The word protein is derived from the Greek word "protos", meaning 'first rank or position' in recognition of how important protein is to life!
Amino Acids and Building Blocks
Proteins are made up of small units called amino acids. These amino acids are often described as 'building
blocks' because these small units are assembled in various ways to build proteins. There are actually 20 standard amino acids that can be strung together to make proteins - both the ones you eat and the ones that are made by your body.
Think of the English alphabet which has 26 letters to make up all of the words we write and speak. Some are short and some are long, but we can create millions of words with just the 26 letters. Similarly, just as we don't use all 26 letters to make every word, most proteins do not contain all 20 standard amino acids either.
Your Body & Protein
Your body can manufacture the important body proteins like the enzymes that speed up chemical reactions in the body, to hormones that act as chemical messengers, provided it has all the 'raw materials' in the form of the amino acid building blocks. Proteins support your immune function, transport nutrients in your body, provide structure to your bones, skin, hair, nails and muscle.
To ensure the right supply of 'raw materials' is always available in your body it is important to eat the right amount and the right types of protein daily. Once in your bloodstream, there is no way to tell if they (amino acids) came from a bowl of lentils or a steak because they all end up as an amino acid 'pool' in your body's tissues and fluids. This pool is tapped into as needed by your body.
If, on the other hand, you do not have enough of the 'raw materials' available to create this pool, you would have a shortage and your body would have to start breaking down proteins already within your body to provide the amino acids needed to produce the most vital body proteins.
Do The Different Types of Protein Matter?
The types of protein you eat definitely matters! There are the 20 standard amino acids that your body use to make the body proteins, but nine of them are 'essential' - meaning they have to come from your diet because your body cannot make them. Your body can manufacture or make the other amino acids or 'non-essential' amino acids.
Proteins derived from animal sources such as meat, fish, poultry, eggs, and milk have all the 'essential' amino acids so they are known as 'complete' proteins. Plant proteins like beans, lentils, nuts and whole grains however lack one or more of the essential amino acids, so they are known as 'incomplete' proteins.
The one plant protein that is a 'complete' protein is soy (and protein foods made from soy like tofu, tempeh, soy milk), containing all 9 essential amino acids.
Stringing the Letters Together
Why is an egg white different than a glass of milk or some meat or beans? It all has to do with the sequence in which the amino acids are strung together and the different lengths - just like with the letters of the alphabet to make words. The 'sequence' of the amino acids in a protein gives each protein its 'meaning' because the final structure of the amino acid chain determines very specifically just what that protein is and what it does.
Since the sequence of amino acids in a protein determines the protein - therefore not all food proteins are the same. For example, milk or yogurt contains proteins called casein and whey. Meat, fish and poultry have proteins called collagen any myosin. Beans have proteins called lysine and tyrosine with phenylalanine and eggs have a number of different proteins including avidin and ovalbumin.
Bottom line - all these different proteins are unique because each is made up of a unique sequence of amino acids. Once digested in your body they are used as building blocks for the proteins within your body! How cool is that?
Did You Know?
High protein foods increase the production of dopamine, a brain chemical that helps keep you mentally alert.
Your body can use the amino acids (building blocks) to manufacture some 50,000 different body proteins, each having a specific structure and function based on its arrangement of the amino acids.
Besides building cells and repairing tissue, proteins form antibodies to combat invading bacteria and viruses; they are part of the enzyme and hormonal system; they build nucleoproteins (RNA & DNA); they carry oxygen throughout the body; and participate in muscle activity.
Eating protein plus carbs is more filling than carbs alone. Protein slows digestion time to keep you fuller, longer.
Steak and fish have about the same amount of protein per serving, but steak has twice the calories.
A high protein breakfast may help you eat less for the rest of the day.
Greek yogurt is strained, which boosts protein content. Some plain nonfat Greek yogurts have twice as much protein as the regular yogurt.
Feel your energy level dropping? When did you eat last and did you get enough protein?
Daily protein needs depend on one's age, body size and composition, fitness level and lifestyle. A large physically active male might need between 100g and 200g of protein daily, and a small female might only need 75g to 100g daily.
An Herbalife Formula 1 Healthy Meal Shake provides the right balance of carbs and protein for hunger control.
Comments