Chloe Kelly Takes on the Valley

When footballer star Chloe Kelly came to the valley, we had a chat about the importance of nutrition for her as a professional athlete and why good-quality protein is key. Here is our in-house nutritionist, Dr Alice's, lowdown on protein.

What exactly is protein?

Protein is one of the three essential macronutrients (alongside carbohydrates and fats). It’s made up of amino acids, the building blocks your body uses to grow, repair, and stay healthy.

There are 22 different amino acids, and 9 of them are called essential because we can only get them from food. Foods that contain all 9 are called complete proteins, and dairy is a great example.

Animal-based foods like meat, milk, yogurt, and cheese tend to be complete, but plant sources such as beans, lentils, and nuts can be combined to provide balance. As always, variety is key.

Why protein matters?

For athletes and people who exercise, nutrition and generally eating well is important for:

• helping with performance

• reducing risk of injury and illness

• helping with recovery

Protein plays an important role in this, as protein is needed for building and repairing muscles, as well as replacing glycogen stores to help in recovery. However, protein isn't just for athletes; it is important for keeping muscles healthy as we age, as well as a range of other functions, such as making hormones and enzymes as well as appetite regulation.

How much protein do I need?

When it comes to how much protein we need, whilst there are general guidelines that advise 0.75g per kg of body weight, it really isn’t a one-size-fits-all all and very much depends on a few factors, including levels of activity.

However, most of us can meet our requirements through the food we eat, where choosing whole and natural foods is best. Foods that are a source of protein are things like meat, dairy, and eggs, but also plant foods such as beans, lentils, nuts and seeds.

Whilst professional athletes will need to take a more measured approach for most of us, including a source of protein with each meal and snack throughout the day will help you meet your protein needs.

Dairy is a particularly great source of protein for those who are doing a lot of exercise, I love yogurt as a natural source of protein, particularly the Yeo Valley Greek Recipe being high in protein at 9g per 100g.

Chloe’s go to?

Chloe loves that the Yeo Valley Organic Greek recipe yogurt is just one ingredient, it is minimally processed, and most importantly, it is a great source of vitamins and minerals such as calcium and B vitamins, in addition to all that protein.

And remember, it's not just all about protein; protein is just one macronutrient and although it has been said many times before, eating a well-balanced diet really is key.

Why not try Chloe’s favourite Yeo Valley recipes, a delicious way of getting in your protein goals? You can even try Chloe Kelly’s date hack.

Try Chloe Kelly’s Protein Picks

• Yeo Valley Greek Recipe Yogurt – high in natural protein, perfect for meals or snacks

• Whipped Chocolate Protein Mousse or Whipped Almond Protein Mousse – a quick, creamy snack

• Overnight Oats with Kefir – for breakfast on the go

References:

1 – British Nutrition Foundation. Protein. https://www.nutrition.org.uk/nutritional-information/protein/

2- British Nutrition Foundation. Sport and exercise. https://www.nutrition.org.uk/creating-a-healthy-diet/sport-and-exercise/

3 -Wilkinson SB, Tarnopolsky MA, Macdonald MJ, Macdonald JR, Armstrong D, Phillips SM. Consumption of fluid skim milk promotes greater muscle protein accretion after resistance exercise than does consumption of an isonitrogenous and isoenergetic soy-protein beverage. Am J Clin Nutr. 2007. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17413102/