Protein is classified as a nutrient that is a part of every cell and tissue in our body (muscle, bone, skin, etc.). Protein is made up of different sequences of amino acids (the building blocks of protein) that, when eaten, is used to help replenish the protein stores (amino acids) in our body that have been depleted or broken down because of a variety of reasons (exercise, injury, etc.). Most adults get more protein than they need which contributes to excessive calorie and saturated fat intake. However, our body does not store amino acids for later use, so it is important that we “feed” it daily.
Sources:
There are two different sources of protein:
- Animal – beef, chicken, fish, milk, yogurt, etc.
- Plant – beans, lentils, nuts and seeds (to name a few)
Types:
There are also two different types of protein (or amino acids):
- Essential – those amino acids that are not made by the body and therefore are essential that we get them from our diet
- Non-essential – those amino acids that are made by the body. These are still a part of our dietary intake as well
Complete vs. Incomplete
With a lot of the high-protein/low carb diets out there these days, you may also have heard the term – “high quality” or “complete” protein. By definition, these are protein foods that contain all 20 of the amino acids. Complete proteins include the animal products (meat, eggs, dairy, etc.)
On the other side of the fence are the “incomplete” proteins. As you may have guessed, these are foods that are missing one or more of the 20 amino acids. The beauty of this is that you can combine incomplete proteins to “form” a complete protein. For example: the classic beans and rice combination. The amino acids that rice is missing are found in the beans and visa versa. What we’ve also learned is that you do not have to eat incomplete proteins at the same time to realize the benefit of the two…they can be eaten at different meals but still have the same effect.
Eating a balanced variety of protein in balanced amounts helps to replenish what’s lost or broken down during our daily activities (think rebuilds muscles/tissues), makes up the enzymes that are involved in chemical reactions in your body and is also a component in hemoglobin which carries oxygen to your blood.
Recommendations for Intake
Finding the right amount of protein that you need daily varies depending on who you talk to, but a good rule of thumb (for the average healthy person) is that protein should make up about 15% of your daily calorie needs. Example: 2,000 calories x 15% = 300 calories (or 75 grams…4 calories per gram of protein).
Make sure to include different protein sources throughout the week – meat one day, eggs another, cottage cheese on Wednesday, lentils on Thursday, etc. Any way you look at it, protein is a much needed nutrient for the body…just not too much needed.
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