Protein: Your Health and Nutrition Ally

Why do many athletes love protein-rich foods? They know that they need protein to support their heavy training for cardio endurance and muscle growth. But if you're not running marathons or trying to build huge biceps, is protein important? The answer, from the hair on your head to the tips of your fingers, is yes.

An important part of every part

Protein is an essential building block for muscle, blood, skin, hair, and nails. We need it for muscle repair, for building natural immunities, and for proper growth and development. For active people, protein is also important for recovering from a vigorous workout. Protein helps the body repair small tears in muscle caused by intense exercise, and it also provides energy during long workouts. Every cell in your body depends on protein, which is why it's important to get your recommended allowance every day (especially if you're trying to lose weight).

Getting what you need

How much protein you need depends on how much you weigh and how active you are. In a 2,000 calorie diet, the Daily Value for protein is 50 g. But if you're highly physically active, an athlete, or following a low-calorie diet, you may need a higher protein intake (up to 50 percent to 100 percent more than the average person). As a general rule of thumb, use the following equations to see what you need:

• Average protein recommendation (.36 g) x your body weight (lbs) = grams of protein per day
• Higher protein recommendation (0.68 g) x your body weight (lbs) = grams of protein per day

Most Americans eat plenty of protein. But if you want to see if you're eating enough, visit StartMakingChoices.com to build your own personalized Nutrition Planner.

Finding a smarter source

Protein comes from plant foods such as grains and beans, and also from animal sources such as milk, beef, pork, chicken, and fish. But the highest-quality protein comes from eggs. In fact, the quality of egg protein is so great that scientists typically use eggs as the standard to measure protein quality in other foods.

Egg Beaters® Whites take eggs to the next level, keeping the high-quality protein but taking out fat, saturated fat, and cholesterol. For a quick and convenient source of protein, make Egg Beaters Whites part of your protein plan.