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absorbing protein?

scapina Posts: 34 Joined: 2003/02/09	2004/08/07, 10:20 PM how much protein can the body absorb at once? i ask because sometimes a the end of the day i realuze i haven't had enough protein, so i want to drink shakes to get those numbers up, but i wonder if it's all being absorbed? being vegetarian and getting 155g of protein a day is hard. :)
scapina Posts: 34 Joined: 2003/02/09	2004/08/10, 07:10 PM anyone? bueller?
bb1fit Posts: 11,105 Joined: 2001/06/30	2004/08/10, 08:12 PM That amount is easily achieved with 30 gr. per meal at 5 meals for example. Being vegetarian, you will have to combine food sources to make complete proteins, and it does get rough. Supplementation would be of great aid to you. Adding whey protein and milk and egg protein if you are not a full vegan will do nicely. There is no "set" number of grams of protein the body can digest, the digestive system can handle virtually anything you can throw at it. Trying to get your remainder of your daily amount at once though is trying to "fix" what you didn't do all day, and it will not work. Whatever the calorie amount in your end of the day meal, if this puts you over your maintenance level, it matters not what source the calories come from, excess calories can be stored as fat. Protein is not as likely as carbs or fat for example, but still the possiblity exists.(if every calorie over maintenance was stored as fat, we would all be pigs). But the possibility exists, this is how we gain weight. -------------- If you don't stand for something, you will fall for anything.... bb1fit@freetrainers.com
scapina Posts: 34 Joined: 2003/02/09	2004/08/10, 08:24 PM thanks for the answer. my calories are almost always low, so i don't go over by "making up" at the end of the day. but i do realize this is not the optimal way to go about it. what do you mean by complete proteins?
davisp Posts: 313 Joined: 2002/10/26	2004/08/10, 10:56 PM scapina, Proteins are made up of essential amino acids that you obtain from your foods. Things like rice, potatoes, and beans contain too few of the essential amino acids that are required for complete protein. You can combine two or more sources of protein to obtain complete protein. Some combinations would be rice and beans, rice with sesame seeds, cereal with milk, pasta and cheese, wheat bread and bake beans, and the list goes on. Good luck! :big_smile: -------------- Seeking out motivation does not motivate you to seek out results. - Paul Post mark - PaulsMark - Post mark
bb1fit Posts: 11,105 Joined: 2001/06/30	2004/08/10, 10:58 PM Vegetarians have a problem with complete proteins. Most all plant sources of proteins are incomplete(lacking in an essential amino acid, thus rendering the protein unuseable for muscle building). You need to combine plant sources and grains. Examples are beans, peas, peanuts, letils with grains, cereals and breads or seeds and nuts. Grains and breads can be combined with milk products also to make complete proteins. More examples are rice and sesame, nuts and milk, etc. -------------- If you don't stand for something, you will fall for anything.... bb1fit@freetrainers.com
scapina Posts: 34 Joined: 2003/02/09	2004/08/11, 02:38 AM so a complete protein contains carbs? and i assume that this means my protein powders aren't enough (ISOwhey)? should i be taking amino acids then too? thanks so much! i never knew this AT ALL! :)
princesslodgey Posts: 1,748 Joined: 2004/02/21	2004/08/11, 04:52 AM "so a complete protein contains carbs? " No - proteins and carbs are different. there are 3 major macronutrients - proteins, fats and carbs. PROTEINS are made by lots of smaller molecules - AMINO ACIDS stuck together FATS are basically made from ESSENTIAL FATTY ACIDS CARBS are made from SUGARS - lots of sugars stuck together become complex carbs, eg starchy foods such as potatoes. a few sugars stuck together or sugars on their own are simple carbs such as lactose, galactose, dextrose, fructose "and i assume that this means my protein powders aren't enough (ISOwhey)? should i be taking amino acids then too?" Your protein powders like all proteins are MADE UP of amino acids and should be formulated to contain a complete balance of amino acids - Often the packs will have a list of the amino acids on the side. ISOwhey is probably best for post workout protein as it is quickly absorbed. If you want protein for last thing at night you want something more slow release - can you eat cottage cheese?
scapina Posts: 34 Joined: 2003/02/09	2004/08/11, 02:53 PM yes i can eat cottage sheese, but i only eat rennet free or vegetarian rennet stuff- i'll investigate to find a cottage cheese that does that. :) and i do see that my ISOWhey has plenty of amino acids. thanks for your help. i have a pretty good idea of what carbs, fat and protein are (but your defintions helped make it even clearer)- but the comments like ============ Quoting from davisp: Some combinations would be rice and beans, rice with sesame seeds, cereal with milk, pasta and cheese, wheat bread and bake beans, and the list goes on. ============= ============ Quoting from bb1fit: You need to combine plant sources and grains. Examples are beans, peas, peanuts, letils with grains, cereals and breads or seeds and nuts. Grains and breads can be combined with milk products also to make complete proteins. ============= and are what i was talking about. i understood this to mean that to get a complete protein i had to mix carbs and protein. because aren't things like cereal, pasta, breads, grains and so on more carbs than protein? i thought i was informed, but i see that i have a lot to learn. thanks for all the help so far.
bb1fit Posts: 11,105 Joined: 2001/06/30	2004/08/11, 05:42 PM No, you are not mixing carbs and proteins. YOu are combining those protein sources to make up the 8 essential amino acids necessary for lean tissue building. Unlike animal sources, all plant sources contain carbs also, but are good carbs. You are looking to disregard that and focus on the protein portions to make the complete proteins needed. ============ Quoting from scapina: yes i can eat cottage sheese, but i only eat rennet free or vegetarian rennet stuff- i'll investigate to find a cottage cheese that does that. :) and i do see that my ISOWhey has plenty of amino acids. thanks for your help. i have a pretty good idea of what carbs, fat and protein are (but your defintions helped make it even clearer)- but the comments like ============= -------------- If you don't stand for something, you will fall for anything.... bb1fit@freetrainers.com
scapina Posts: 34 Joined: 2003/02/09	2004/08/11, 06:46 PM ah, i get it. ok. :)
princesslodgey Posts: 1,748 Joined: 2004/02/21	2004/08/12, 07:02 AM Sorry if I patronised you :) quoting from scapina "i have a pretty good idea of what carbs, fat and protein are "
scapina Posts: 34 Joined: 2003/02/09	2004/08/12, 01:40 PM no, you didn't :) you had no idea how much i knew.
jsvez Posts: 112 Joined: 2003/09/23	2004/08/12, 01:51 PM scapina, A great source of protein is hemp hearts and they taste quite a bit like sunflower seeds. Check out http://www.hemperor.com/nutrition/index.asp?itemID=121 for some basic nutritional background. I have recently been mixing them into my salads at lunch with the dressing made from hemp oil and I have noticed a difference in my energy levels. The nice thing is you get a complete source of protein containing BCAA's plus essential fatty acids in one meal.
kakaroto Posts: 893 Joined: 2002/05/09	2004/08/13, 09:47 AM aim for protein shakes if you don´t mind the cost
scapina Posts: 34 Joined: 2003/02/09	2004/08/13, 12:40 PM oh i mind the cost, but shakes seem to be the only way to get my protein high enough while keeping the fat down. those hemp seeds look good, i'll keep an eye out for them. thanks!