Protein

Last week we focused on the macronutrient carbohydrate. This week we will be discussing proteins. Proteins are chains of amino acids, or building blocks, and there are 20 different amino acids.  Proteins vary in length and composition, which means that not all proteins contain the same amount or types of amino acids. For example, you’ve seen a set of Legos®, correct? They come in different colors, shapes, and sizes.  If you were trying to build a structure, you probably wouldn’t use the same size or color Lego® piece to complete your masterpiece.  To give your structure better dimensions or angles, you might use different pieces or possibly even every single Lego® that comes in the bucket!

Well, that’s exactly how proteins work! Each individual Lego® is an amino acid, and when different combinations are strung together they form different types of proteins. You can rearrange the order or swap amino acids and get a completely different protein. When we eat the proteins, they are broken down by the body and reduced back to individual amino acids, each of which play a specific role in the body.

There are 9 essential amino acids that our body cannot make on its own. Though some foods, called complete proteins, can give us all 9 of the essential amino acids, it is recommended to eat varying protein sources.  Protein can come from both animals and plants, and some great examples include, but are not limited, to the following:

• Farm animals: chicken, pork, beef, turkey, eggs
• Seafood: fish, lobster, shrimp, crab, oysters, scallops
• Plants: beans, lentils, legumes, soy, quinoa, steel cut oats
• Dairy: milk, yogurt, cheese
• Nuts/Seeds: pecans, peanuts, almonds, pistachio, nut butters (ex: peanut butter)
• Other Animals: game, deer, snake, alligator, turtle, frog

As you can see, whether you are a meat-eater or are on a strict, plant-based diet, there are ample sources of protein from which you can choose.  And that, ladies and gentlemen, is protein in a nutshell. Get it?!

Do you have any questions, comments, or concerns about this topic?  Drop a comment below or email me!

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