The Importance of High-Quality Protein – and How it Can Benefit You
Protein is a necessary nutrient for maintaining high levels of physical function. If you’re a dedicated athlete, a weekend warrior, or someone who is simply trying to become more active, your protein intake plays a key role in your physical performance. There are many factors of high-quality protein that can benefit you in ways you may not have even considered!
How can I add high-quality protein into my diet?
There are several complete proteins that contain desired levels of amino acids, biological value, and digestible value. These are all types of proteins that your physical therapist will recommend to you in order to provide nutrition and build healthy muscle. Our list of complete proteins include:
- Fish: Fish are considered lean, high-quality proteins, including, tuna, salmon, whitefish, and halibut.
- Meat: Many animal products are considered high-quality proteins, including dairy products, red meat, and poultry.
- Soy: While most vegetable-based products are not considered complete and high-quality proteins, soy is one of the only ones that is.
- Quinoa: Quinoa includes 9 essential amino acids, making this plant-based product a high-quality protein.
- Eggs: An egg typically contains 6 or 7 grams of protein, making it high-quality.
Why is high-quality protein so important?
A protein-rich diet is crucial to building healthy muscles. Eating the right protein after an intense workout can help repair any damage done to your muscle fibers.
Whether you find your protein through animal products, vegetable products, or plant products, it is important to make sure you consume a healthy portion. This will help you in maintaining a strong balance between strengthening your muscles and keeping a healthy weight.
So… what exactly is it?
High-quality protein is also referred to as “complete protein.” It is measured by its biological value, as well as its digestible value. These terms are defined as follows:
- Complete protein: A complete protein contains all the necessary amino acids for a nutritional protein-based meal. These amino acids act as the “building blocks” that form the protein.
- Digestible value: This refers to your body’s ability to break down food and use it as energy. This all determines how “digestible” it is. Some examples of digestible proteins include lean meat and cooked eggs.
- Biological value: Also known as BV, biological value describes the level of quality that a protein offers. Proteins with high BV contain the amino acids your body needs to function properly.
Improving your health with physical therapy:
If you are looking to improve your physical performance by eating healthier, a physical therapist can help get you there. They know the different high-quality proteins that will help you reduce muscle loss and build lean muscles.
After your consultation, your therapist will conduct a physical evaluation to determine your current fitness level and how to help you improve. They will also take into account your levels of physical activity, your current diet, and any injuries you may have. Your physical therapist will provide you with nutritional tips in order to reach your goals and get the most out of your physical therapy treatment program. Improving your diet, along with working with an experienced physical therapist, can help you increase your strength, endurance, and overall performance.
Consulting with a physical therapist can help you improve physically, recover from injuries quicker, and prevent injuries from happening in the future. To schedule your appointment with one of our experienced physical therapists, contact our office today! You can get back in the game and reach your peak with a detailed physical therapy program that’s created especially for you.