Why Protein (and When You Eat It) Matters Even More in Menopause

Transcript:

Melanie: Hello and welcome to Dishing Up Nutrition. If you're tuning in to this episode, chances are you are curious about how protein can help you and the women you care about through menopause. If you're currently in the stages of perimenopause and menopause, let me ask you, are you noticing more fatigue, brain fog, or maybe stubborn weight changes as you move through this phase of your life? Or maybe have you ever thought, I feel like I'm eating pretty well, so why do I still feel this way?

That's really frustrating. And are you curious whether you're actually getting enough protein to support your energy and maintain your strength? You may have been hearing more and more about the importance of protein for women as we age. I think is everywhere in social media.

Britni: It is. Which is good.

Melanie: And maybe you've been wanting to increase your protein but struggling to get there. We are here to help answer your questions today and leave you with some attainable action steps to make sure you're getting the protein your body needs during the phase of life. But before we go any further in today's topic, I want to introduce myself. I'm Melanie Beasley. I'm a Registered and Licensed Dietitian.

Britni: And I'm Britni Vincent, also a Registered and Licensed Dietitian. And I want to say, even if you're not yet in this phase of life, or if you are a male, a lot of this can still pertain to you.

Melanie: 100%.

Britni: Because protein is so important for all of us. So keep listening, even if you're not in perimenopause or, or postmenopausal yet, but those of you that are, if you're noticing more belly fat, more cravings, more fatigue, or feeling like your body has changed without your lifestyle changing, you are not alone. I hear this so often from my clients. I haven't changed anything, but I feel like everything in my body is changing.

Melanie: Is changing, and I'm hearing menopause belly;

Britni: Yeah.

Melanie: That term more and more and more.

Britni: Yes.

Melanie: It's not your destiny. I'm definitely in menopause and it doesn't have to be this way.

Britni: Yeah.

Melanie: So if you're feeling frustrated, hopefully we're going to lend some tips that will help you.

Britni: Absolutely. And as we said, I think a lot of you have probably heard the buzz about increasing protein. So we're going to answer how much protein do women actually need in this stage of life, and how do you practically get it all in?

Melanie: Yes. And it doesn't always have to involve cottage cheese.

Britni: No. Which is also everywhere on social media.

Melanie: Everywhere. And if you're dairy intolerant, like both Britni and I, it doesn't help you.

Britni: Nope.

Melanie: So spoiler alert, you probably need more protein now than you did in your twenties. I think that's surprising.

Britni: Yes.

Melanie: That your twenties and thirties are not as protein needy as you are when you're in perimenopause and menopause. And it's not just about your muscles. We're talking about bone health, metabolism, energy. That's a big one. Cravings. Blood sugar. Really all of it. Your total body wellness, health, and longevity tied up in that protein.

Why protein is a big deal in menopause

So let's start with why. Why is protein such a big deal in menopause? Okay. Protein is made of amino acids that your body uses as building blocks to repair and grow tissues. If you think about your bones, it's probably not something you think of protein.

Britni: No, I don't think so.

Melanie: Bone is mostly protein and then muscle, hair, skin, nail, you know those struggles that we have with, oh, I feel like my hair is thinning. Oh, I feel like my nails are brittle. Well, that's protein and they all have those needs to get enough protein in the body. So it's going to help all of your frustrations.

Britni: Yeah, I mean, it's, it's so important for so many reasons, and I'm glad you brought up the point of your needs are higher now because as we age, our protein needs increase.

Melanie: But I think we end up eating… when I remember how my mother used to eat or my aunts, it was less, it was a splash of protein if any at a meal.

Britni: Yeah. Because the assumption is as you age, you need less.

Melanie: Right.

Britni: And that's just not true.

Melanie: That's not true.

Britni: And I mean protein is essential for making hormones like insulin, thyroid hormones, both of which have effects on your weight and your energy.

Melanie: And you know, I just read something, Britni, that the risk of having thyroid issues after the age of 45 doubles.

Britni: Oh wow. That is, that's very significant.

Melanie: That’s significant.

Britni: Yeah.

Melanie: I don't know. Is the thyroid just pooping out as we age? And it's tired? What's happening there?

Brinti: Yeah, interesting.

Melanie: I thought that was astounding. It was only one study, but it was interesting.

Britni: Yeah. I mean many of my clients have a thyroid condition. I'm sure yours do too.

Melanie: Yeah.

Protein importance continued: it builds neurotransmitters

Britni: And you know, another key piece to the protein is it helps to build your neurotransmitters. So those feel good brain chemicals like serotonin and dopamine, and there are so many mood changes that can happen in perimenopause and menopause, and of course much of which is caused from the hormone fluctuations, but protein can really help.

Melanie: Yes. It's not something a go-to for hormones. We don't always think protein, so I'm really glad you brought that up. Britni, you being the hormone queen in our company, I never, personally I don’t think protein: hormones.

Britni: Yep.

Melanie: But I definitely know not enough protein affects hormones.

Britni: Yes, absolutely.

Protein maintains muscle mass

Melanie: And in menopause we've got a few extra challenges. Of course, we mentioned the hormone changes, especially the drops in estrogen, and that tends to speed up muscle loss: total bummer is to lose muscle and then get the “meno” belly. So less muscle usually means a slower metabolism.

And think of muscle mass as the engine that keeps metabolism humming along. Many women notice more fatigue, more aches, more stubborn weight, especially in that midsection, during that hormone shift. Protein becomes one of your best tools because you can't maintain muscle without enough protein.

And as we often say to clients, you can spend all day at the gym, but you can't build a brick wall without bricks, and you can't build muscle without protein. You know, with longevity, have you ever noticed as people age, they have a tendency to lean forward when they walk?

Britni: Yeah.

Melanie: Well, I just had an exercise physiologist explain this phenomenon to me is as we age, people have a tendency to lean forward, and that's because the strength in the buttocks and the hamstrings gets less and less and that muscle tissue becomes weaker and weaker.

Britni: Interesting.

Melanie: So they feel comfortable with the strength in their quads in the front. So they start to lean forward because they feel more comfortable and stronger, and that is a sign that you are losing mobility and independence.

Britni: Wow, that's interesting. You mentioned longevity. Muscle is correlated with better longevity.

Melanie: Yes. The better your muscles, the stronger your muscles, which you need protein; is going to be what's going to keep you living longer.

Britni: Yeah.

Melanie: And quality of life. In midlife and beyond, muscle is one of the biggest predictors of health and independence. Age related muscle loss called sarcopenia is a strong predictor of disability as we age and even premature death. And I think people are becoming more aware of the importance of keeping our muscles strong as we age.

In order to keep our muscles strong, we have to have protein and research shows women can lose up to 8% of muscle mass per decade after 40. I would say it's, it can be even more than that. And even more rapidly during menopause because of that estrogen connection. Protein helps counteract that muscle loss, and because estrogen also plays a key role in maintaining bone turnover and we lose estrogen production in menopause, those protein needs increase to maintain bone mineral density.

Protein is satiating

Britni: So many benefits that I don't think people realize. Another piece that my clients notice pretty quickly when they increase their protein, they're more satiated. They're feeling fuller longer.

Melanie: Yes.

Britni: Because I hear from a lot of women in perimenopause or who are postmenopausal, they have more cravings. They're wanting to eat more. Part of that can be the hormone changes. I think also it tends to be a stressful time of life, that age. So cravings can be from that as well, but when you focus on the protein, those cravings, I mean, they quickly go away.

Melanie: Yes. And I love that you say focus on the protein because I'll tell clients no matter what else is on the plate, make sure you get the protein in. Because they'll say, oh, I just fill up, well, don't fill up on the, you know, the potato and don't fill up on the soup. Get the protein in because that is what's fighting for you. Then go for the vegetables, then maybe the soup and potato. You know, but if you get a great big salad or a big bowl of soup before you ever start on your protein, chances are it's going to be hard to finish.

Britni: Yeah.

Melanie: And I don't want anyone gagging protein down.

Britni: No. That's not, not fun.

Melanie: It's not enjoyable. And you paid for that in a restaurant.

Britni: Yeah. Yeah.

Melanie: So let's make sure that you are getting the protein in.

Britni: Yeah. And then you're fuller longer. So I really think, well, I know I've seen it in my clients and myself. It prevents a little extra stuff that sneaks in between meals.

Melanie: Yeah. That the nibbles and bits, the handful of nuts.

Britni: Yep.

Melanie: Crackers.

Britni: Yep.

Melanie: You don't want it.

Britni: No, no. It adds up really quickly. And every time you eat protein, your body burns more calories digesting it compared to carbs and fat.

Melanie: Yeah.

Britni: So your metabolism is stimulated by eating protein and then by gaining muscle, that also improves your metabolism. And then protein doesn't spike blood sugar like carbohydrates do. By adding the protein with the carbs, it's slowing down the absorption.

Melanie: And getting it first, it buffers that blood sugar response.

Protein improves body composition

Britni: Yes. Yes. So then your blood sugar's more stable all day. So I want to share this study because I think it really, really speaks to the power of protein. So there was two groups of women in this study and one group, they increased their protein, so all the women were sedentary. Exercise was not a part of their daily life. And exercise did not change during this study, but the women in the group who increased their protein, they were getting 1.8 grams per kilogram of body weight of protein. And over a 12-week period, they lost on average 10 to 15% body fat.

Melanie: 10 to 15. So what does that look like on the scale?

Britni: At the beginning of the study, these women were 30 to 35% body fat, and they went down to 20% body fat on average. So basically they changed their body composition.

Melanie: That is so interesting. So it's not about what you see on the scale because sometimes things are shifting and what you see in the mirror is flatter belly, stronger, more toned muscles.

Britni: Yes.

Melanie: And less of the body fat coating that covers up all your hard work of working out.

Britni: And they're so much healthier because they lost that body, that visceral fat, that fat around their organs. They dropped a lot of that. And yeah. I'm so glad you brought up it's not always about the scale, because if your clothes are fitting better you're healthier, I mean, to me that is much more important than the scale going down.

Melanie: And I love that we're trending in that direction where we're trending towards health instead of the number on the scale.

Britni: Yep.

Melanie: I love this.

Britni: Yes. Yeah. So if weight loss is your goal, I highly encourage you to track the weight on the scale, but pick an item of clothing where you're tracking that progress. Or, or some other way or taking measurements. And I too want to add the amount of protein this group of women was eating in this study, it was a lot of protein.

Melanie: It was a part-time job.

Britni: Yes. So that is not necessarily realistic for all of us. But, and, and we'll give some, some kind of guidelines to this in a little bit, but point being, if you up your protein, you're going to see some changes.

Common signs when women aren’t eating enough protein

Melanie: Yeah. Yeah, that's a really good point. And before we talk numbers, I want to list a few common signs that we see over and over in clinic when women aren't eating enough protein. Now these are signs that you are not getting enough to support your body. It might be you have trouble building or maintaining muscle. You've been at the gym, you're working out really hard. You are just not seeing muscle change.

Maybe it's your weight loss is stalled that we talked about. Or weight gain despite “doing everything right”. And I put that in quotations and then brittle nails, dry skin, thinning hair, those are all signs you're not getting enough protein. I had a client, it was wonderful. When she started eating protein, she said, look, and she showed me where all she had all these little stumbles of hair that were growing back when she thought she had alopecia.

Also hungry or never truly satisfied after a meal. You're always peckish an hour or two later. Constant cravings, usually for sugars or carbs. You up that protein, you make sure you're getting enough, that goes away. Low energy, slow recovery after exercise. Think about the slump you get in the mid-afternoon, not enough protein at lunch.

And then difficulty concentrating or that brain fog where you feel like you just can't focus and put a good thought together. So if you are ticking a bunch of these boxes and you are in perimenopause or menopause or not, it is likely that you need more animal protein in your diet. That doesn't mean you run out and eat a bunch of nuts or beans. Animal protein.

How much protein do we recommend?

Britni: Good point. Good point. So let's answer that question. How much protein do I actually need? So if you type that in to Mr. Google or Mrs. Google.

Melanie: Who is not an expert in nutrition.

Britni: No. What's going to possibly pop back is the official recommended daily allowance or the RDA is about 0.8 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight. So this is like the absolute minimum. This is to prevent…

Melanie: Kwashiorkor. Protein deficiency.

Britni: Yes. And what more recent research is saying is you need like 1.2 grams per kilogram of body weight to just prevent muscle loss.

Melanie: And if you don't want to calculate kilograms, it'd be what? One gram per pound of ideal body weight.

Britni: Yep. So this prevention of muscle loss, we don't have this reserve of protein in our body. So if you are not eating enough protein, your muscles literally break down.

Melanie: So this is where we start seeing things like, I call them angel wings.

Britni: Yeah.

Melanie: Where you don't have any bicep muscle. But man, you've got some flabby underarms.

Britni: Yeah.

Melanie: This is a combination of breaking down the muscle that's supporting that skin and possibly not using the muscle enough.

Britni: Mm-hmm. Because we, there is a high demand for protein and these amino acids in our body. So if we're not eating it, we have to get it from somewhere.

Melanie: Your body's very efficient.

Britni: Yeah. So to not only prevent muscle loss, but to actually help support building muscle, what this equates to is about 0.7 to one gram of protein per pound of your ideal body weight. An ideal could be what is your weight goal, or if you are at where you want to be, you use that amount for this calculation. This typically ends up being 90 to 120 grams of protein per day, you know.

Melanie: For most women.

Britni: Sometimes more than that.

Melanie: It you’re really tall it's going to be higher. You know, over five, seven, it'll be higher. If you're under five foot one, it's going to might be a little bit lower. But that's a really good ballpark, Britni. I like that you said that.

Britni: So that equates to about 13 to 17 ounces per day of animal, animal-based protein. Part of this is spreading this out throughout the day because if you're just consuming, I don't know how anybody could; 75 grams of protein in a meal, you're not getting the same benefit as spreading it out throughout the day.

Melanie: The body can only absorb so much.

Britni: Yeah. So much.  

Melanie: And it is really hard. I mean, to sit down and eat; let's say you're intermittent fasting and you're eating two meals a day. If you do that calculation, good gracious. You're eating at least seven to eight ounces per meal.

Britni: Which I, I don't know anybody that could do that.

Melanie: You have to really love your, your food.

Britni: So starting out the day with solid protein helps to really jumpstart things, getting some protein if you have a snack during the day. So spreading that out.

Melanie: And you also get to, let's say you're tracking. And you might be using a tracking app, which might be Chronometer or MyNetDiary or one of those. And if you're tracking, you can add in what you're getting from plant. Or maybe you use collagen; that goes towards your quota, but it's not as well absorbed, not a complete amino acid. So we're talking animal protein is probably the best.

Britni: Yep. And when we, when we give you those ounces to aim for per meal, we're specifically talking animal protein.

Melanie: Yes.

Britni: Yep. Okay. It is time for our break, and when we get back, we are going to talk more about protein and give you some ideas as well.

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Melanie: Welcome back. Before we went to break, we were talking about the importance of protein, how it revs your metabolism, how it prevents muscle loss, and generally overall wellness. And I recommend really taking the time to measure out your cooked protein, at least to get an idea of what it looks like, because a lot of times you can throw two ounces in a salad, think you're getting adequate protein, you think you're doing four ounces.

Track/weigh out how much protein you’re getting

So just get a scale. I know we sell one at Nutritional Weight & Wellness. You can find them everywhere. A food scale. Weigh it out. And see what it is. I still, after all these years, when I weigh out protein that I've prepped and I'm going to freeze it, I weigh it out in five-ounce portions, because I know that's what I require.

And I emphasize cooked protein because it's going to lose some volume during, you know, from fat and water during the cooking process. I find that most of the time we women are overestimating how much protein we're actually getting. So when you take that time to weigh it out, it is a good visual for you moving forward. And it's going to really help you achieve your goals if you're really getting enough protein.

Britni: You know, I also want to mention that leaner cuts of meat are going to be more protein dense. So if we're talking breakfast sausage. Pork sausage has significantly less protein than like a turkey or a chicken sausage.

Melanie: Because it's diluted with fat.

Britni: Yep. So not to say you need to avoid fattier cuts of meat all the time, but when you are aiming to get your protein in, you know…

Melanie: You're going to lean towards that chicken and turkey sausage.

Britni: Yes. Makes it a little easier.

Melanie: I mean, I love a rib eye. But it's not going to be as much protein per ounce as if I were doing maybe a flank steak.

Britni: Yeah.

Melanie: So that's a really good point.

Ignore the marketing hype when it comes to protein (& stick to real food sources)

Britni: So when you're walking down the aisles at the grocery store, you're probably seeing the word protein everywhere. Protein chips. Protein popcorn, protein everything.

Melanie: Protein beverages.

Britni: Yeah. Yeah.

Melanie: My daughter will screenshot a beverage that she's consuming for protein. I am like, if it's factory founded, it's probably not going to be your best real food option.

Britni: Yeah. And typically what they're using is some sort of cheap protein source to add in there to then just claim that it has protein; does not mean it's a great product. Because chances are there's going to be extra stuff in there, carbs, sugar.

Melanie: And amino acids matter.

Britni: Yeah.

Melanie: You know how the amino acids are put together are perfect in meat. They are not perfect when you're buying some of these beverages or this popcorn. And so it's not going to really be beneficial to your body to meet the goals of preserving muscle. Or creating hormones or bone.

Britni: So moral of the story, stick with real food.

Melanie: Yeah, that's a good moral. Protein Pop-Tarts are not the option.

Britni: No.

Melanie: So protein is really getting all the attention in this nutrition world, and we just want you to focus on more protein, but more real food protein and ignore the marketing hype. Maybe even avoid those aisles because we always want to stick to the real food sources so that you're absorbing all that you need.

Britni: Yep.

Melanie: And because remember, it's not just about protein, it's about all the nutrients that come along with real food.

Britni: Yeah, it's a great point. So we're thinking eggs, meat, fish, seafood, dairy, if you tolerate it; those are all going to be the best sources of protein because they're more bioavailable for our body.

Melanie: And you know, some people are using a lot more egg whites because they're doing maybe two eggs and two or three egg whites because you've got to pop it up. If you're thinking you're getting your protein and you had two eggs for breakfast. Well, you had 12 to 14 grams of protein.

Britni: Yeah. It's not much.

Melanie: When you need 90 to 120, that's a drop in the bucket. And if you're skipping breakfast altogether, you're already in the hole. So now you're trying to get 90 to 120 grams of protein and you're starting at noon. That's really, really hard.

Britni: It's hard.

Melanie: So drop the cereal, even if it's a “protein cereal”, it's not going to do the job.

Britni: Yeah.

Sample menu of a high protein day

Melanie: So all this being said, what does a high protein day look like? So I'm going to give you an example of something that I would do. We'll lay out this sort of a sample menu. So breakfast, like I mentioned, I'll do, if I do eggs, I'll do two scrambled eggs and I will do three egg whites.

I will stir fry some kale in butter, and then one to two ounces of turkey sausage patty. And maybe some, if I have room, I'll do a little diced sweet potato, maybe a half a cup.

Britni: Yeah.

Melanie: And that's breakfast. And I am not hungry until lunch.

Britni: I bet.

Melanie: So then lunch is going to be four to six ounces of chicken salad made with avocado based mayo. I serve it on top of a bunch of salad greens and chopped up vegetables. And then I do have some seed crackers I really like, and I might have one or two of those. And then, that is pretty much it. If I cook anything, if I cook rice, if I cook broth, if I cook with broth for soups, I use bone broth. Because bone broth adds a significant amount of protein.

Britni: It's a great tip.

Melanie: Easy way. So bone broth, rice, if you cook wild rice, cook it with bone broth. And you're going to pop that protein up. And then again, I'm not hungry between lunch and dinner. By the time I have, I have gotten all that protein out of my lunchbox and consumed it.

So dinner's going to be four to six ounces. I usually do a five ounce salmon patty, roasted vegetables tossed in some avocado oil to roast them and then, you know, spice it up. And if I'm roasting a pan of veggies, I just roasted a bunch of root vegetables with some other vegetables. So that was turnip. I did turnip, rutabaga, carrots, Brussels sprouts, some onion, and then I threw in there some cauliflower that I had and I roasted that. And so I'll just scoop and warm it with my protein.

Britni: Yeah.

Melanie: Sometimes it's going to be salmon. Tonight it will be a turkey breast.

Britni: Sounds great.

Melanie: So that's kind of it. And then I rarely need a snack. If I do need a snack, it's a protein forward snack, so I will recommend to clients, let's say they're going from 11:30, my teachers, especially, they'll go from 11:30, maybe till 6:30. They want a snack in there. I'm like, how about a grass-fed beef stick? Or roll up some deli meat, put some cream cheese in there and a pickle. But protein forward, always think, am I getting my protein?

Britni: Those are some great ideas. I mean, this time of year I make a lot of soups and stews.

Melanie: Yum.

Britni: So the key to this is making sure you're adding enough protein in these, because I think typically when people make soup, they're not adding enough protein in there.

Melanie: No, they put a ton of veggies. Good for them. I mean, I love that they're looking at veggies. But they skimp on the protein in soups.

Britni: So check out our website, weightandwellness.com. We have a bunch of different soup and stew options, and they're all going to have adequate protein.

Melanie: So when you look at the serving size, that's going to have at least four ounces of protein.

Britni: Yep.

Melanie: Now if you get vegetable happy, and you're throwing in a lot more vegetables, you're, again, the vegetables are great, but you're diluting the protein content.

Britni: Yep. So then just if you are adding more veggies, then your serving’s going to be larger.

Melanie: Yes.

Britni: So keeping that in mind; adding more veggies is not going to make the servings go to six to eight.

Melanie: Right.

Britni: Yeah. You still have to make sure it's a six serving to get the adequate protein. It's a really good point.

Britni: So let's talk about breakfast. I don't know about you. I get sick of eating eggs.

Melanie: I a hundred percent get sick of eating eggs.

Britni: I maybe do it once or twice a week, so I often have leftovers for breakfast. I know some people it weirds them out.

Melanie: There's nothing wrong with chili for breakfast.

Britni: No, it's delicious. And frankly to me, it's easier to get my protein in than eating eggs.

Melanie: Yes.

Britni: Because I don't love them. So the other option, especially if you are thinking, oh my goodness, this is so much more protein than I'm getting, do a smoothie or do a smoothie bowl.

Melanie: So many recipes on our website.

Britni: Yeah.

Melanie: So tell us about a smoothie bowl.

Britni: So I will blend up the protein powder, some liquid, and either, often I do chia, so it ends up kind of being like a chia pudding.

Melanie: Mm-hmm.

Britni: And then I put my toppings on. I put my fruit on top. I put, I like nuts for some crunch.

Melanie: So less liquid, less liquid crunch. So less liquid. So it's more like spoonable.

Britni: Yep.

Melanie: Yum.

Britni: So it's thick. It's kind of like, you know, a, a Greek yogurt consistency, and then I eat it with a spoon. Sometimes I'll warm it up when it's cold. You could also, instead of the nuts, you could do peanut butter.

Melanie: Mm-hmm.

Britni: Super easy to make a batch of. And then, you know, actually eating this and chewing it is more satiating. Because if you, if you make a smoothie, sometimes it doesn't stick with you as long.

Melanie: I would agree. And I do love, I'll take two tablespoons of chia, a cup of maybe organic almond milk.

Britni: Mm-hmm.

Melanie: And then a scoop and a half of my protein powder. I throw it in the blender; it's immediately thickened. It doesn't have to sit overnight.

Britni: Yep.

Melanie: But if you triple this or double this, just like you said, and then you put it over a half a cup of berries in a mason jar, and then drizzle some nut butter on top or you're nuts, it's an easy grab and go. Love that. We've got so many smoothie recipes on our website that you can do that, you know, don't have the chia in there. If you don't like the texture of chia, you can coffee grind your, you know, in a little grinder, grind your chia so you don't get the seeds, but you're getting the thickening.

Britni: Yeah that’s great.

Melanie: And the fiber. Zen basil is actually another thing that you can use. I like Zen basil seeds, because they're higher in fiber, so you're getting, they have a little herbaceous taste. Another thing that you can do for breakfast if you tolerate dairy is ricotta.

Britni: Yeah.

Melanie: So if you do ricotta and you just flavor it with, sweeten it with a little stevia or monk fruit and use almond extract, do it with some berries, it's a big protein.

Britni: Yum.

Melanie: It doesn't have to always be cottage cheese. So those are some great options that we have a cottage cheese ice cream.

Britni: Mm-hmm.

Melanie: Which I've had some clients make that for breakfast. The strawberry. Is it the strawberry? Can't remember the flavor. It's cottage… Oh no, I think it's a peanut butter chocolate. I'll have them make that because it is protein.

Britni: Yeah, great idea.

Melanie: And it's a little delicious.

Britni: Yes.

Melanie: So those are all some things you can do. We've got great recipes on our website.

Britni: Yeah, we do. So all of those ideas are going to help you hit what for most women, ends up being a hundred grams or more per day.

Melanie: And notice what else this type of eating in balance does in menopause. It keeps your blood sugar steady, it keeps you satisfied, it washes away the brain fog, reduces the nibbles and bits that sabotage your weight and cravings, and the excess of snacking really pops up those calories. You know, 942 calories in an average cup of nuts.

So that can add up without contributing to protein. Mostly fat and not the best bioavailable protein. So this calms all of that down. It balances your blood sugar, brings your A1C down, preserves bone, muscle; all the things you're trying to achieve; makes your hair great, your face glowy your skin fabulous. So that's what we want as we age.

Britni: Absolutely. And you know, again, it's if you are really not getting anywhere near this it's not realistic for you to get 100 grams tomorrow. We totally get that. So focus, maybe you just pick one meal to focus on. I think breakfast makes a huge impact.

Melanie: I do too.

Britni: Because if you start the day with a high protein breakfast, you're just less hungry all day. It really, for those of you that get the little munchies at night as you're sitting down relaxing, it really helps to, to stop that too, because you're starting off the day feeling a lot more satiated.

Melanie: if you are hungry and nibbly two to three hours after a meal look back. You probably did not eat enough protein at the previous meal.

Britni: Mm-hmm. So start slow, think about what's realistic for you and then you can continue to increase.

Melanie: So when you're looking at your next meal, ask yourself how much protein am I actually getting? There are apps that you can actually use AI, you take a picture of your food. You do have to correct it because I had cauliflower that thought it was feta, but for, and so you can correct that, but for the most part, it's a really good way to see how you're doing.

Britni: Yeah.

Melanie: So that's my challenge to our listeners is see how much protein you're actually getting. And like Britni said, start by upping it at breakfast, because if you start with a low protein breakfast, it sets you up for the rest of the day being deficient. So we thank you for listening to Dishing Up Nutrition.

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Britni: Thanks for listening.