Spicing Up Your Meals Can Benefit Your Health
Do you really think that healthy food has to taste bland and boring? You’ll be surprised at how spicing up your meals not only makes it taste better, but also can benefit your health. Holy Basil, for instance, is used in Asian cooking, but is more often used for its health benefits. It helps you feel more relaxed and reduces the hormone of stress, cortisol. Sage is another herb that helps the body. In fact, it’s genus name, salvia, means to heal in Latin. The chemicals sage contains, such as luteolin, quercetin and rosmarinic, also improve memory and alertness.
Sour cream and chives make a good topping for potatoes, but chives also have a health benefit.
If you top your baked potato with chives, you’ll be adding a powerful cancer fighter. It contains choline, too. Choline aids brain functions, sleep, bone building with its vitamin K and muscle movements. They also contain calcium, folate, magnesium and potassium, yet only have one calorie per tablespoon.
Turmeric is a yellow spice that’s often used in Indian dishes.
However, it’s also a potent anti-inflammatory. It’s used for arthritis, digestive issues, anti-cancer benefits and even Alzheimer’s. Research has shown that if you flavor with turmeric, you’ll reduce the risk of cancer and may even help slow the progression if you already have it. It’s been used to treat dementia as well as Alzheimer’s because of the antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and ability to dissolve fats. Studies indicate abnormal inflammatory reactions contribute to Alzheimer’s disease and the curcumin in turmeric help prevent it.
Marjoram and oregano are also good for your health.
Marjoram helps balance abnormal hormone levels that can cause PCOS—polycystic ovarian syndrome. Marjoram also has antiseptic qualities and is often used to treat signs of flu, headaches and coughs. It’s also used as a pain reliever. Oregano is also used for those same things, since it’s rich in antioxidants and is antiseptic. In fact, making a tea and using it to wash your face can be an effective acne treatment or use it on the hair for dandruff.
- Boost your brain power with peppermint. In fact, just sniffing peppermint can boost your energy, alertness or improve your mood. Put a drop of peppermint oil on a handkerchief and sniff it when you need a boost. Putting a drop on the neck, sinuses, or temples can help relieve headaches.
- Cilantro and coriander both come from the same plant. Cilantro is the leaves and coriander the seeds. Both are high in vitamins A, K and E, iron, zinc, manganese, potassium, phosphorous, copper, calcium and magnesium.
- Garlic is one of the favorites when it comes to good health. It can combat even the common cold. Garlic can also lower blood pressure, improve cholesterol, fight against Alzheimer’s, and help you live longer.
- Fennel can be an herb or the bulb can be a vegetable. It has a licorice smell and contains many nutrients, including vitamins A, C, B6, E and K. A tea from the leaves or chewing on a seed is good to help settle the stomach.
For more information, contact us today at Next Level Fitness
Unique Health Benefits Of Honey
In Irvine, CA, there are many boutiques and health stores where you can purchase both raw and processed honey. Don’t be fooled by the grocery store honey that is often watered down and degraded with fructose additives, making it nothing but honey sugar syrup with none of the health benefits of honey. There is medical-grade honey, food-grade, raw honey, organic honey and pasteurized honey. To get the benefits, avoid the pasteurized or processed honey. The heating and treating kills the good bacteria and eliminates many of the health benefits. Buy from local beekeepers if possible.
Clear honey looks better, but is it better for you?
The more processed honey is, the clearer it is. Raw honey is one of the best choices. It often contains far more pollen and beneficial enzymes. Even though the pollen in honey makes it look hazier, it also provides extra benefits. Raw honey contains antioxidants, enzymes, minerals and has many health benefits. If you’ve ever taken a teaspoon of honey mixed with lemon juice for a cough, you’ll understand how helpful and healing it can be. It’s even endorsed by many medical groups as a natural cough treatment.
Honey has anti-inflammatory and antioxidant benefits.
The benefits of honey can also help rid the body of inflammation that can cause a number of health issues, which include heart disease, autoimmune disorders and cancer. There are different benefits based on the type of nectar used to make the honey. For instance, buckwheat honey is exceptionally high in antioxidants and probably the best choices for treatment of coughs and the sore scratchy throat. It’s also good to lower cholesterol levels and aid in healing wounds. Acacia honey, which actually comes from black locust trees sometimes called false acacia, is also effective in treating resistant bacteria and some forms of cancer.
You may have heard of manuka honey.
This type of honey is rare and comes from New Zealand. It’s made from the nectar of the tea tree bush. It has a more medicine style taste than regular honey, but it’s extremely good to help the body heal. Diabetic ulcers and burns are often treated with manuka honey, since it keeps the area moist, reduces inflammation, maintains the proper pH conditions for healing and is antibacterial. It also is good for oral health.
- If you’ve ever seen wildflower honey, you know it’s light in color. It’s one of the best as a cough suppressant and helps fight seasonal allergies, just as sourwood honey does.
- One of the sweetest and mildest types of honey is tupelo honey. It’s sweet and almost buttery with antioxidant and antibacterial benefits. Orange blossom honey supports the immune system.
- Linden or basswood honey also is delicate in taste and flavor. It’s used to detox the body and for colds and bronchitis by naturopaths. Sage honey is good for digestion. Blueberry honey is used for chronic illness.
- Beware of giving infants under 12 months raw honey. It can contain botulism bacteria. Also be aware that honey is quite high in calories and is pure sugar. Use it sparingly as you would any other type of sugar.
For more information, contact us today at Next Level Fitness
Food That Have Almost ZERO Calories
Are you searching for food that fills you up, but that has almost ZERO calories? Lots of people in Irvine, CA are doing the same thing. Finding foods with low or no calories isn’t as hard as you think. You start with food that normally is lower calorie, contains fiber and burns more calories to digest as it contains. These are called negative-calorie foods, which is a hot topic today.
Is there such a thing as a negative calorie food?
You hear celery tossed around frequently when this effect is mentioned. Digestion requires energy. In fact, it takes between 5 and 10 percent of your daily energy expenditure. Even though celery contains few calories, it still takes energy to digest the food. The net calorie intake for these foods are minimal, but not necessarily negative. Other vegetables, like leafy greens, alfalfa sprouts and even fruit like cantaloupe and watermelon are almost zero calories because of thermogenesis and the cost of calories it takes to digest the food.
Adding more flavor doesn’t mean adding calories.
Adding a tablespoon of butter or mayonnaise to add flavor will definitely increase the calorie count, so why not add almost zero calorie herbs and spices, like ginger, garlic or cayenne pepper. Spicy cayenne pepper or other hot foods actually can boost the calorie burning. It causes the heat to build in your body and increase its temperature. That increases your metabolism, burning even more calories and lowering the calorie count for the food that’s spiced. Cinnamon, cumin and turmeric also have weight loss benefits.
There’s a reason why salads are often the center of diets.
The best diet foods are actually quite popular. Not only are the leafy lettuce and sprouts excellent as zero calorie foods, so are some of the toppers, like radishes, tomatoes, cucumbers and mushrooms. Slice up some summer squash like zucchini or make zoodles. You’ll have almost no calories per serving. Even nicer as a side dish are fresh asparagus. Steam baby asparagus and top with a little lemon and salt. It’s the perfect “almost no calorie” side dish.
- Cauliflower is another low calorie food that has almost no net calories when you consider those you burn during digestion. Fennel bulb is another dish that has almost no calories, depending on how it’s prepared.
- One popular green for salads in bags is cabbage, since it stays crispy longer. One cup of chopped cabbage is just 29 calories. Mix it with other veggies or grate it with apples and carrots and you have a super low calorie satisfying salad.
- Bell peppers are also low in calories and high in vitamin C, especially the red ones. You can eat them raw or stuff them with brown rice, beans or lean ground beef and tomatoes for a delicious lower calorie dinner.
- Broccoli is another veggie you can eat raw or cooked with just 31 calories for every cup of chopped broccoli. For a few calories more, 7 to be exact, you can have a cup of cooked green beans.
For more information, contact us today at Next Level Fitness
Can Herbs Help Balance Your Hormones?
Most people think of sex hormones when they see articles on how to balance your hormones. However, sex hormones aren’t the only hormones that get out of balance and affect your health and well-being. While perimenopause and menopause can definitely cause a hormone imbalance, there are other hormones that also do. Hormones regulate a lot of processes, which include the sleep cycle, metabolism, appetite, mood, stress levels and even body temperature. Even slight changes in insulin, androgens, thyroxine, cortisol or estrogen can trigger a problem. You can use herbs to help them get back into line.
There’s a reason that holy basil got its name.
You probably have eaten food with sweet basil in, but may not have experienced holy basil. It’s not like sweet basil or cinnamon (Thai) basil, it’s hot and bitter and while occasionally used in Asian cooking, more often used for health benefits. It’s used frequently in Ayurveda medicine and is known as the queen of herbs. It’s an adaptogen, which means it helps the body get back to normal. It’s especially useful for balancing cortisol, the hormone of stress, and helps manage the adrenal glands to help you feel more relaxed and even boost your energy level.
Marjoram is a relative of oregano and good for people with polycystic ovarian syndrome—PCOS.
What is PCOS? It’s a disorder that causes the body to produce abnormal levels of hormones. It especially effects women who are of reproductive age. Studies show that drinking marjoram tea twice a day for a month can help improve blood sugar levels and help manage fasting insulin levels. It’s been used to help improve other types of hormonal imbalances, but there’s still minimum studies on the safety of using it a lot on a long term basis. It influences the cortisol and estradiol—an estrogen steroid hormone—production, too.
Nigella seeds can also help balance hormones.
There are several names for the Nigella sativa. Some call it fennel flower or kalonji. It has a compound in it known as thymoquinone and may also help women with PCOS. In animal studies, it’s shown to be effective in aiding the regulation of insulin, thyroid, testosterone and luteinizing hormones that are responsible for ovulation. It acts much like estrogen in the body, which is why it’s often used for hormone replacement therapy during menopause. In fact, it’s often marketed as black cumin seeds or just black seed. Don’t mistake it for regular cumin. They’re very different.
- Indian ginseng, also called winter cherry or ashwagandha, is used for supplements, teas and powders. It can help neutralize a chronic imbalance of cortisol. There are more studies that show it may help with thyroid-stimulating hormones and reproductive hormones.
- Black cohosh comes from the root of the buttercup family. It’s often used in dried capsule form. Even today, it’s used for menstrual irregularities and may act as a phytoestrogen, a plant substance that acts like estrogen.
- Even though it’s not an herb, drinking green tea may help. It’s good for balancing insulin and can improve the body’s response to other hormones.
- Licorice, the real licorice from the root of the plant from Asia or Europe, not the anise oil contained in many licorice products, has been used for centuries to help relieve menstrual cramping and can reduce both the intensity and frequency of menopausal symptoms, like hot flashes.
For more information, contact us today at Next Level Fitness
Can Certain Foods Give You More Energy?
Everyone’s been there at one time or another. It’s just three to four hours since you ate lunch and you’re ready to melt into a puddle. Your energy level is down and you feel too worn out to do anything. What’s the first thing you do? It’s often start searching for something sweet. Don’t do that. While sugary products do give you energy, that energy dips as quickly as it came. Instead, opt for foods that give you more energy that lasts for hours. Make that snack a healthier option that also provides nutrients for your body to function properly.
Make it a carb and protein snack.
A little egg or tuna salad or a dish of brown rice can get you up and moving for hours. While the carbohydrate provides quicker energy, think of the protein as a slow release energy boost. When you choose an option like tuna salad, you’re getting vitamin B12 and omega3 fatty acids. The omega3 can reduce inflammation, which can cause exhaustion. The B12 aids in the production of red blood cells and helps boost the functioning of iron. Both eggs and tuna are a source of protein that helps you feel more energetic longer. Brown rice is also a source of magnesium, which helps process both carbs and protein for energy.
Make a bowl of oatmeal and top it with bananas or apple slices.
Sure, the fruit does provide the sweetness you crave and both contain sugar, but the oatmeal slows down the absorption of sugar. They also contain fiber that slows the absorption of sugar. Oatmeal contains B vitamins, iron and manganese, which contribute to the uniform release of energy, while keeping you full longer.
Maybe you are mildly dehydrated.
Even during the winter months, it’s easy to become mildly dehydrated and even easier during the summer. Before you reach for a candy bar, try drinking a bottle of water. You’ll be surprised at how much of a boost it can bring to your energy level. If that’s not enough, sip on a cup of green tea, which hydrates and also contains L-theanine and antioxidants. Like coffee, tea contains caffeine which boosts your energy level, but the L-theanine helps reduce the side effects, like the jitters.
- Heat up some mashed sweet potatoes. The sugar will increase your energy level, but the fiber in the sweet potato slows the rush to avoid the huge spike and then sudden drop in energy.
- If you can’t make regular oatmeal for a mid-day snack, don’t opt for the instant kind. Instead, make overnight oats and put it in a mason jar. Eat it cold or microwave it and add fruit for your midday snack.
- A yummy yogurt parfait can be a great way to mix the protein with the quick release carbohydrate. Put a layer of unsweetened Greek yogurt in a jar, top it with a layer of frozen or fresh fruit, then add another layer of Greek yogurt and top it with walnuts or almonds.
- You may think that chocolate is a no-no if you want to eat healthy, but that depends on the type of chocolate and how much you eat. Just a tiny bit of dark chocolate can boost blood flow and brain functioning.
For more information, contact us today at Next Level Fitness
Supplements Not To Take
When you think of supplements, does your mind immediately think of that multivitamin you take in the morning or do you think of the protein supplement you’re taking to boost your muscle development. One of the biggest dangers of taking supplements is thinking they substitute for a healthy diet. They don’t. There are a lot of different types of supplements. Some are made from ordinary ingredients, like fruits and vegetables that are freeze-dried, ground and capsulized. Some are exotic herbs, which may not be as healthy as you think or protein supplements that may cause other problems.
Sometimes bodybuilders are caught in a supplement trap with protein supplements.
Everyone wants that edge that will help them reach their fitness goals faster, but for bodybuilders, it may not be soy isolates or creatine. Both of these supplements provide the building blocks for muscles, but can cause problems. Creatine may help add bulk, but too much can have side effects, which include heart and kidney problems, dehydration, diarrhea and cramps. Soy isolates, contain amino acid. The older you get, the more you should avoid them. They have an effect similar to estrogen that gets more pronounced the older you get, since the body produces less testosterone. It can cause older men to develop enlarged breasts. Older men are better off eating soy products like edamame or tofu to avoid the cleavage.
Beta carotene or vitamin A seems so harmless.
No matter who you are, taking too much vitamin A can be dangerous. Even overdoing beta carotene supplements can be dangerous. Vitamin A is a fat soluble vitamin and overdoing it can create many of the same symptoms as vitamin A deficiency, cracked lips, weakness, thinning hair, headache and dry skin. It can cause problems with the central nervous system, birth defects if you’re pregnant and if you smoke, too much vitamin A may lead to lung cancer.
Calcium supplements may not be beneficial, particularly for seniors.
Seniors, particularly women, often take calcium supplements to avoid osteoporosis. Most diets have an adequate amount and additional calcium, may actually be hazardous, particularly if you’re older. Once you pass approximately 50, it becomes more and more difficult to absorb the calcium by the bones and it ends up being absorbed by the artery walls. That can lead to a multitude of problems, which include hardening of the arteries, heart disease and stroke. Calcium citrate taken with magnesium is easier for the bones to absorb. Avoid calcium carbonate. Even better, eat healthy and exercise regularly to strengthen the bones.
- Ginkgo is an herb that boosts memory and often sold to treat glaucoma, macular degeneration, dementia and anxiety. If you’re diabetic, it can cause problems with blood sugar levels. It can interact with medicine and lower blood pressure too much or increase bleeding.
- Not all vitamins are bioavailable. This is particularly true of many inexpensive multivitamins. You end up paying a high price just to have expensive urine and may actually cause problems. You’re better off getting your vitamins from a well-balanced diet.
- Glutamine, which the body produces naturally, plays a role in immune health, digestion, brain functioning and removing waste. While it can improve recovery and help muscle growth, it also has side effects, such as confusion, blood in the urine, fast heartbeat and weakness.
- Supplementing your diet with nutrients may give you a false sense of security. Fruits and vegetables contain phytonutrients that aren’t normally in supplements that all work together to play an instrumental role in your health.
For more information, contact us today at Next Level Fitness
Ever Tried Overnight Oats?
If you’re like many people, you find yourself rushed in the morning, barely able to put toast in the toaster. Making a healthy breakfast may be important to help you lose weight, but when time is at a premium, something has to give. Overnight oats is a healthy breakfast option that doesn’t require cooking. You simply combine the oats, whether it’s rolled, steel cut or quick cook, into a container like a Mason jar, and add any type of milk, such as coconut, almond or regular. Put the lid on, shake and store it in the refrigerator. In the morning, they’ll be soft from absorbing the liquid, as though you cooked them.
Overnight oats are actually healthier than cooked oats.
Cooking oats does remove some nutrients. For instance, raw oats that are processed overnight have 26% of the beta-glucan content during digestion, while cooked oats only release 9%. That’s important, since 3 grams of beta-glucan from oats can cause a 5 to 10% drop in blood cholesterol levels. Just like regular oats, overnight oats can keep you feeling fuller longer, since it’s high in fiber. It also contains potassium, protein, magnesium and omega3 fatty acids. Unlike instant oats that often contain sugar, you control the ingredients in overnight oats.
Raw oats provide resistant starch that can help you lose weight.
Resistant starch travels through the digestive system undigested until it reaches the colon. There it feeds the friendly microbes that are in your digestive system. Improving your microbe balance is important to your health in several ways. It boosts your immune system and also can help you lose weight. The bacteria ferment the resistant starch and change it into digestive acid that helps keep you feeling full, plus increases your metabolism. By simply switching out as little as 5% of your ordinary carbs for resistant starch, you could increase your metabolism by as much as 23%.
You can create a variety of overnight oat combinations.
The beauty of eating overnight oats is that it allows you to modify the recipe and can eat a different variety every day. You can add any type of milk, even Greek yogurt, toss in some chia seeds for texture and add honey, agave or maple sugar if you want more sweetness. Most recipes start with an equal amount of steel cut oats or other oats to whatever liquid you choose, such as almond milk, regular milk or coconut milk. Add pecans, pumpkin spice, other seeds or fresh fruit
- You can eat overnight oats cold or heat them in the microwave. Make sure you use a microwave safe container. It stays fresh in the refrigerator for a up to three days. If you want to heat it, add fruit later.
- Overnight oats not only save time, they save money. You can make several servings at once and can add whatever extras you have. Just grab your jar in the morning and you’re ready for breakfast.
- You can also use overnight oats as a snack or a quick lunch. It transports easily in smaller Mason jars. Adding extras like fruit and nuts can make it more nutritious.
- Diabetics can benefit from eating any type of oats, but overnight oats are easier. The soluble fiber slows the absorption of sugar, and can improve insulin sensitivity.
For more information, contact us today at Next Level Fitness
Health Benefits Of Regular Exercise
If you’re a regular at Next Level Fitness in Irvine, CA, you may already realize all the health benefits you get from exercise. If you just wanted to shed a few pounds and look better, you’ll also get the benefits that come from losing that extra weight. No matter what type of exercise you do, you’re burning extra calories and building more muscle strength. Losing weight may be one of the biggest benefits, since obesity is the leading cause of preventable deaths, even surpassing smoking. Exercise and weight loss can also help lower blood pressure, normalize blood sugar levels and improve the immune system.
Once you hit your thirties, you’ll lose muscle mass if you don’t exercise.
Science reveals that most people start losing muscle mass in their 30s. It is normally a 3% to 5% loss each decade. By the time the individual reaches 60-70, the amount is significant. Not only is muscle tissue important for stability and mobility, it’s also important to maintain bone density. Older women, in particular, benefit from strength training. While estrogen may help prevent bone loss before menopause, bone mass diminishes rapidly after menopause if muscle mass is weak. Muscles tug on the bone and causes increased mineral intake. Stronger bones allows for longer independent living.
Whether it’s back pain, arthritis or other painful condition, exercise can help.
Strength training can help with many painful conditions, including arthritis. It builds tendon, ligament and muscle strength that helps support the joints and relieve the pressure. Flexibility training can increase range of motion to prevent injury. Back pain is another issue that’s helped by regular exercise. You’ll be amazed at how some simple exercises can be as effective as ibuprofen. Exercise increases circulation to help you move easier. If you’re making those grunting grandpa sounds every time you get up off the chair, it’s time to exercise.
Help control your diabetes and insulin resistance with a healthy diet and exercise.
Insulin resistance is the predecessor to type 2 diabetes. You can do more than just control it, you can reverse it. It immediately makes a difference and that effect can last as long as 48 hours. However, when you use exercise as part of a weight loss program or to lose fat and replace it with muscle, reducing your waist circumference, there’s a long-lasting effect that can reverse it permanently. Strength training, particularly in the HIIT—high intensity interval training—-format, burns tons of calories from fat, while building muscle tissue.
- If you haven’t exercised in years, start slowly, especially if you have pain. A personal trainer can help create a program that is designed specifically to fit your needs, fitness level and goals.
- Stress kills. Not only can stress hormones build abdominal fat, they make changes in the body that can cause serious conditions. Exercise burns off the hormones of stress.
- Exercise can improve your posture. Improved posture can help reduce aches and pains, plus reduce the potential for heartburn, constipation, incontinence and more. It also builds self-confidence.
- You’ll increase circulation, which sends oxygen and nutrient laden blood cells to all parts of the body, feeding every cell from your brain to your skin. It keeps you looking and feeling years younger.
For more information, contact us today at Next Level Fitness
What Sugar Does To Your Internal System
There are so many diseases that might be avoided by a healthier diet. A healthier diet would contain less processed food, less trans fats and less sugar. Highly processed food is a large category, which normally contains food high in trans fats and sugar. The more sugar you consume, the more potential for disease and serious conditions. It affects your entire body, starting at your internal system. It can create clusters of symptoms, such as high blood pressure, visceral fat—belly fat, high blood sugar levels and bad cholesterol levels.
There are three macronutrients, carbohydrates, fats and proteins.
You need all three types of food. The body breaks them down with enzymes, so they are available for the cells to use. If you have too much glucose available, it’s stored in the liver, muscle tissues or packed on as body fat. Sugar is a carbohydrate, but it’s a simple carbohydrate. That means it immediately breaks down and goes into the blood stream, which causes the pancreas to produce more insulin. If you have more and more insulin produced, by increasing simple carbs, two things can occur. One is that the pancreas become overworked and fails maintaining blood sugar regulation. The second thing that can occur is the cells become insulin resistant, which can lead to a number of problems.
Insulin resistance is the precursor of type 2 diabetes.
It’s also can occur before metabolic syndrome, obesity and cardiovascular disease. When there’s glucose in your blood, each cell unlocks to absorb the glucose for energy and survival. The hormone that unlocks the cells is insulin. When there’s a constant flow, over time, the cells become less responsive, so more insulin is produced and the resistance from the cells increases. It becomes a vicious circle, where cells ultimately don’t receive adequate nourishment to be healthy.
Too much sugar can increase blood pressure.
Sugar consumption also causes chronic inflammation. That affects all parts of the body, including the brain. Scientists believe it may be one cause of Alzheimer’s disease. It also can cause heart disease. Excess sugar causes weight gain. It’s not just in food, it’s in beverages, too. Recent studies show that even “diet” soft drinks can cause visceral fat—fat around the middle that’s the most dangerous type of fat, so opting for the diet drink isn’t an option.
- Diabetes is a killer that can cause kidney failure, blindness, increased risk of limb amputation and increased risk for both colon and pancreatic cancer. Excess sugar intake can lead to arthritis, gallstones and varicose veins.
- Excess sugar can cause premature aging. It causes glycation by combining with proteins. That new molecule created is advanced glycation end products—AGEs. It attacks collagen and elastin cells that keep skin firm and youthful looking.
- Sugar is addictive. It affects the same brain receptors as cocaine. It also alters the sense of taste, so things don’t taste nearly as sweet, so you add more sugar.
- Sugar can cause memory problems. Several studies show it not only hinders memory, but also learning. Unfortunately, sugar seems to be in many products today, even ones you wouldn’t suspect, so read labels.
For more information, contact us today at Next Level Fitness
Surprising Sources Of Protein
There are a number of different sources of protein that aren’t animal products, yet most people immediately think beef, pork, poultry and fish. You’ll be amazed at how low cost these alternate sources can be and how healthy. While most people get adequate protein in America, a few groups don’t. Seniors are one of those groups. It’s not because they don’t consume it, but primarily because they don’t process it in their body as well. People trying to build muscle tissue also need more protein, so having an alternate source that’s heart healthy is also important.
There are 20 amino acids, but only nine that the body can’t make.
These are called essential amino acids. They include histidine, isoleucine, phenylalanine, leucine, tryptophan, threonine, methionine, lysine and valine. They’re easy to get from animal products, but not nearly as easy for vegans, since there are few complete proteins in the plant world. Quinoa, pumpkin seeds, buckwheat and soy are complete. That shouldn’t stop you from a meatless Monday or mean vegans are stuck eating those three protein sources daily. You can combine protein to get the perfect blend. Beans and rice and fried rice and peas are two examples.
It’s easier to get protein from meat and poultry, but have plenty of other options.
You need approximately 0.36 to 0.45 grams per pound of body weight, but that also varies. Your activity level, age and goals make a difference in how much protein your body requires. A piece of Parmesan cheese the size of a pair of dice has 8 grams of protein, whereas a chicken breast has up to 65 grams. You’d have to eat 8 servings of Parmesan to get the same amount. How do you get more? Add a cup of green peas to your meal, which also contains eight grams of protein. Use that cheese to make a grilled Parmesan cheese sandwich on high protein bread, such as Ezekiel bread. Eat vegetables like broccoli, spinach, sweet potatoes, asparagus and Brussels sprouts throughout the day for 4-5 grams every one cup serving.
Your snacks can be protein supplements.
Grab some nuts or seeds for a quick snack and boost your protein intake. A handful of almonds contains about 4 grams. Roasted pumpkin seeds are another high protein option that provides a complete protein. They contain about 7 grams of protein per ¼ cup. Eat veggies and hummus dip for even more protein. A cup of Greek yogurt with berries can also bump up your protein intake.
- Lentils are also a good source of protein. Just one cup offers 8.84 grams. Like other sources of protein, lentils provide other nutrients. For instance, they’re a good source of potassium. Add them to soups and salads to increase your protein intake.
- Want a high protein snack that’s great after a workout? Coat a protein bread with nut butter and top with some sliced bananas to provide both protein and carbs that will help with recovery.
- Add some extras to your meals to boost your protein intake. If you scramble eggs or have an omelet, adding five mushrooms will add three grams of protein. Adding broccoli or kale will increase it even more.
- A cold quinoa salad with raw Brussels sprouts, broccoli, onion, avocado, garbanzo beans, tomato or other veggies can be a low calorie healthy option to get both protein and other nutrients.
For more information, contact us today at Next Level Fitness
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