Benefits Of Protein

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Protein is classified as a macronutrient, along with carbohydrate and fats which means that the body requires it in relatively large quantities. Chemically, proteins are chains of amino acids. For normal functioning of the body, we need nine essential amino acids that the body cannot synthesize. It is necessary to ingest food rich in protein in order to remain healthy. Unlike carbohydrates and fats, the human body does not store protein in the body; hence it becomes important to have a regular intake of protein.

Uses of Protein

The human body is reliant on proteins for almost all functions, especially growth and maintenance. Protein is a basic building block and is found in all cells of the body. It is especially important for muscle cells but is also to be found in hair, skin, nails, blood cells and all major organs. Protein is also used to synthesize body chemicals like essential enzymes and hormones. During the course of any day, the human body requires maintenance, usually in the form of cellular repair. Protein is the central nutrient required for that. Additionally protein also plays a major role in the forming of blood cells. It is apparent, that protein is essential not just for normal functioning of the human body but for its functioning itself.

Daily Requirement of Protein

Since the body does not store protein, we must ingest the amount that is required each day. It is recommended that adults should get 10-35% of their calories from proteins. This means, that men should be eating 56 grams of protein a day and women should be eating 46 grams of protein a day. This amount varies according to activity levels and for special groups who may need more protein like athletes and pregnant women.

Sources of protein

To get a complete and good source of protein, it is recommended to combine protein sources. This is because each protein source may not be equally rich in the essential amino acids. There are quite a few protein-rich foods. Food products like meat, fish, and milk and soy products are considered complete proteins, containing all the needed amino acids. Other protein-rich foods are whole grains and cereals; nuts and seeds; legumes. Foods like soybeans, lentils, kidney beans, chickpeas, and nuts like walnuts, almonds, cashews all have high protein content.

Benefits of a High-Protein diet

A high-protein diet is defined as a diet in which more than 35% of the calories consumed come from proteins. A high-protein diet promotes muscle re-generation and combined with regular exercise leads to a greater muscle mass and lean tissue. It also promotes stronger bones and tendons and reduces recovery-time from injury. This is particularly important for athletes who may supplement their diet with protein powders. It can also aid in weight loss by promoting fat loss, making a person feel less hungry and speeding up the metabolism. A protein rich diet has many health benefits such as promoting better brain function, better sleep, lowered blood pressure, lesser risk of bone-related disorders like osteoporosis, lowered cardio-vascular disease risk, diabetes and even cancer.

Though there are many benefits of eating a high protein diet, the choice of the food providing the protein is important. It may be beneficial to eat different sources—both vegetarian and meat-based—of protein rather than rely on just one source of protein like meat. According to the experts the best way to extract all the benefits of a protein rich diet is to pay more attention to dietary protein sources such as fish, poultry, beans, nuts and whole grains.

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