Healthy Eating: Proteins
Healthy Eating: ProteinsPg 1TranscriptOne of the most important nutrients you need is protein. Protein helps your body in many ways. Itis a building block for the body, helping your skin, bones, organs, muscles and blood. It alsoprovides energy to your body.Protein is found in a variety of foods like meat, poultry, fish, dried beans, nuts, and eggs.As with most foods, some protein foods are better choices than others. You want to pick thehealthiest protein you can. So, when selecting meat at the market, look for the leanest cutsavailable. These have the highest levels of protein and the least fat. And if picking chicken orturkey, look for skinless versions or remove the skin before you eat them. The skin has extracalories and fat.If packages of meat have a food label on them, look for two numbers. If you see one that is 80/20,that means that it is 80 percent lean meat and 20 percent fat. A 90/10 package would have a loweramount of fat in it. Look at the label and pick the healthier one.Many of us have heard that ground chicken or turkey is always a better choice than ground beef.This is not always true. Check the label carefully and choose the meat that has the lower amountof fat.Limit your servings of bacon, cured ham and processed meats. They tend to be high in sodium andfat which can raise your risk of heart disease and cancer.And remember, there are a variety of protein foods that come from plants and trees. Adding nuts,seeds, beans, and tofu to your meals is a wonderful way to include nutrient packed protein. Nutsare high in calories, so watch your portions size and choose unsalted products.Talk with a registered dietitian or your healthcare provider about how much protein you should aimfor per day; then choose low fat, whole foods.This program is for informational purposes only; for all health related issues please contact your healthcareprovider. Publisher disclaims all guarantees regarding the accuracy, completeness, or suitability of this videofor medical decision making. gn_10227_98 ©Milner-Fenwick, Inc.
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