Protein is your essential building block

We use it first for energy, and then for maintenance, repair and growth of muscle; for forming important chemicals; protein is essential for the integrity of your muscles, bones and blood. So how much do you need per day? Say you didn’t work out at all, so there is no real muscle gain to be had. A sedentary person should still be consuming .36 grams per pound of body weight. For an average man that looks like 56 grams of protein a day and for the average woman 46 grams. If you are moderately active, you should be looking between .4-.6 grams per pound and competitive athletes have been known to go higher than .7 grams per pound. But how can you recoup this protein when the foods richest in protein are off limits? This is one of the most important questions that vegetarians face. 

Non-meat foods rich in protein 

• Beans: different varieties vary in content, but garbanzo beans for example have 19 grams of protein per 100g serving. 
• Lentils: 9 grams per 100g serving
• Quinoa: 13 grams per 100g serving. 
• Chia seeds and cous cous: 1 tablespoon of chia and 100g of cous cous makes 8 grams of protein
• Spinach: while not known for protein content, some vegetables, mainly dark leafy greens have a bit of protein; 1/2 cup of cooked spinach contains 3 grams of protein.
• Nuts: almonds clock in at 21g per 100g serving

Protein from a chiropractor’s perspective

To maintain and strengthen the muscles surrounding the spine, protein is indispensable. We want to make sure that you are getting a well-balanced diet to support your lifestyle. Give our office in Hackensack a call to schedule an appointment today.

Dr. Albert Stabile, D.C.