蛋白质与心脏健康

我认为每顿饭都应该含有蛋白质? 实际上, most of us are getting far more protein than we actually need — especially when it comes to meat — thanks to a variety of cultural factors.

Many Americans continue to be influenced by struggles of the Great Depression, when protein — especially meat — was unaffordable by many families. And in parts of the world where poverty levels are still high, the ability to enjoy meat with a meal is considered a symbol of affluence.

尽管肉类价格已经下跌, it continues to be associated with wealth or affluence, leading many families to make it part of every meal, 朱迪思·怀利-罗塞特说, a nutritionist 和 registered dietitian at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine of Yeshiva University in the Bronx, N.Y., 和 an AHA volunteer on the Nutrition Committee.

“People think they won’t feel full if they don’t eat meat,” Dr. Wylie-Rosett说.

What’s the harm in getting too much protein?

The main problem is that often the extra protein is coming from meats high in 饱和脂肪，这可以添加到升高 胆固醇水平 低密度脂蛋白或“坏”胆固醇的含量. 博士,. Wylie-Rosett说, eating more protein is coming at the expense of other food groups that most Americans struggle to get enough of. “If people would just eat the recommended servings of fruits 和 vegetables, 我们会吃很多低热量的食物,”她说。.

你到底需要多少蛋白质?

The actual recommended daily allowance (RDA) is a complex calculation that takes into account your age 和 weight. 基于重量, growing children 和 pregnant or lactating women require a little bit more protein than a typical adult man or woman because their bodies are building more muscle.

一般, the Centers for Disease Control 和 Prevention recommends 10 percent to 35 percent of your daily calories come from protein. So, that’s about 46 grams of protein for adult women 和 56 grams for adult men.

So what does that translate to in terms of food?

Drink an 8-ounce glass of milk, 和 you’ll log 8 grams of protein. Add a cup of yogurt for another 11 grams. Follow that up with a 3-ounce piece of meat — which is about the size of a deck of cards 和 has about 21 grams of protein — 和 a cup of dry beans, which has 16 grams 和 you’ve already reached the 56-gram requirement for an adult man.

The 美国心脏协会 has a guide outlining 每组食物的建议食用量.

Finding balance, choosing the right kind 和 amount of protein.

• 选择蛋白质时, 选择低脂食品, 比如瘦肉, skim milk or other foods with high levels of protein. Legumes, for example, can pack about 16 grams of protein per cup 和 are a low-fat 和 inexpensive 肉类替代品.
• Choose main dishes that combine meat 和 vegetables together, 比如低脂汤, 或者炒菜，强调蔬菜.
• 看 部分尺寸. 以2- 3盎司为目标.
• If you’re having an appetizer, try a plate of raw veggies instead of a cheese plate. 奶酪增加了蛋白质，但也增加了脂肪. Wylie-Rosett说.