One of the three macronutrients (the other two being carbohydrates and fats) protein is a molecule that is made up of amino acids which are their building blocks. They are called ‘macronutrients’ as you need large amounts of it to function and thrive. How your body use them and and the type of protein it is depends upon the arrangement of these amino acids.
There are 20 types of amino acids found in animal and plants, and 8 of them are considered ‘essential’ as they cannot be made by the body. These are :
- Luecine
- Isoleucine
- Valine
- Threonine
- Methionine
- Phenlalanine
- Tryptophan
- Lysine
For children the following amino acids are required for proper growth and maintenance as they body is unable to produce enough of them at this point in bodily growth:
- Arginine
- Histidine
- Cysteine
- Glycine
- Tyrosine
- Glutamine
- Proline
Zooming out of the chemical-level protein forms most of your nails and hair, plays a part in making and repairing body tissues, bodily chemicals such as enzymes and hormones, and is a large part of cartilage, bones, muscles, skin and blood.
So where do you attain this ‘protein’?