The Benefits of Protein

Among the last times, most dangerous food trends point out to underestimate the importance of protein in the diet, up to promote the low intake of these nutrients in quantitative terms and to assert between the lines that it makes no sense a qualitative distinction between the various food sources.

To understand the need of the protein needs to consider two fundamental assumptions:

• Proteins, whose name means "of prime importance", are substances that arise from the almost infinite combinations of the twenty amino acids. Resulting macro molecules - proteins precisely - with highly specific functions and are
indispensable to the proper functioning of our body, such as enzymes, antibodies, hemoglobin, hormones to name the best known. Nine of the twenty amino acids are essential, IE are input through the foods because the body needs them and not derived from other dietary sources. Another eight are defined conditionally essential, because they hold a key role in maintaining body functions and under certain conditions their synthesis from other dietary sources is not as quick and efficient.

• Proteins are subject to a continuous process of demolition and synthesis of said protein turnover, expression of the adaptability of the human body to changing needs.

Food sources of protein are all foods of animal origin (meat, fish, eggs, milk and dairy products), legumes, nuts and oil seeds, and to a lesser extent cereals. Qualitatively are distinguished by the completeness with which to bring the full range of amino acids - in particular essential and conditionally essential - which is the maximum in the case of foodstuffs of animal origin, good in the case of legumes, oil seeds and nuts, poor in the case of cereals.

If feeding is present and appropriate alternating and measured protein sources, animal and plant, I will be sure to take all the amino acids that serve me.

Where you choose to use only vegetable sources of protein should be paying more attention to a suitable combination of plant-based foods (not necessarily in the same meal, but at least the same day), and the total daily amount of protein that needs to be increased.

Finally, we must remember that the protein requirement depends on the caloric daily introduced, because the higher the amount of energy, the lower the proportion of protein needed, and vice versa; This aspect should be taken into account in low-calorie diets.