Protein is the most common word that you will hear as soon as you start with your fitness journey. Everyone wants to consume as much protein as possible to gain muscle. But, without understanding the basics of proteins and their relationship with other macromolecules (carbohydrates and fats), its consumption is as good as having a pizza without cheese! So instead of blindly following the protein trend read further to gain an insight on everything about proteins.
What are Proteins?
Proteins are omnipresent in our bodies. They are found in all body parts like the muscles, bones, hair, skin, etc. In other words, proteins form the building blocks of life. For these reasons, they are considered to be an essential macronutrient for the human body, alongside other macronutrients like fats and carbohydrates. Apart from serving as building blocks for body tissues (including muscle fibers), at times they can also act as an energy source. Even though the main role of proteins is not energy generation, they play a significant role in your body because of their superseding ability to repair, build and aid recovery.
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Structure of Proteins
Proteins are complex forms of amino acids. They are made up of 20 amino acids, out of which 9 are essential. Essential amino acids are those that cannot be produced by the body itself. Therefore, the body relies on dietary intake to satisfy its daily required protein intake. The presence of these amino acids gives proteins its property of building and repair, among others.
Whether your goal is aesthetics or building a good physique, gaining muscle mass, faster recovery after your workouts or even overall health and well-being, the consumption of protein is very important for everyone. In fact, satisfactory protein intake in your daily diet should be made a priority. Consumption of adequate protein also helps slow down the reduction of muscle mass which happens as we get older. This is highly beneficial as it can aid in daily functioning and even prevent various age-related illnesses and conditions.
Recommended Intake
The amount of proteins required by your body depends on various individual needs such as lifestyle, body weight and composition, pre-existing health conditions, fitness goals, exercise, etc. As a general recommendation, the daily minimum protein intake for a sedentary individual should be around 0.8 gms per kilogram of lean body mass. For those who have an active lifestyle, targeting muscle-building, it can go up to 1.8 to 2.2 gms per kilogram of lean body mass.
The fact is that most Indian diets do not include enough protein. This is because they rely heavily on carbohydrates and fats. While these are important too, not consuming enough protein can negatively impact health in the long term.
Excess Protein
Contrary to what people believe, consumption of excess protein intake does not impact the functioning of the kidneys, unless you have a pre-existing kidney disorder. Research shows that everything else being normal, one can consume up to 3.4 gms per kilogram of lean body mass without any side effects. (1) Many people shy away from adequate protein intake due to various myths surrounding it.
Sources of Protein
Animal sources of protein include meat, fish and eggs. Dairy is a good source of protein too. For vegetarians, soy and paneer can help with increasing protein intake. Most vegetarian sources of protein such as lentils and beans also contain a considerable amount of carbohydrates and fats and one should be careful while choosing these as protein sources. In other words, the quality of protein should also be considered while making a choice.
An adequate amount of protein consumption is vital to the human body. Have you calculated your daily protein intake? Does it comply with the recommended daily requirement of your body? Do let us know in the comments section below.
Author : Anshul Dhamande, INFS Faculty, Standard Coach @ Fittr
References
Antonio, J., Ellerbroek, A., Silver, T., Vargas, L., Tamayo, A., Buehn, R. and Peacock, C.A., 2016. A high protein diet has no harmful effects: a one-year crossover study in resistance-trained males. Journal of nutrition and metabolism, 2016.
