What is protein?

The macronutrient protein is a major player in the diet. It is the body’s building block, used to form and repair muscles, skin, hair and nails. Protein also enables many of the body’s vital metabolic functions.

Every single cell in the body contains protein, and there are thousands of types in the body. Proteins form the structure of tissues, play an important role in many chemical reactions including immune response and the production and deployment of hormones.

Proteins are made up of amino acids which form the building blocks that we need. The body can produce many of these amino acids but nine of them are classed as essential amino acids and so therefore must be sourced from our diet. Because the body doesn’t store proteins like other macronutrients, it needs to consume proteins everyday.

Numerous studies demonstrate that a diet with adequate protein has a major health benefit.

Food sources:

Food sources containing all nine amino acids in sufficient quantities are known as complete proteins. They are found in animal products and a few plant sources.

Incomplete proteins are plant-based sources of protein that don’t have sufficient quantities of them to meet the body’s daily requirements. Although ‘incomplete’ they are no less valuable than complete proteins as they can be combined in complementary pairings to produce complete proteins.

Vegans and vegetarians are advised to eat a wide variety of protein rich and fortified foods to ensure they consume all nine of the essential amino acids each day from both complete and incomplete sources.

When choosing what protein to eat, ensure the foods you pick give you the best all-round nutrition possible. Consider what other nutrients you are receiving with your protein sources.

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Lambert. R (2021), The Science of Nutrition.  Great Britain Penguin Random House