Why meat is important
Protein is an important part of your diet for many reasons. It’s essential for building and maintaining muscle, it provides structure to hair, skin, nails and teeth, and protein helps your body heal after an injury or illness. The importance of protein can’t be overstated!
Protein is a macronutrient and is essential for growth, repair and maintenance in the body – especially for bones and muscles. It is recommended that most adults require around 0.75g of protein per kilo of body weight per day. For the average woman, this is 45g and for the average man, it is 55g. For adults who are more active/weight train, a higher protein intake is required.
The best sources of protein are;
• Meat
• Eggs
• Milk
• Nuts and seeds
Meat is one of the best sources of protein you can eat because it contains all nine essential amino acids that our bodies need but don’t produce naturally – so they must come from outside sources like food. So let’s take a look at the benefits of some of the different types of meat.
Chicken & Turkey
White meat poultry such as chicken and turkey are great sources of protein. They are lean, low in fat, tasty and incredibly versatile. Giving you the opportunity to create tasty and healthy meals whilst getting that all-important protein. As a result of the leaner cuts of white meat, they are among the highest dietary sources of protein – whilst also containing a range of essential nutrients.
Pork
Pork is one of the richest sources of leucine, which makes it a great addition to your diet, particularly if you are into your exercise. Leucine makes up one-third of muscle protein and helps to stimulate repair following exercise. Meats provide branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs; valine, leucine, and isoleucine) which are essential in supporting muscle recovery. You can create exciting meals with a range of pork cuts, from pork loin steaks to slow roast shoulder joints.
Beef and other red meat
Red meat is not only rich in protein but also provides our bodies with iron, zinc and B vitamins. Meat is one of the main sources of B12 in the diet, giving your body vital nutrients. Red meat is a great meat to cook with. Whether it’s a tasty steak served with home-cooked chips and vegetables or a slow cook/braised steak on a cold wintery evening. The possibilities are endless.
As with most things in life, balance is key. You should combine your protein intake with fruit and vegetables, dairy, high fibre foods and fats. The great thing about meat as your protein source is that you can get creative with your meals and include many of the other required food groups.
If you are looking to increase the protein in your diet then speak to us. If you are starting the year by getting into shape, you can ask us for extra lean portions or we can trim the fat from your meat for you.
Visit us in-store or order online to get your protein in the form of top-quality meat.