Protein is essential macronutrient. and is a component of every cell in your body. In fact, hair and nails are mostly made of protein. Your body uses it to build and repair tissue and to make enzymes, hormones, and other body chemicals. Protein is also an important building block of bones, muscles, cartilage, blood and what we are most concerned about, skin!
If you are vegan, vegetarian, over age 60 or want to supplement your weight-training program with more protein, a suitable protein powder is pure pea protein that has no flavourings or other ingredients. As pea protein is low in cysteine and methionine and high in lysine (making it an incomplete protein), you can buy pea protein mixed with brown rice protein, as rice protein is high in cysteine and methionine and low in lysine, making it a superior complete protein.
Protein: dosages and food sources
| Protein (also known as) |
Supplement dosages (milligrams per day) |
Eczema-friendly food sources |
|
(various amino acids) |
Infants (AI) 10 g per day from breastmilk or hypoallergenic (dairy-free) infant formula Children + teens 1–3 years: 14 g Adults Men: 64–81* g |
150 g (5 oz) chicken: 42 g Vegan and vegetarian sources |
Notes:
- All protein powders are rich in glutamic acid so people with MSG sensitivity or glutamate sensitivity can adversely react to protein powders. If you react to any products, discontinue use and consume other food sources of protein.
- Protein is essential for healthy skin so check you are eating enough – not too much or too little.
Products
At Eczema Life, we recommend nutritionist Karen Fischer's low food chemical program (The Eczema Detox) along with additive-free supplements for skin health and wellbeing. Click on the images to view more details:
