Importance of Protein

Protein is one of the most important nutrients for the body after weight loss surgery. Most patients, right after surgery need 60-80 grams of protein a day. That’s just a little more than two protein shakes. After the patient transitions to a more solid diet, the goal is 80-100 grams of protein each day. 

To meet this goal, a patient might eat:

Breakfast: 1 egg

AM Snack: Greek Yogurt

Lunch: 3 oz of fish 

PM Snack: protein shake 

Dinner: 3 oz of chicken 

It is essential to get protein at every meal after surgery. If meals are skipped, or protein is not included, then the body’s needs are not met. 

Protein is a part of every cell in our body, and is required to make all new cells. Without protein, our body can’t create new hormones, muscle, tissue, cartilage, cells that fight disease, or cells that transport oxygen. Our hair and nails are made mostly of protein. When our bodies have a protein deficiency, hair starts to fall out and nails break easily. 

Sugars, or carbohydrates, are stored mainly in our liver. We can store carbohydrates for about 24 hours before they are used for energy. Fats are stored in our fat cells, and we all know where fat is stored in our bodies. But unlike sugar and fat, protein is not stored in our bodies and that means we cannot skip a day of protein. Without protein in our diets, the body starts to break down our muscles to access the protein it needs. Breaking down muscle for energy also makes it much easier to gain fat in the future. 

Getting protein in your diet is easy. Protein comes from meat, poultry, seafood, eggs, low-fat dairy, soy based products, beans, peas, lentils, nuts and seeds. It’s highly recommended we eat seafood at least two days a week to get the essential omega-3 fatty acids that are often difficult to get from other foods. If you’re not a fan of seafood, a fish oil supplement can help. 

Poultry is also a great choice. Make sure to eat the white meat such as chicken breast instead of chicken things or wings to keep the calories low. There are a lot of calories in skin and breading, so try to avoid them. 

Beans, lentils, and tofu, part of the legume family, not only have protein, but they are also vegetables and a great source of fiber. Fiber helps us feel full, and when eaten with plenty of fluids, helps prevent constipation. Plus, they are much better for the environment because they are inexpensive to produce, and only create a fraction of the greenhouse gases that occur in raising livestock.  You can add beans to salads or into chili for a nutritional boost. Tofu can be flavored by any spices you use, so add it to stir fry or Indian flavored cuisine. 

If you eat ground beef over ground turkey, make sure it’s the kind with the least amount of fat. It should be at least 85% lean meat. When picking out a steak or pork chops, try to choose the pieces of meat with the least amount of visual fat, and cut-off any excess fat to reduce your calorie intake. 

Nuts and seeds are another great vegetarian source of protein and healthy fats. Because of the high fat content, we don’t want to mindlessly snack on nuts daily. Keep it small, pre-portion out servings that weight 1.5 oz and stick to that. Choose nuts and seeds without added salt to keep your sodium intake as low as possible. 

Whole grains have some proteins as well and compliment the protein lacking in legumes. When picking a grain such as bread, rice, or pasta, choose one that provides at least 3-5 grams of fiber per serving. This will help keep you full for longer. Some food manufacturers try to trick us into buying their product when it isn’t really a whole grain. Don’t be fooled. Look at the ingredients list. If the first word on the nutrition label is “whole” then it’s a whole grain. If the first word isn’t “whole” — pick a different product. 

Proteins give us a feeling of fullness that will stay with us through our next meal. But too much of a good thing can actually be bad. Very high protein intake increases ammonia in the body and causes our bodies to loose calcium. Our body only absorbs about 30 grams of protein at a time. If we sit down to a large, protein packed meal, all the excess protein we take in will be stored as fat. It is better to keep portions small throughout the day. Some high protein foods, like animal products provide a lot of saturated fat. Saturated fat clogs our arteries, increases cholesterol levels and raises the risk for heart disease. So, try to stay under 4.5 grams of saturated fat per meal. Highly processed protein foods like bologna, hot dogs, deli meats, bacon, salami and even duck, have high saturated fat content. 

After weight loss surgery, the goal should be to get 20-30 grams of protein at four meals a day. This would be around 2-3 oz of cooked animal products at each meal. Supplementing with a protein shake is acceptable until you can get a high amount of protein in your diet. Getting adequate protein will insure you’re building muscle and have the energy your body requires to produce new, healthy cells each day. 

Recipe Corner- Featuring recipes shared at our Protein Potluck Party at Support Group for May, thanks to everyone who shared!

Ricotta Bake

Ingredients:

8 oz Ricotta cheese

1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

1 large egg, beaten

1 teaspoon Italian Seasoning

white or black pepper to taste

1/3-1/2 cup marinara sauce

1/2 cup mozzarella cheese

Directions: Mix ricotta cheese, parmesan cheese, beaten egg, and seasonings together and place in an oven proof dish or muffin tins for easy portion control. Pour marinara on top and top with mozzarella cheese. Bake it in the oven at 450 degrees F for 20-25 minutes. Leftovers heat nicely in the microwave. 

Spinach Feta Meatloaf cups

Makes 8 cupcake sized meatloaves

Ingredients:

1.5 lbs lean ground beef

1 cup chopped yellow onion

1 bag baby spinach

1/2 cup Feta cheese

Instructions:

1. Wash Spinach and tear off the stems if you are using regular spinach. 
2. Add spinach and garlic to a hot skillet with a small amount of olive oil. Cook, stirring frequently over medium high heat until spinach wilts. Remove the skillet from heat and set aside. 
3. Add all the ingredients to a large mixing bowl. Combine with your mixer or hands until the ingredients are well combined. 
4. Spoon about 1/2 cup of meat mixture into each muffin cup and press flat with the back of a spoon. Place muffin tin in a hot oven for 25 minutes at 400 degrees. 
5. Remove from the oven and serve with a spinach salad on the side. 

Zucchini Boats

Serves 8

Ingredients: 

4 medium zucchini

1 pound ground turkey breast

1/2 cup chopped onion

1 egg, beaten

1/2 pound sliced mushrooms

1 large tomato- diced

3/4 cup spaghetti sauce

1/4 cup seasoned whole wheat bread crumbs

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

1 cup (4 oz) shredded low fat mozzarella cheese

Directions:

1. Cut zucchini in half, lengthwise. Cut a thin slice from the bottom of each with a sharp knife to allow zucchini to sit flat. 
2. Scoop out pulp, leaving 1/4 in shells. Set pulp aside. 
3. Place shells in an uncreased 3-qt. Microwave-safe dish. Cover and microwave on high for 3 minutes or until crisp-tender; drain and set aside. 
4. In a large skillet, cook ground turkey and onion over medium heat until meat is no longer pink; drain. Remove from the heat. 
5. In a large bowl, mix together zucchini pulp, beaten egg, spaghetti sauce, bread crumbs, mushrooms, tomato, salt, pepper, 1/2 cup cheese, and cooked ground turkey. 
6. Spoon about 1/4 cup mixture into each shell. 
7. Sprinkle with remaining cheese. 
8. Bake uncovered for 20 minutes at 350 degrees F or until brown. 

If you have a high protein recipe to add, please leave it in the comment section. Thanks!