Protein: It�s All in the Distribution
Protein: It’s All in the Distribution
By Jill Castle, MS, RDN
Protein is always a hot topic, but most articles focus on how much an athlete should eat during the day, or when they should eat it to best recover or build muscle.
As I describe in my book, Eat Like a Champion, protein is a nutrient that is well received and best utilized by the body when it appears regularly throughout the day.
Consider these scenarios:
Protein illustration. (Small)Jake, a 16-year-old swimmer, has an egg, cheese and ham bagel (~25 grams of protein) after his early morning practice. At school, he snacks on crackers and fruit (~5 g), opts for soup, a roll and chips (~9 g) for lunch, eats a granola bar and juice (5 g) before practice, and at dinner he eats a large steak, baked potato with the works, 3 glasses of milk and a small salad (~85 g).
Protein assessment: Jake is off to a good start, but his protein intake plummets mid-day, he forgets to eat recovery protein, and loads most of his protein intake at night.
Protein illustration, small.
His buddy, Mark, also 16-years-old, eats the same sandwich after practice (~25 g). During school, he has a chicken Caesar wrap and some soup (~35 g). Before swim practice in the afternoon, Mark eats a snack of a mini bagel with peanut butter and a banana (~12 g). After practice, he drinks 10 ounces of chocolate milk (10 g) and heads home for a dinner of shredded chicken and cheese enchiladas with rice and beans (~45 g).
Protein assessment: Mark’s protein intake is fairly evenly distributed throughout the day.
What the research says
As I describe in my book, Eat Like a Champion, protein is a nutrient that is well received and best utilized by the body when it appears regularly throughout the day.
Consider these scenarios:
Protein illustration. (Small)Jake, a 16-year-old swimmer, has an egg, cheese and ham bagel (~25 grams of protein) after his early morning practice. At school, he snacks on crackers and fruit (~5 g), opts for soup, a roll and chips (~9 g) for lunch, eats a granola bar and juice (5 g) before practice, and at dinner he eats a large steak, baked potato with the works, 3 glasses of milk and a small salad (~85 g).
Protein assessment: Jake is off to a good start, but his protein intake plummets mid-day, he forgets to eat recovery protein, and loads most of his protein intake at night.
Protein illustration, small.
His buddy, Mark, also 16-years-old, eats the same sandwich after practice (~25 g). During school, he has a chicken Caesar wrap and some soup (~35 g). Before swim practice in the afternoon, Mark eats a snack of a mini bagel with peanut butter and a banana (~12 g). After practice, he drinks 10 ounces of chocolate milk (10 g) and heads home for a dinner of shredded chicken and cheese enchiladas with rice and beans (~45 g).
Protein assessment: Mark’s protein intake is fairly evenly distributed throughout the day.
What the research says
