Fuel - Protein Edition
To wrap up the foundations of nutrition, we will go over the last macronutrient, protein. Protein is a hot topic right now, especially with fad high-protein diets. Protein is very important in our diet, but overdoing it could cause harm.
So, why is protein important?
Protein is known as “the building block” of the body. Proteins help build and repair body tissues. An example of this is after you workout, protein helps repair tissues in the muscle damaged during exercise.
Protein provides a back-up store of energy. Carbohydrates are broken down into glucose and used for energy. The stored form of glucose is glycogen. When glycogen stores are depleted, your body will break down protein for fuel.
Proteins are important in stabilizing hormones that help coordinate bodily functions.
Proteins in the body are made up of amino acids. There are 20 different types of amino acids, which link together in long chains to make proteins. There are 11 amino acids that are non-essential which means the body produces them, and there are 9 that are essential, which means they can only be derived from our diet. Foods that contain high quality protein are milk and milk products, eggs, lean meats, and fish. If you are vegetarian, getting enough protein may be a challenge. Some good vegetarian sources of protein include quinoa, buckwheat, beans, lentils, and seeds.
As mentioned above, proteins are an important component of our diet. But could too much protein be harmful? It is recommended that 10-35% of daily calories should come from protein. Any excess protein is typically stored as fat. As we discussed last time, fat is a fuel source but not the #1 source of energy, so you end up making your body work harder for the energy it needs for day-to-day tasks compared to getting that energy from carbs.
I do not recommend any diet that promotes high protein intake paired with low carbohydrate intake. Oftentimes, high protein diets are suggested for quick weight loss as protein can help you feel fuller. However, as we all know, 85% of people regain weight back after dieting and that is because diets, such as the one mentioned, are not sustainable.
Carbs, fats, and proteins are not the enemy! Dieting and diet culture is the enemy and I hoped this review of macronutrients was helpful in learning that they are all important in nourishing our bodies.