Protein is good for you, but make sure it comes from the right place

Protein is good for you, but make sure it comes from the right place

Every so often, a specific nutrient will become a popular focus for people looking to supplement the vitamins and minerals they consume every day and for food companies that want to add it to their product. Currently, protein is getting its time to shine.

While protein is generally considered a beneficial nutrient, is there a point where too much of a good thing really isn't that good? Certainly, there are reasons to get enough protein in your diet, particularly for those on GLP-1 medication where muscle wasting is a concern, says Meredith Hink, a registered dietician at Emplify Health by Gundersen. And recent dietary guidelines suggest increasing protein intake. However, what's best comes down to the individual.

"There may be some situations where we actually want to make sure that people don't take in too much protein because they may have difficulty processing that in their body," Hink says. "And then there are other situations where they may have a higher need for protein because of an illness or wound healing or just the fact that they are having difficulty with overall health and getting not only enough protein, but enough calories."

Luckily, protein can be found in many sources - not just meat, poultry, eggs and fish. It also occurs naturally in plant-based sources like beans, peas, lentils, nuts and seeds. And because protein can be found in a wide variety of foods, we're able to consume other nutrients as well.

"Having a good variety is really important to be thinking about when we are choosing our protein sources," Hink says.

Hink adds that it's better to get protein from those whole foods and other natural sources rather than products, such as toaster pastries, that add the nutrient in separately.

To learn more about protein and how it fits into your diet, visit gundersenhealth.org/health-wellness/eat-move/protein-takeover-how-much-is-really-needed-per-day.