Protein- the basics

What is protein and how is it used in our body?

Protein is the product of the natural building blocks we call Amino Acids. There are 20 different amino acids (9 essential) which link together in different combinations to give us protein. Proteins main function is in muscle building and repair as well as muscle contraction, the production of hormones, enzymes and on the rare occasion a source of energy.

Essential amino acids- the amino acids that cannot be main by the body so we need to get these through dietary food or drinks. These are histidine, isoleucine, leucine, lysine, methionine, phenylalanine, threonine, tryptophan and valine.

Non-essential amino acids- The word ‘non essential’ in not something to really focus on. These are the amino acids that can be made by the body but still fill essential roles. There are 11 non-essential amino acids. These are arginine, glutamate, glutamine, tyrosine, cysteine, glycine, proline, serine, alanine, asparagine and aspartate.

Which foods is protein found in?

Protein is naturally found in foods such as red meat, poultry, fish, chicken, dairy, eggs, nuts, tofu  and legumes. It is also frequently seen in supplement powders, drinks and bars. It is important to note that animal proteins or protein supplementation are not essential for everyone but either can be a helpful part of most diet (will unpack that a bit more below). There are two sources of protein; complete and incomplete.

Complete proteins are those that contain all 9 essential amino acids in a high enough amount (see table below).

Incomplete proteins lack at least 1 essential amino acid.

Most plant products are seen as incomplete but please don’t be too put off by the word ‘incomplete’. These foods can complement each other to form complete sources of protein & what happens naturally anyway when we have a well-rounded diet. Real life protein intake is rarely isolated to that macronutrient except for targeted approaches such as protein powders.

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Recommended protein intake & population group considerations

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Considerations for vegan athletes