Referring to the nutritional components that serve our bodies, it is impossible not to mention protein; this is an essential ingredient for the body and one of the ingredients that we want to consume the most because the taste of these protein foods is amazing.
This article will learn more about protein, how to convert the calories we should eat, and how much protein we should consume.
What is protein? Basic knowledge of protein
Protein is an organic compound that synthesizes chains of amino acids to build muscle cells.
Protein provides about 15% of the energy for the body to maintain life. Protein helps develop muscles. Without protein, you won't have a life!
Protein: It is found in abundance in meats, fish, eggs, and milk. If you want to gain muscle and lose fat effectively, you need to get enough protein.
Now you have a rough understanding. Before going into more detail below, you need to clarify the story. To understand a problem, we need to analyze each detail.
Therefore, you will find this post quite long. Everything will be fully covered to help you understand what protein is.
What is the concept of protein?
We'll take some time to go deeper. As you understand, protein is a combination of amino acids. 23 different amino acids are needed to help the body function. As a rule, different amino acids are synthesized to produce other proteins.
For bodybuilders, we just need to care about:
- Essential Amino Acids: There are about 9 essential amino acids that the body cannot synthesize and must be loaded with food. Without it, the body will not function properly. Often we will supplement with foods rich in protein. In particular, gyms will be interested in the 3 most important amino acids, leucine, isoleucine, and valine. All 3 will form BCAA and read what BCAA is. You will understand!
- Non-essential amino acids: There are 14 types, and the body can synthesize or eat them.
So do you need to add both? This is, of course, whatever it is, it is necessary to supplement the body for the best function. All have duties. You need to eat varied. When the food is varied, you will add diversity.
Protein plays an important role in all biological processes. That's why it's always been a priority.
- The main function of protein is to build muscle tissue.
- They can be structural, like collagen. They can be hormones, like insulin. They can be carriers, like hemoglobin. They can be enzymes, like amylases.
- Keratin is a functional, structural protein for the protective coating. Skin and hair. Collagen and elastin support each other too!
Complete and incomplete proteins
1. What is Complete Protein?
A complete protein (also known as high-quality protein, perfect protein, perfect) is a protein that contains all 9 essential amino acids that the body cannot produce on its own. This type is mainly of animal origin (meat, fish, eggs, milk …)
2. What is incomplete protein?
Incomplete protein (also known as low-quality protein, incomplete protein, imperfect) is a protein that does not contain enough essential amino acids. This type is mainly of plant origin.
However, some plants also contain complete proteins such as Quinoa, rye seeds, chia seeds, hemp seeds, spirulina … If you are a vegetarian, you should pay attention to foods rich in plant protein. This is to satisfy the complete protein for the body.
The function of the protein in the body
What effects of protein on health? Protein is an important nutrient that helps you nourish, build, and repair muscle cells. Proteins are made up of chains of amino acids and are responsible for muscle movement.
The human body is made up of 100 trillion cells. Each cell has thousands of different protein molecules that are responsible for making cells.
Sure, everyone knows that without protein, we die. This also tells us why we need to get enough protein. Here are the functions of protein:
- The main function of protein is to build muscle tissue.
They can be structural, like collagen. They can be hormones, like insulin. They can be carriers, like hemoglobin. They can be enzymes, like amylases. - Keratin is a structural protein that functions to protect the skin and hair. Collagen and elastin support each other too!
- Increase muscle to support the body
- Participates in active cellular processes
- Energy storage
- Play the role of transporting substances
- Balance physiological activities
- Feel the environmental stimulation
Those are the functions that protein provides. The key here is to make sure you eat every day. Whether it is needed or not.
How much protein do you need per day?
Protein is like water. You need to keep taking it every day. This will help you avoid muscle loss and impaired function.
The role of protein is so important; how much is enough to add? Is it just as much as possible? Of course, just enough, not redundant, not lacking is the best. Excess protein also causes many harms, which we will learn about later.
The amount of protein each person needs is not the same. You will need 1.1 – 3.3 g of protein per kilogram of body weight. The more you move, the higher this stat will be. For example, if you weigh 50kg, have exercise, the amount of protein to load will be 50 × 2 = 100g / day.
The article on how to calculate the amount of protein you need in 1 day will help you better understand the formula and provide an automatic calculation tool. Just enter your own numbers, and it will help you figure out how much protein your body requires for the day.
What signs show that the body is deficient in protein?
As you know, often when it is lacking, our bodies will report themselves. That is the point that you need to pay attention to.
- Muscles do not grow or grow slowly, or even atrophy.
- Fatigue, exhausted limbs.
- Weak immunity.
- Muscle weakness, edema, no weight gain …
- Susceptible.
When you see 1 of these signs, you need to get more protein by drinking quickly. I often drink protein milk.
The harmful effects of protein
Is excess protein harmful? This is still a controversial issue.
It has been suggested in the past that eating a lot of protein can pose several health risks such as:
- Fat gain
- Harmful kidneys
- Affects bones
However, recent studies show that there is no clear basis to confirm these 3 harms. But even so, it doesn't mean you can just eat as much as possible.
Many gym people are experiencing protein abuse with the desire to gain muscle quickly. They will have to face some obvious consequences such as acne, hot body, digestive problems, dehydration because the kidneys have to work hard to process nitrogen generated by protein metabolism.
If you keep on protein, you will ignore many other groups of substances necessary for the body's normal functioning, such as carbohydrates, fats, or vitamins, causing nutritional imbalances.
And it also costs money.
Protein and exercise
Do athletes and bodybuilders need more protein than the average person?
Yes, of course.
The protein requirement will be higher the more active you are. Whether you're a runner or a weightlifter, you'll need more protein for muscle repair and repair.
Studies show that, typically, people who exercise at high intensity will need twice as much protein as the average person.
If you are involved in fitness training or sports, you can still use the tools provided above to calculate the amount of protein needed.
Protein and age
Will the protein requirements change with each age? What age needs more and what age needs less?
According to experts, standard protein levels at each age fluctuate as follows:
- Under 18 years: 1.2-1.6g / kg of body weight
- From 19-40 years old: 1.6-2.2g / kg of body weight
- From 41-65 years: 2.2-2.6g / kg of weight
- Over 65 years: 2.6-3g / kg of body weight
This means that as people get older, more protein is needed.
As we age, the ability to absorb protein in the diet becomes weaker, leading to decreased muscle strength, loss of lean muscle mass, and therefore more need to supplement.
However, the above figure is only a general estimate, which may not be true for each person. You calculate by the tool is still the most accurate.
Read more: Protein needs by age.
Protein and gender
Men generally consume more protein than women due to their higher weight.
If a man and a woman have the same weight and intensity of activity, then the amount of protein the body requires is about the same.
The benefits of protein for women are also very significant to mention. It helps to strengthen resistance, beautify skin and hair. Also, a high-protein diet may help you lose body fat even if you eat more calories.
Correlation between protein and calories
First, you need to read the calorie article is immediate. You will understand why by clicking on it! Protein provides calories quite similar to starch.
On average, if you eat about 0.8g / kg of body weight per day, this protein is enough to provide 10% of calories. So you need to increase a little bit more to balance. Because the amount of fat and starch will be quite a lot. According to research, you need about 40% protein.
More intake will help you lose weight better. This is because then you will have less impact on carbs. High protein intake will help increase muscle, less fat gain, less energy gain.
When you eat protein, you are burning fat because the body needs energy from fat to digest. Note that you also need fiber to lose weight, so you need to eat more fiber-rich foods.
Should we eat animal or plant protein?
Almost all contain protein. So should we eat plants or animals?
The principle is that we need diversity. We cannot depend. Anything can be complementary, and you should diversify it!
- Animal protein: This is a complete protein and provides the body with 9 essential amino acids. You need to eat through eggs, meat … It accounts for 75%!
- Vegetable protein: This is an incomplete protein and provides only non-essential amino acids. But it helps reduce bad cholesterol, and lowers high blood pressure to help you have a healthy cardiovascular system.
Do you have the answer yet?
You can not lack any amino acids, so how to give up. You should not quit because there is no bad type. You also need variety. Sometimes eat meat, sometimes fish, other times vegetables… Everything will help you balance.
Do you wonder if plants also have protein? So you don't know about these 18 plant-based protein foods. Let's see what those are.
What is protein quality like?
Protein is of high quality if it has a high BV (Biological Value).
Formula for calculating BV = (Retention / Absorption) * 100
Every food will be different. However, you must load. That means sometimes we do not need to care too much, just focus on eating enough. But many times, when busy, who does not count.
Here are the BV of some foods:
- Eggs: 100
- Egg whites: 88
- Cow's milk: 91
- Fish: 70
- Pork: 69
- Chicken: 79
- Legumes: 34-47
- Brown rice: 57
- White rice: 57
- Corn: 36
- Seafood: 62-70
Limit the amount of protein you absorb at each meal
There is a belief that many people believe that the human body can only absorb about 25 grams of protein after each meal. This scientifically not proven and simple to understand can also be understood as follows.
Our bodies will be different. Some people are strong; some are weak… Therefore, the ability to absorb is also different. You can absorb it fast; I can absorb it slowly. Therefore, it is completely inaccurate to say so.
Also, no matter how much you eat, the ability to absorb only 1 portion. That's why you need whey for fast absorption.
Here are eating patterns to help you ensure your body is not over or under protein.
Model 1
Here, you will eat a small amount for breakfast, 1 medium for lunch, and 1 large amount for dinner.
- 10 grams of protein for breakfast; for example, you can eat chicken breast.
- 25 grams for lunch, for example, you can eat brown rice, fish.
- 5 grams for snacks, you can eat almonds.
- 40 grams for dinner, you can eat meat, fish, eggs …
- 1 day, 80g.
Model 2
Many people choose this model. You will divide the meals evenly!
- 20 grams of protein for breakfast, for example, fried eggs with minced meat.
- 15gram for breakfast.
- 25 grams for lunch.
- 15grams for afternoon snacks.
- 10 grams for dinner.
- 1 day, 80g.
The two models are still incomplete, for 1 weightlifter. The key is always to keep the body with enough protein. So how? Eat and drink. Just keep getting protein.
Let's balance out the odds. Meals will load more but pay attention to snacks. There is not much breakfast, dinner, a little dinner. The body does not have a protein timing problem.
Also, you should pay attention, not every day, to eat protein. So if so, the body will be in excess. However, this is completely rare. In addition to eating, you should use whey milk. These are super good milk, helping you to load protein.
What is the importance of protein to muscles?
Why do bodybuilders have to get protein at all costs? Everyone has a rough idea that eating a lot of protein will lead to muscle mass. But why?
Muscle protein synthesis
To understand the relationship between protein and muscle, first, explore the concept of muscle protein synthesis.
- Scientifically speaking, it's the process by which cells build protein molecules using DNA, RNA, and enzymes.
- In fact, it's the process by which your body uses the amino acids found in proteins to build new muscle.
During the day, your body fluctuates between 2 processes:
- Construction (also known as protein synthesis, or “anabolism”)
- Breakdown (also known as “catabolism”)
When you exercise, which is ongoing catabolism, you work your muscles and break them down.
But after you finish training, your body almost immediately goes into an assimilation state and begins to recover from the damage it caused earlier.
The body will use the stored protein and new protein to complete the task. This is also the most important time for you to replenish protein, restore, repair, and develop muscle.
- So does protein help build muscle?
- What does the above analysis say?
It's not that you just load a lot of protein and wait for your muscles to expand like athletes.
You need to exercise, preferably at the gym, or maybe other sports. Also, protein in your diet is enough; it needs a balance between all groups of substances. At that time, the new muscles will develop to the optimal level.
So does protein increase muscle mass? Yes, but it is only a necessary condition, not a sufficient condition. This means that without protein, there is no muscle gain, but protein alone is not enough.
If you want beautiful muscles, good shape, you have to lift your body to practice.
Protein benefits for weight loss
Protein is truly the golden key to a healthy and beautiful body. When reading about these weight loss tips, you will be advised to take in extra protein. So how does protein, or protein, help you lose weight?
Does protein help with weight loss?
In short, yes, but you still have to practice.
Eating more protein helps you feel fuller, reduces appetite, thereby easily controlling your calorie intake. This effect is most apparent when you eat a lot of protein for breakfast.
Protein has a higher thermic effect than carbohydrates and fats. This means you have to burn more energy to digest, absorb, and distribute nutrients from protein than from carbs and fats.
But of course, we're back to the practice story. Must exercise and exercise to burn calories to lose weight, not just sitting there eating a lot of protein is finished.
The benefits of a high-protein diet
A high-protein diet combined with exercise is one of the most popular weight loss methods today.
There are many different menus that you can refer to. However, according to nutritionist Dr. Krissy Kendall, if you're aiming to lose weight, protein should make up at least 30% of your total calorie intake.
This method reduces the amount of body fat while the amount of lean muscle remains or increases.
Most protein-rich foods contain very little fat and carbs. Chicken breast has 2-3g of fat per serving and 1-2g of cheese. Egg whites are almost fat-free, and fish contains only healthy Omega-3 fatty acids.
Dieting with protein-rich foods helps build lean muscle and reduces cravings, and speeds up calorie burning.
You can refer to the diet to gain muscle and lose fat to build a more reasonable diet.
Common sources of protein
From what sources can protein be supplemented, and what is the best one for you?
1. Protein in natural foods
This is still the basic and most important source that you should not ignore, even if you take additional foods.
- Animal protein is often found in meat, fish, and milk. You can add to your daily menu items such as steak, chicken breast, tuna, eggs, cheese, yogurt…
- Vegetable protein can be loaded through vegetables, cereals … Animal protein is an incomplete protein; you should combine it with animal protein for best results.
Here is a list of high-protein foods that you should refer to and make notes to add to your diet.
2. Protein powder
Protein powders are a quick, convenient way to add pure protein as a milk powder. There are many types of protein powders with different production methods with their own advantages and disadvantages.
- Whey protein: The most common type, made from milk, adds a large amount of pure protein and is quickly absorbed into the body. Read what whey protein is to learn more about benefits, what types of whey are available, and how to use them effectively.
- Casein protein: Also made from milk. This type has a slow rate of absorption, long-term muscle growth, so it is often used at night while you sleep.
- Egg protein: Derived from chicken eggs, suitable for people with dairy allergies. Its digestibility is moderate, slower than whey but faster than casein.
- Plant-based protein: Protein powder of plant origin (beans, hemp, brown rice, mixed plants …), used for vegetarians.
- There are also a few other types of protein powders to choose from.
3. Protein cake (protein bar)
A protein bar, also known as a protein bar, is another protein supplement you can choose from if you don't like to drink protein powder. Protein bar helps to replenish quality protein without adding too many calories, carbohydrates, and fat causing weight gain.
What kind of protein cake is good? You should choose those with a relatively high or high protein-carb ratio. The lower the ratio, the more carbs the protein is. Then it will be no different than a snack causing overweight.
Read the review of the most popular protein bars today with their prices, pros and cons, and scores of reviews. You will easily choose to buy the best quality product.
Read more: How to Make Protein Bars at Home for Weight Loss?
4. Should I take protein supplements?
Currently, protein powders or protein bars are used more and more popular. Why do so many people choose to drink whey over natural foods?
- Cost: To meet the minimum daily amount of protein, you need to consume a lot of food, which is meat, fish, eggs, milk … and of course, there are many costs. Simultaneously, many affordable whey types will also get you the same amount of protein but at a lower price per dose.
- Purity: When it is imperative to eat a lot of food to get enough protein, you also inadvertently increase fat, carbs, and other unnecessary substances.
- Convenience: Selecting food, weighing protein, processing, and then having to bring with you. Why not replace it with a convenient bottle of whey that only takes a few minutes to brew?
In the past, whey protein was just a product for weightlifters. But today, most people can use it, from the young to the elderly.
Simply put, it is like you eat meat, eat fish. You don't want to eat; you drink it, that's simple.
Protein powder problems
Protein powders are one of the three most popular forms of protein supplement available today. Protein powder is being used more and more for its convenience and nutritional value.
Especially if you are a gymnast, you are too familiar with this product. Let's take it apart to learn about it.
1. Is protein powder good?
This is a complex question.
If your daily meal only provides less than the standard amount of protein, then drinking more protein powder will positively affect your health and physique. Again, getting enough protein every day is not easy.
Of course, there will be good, some bad out of the many products on the market.
Poor quality products are those with low protein content, with added sugars, buffers, and additives. You should choose products from reputable brands with many years of experience, inspected by reliable sources.
2. Can children use protein powder?
Young children need a lot of protein to grow, but they don't have to have whey or protein powder added. Why?
Remember, the amount of protein needed by each person depends on their weight? The child's weight is usually much lighter than that of an adult. Normally, protein in natural foods alone is enough.
However, if you normally use protein milk and want to give it to your baby, it should not be a problem, as long as the dosage is moderate, combined with a well-balanced diet. Whey milk is a good alternative to high-sugar, obese sweets.
For babies, you should not use, because they are not yet able to absorb.
3. Can pregnant and lactating women use protein powder?
Many studies suggest that protein powder supplements during pregnancy are relatively safe and help improve growth, increase the fetus's weight and height, and reduce the number of low birth weight births.
After birth, the mother also needs at least 71g of protein per day to ensure the source of breast milk. If you start exercising to get in shape after giving birth, protein is also essential to bring firmness and slimness to moms.
However, the use of protein powders and supplements during pregnancy or lactation requires consultation with a doctor.
4. Can people with milk allergies use protein powder?
Milk allergy is lactose intolerance, causing colic when drinking milk or dairy products. Not everyone has this problem.
So what if you belong to this “unfortunate” target group? What to do? Due to being made from milk, most whey and casein products contain lactose. Today, manufacturers are improving technology more and more. They remove all or part of the lactose from whey powder or add lactose-neutralizing enzymes to prevent stomach upset.
Another safe option for you is to use protein powders from eggs, beef, or other plants, as long as they are not dairy.
If you do not have a lactose allergy and can drink milk normally, just be carefree and use any type.
5. How to mix protein powder?
Protein is usually harder to dissolve than regular milk powder, so if you stir it with a spoon, it will take a lot of time, the dough will be clumped. Therefore, people often mix the protein powder in two ways:
- Using a shaking bottle: The jar has a spring pendulum that helps to beat the dough evenly. You just put water and flour in the jar, shake it up and finish.
- Use a blender: The blender will be used to mix protein into smoothies, together with fruits and vegetables.
- If you do not like using water, you can replace it with milk.
This way whey protein recipe guide will help you prepare your own delicious, delicious whey milk and the simplest ingredients. Don't forget to save and show your talent.
So the above article has helped you understand what protein is and the issues surrounding it. This is a group of substances essential for the functioning and development of the body, so supplement it most scientifically and effectively.
What is a Protein Video
View more:
- What Is Almond Milk – Benefits Of Almond Milk?
- Carbs? How Many Carbs Do Bodybuilders Eat a Day?
- What Is Hemp Protein? How to Use It Effectively?
References
Hopefully, the information above has helped you gain some more knowledge about “what is protein” and bring some small value. Please share this article if you feel it is useful. Thanks!
