Protein is one of the most important components of living matter. Without them, life would be unthinkable. All life processes are associated with the participation of proteins – for example, the digestion and absorption of nutrients are impossible without the participation of digestive enzymes, which are essential proteins.
Proteins perform many functions in the human body related to the movement of animal organisms, reproduction, growth, hormonal regulation, and heredity. Proteins are the building blocks that cells use to build and regenerate tissues. And we are not only talking about muscle tissue – proteins are involved in skin, hair, nails, bones, and connective tissue construction. After water, protein is the second most abundant substance in the body (about 80-90% of the total organic composition of animal tissues is protein).
Proteins are the “bricks” of the human body, and amino acids are the building blocks that make up these bricks. There are 20 amino acids in proteins, 11 of which are produced only by the human body, and the remaining 9 (valine, isoleucine, leucine, lysine, methionine, threonine, tryptophan, phenylalanine, arginine) are indispensable and must be obtained by nutrition.
Complete and incomplete protein sources.
The highest quality protein sources are animal products such as:
1. Eggs.
2. Clean meat (red and white).
3. Fish and seafood.
4. Dairy products (milk, cheese, cottage cheese).
Animal protein is complete, which means it contains all the essential amino acids your body needs – in the right amounts and proportions.
Grains, legumes, seeds, nuts, and some vegetables also contain significant protein. However, they are still considered deficient sources of protein because they do not contain all essential amino acids – in most cases, 4 or 5.
Combining plant-based protein sources to get all 9 essential amino acids is possible. For example, combining vegetables, nuts, or legumes with grains will provide the body with all the essential amino acids. The classic combination is beans and rice.
There is another way to get all 9 amino acids – with the help of protein supplements (usually in the form of whey protein). Protein supplements are a convenient solution for people with busy schedules who don’t have time to eat 5-6 meals daily.
The role of protein in a fitness diet.
If you are actively training, your body needs more protein than usual to repair damaged muscle fibers after a workout. If you don’t consume enough protein, it will be difficult to maintain muscle mass (especially if you are in a calorie deficit).
Unlike adipose tissue, which contains over 7,000 calories per kilogram, muscle tissue only contains about 1,300 calories per kilogram. If necessary, your body will not bother burning muscles for energy. If you say to yourself: “What do I need muscles for if I’m not a bodybuilder,” think about the following.
Muscles don’t just make you more athletic. Muscle mass affects your basal metabolic rate (BMR), and fast metabolism is the key to successful fat loss. How do you think athletes eat so much food and stay in great shape? The answer is simple: developed muscle mass guarantees their fast metabolism. You don’t have to be a master of sports, but you need muscle mass to keep your metabolic rate high.
Another reason to work on muscles comes from a physiological point of view. Compare the physique of a marathon runner and a sprinter. The marathon runner is weak, with skin and bones, with molten muscles. The Sprinter is the exact opposite: powerful, with a sculpted body and muscularity. Both athletes have a low percentage of subcutaneous fat, but one still has a body that looks like a work of art, and the other has a skeleton.
If you want to lose weight effectively, your goal is to look like a sprinter rather than a distance runner. To do this, you need adequate protein intake.
Protein performs other functions in the human body. It is critical to several metabolic and hormonal processes and even plays an important role in the immune system. You can easily get sick if you ignore protein for a long time. Also, if you don’t get enough protein, you won’t be able to recover optimally from workouts, and your gym performance will suffer.
Related Article: 8 good reasons to go without whey protein
Recommended daily dose.
The recommended daily protein intake for low-activity adults is 0.8 grams per kilogram of body weight, equivalent to 170 grams of chicken and several glasses of milk for a 90 kg man. But keep in mind that this intake is very low for men and women who exercise.
If you lie on the couch all day, 0.8 grams per kilogram may meet your needs. But in active people, this intake is insufficient to prevent catabolic processes (loss of muscle mass) after training.
To effectively burn fat, your total calorie intake must be reduced (you must be in a calorie deficit), but not at the expense of protein-protein intake should be maintained at the same level or increased as recommended by a specialist.
For optimal results, protein intake should increase as a percentage. What for? In addition to preventing catabolism, protein is the macronutrient with the greatest thermogenic effect, as protein digestion, absorption, transport, and storage require a lot of energy. The higher the protein content of food, the higher its thermogenic effect.
In addition, Scitec Protein helps fight hunger because it naturally activates our internal appetite control mechanism (signals from the small intestine to the brain that we have eaten enough and are full). It is much more difficult to overeat with them.
Despite the benefits of eating proteins, you should still eat less than possible. If you overdo it with any food, you will experience side effects. In addition, excessive consumption of any of the three macronutrients (proteins, carbohydrates, and fats) is unhealthy.