SaraRD... Re: pre-albumin question

Hi & Thanks for the Low Pre-albumin = Protein Increase confirmation.   I have a question about on-line nutrition journals and protein intake.   There seems to be a big difference between the grams logged solely from "meat-dairy protein group" and the "grand total from all foods logged" amount.   Which amount do I track to monitor my protein intake?  "Meat Group" or "Overall"?   I am trying to meet my increased requirement of protein and stabilize my weight. Ro

I'm not Sara, but thought I'd chime in anyway. I personally count ALL my protein intake.  Plant-based proteins can be used by the body in much the same way that meat-based proteins can be used.  So if I have edamame (soy beans) that has 14g of protein in a 1/2c serving, I count that toward my day's total -- just like I count the 20g of protein I get from tuna or chicken.   I also take into consideration the QUALITY of the protein I'm eating though.  I've been doing some research on Biological Value (BV) --- this is the standard measure of the quality of different protein sources and how easily the body is able to use different forms of protein.  I try to get most of my protein throughout the day from foods that score high on the scale.  Whey Isolate Protein Powder scores 100 on the scale of 1 to 100.  Here's a few other:

Product	Biological value
Whole egg	93.7
Milk	84.5
Fish	76.0
Beef	74.3
Soybeans	72.8
Rice, polished	64.0
Wheat, whole	64.0
Corn	60.0
Beans, dry	58.0

Hi, Pam!   Thanks for "chiming in"!  I really appreciate that you took the time to respond and to post this chart for me.  Great Information... and your personal input is a big comfort.  (((Hug))) Ro

Hi, again... I just noticed that you added some links to the original pre-albumin post.  WooHoo! Thanx! Ro

You will use protein from all sources - so use the "grand total" for your daily protein intake. As the other poster pointed out, it is true that meat, diary & eggs are your best sources; however, protein from other food sources also count! Good luck. It's great that you are paying close attention to your protein intake. Great job.

Thank You Both for the info!  The BV chart is new to me so I'll be looking into that more.  My food choices are very varied, but all are high in nutrients; protein is from many different sources also. I have been using the "overall" method to monitor my protein level. My weight was at 163.5 in October, but I had 2 big drops in weight since that time.  At 5' 1.5", I weighed 128.5 on my 16-month weigh-in. My recent Body Fat was at 30.5.  Increasing my calories to between 1600-2000/day and night eating, has not added any weight. To increase to those levels, eating healthy foods... and keeping the saturated fats around 10g/day... I tried eating some "meat-dairy" and more vegetable protein / complex carbohydrates.  My carbs averaged about 275/day, but I saw no weight gain. Since I've already increased the protein, as directed by my Nutritionist, I am scheduled for more testing.  Both tests are to rule-out problems... CAT Scan of stomach (I have NO pain) and hormone test (24-hr urine collection).  Basically, I feel fine and have a good energy level, but I'm not stabilizing / maintaining my weight. Ro