A Short Guide To Protein

Protein is without a doubt one of the most discussed nutrients we get from food on a daily basis.

There have been many debates and myths surrounding this nutrient, so in this article, our goal will be to tell you more about everything you NEED to know regarding protein.

Is Protein The Most Important Nutrient?

The word “Protein” comes from the Greek word “Protos” meaning “first/primary” and that in and of itself should speak about the importance of protein.

Even more so, if you look into biology, most of the body was made out of protein, including muscle tissue, enzymes, hormones and others.

Now, when it comes to ESSENTIAL nutrients, there are two of them - Protein & Fats.

Protein and fats provide essential amino & fatty acids, respectively, which the body needs but cannot produce on its own.

This is why deficiency in those nutrients can lead to unwanted side effects, such as low libido, poor recovery, worsened hormonal function, brain fog and others.

How Much Protein Do I Need?

The widely recommended protein intake has circled around 1 gram of protein, per pound of bodyweight, per day.

In other words, if you weigh 180 lbs, you’d need roughly 180 grams of protein per day.

However, this appears to be more relevant for actively training individuals that hold more lean body mass.

In other words, if you don’t really hit the gym very often, you’d need about 0.6-0.8g of protein per lb of bodyweight, to sustain health and optimal functioning.

On the other hand, if you are very active and use your muscles, you’d be closer to 1g of protein per lb of bodyweight.

What Are The Best Sources Of Protein?

If there is one thing to know, that is namely the fact that not all proteins were made the same!

Proteins are made up of amino acids - There are a total of 20 amino acids and 9 of them are essential.

On top of that, each food provides protein that is digested, absorbed and retained differently.