Protein is a class of nitrogenous-containing compounds formed by amino acids. It is used to yield energy in our bodies and also provide materials that form structures and working parts of body tissues. One gram of protein can yield 4 calories of energy. However, protein is not often used as a source of energy unless your body is in a period of starvation or fasting.
Many refer to protein as the body’s building blocks because protein is used to repair and build almost all of our structural components in our body (e.g. muscles). There is several function of protein which includes:
- Protein is used for growth, development and repair of our body tissues (e.g. muscles)
- Protein is a main component of our cells
- Protein produces hormones, enzymes and hemoglobin
- Protein helps control our body’s pH levels
Amino acids are the building blocks of protein that are necessary for human growth and metabolism. There are 20 amino acids found in our body that serve many different functions. Of the 20 amino acids, 12 are termed nonessential amino acids because our bodies synthesize them and we don’t have to rely on nutritional intake for their supply. The other 8 amino acids are termed essential amino acids because our body cannot synthesize them. Since our body cannot synthesize these 8 amino acids they become essential to our diets.
Nonessential Proteins
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Essential Proteins
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Tryrosine
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Leucine
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Proline
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Tryptophan
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Serline
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Valine
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Histidine
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Isoleucine
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Glutamine
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Theronine
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Glycine
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Phenylalanine
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Glutamic acid
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Lysine
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Aspartic acid
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Methionine
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Cysteine
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Asparagine
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Alanine
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Arginine
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A nutritional protein source that contains all the essential amino acids is referred to as a complete protein. Some nutritional protein sources that contain a complete protein include: chicken, beef, fish, eggs, turkey. Incomplete proteins are those found in fruits and vegetables which don’t contain all the essential amino acids.
So the real question is how much protein does our body require per day?
Well the answer to that question is it depends. Males typically require more protein then females do and also individuals with a greater body size (weight and height) are going to require more protein as well. The RDA suggests that adult males and females intake 0.8 g of protein per kg of body weight. In addition, individuals who exercise and workout frequently are going to require a little bit more protein. These individuals should incorporate an extra 10-20 grams of protein into their diet. Lastly, to ensure you are getting all the essential amino acids in your diet, you are going to want to consume some good protein sources such as chicken, meat, eggs or a protein supplement.
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