Healthy Eating
Why You Need Protein
Why You Need Protein for Health
Protein is an essential macronutrient that plays many critical roles in your body. Here’s why you need it:
1. Builds & Repairs Tissues
- Protein is the building block of muscles, bones, skin, hair, and nails.
- It helps repair damaged tissues (like after a workout or injury).
2. Supports Muscle Growth & Strength
- Adequate protein intake is crucial for muscle synthesis, especially if you exercise.
- Prevents muscle loss during weight loss or aging (sarcopenia).
3. Enzymes & Hormones
- Many enzymes (which drive chemical reactions) and hormones (like insulin) are made of protein.
4. Immune Function
- Antibodies (which fight infections) are proteins. Without enough protein, your immune system weakens.
5. Transport & Storage
- Proteins carry oxygen (hemoglobin), nutrients, and other molecules throughout your body.
6. Energy Source
- While carbs and fats are the primary energy sources, protein can be used for energy when needed (1g protein = 4 calories).
7. Keeps You Full & Aids Weight Loss
- Protein increases satiety, reducing cravings and overeating.
- Boosts metabolism slightly (high thermic effect).
How Much Do You Need?
- Sedentary adults: ~0.8g per kg of body weight (e.g., 56g/day for a 70kg person).
- Active individuals/athletes: 1.2–2.2g per kg for muscle maintenance/growth.
Good Protein Sources
- Animal: Meat, fish, eggs, dairy (complete proteins with all essential amino acids).
- Plant: Beans, lentils, tofu, quinoa, nuts (combine different sources for complete protein).
Without enough protein, you may experience muscle loss, weakness, slow recovery, weakened immunity, and hair/skin issues. So, make sure to include it in every meal!
Why is protein necessary for good health?
Healthy eating: When learning about healthy eating, one of the most important nutrients is protein. Of course, all nutrients are crucial for our bodies to be as healthy as possible, but without protein in our diets every single day, our bodies will not be as strong as they should be. Protein can be found in a number of food sources, so if you’re interested in eating a healthier diet, you should consider learning more about protein.
We need to eat foods rich in protein every day because, unlike some other nutrients, it cannot be stored in the body. That means that if you eat more protein than necessary, your body will simply cause it to pass through your system. Therefore, you really can’t eat too much protein!
However, because protein cannot be stored in the body, problems may arise surrounding this nutrient as well. If you don’t get enough protein on any given day, your body has no back-up plan for producing protein on its own or using reserved protein from previous days. Therefore, protein is very important to consider when you are planning your meals.
Essentially, protein builds muscles, which is why you will see bodybuilders especially concerned with protein. When you lift weights to work out, you body makes tiny tears in the muscles.
Proteins are then used to repair these healthy tears in the body, building the muscle slightly bigger with every workout.
Even if you do not work out, your body’s muscle deteriorates, as you body needs the energy. Muscle provides energy, just like fat. Having protein in the body helps you to rebuild any muscle lost.
Healthy Eating - Seeds As Source Of Protein
Protein also helps a person’s body in other ways, mainly with the maintenance of hormones. Hormones in the body do a number of things, such as regulate organ function, account for stimulation, create metabolism, and affect mood. Proteins are used in the making of some of these different hormones, so if you go more than a day or two without eating foods rich in proteins, your entire body will suffer.
How can you make sure that you re getting enough proteins?
Simply put, look for foods with protein as a key component on the label. Some great foods to consider include chicken, beef, pork, eggs, and fish, although vegetarians can also get proteins into their diets by eating nuts, beans, soy products, and a variety of other foods. You should have some of these foods in your diet every single day to ensure that you are providing your body with the proteins it needs to stay healthy.
Food Labeling And Its Importance
The Importance Of Eating Healthy
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