What is protein

What is protein

 Protein is an essential nutrient for the body. Protein can be found in all of the body’s cells and it is the major structural component of all cells in the body, especially the muscles. Protein is used for growth, maintenance and repair of tissues. It is also needed for forming blood cells. Aside from that, protein can also serve as a fuel and it contains 4 calories per gram, but that only occurs when carbohydrates and lipid resources are very low

.

During digestion protein is broken down into 20 amino acids. They are used for building muscle tissue and repairing damaged tissues. That is why protein is very popular with the athletes, especially with the bodybuilders. Amino acids are divided into three categories: essential, non-essential and conditional amino acids.
The essential amino acids can not be produced by the body and they must be supplied by protein rich foods. There are 9 essential amino acids: leucine, isoleucine, valine, histidine, lysine, tryptophan, methionine, phenylalanine, and threonine.
The non-essential amino acids are made by the body during protein breakdown or from the essential amino acids. There are 4 non-essential amino acids: asparagine, glutamic acid, alanine and aspartic acid.
The conditional amino acids usually are not essential except under certain conditions. For example when someone is ill or it is under stress. There are 7 conditional amino acids: glutamine, arginine, tyrosine, serine, proline, glycine and cysteine.
There have been many studies and debates about how much protein you need to consume but the most acceptable one is that you should take 0.8-1.2 grams per pound of bodyweight. So if you are 200 lbs your daily intake should be 160-240 grams of protein.
The body can not save excess protein for long-term usage so if you consume too much of it, the excess will be excreted. If you take too much protein for a long time you can damage your kidneys. On the other hand protein deficiency can cause a lot of problems. Some are: mental retardation, diarrhea , failure to grow, inactivity, muscle atrophy and many others.
Some foods that contain protein are: Chicken thighs, Chicken breast, Turkey breast, Milk, Salmon, Mussels, Tuna, Shrimp, Lean beef, Pork loin, Chicken sausage, Turkey bacon, Eggs, Greek yogurt, Cottage cheese.

Tips: Try to eat smaller meals 5-6 times a day and try to have around 30 grams of protein with every meal. Around 35% of your daily calorie needs should come form protein.