Protein: A Key Nutrient for all

Protein is a nutrient that is essential for maintaining good health at all stages of life.

You can find it in foods such as meat, milk products, eggs, fish, legumes and nuts. Proteins are involved in several activities in the body, including the development and preservation of muscle mass in people of all ages. In this article, we review how you can make the most of protein.

The importance of protein at every stage of life

Since the body is unable to store protein, it is important it gets enough at every meal. If your intake falls short during the day, your body will draw what it needs from your muscles. What’s more, the body tends to use protein less efficiently as it ages. For this reason, although official protein recommendations are the same for all adults, experts generally estimate that older adults, especially those over 65, should consume around 50% more to meet their needs effectively.

Good to know! Foods such as milk, yogurt, cheese, eggs, meat, poultry, fish and seafood contain complete proteins and as such, they are particularly effective at building and maintaining muscle mass because they contain all the essential amino acids in the right proportions.

How to include protein on your daily menu

To maintain optimal overall health, it’s important to include a variety of protein sources in your daily diet, and to spread them throughout the day. Here are a few tips for incorporating more protein into your meals and snacks:

At breakfast:

• Pair your toasts with cheese or serve them with a hard-boiled egg.
• Opt for milk rather than juice in your smoothie.
• Have a bowl of Toasted Granola & Berries Cottage Cheese.
• Add skim milk powder to your homemade muffin mix.
• Enjoy a bowl of yogurt topped with berries.
• Turn your cup of coffee into a latte by combining equal parts milk and coffee.

At snack time:

• Opt for a zucchini and cheese muffin.
• Try roasted chickpeas.
• Choose Greek yogurt (this type of yogurt is higher in protein).
• Eat a small handful of plain almonds with raisins.

At lunch:

• Opt for a legume and milk-based soup, like this red lentil soup.
• Enhance a side salad with walnuts and cheese cubes.
• Enjoy egg-based dishes, like this simple vegetable frittata . 
• Always add a source of protein – like cheese – to your meal salads, like in this tasty kale barley salad .

At dinner:

• Combine different protein foods in the same dish, like this chili made with ground beef, red kidney beans and cheese.
• Prepare one-pot meals featuring poultry or fish, like this one-pot tuna and broccoli pasta recipe.
• Add pumpkin seeds or crushed peanuts to a mixed green salad.
• Bake your vegetables au gratin (topped with cheese).
• Enjoy a homemade dessert prepared with milk, like this mint chocolate pudding.
• End your meal with a peppermint vanilla tea latte.