Pack more protein into your day

MORE MEAT, MORE MUSCLE
Without protein, you’re literally nothing. Protein provides amino acids – the building blocks of our bodies – creating cells, enzymes, hormones and practically anything else you can think of. You can get it from a variety of sources, but the form that is synthesised best in the body is meat.

IMPROVE YOUR SKIN
Collagen, a protein in your skin that keeps you looking healthy, and keratin, which keeps the outer layer of your skin strong, are both synthesised from the food you eat. So by eating more protein, you’ll look younger and be more impervious to injury.

A MELLOW OUTLOOK
Banging your forehead on the desk is one way to relieve tension, but there’s a less painful way – whey protein. Trust the laid-back Dutch to discover that whey protein is key to bumping up the quantity of tryptophan in your body – the building block of happy-making substance serotonin. The study, published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, also found whey reduced levels of the stress-hormone cortisol.

WORK HARD, PLAY FOWL
Once you’ve got that chicken breast down your neck, the protein is distributed throughout your body as required. It’s only once the rest of you has had its fill that your muscles get their share, so you have to make sure you have enough to go round. “You should have 1.4 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight,” says Ian Marber, co-founder of The Food Doctor practice (thefooddoctor.com) in London. “But that relates to a sedentary lifestyle. So if you’re training, you need to up that to 2g per kilo.”

A TROUBLE-FREE LIFE
Brain or brawn? There’s no need to choose; protein gives you both. For example, L-Valine, a protein that can’t be produced by the body, is essential for cognitive function in the brain. You can get it from kidney beans, cottage cheese and poultry. Food for thought, indeed.

MENTAL ALERTNESS
If you regularly crash out after your midday meal, it could be because you’re not prioritising protein. “Eating protein before carbs at lunch will help to avoid a blood-sugar crash and keep you sharp,” says nutritionist Carina Norris. “Stay away from carb-heavy meals such as potatoes and pasta, and go for something like a niçoise salad instead.” The protein will fill you up and you won’t wake up at 3pm with a keyboard imprint on your forehead.

MEAT-FREE MUSCLE
It’s time to update the image of the weedy-looking vegetarian. In the past it was believed that only animal-derived proteins contained all the essential amino acids. Much to the joy of vegetarians everywhere, the World Health Organisation now says that veg-derived proteins are just as good as animal-based ones and have the same muscle-building, brain-boosting benefits. Tofu scored highest on the protein-o-meter and can be used as a meat substitute in a variety of dishes. So you can avoid scoffing your fellow creatures while still being a real man.