MHVI Owners Manual . Lifestyle Management . Nutrition . Protein

Protein provides the building blocks for your body's cells. Protein is needed for new cell growth, tissue repair and upkeep. As protein is digested, it breaks down into amino acids that are essential for cell growth.

Protein in your diet comes from both animal and vegetable sources. You probably already know about animal protein. You may not know that protein can also come from plant sources such as vegetables and grains.

Animal protein comes from meats, fish, poultry, and dairy products. Many meats, all whole milk dairy products, and poultry skins contain high amounts of saturated fat. Saturated fats can contribute to the elevation of blood cholesterol levels. We encourage you to choose sources of animal protein with lower fat content.

We also encourage you to begin using more vegetable sources of protein on a regular basis. Americans often build their diets around animal protein. However, it is not necessary to have animal protein with every meal or even every day. People who follow a strictly vegetarian diet are able to obtain all the protein they need from plant sources. All types of legumes (dried beans), soy, nuts, bulgur, and oatmeal are rich sources of protein. The advantage these foods have is that they do not raise blood cholesterol levels and may actually help lower cholesterol.

You do, indeed, need protein every day. However, you do not need the large amounts many of us consume, especially if it is animal protein. Most people need just six ounces of lean meat, fish or skinless poultry, or the equivalent in vegetable protein. See the accompanying table for specific serving sizes.

If you grew up thinking you needed to have some type of "meat" at every meal, try experimenting with some vegetarian meals that contain beans or soy as a protein source. You might find they could be a real treat. We have included in this manual some of our favorite recipes for you to try.

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