Protein is important for everyone; not only for cyclists. That article asks, are we getting enough? Am I getting enough of it?

Many years ago I had a book about vegetarian cooking and nutrition; and it said, most people need roughly half a gram of protein per pound of body weight per day. But do very active people need more?

From what I\’ve read, it’s quite possible to get enough protein without eating a lot of meat; or, in fact, any. Besides, constantly hearing about the hazards of E. coli; salmonella; and so on, make me glad to avoid handling raw meat and raw poultry.

When I do eat chicken, I get pre-grilled chicken strips; or use canned chicken. Now and then I use a product called Taco Complete. I’ll cook up two cups of dried beans (pinto, kidney, etc.) with onions; and add one can of the taco stuff. Last night I cooked up “pinto taco”; and it has over 6 grams of protein per half-cup serving.

But that\’s food that I eat at home; or carry along to work. What about on-bike food? Protein normally is not burned by the body as fuel; but hard-working muscles need it for repair.

The nutritionist I worked with advised me to look for bars that have 8-12 grams of protein. That rules out Clif Bars as ride food, although I still like them. I\’ve turned instead to FitCrunch bars; Met-Rx bars; RXBars; and Gatorade Whey Protein bars.

Drawbacks

I like them all; but they have their drawbacks. Besides the fact that they get very messy in this heat, on an all-day ride I think I would get tired of eating them. Those bars are all on the sweet side; and after several hours of sweet foods I want something salty or savory. Last time I was at the salvage store, I found single-serve packs of smoked, salted almonds in the grab-bag bins; and stocked up. Next Sunday long ride, I think I\’ll try some in between bites of bars.

Nuts have a bit of protein; and the salt will be helpful, too. If I stick with FitCrunch and Met-Rx, I\’ll get plenty of protein, too.

Now for the big question: will I be able to get out for a ride come Sunday? Tropical Storm Ida has formed; she\’s moving fast; and will probably intensity rapidly. Maybe she\’s eating too many protein bars!

We\’re in the \”cone\”; and I\’m weighing my options in case the city calls for an evacuation. This is one of the few times when I actually wish I had a car!