Protein
Protein is a major player in your diet and is considered to be an essential macronutrient. It is the body's building block, and is used to form and repair muscles, hair, skin, nails. It also enables many of the body's vital metabolic functions.
what is protein?
Ever cell in your body contains protein, they form the structure of biological tissues and also carry molecules around the body to where they need to go.
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Protein is made from twenty-plus basic building blocks called amino acids. Because we don’t store amino acids, our bodies make them in two different ways: either from scratch, or by modifying others. Nine amino acids—histidine, isoleucine, leucine, lysine, methionine, phenylalanine, threonine, tryptophan, and valine—known as the essential amino acids, must come from food.
Complete vs Incomplete
Proteins
Food sourcers which contain all nine essential amino acids in sufficient quantities are called 'Complete Proteins' and can be found in animal products and a few plant sources.
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'Incomplete Proteins' are plant-based sources of protein that don't contain all nine essential amino acids or don't have sufficient quantities of them to meet the body's daily requirements. That does not mean however that they aren't valuable as they can be combined in complementary parings to produce complete proteins.
WARNING !
Vegetarians and Vegas 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.
Protein Sources
Plant Based - Complete Proteins
Complete prottext text text
Sources: Hemp, Soya, Quinoa
Animal Based - Complete Proteins
It's estimated that Iodine deficiency affects one third of the world's population. It is essential for normal thyroid function and for the protection of thyroid hormones.
Sources: Dairy products (Milk, Yogurt, Whey), Eggs, Fish, Meat
Plant Based - Incomplete Proteins
Iron deficiency is probably the most common nutritional deficiency and the one which seems to be currently prevalent in developed countries (over 30% of the world's population has anaemia). Lack of Iron lowers the ability of blood to carry oxygen, but Iron has many benefits, including improved immune and brain function.
Sources: Nuts, Seeds, Legumes & Pulses, Grains, A number of Vegetables
Should I take Supplements?
The best method for ensuring you get the appropriate amount of vitamins and minerals is to have a balanced varied diet, however many people feel the need to pop vitamin pills for multiple reasons, which can be a waste of money or at worse maybe even dangerous.
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It is after all possible for supplements to interact in ways that affect the body in negative ways. Generally water-soluble vitamins are far less likely to cause harm than fat-soluble as they are excreted in the urine, so have less of a chance of leading to a toxic build up.
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There are sometimes valid reasons for taking supplements for example Doctors and Dietitians will often prescribe supplements for medical issues and we urge you to take the advice of a medical professional when choosing supplements to try.
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For more information of supplements for Health & Fitness then check out out Supplements page by clicking the link below:
