Why is it important to discuss protein? It is commonly known that protein is an essential part of any healthy diet. Our bodies use protein to build and repair tissue, such as muscle.
Back when I was in elementary school, I recall learning that steak and other meat products had great levels of protein in it and could help build strong muscles, but never that broccoli should be a go-to for this nutrient building block. So when a little side reading led to the question of steak vs broccoli, it seemed that the answer was obvious. I, like many other people, like the occasional steak. I wanted to believe in that steak pretty badly! So I went with steak and I was so wrong. Fun fact: I actually asked some of my physician friends what they thought and many were wrong as well. Seems that old education dies hard!! BROCCOLI WINS! :)
Here is a simple comparison between broccoli and steak. In the whole scheme of things, green vegetables are actually a better source of pretty much EVERYTHING when comparing meat and vegetables:
Steak:
- Roughly 6.5 grams of protein per 100 calories
- Most calories are from fat
- Little to no fiber, Vitamin C, E, folate, phytochemicals to prevent disease
- 11.1 grams of protein per 100 calories (almost 2x as much protein!!)
- Most calories from protein
- Broccoli is one of the most nutrient dense green vegetables in term on phytochemicals, vitamins and essential nutrients that prevent disease and promote health.
Easy comparison. SO, eat plenty vegetables and save your steak for special occasions. Meat obviously does not need to be a staple food in anyone's diet, because it is easy to load up on protein (as well as disease-fighting and health-building essential nutrients) through green vegetables alone.
The problem is that many people are not a fan of plain vegetables, and the raw form is where the greatest number of nutrients are packed. Luckily though, boiled or steamed vegetables retain much of the nutrients as well. Many people use vegetables in healthy recipes instead of eating them plain and raw.
Does anyone have any great salad or entree recipes incorporating vegetables that they enjoy?
Thanks for visiting today! Come back tomorrow for some shocking information on some favorite holiday treats and how to make good choices this year!
This information is a bit misleading. While it's true that broccoli is far more nutrient-dense than a steak, most people are not going to eat enough broccoli in a single sitting to rival the protein content of steak. A serving of steak (3 oz, which is a far smaller cut than people generally eat) provides 21 grams of protein, and a serving of broccoli (about a cup) provides only about 4 grams of protein.
ReplyDeleteI think she was doing a simple calorie-for-calorie comparison.
ReplyDeleteFirst of all, thanks for the comments! You are actually both correct - Mike, yes, I was doing a basic caloric comparison (and hoping to show that vegetables have more valuable nutrients and less of the 'bad' fats. In answer to Anonymous, the information can be a bit misleading if you think in terms of 'regular' portion size. These days, the portion sizes of the unhealthy foods are typically enormous (you have to look no further than your nearest neighborhood McDonalds to find Supersize Big Macs, huge containers of fries or 20 piece Chicken nuggets), whereas the healthy food portion sizes that we consume are tiny. Still, calorie for calorie, BROCCOLI contains more protein than steak :)
ReplyDeleteWow is that true that calorie for calorie broccoli contains more protein????
DeleteBecause, a significant portion of most plant based foods is cellulose, a polymer of glucose that our body is unable to breakdown. That means all that sugar doesn't get counted in the calorie content making the food contain basically no calories, and the majority of calories come from elsewhere, such as proteins. Vegetables high in starch are different as are fruits.
DeleteMeat on the other hand basically only has things we can break down, meaning all calories are counted.
I lost about 10-15 pounds in my belly (where I store my fat) in about 3 months by exercising and focusing on cutting quick carbohydrates, such as breads, white rice, cereal etc and... and sugars from my diet. That's the elephant in the room no one wants to talk about. Carbs are delicious and we have evolved to hoard and eat them whenever available, however, if you're truly serious about losing weight you need to sacrifice those beloved grains. Everyday I ate a boatload of delicious meat, cheese, nuts and vegetables. Every morning I ate a heaping bowl of greek yogurt that probably had 8 grams of good, but saturated fat in it. I also had big salads and lots of veggies for snacks. I think a big myth is that eating fats makes you fat. The less fat you eat in your diet, the more your body will store it because you have entered into a "survival mode" by depriving your body of essential fats. This will lead to a slower metabolism and the cycle perpetuates. I'm 6'4", around 185 pds and I had to eat 100-150 grams of protein per day (and this is about half what serious trainers recommend for my weight) just to put on a little bit of muscle mass. I would need to eat a few storage boxes worth of vegetables every day, endlessly eating (15,20 meals?), to get my desired protein. I would be eating literally all the time.
ReplyDelete