Protein is essential in the diet, but most people consume far more than needed. Protein builds and repairs muscle tissue, tendons, and ligaments; synthesizes hormones and enzymes; and is also important for the transport of fluids. If your body does not have adequate carbohydrate stores, it will use protein as an energy source, but that is not its primary function. The body prefers to use glucose instead, reserving protein for the functions listed above.



Just like a carbohydrate, protein has 4 calories per gram. Proteins are made of 20 different amino acids, 9 of which the body cannot produce on its own. You need protein in your diet for these essential amino acids. The recommended protein intake for an adult is: 0.4 grams of protein per pound of body weight.

If you've been hesitant about trying tofu in the past, it may be time to give it a go. Eating more tofu and less meat could be good for your heart. In a recent study, two groups of people ate similar diets, but the participants in one group ate 290 grams (about a cup) of tofu per day while the participants in the other group ate 150 grams of lean meat per day. After one month, the tofu group had significantly lower total cholesterol and triglyceride levels. Lower blood-fat levels could translate into lower heart disease risk over time.

Don't buy into the the "energy bar" hype for their special powers. Just because they have more like 30% protein instead of the average "less than 20%" doesn't mean that you couldn't get the same thing from other smart snacking.

Many people ignore nuts as a nutritious snack because of their high fat content. Indeed, approximately 75 percent of a nut's calories come from fat, but most of that fat is the heart healthy monounsaturated kind. Nuts also pack a wallop of protein: a one-ounce serving of peanuts has about as much protein as a glass of milk.

A few spoonfuls of flaxseed every day may have prostate-protective powers. In a small study of men with prostate cancer, participants who followed a low-fat diet that was supplemented with flaxseed appeared to have slower-growing tumors than men who did not follow the flaxseed diet.