Power of Protein
Posted on Friday, January 13th, 2023
Protein is vital to eat every day as it builds/repairs cells, increases fullness after a meal, maintains/builds muscle mass, and supports the production of hormones, enzymes, and antibodies. All these roles occur every day, all the time in the human body, and need the continued support of daily protein intake.
Are all protein sources created equal?
Proteins are made up of different combinations of amino acids (building blocks of protein). There are 20 amino acids that the human body needs to function every day – essential and non-essential amino acids.
Essential amino acids are needed from one’s daily food intake, whereas non-essential amino acids can be made by the body.
The nine essential amino acids needed from dietary protein intake every day are:
Isoleucine, leucine, tryptophan, histidine, methionine, phenylalanine, threonine, valine, lysine
What does this mean?
There are two types of protein sources that help identify if the protein has all the essential amino acids: complete and incomplete protein:
Complete protein means that the protein source has all nine essential amino acids needed to meet the body’s daily needs.
Ex. Chicken, Beef, Fish, Tofu, Tempeh, Eggs, Dairy products, Buckwheat, Quinoa, Chia seeds, Soy products
Incomplete protein means that the protein source has some, but not all 9 essential amino acids and will need to be paired with another protein source to “complete” the protein and meet the body’s daily needs.
Ex. Legumes (beans, peas, lentils), Nuts & Seeds, Grains, Broccoli, Mushrooms, Spinach
The goal is to have a variety of different protein sources to ensure all the essential amino acids needed in a day are consumed to support the body.
The general recommendation for daily protein intake is 10-35% of one’s total calories. This amount varies based off physical activity, health condition/goals, muscle mass, age, and body mass.
**Disclaimer: blog posts are not meant to replace medical advice. If you have a personal medical condition please consult with the appropriate provider**
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