Protein is a macronutrient, which is a basic nutrient. In Russian, it is often called simply a protein, and in many other languages, the word “protein” means exactly protein. By contrast, athletes mean protein supplements. In any case, protein and protein are synonymous words. And they mean the same thing – a macronutrient.
There are a lot of protein molecules in the world. Together with their enzyme proteins, the human body contains Protein more than 20,000: in muscles, bones, skin, hair – in any tissue. Enzyme proteins trigger chemical reactions in our body; hemoglobin (also a protein) in the blood carries oxygen.
Without proteins, our bodies will not work or live at all. Proteins are needed as building blocks for new cells. And they also provide metabolism, help the immune system to cope with infections. Amino acids and immune function.With their lack of nutrition, all these processes are disrupted – with different but always sad consequences.
Understanding Proteins
The proteins themselves are composed of special organic compounds – amino acids. Some of them we can synthesize ourselves. They are called interchangeable. We get some of it only with food – these are essential amino acids, there are only nine of them. Strictly speaking, this division is very arbitrary.
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After all, the synthesis of amino acids is a complex process, and some replaceable ones are obtained from the irreplaceable ones. The main thing to know about this is that our food should have enough of all amino acids at once.
Therefore, when you need to create a balanced diet, you should include as many foods as possible. These are, for example, at least eggs, cottage cheese, legumes, various types of meat. Putting together a menu that includes more of these foods is real but not easy. Not to mention following it. Therefore, if there is a need for protein supplements, one should look for those containing essential amino acids.
How Much Protein Should You Eat Daily
How much protein you need per day depends on many factors: weight, gender, age, and exercise. There is no exact figure in grams. You need to determine your rate yourself.
UK National Institutes of Health recommends protein in diet guided by the number of calories consumed. Thus, a healthy adult’s protein norm should be 10–35% of the daily calorie intake. In other words, if you consume 2,000 calories, then you should eat, on average, 100 g of protein per day (this is 20%).
People who exercise a lot or physically work out need more protein. Also, protein nutrition is needed for adolescents – for healthy and full-fledged growth and development of the body. And for older adults who naturally lose muscle mass, protein helps keep fit.
- The physiological need for protein for the adult population is from 65 to 117 g per day for men and from 58 to 87 g per day for women.
- The physiological requirements for protein in children under 1 year of age are 2.2-2.9 g of protein per kilogram of body weight—children over 1-year-old – from 36 to 87 g per day.
In 2015, scientists held a summit dedicated to the problem of protein intake. On it, they came to the following conclusions:
- To maintain metabolism and muscle mass during normal exercise, you need to consume at least 1–1.2 g of protein per kg of body weight.
- Older adults should increase their protein intake to 1.5 g per kg of body weight.
- With strong physical exertion, you need to consume 1.6–2 g of protein per kg of body weight every day.
Which option should you choose? According to the summit’s recommendations, it is better to calculate the protein norm per kilogram of body weight. If we estimate the average weight of men and women, it turns out that these norms fit into Russian recommendations.
Why Protein Supplements?
In ideal conditions, with a balanced diet and no noticeable exertion, they are not needed: what a person gets from food is quite enough.
But there are situations when you can’t eat so much. For example, someone does not like meat, but someone generally adheres to a vegetarian diet and does not even consume dairy products. You need to think about what protein sources you can use and choose them in consultation with a specialist.
With physical exertion, protein intake rates are increased. Therefore, athletes often use protein: as much meat, eggs, and milk as they need for muscle growth, they cannot get regular food.
How natural can protein from a can be considered?
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It is protein products that can be completely natural. Protein molecules are obtained from goat or cow milk, as well as from plant materials. Food additives such as sweeteners, flavorings can be “unnatural.” But it is quite possible to find protein without these components.
Could protein be harmful?
Our body is designed in such a way that any “skew” can negatively affect it. Eating predominantly proteins can lead to problems high-protein diets safe for weight loss? With health in the long term:
- With a lack of fiber and carbohydrates in the diet and an emphasis on a meat diet, bad breath may appear.
- Too much fatty meat in your diet increases your risk of heart disease.
- A diet high in protein can harm people with kidney disease.
But these risks can be mitigated by avoiding a protein diet and eating fresh fruits and vegetables every day – that is, creating a balanced meal plan.
Adapted and translated by Wiki Avenue Staff
Sources: Lifehacker
