too much red meat, and choose lean cuts, maybe dont eat five eggs a day, include oily fish, avocado, nuts instead of quite so much meat and dairy.

[brenty 27]

I dont think we entirely understand it yet, I'd shoot for moderation. Look at it this way

Saturated animal fat is positively associated with heart disease and cancer - in a statistical sense. We may or may not be on the wrong track, since all the proponents of the caveman/paleo style diets have some convincing evolutionary arguments. So....... dont be completely afraid of it, but dont overindulge. Choose low fat dairy products, and dont eat too much red meat.

We know the good fats help to prevent cancer and heart disease and may do good things hormonally for our bodies in terms of where we carry weight, how we burn fat etc. So eat oily fish and incude good olive oil in your diet.

The worst kinds of fats are trans fats - the crap that's in processed foods - baked goods, fast foods etc. Dont eat it if you can avoid it.

If you have high fat, you're going to have high calories. So regardless of whether or not we have our facts on fat right, if you eat a lot of it, you might struggle to keep your calories in check. So keep your fat to the current guidelines of 30% or so of your calories per day and try to make a good portion of that the good fats, and less saturated fat.

All it really means is avoid full fat dairy, dont have too much red meat, and choose lean cuts, maybe dont eat five eggs a day, include oily fish, avocado, nuts instead of quite so much meat and dairy.

Amen! Moderation, and making better choices -- that's what it's all about!

[gottobeme 81]

I am vegetarian, so it is mainly soy for Protein. I try to stay around 10% fat, but since that is completely relative, yours may vary. cheese is my vice, though, so some days I overindulge.

Do you have any advice for veggie meat replacements for us? My daughter is a vegetarian and we often use Morningstar, Boca, and Quorn meat replacements. I haven't had any of these myself since surgery (10 wks post op) because I wasn't sure about the amount of carbohydrates in them. My nutritionist said tofu was okay but I have never tried it and although I have heard it is easy to use, I really have no idea what to do with it.

[brenty 27]

My nutritionist said tofu was okay but I have never tried it and although I have heard it is easy to use, I really have no idea what to do with it.

The best thing about soy is that you can do just about anything with it, so you can probably find something you like no matter what your taste.

My favourite soy 'meat' products are Tofu Pups, Boca Burgers, and Smart Tenders Savory Chick'n (which is great in a salad!)

Tofu is even more versatile, since you can get it in all sorts of consistencies (silken, firm, extra firm, etc.) depending on how you want to use it. I like silken for making smoothies, and extra firm for grilling or stir fry. It is really neutral, so you can make it taste like whatever you want. Curry, teriyaki, and even tofu parmesan -- just experiment or find some recipes online that appeal to you.