Proteins, or proteins, are the main building block for all body tissues, as well as for its other constituents - such as antibodies, enzymes and most hormones. Depending on the origin, the proteins are divided into vegetable and animal.
Structural units of the protein are amino acids, and for the synthesis of protein our body usually uses 20 amino acids. But there are at least 8 amino acids that the human and animal body is not able to produce itself, and which it can only get with the protein found in certain foods.
To date, only two products are known, which include all eight amino acids, and in the proportion that is optimal for our body. It's milk and eggs.
Proteins of animal origin are called proteins of high biological value, or full, as they contain essential amino acids, which the body is unable to synthesize on its own. Vegetable proteins are considered inferior because they do not contain essential amino acids.
The most protein we find in foods such as eggs, meat, fish, milk, dairy products and legumes. Significantly less protein is contained in cereals, and even less in vegetables.
Please note the following:
- In all cases, an increase in the concentration of amino acids in the blood is observed an hour after eating foods that contain protein, and can remain so for seven hours.
- A large amount of protein is not stored in the body, but turns into urea and is eliminated from the body.
- In the case of long-term consumption of foods rich in proteins, there is a danger of damaging the liver and kidneys. For this reason, people with diabetic nephropathy should limit their food intake to foods that contain high amounts of protein.
- The human body can absorb up to 30-35 grams of protein every 2.5-3 hours. Therefore, try to eat every three hours of food containing protein. If you distribute the intake of proteins into frequent small portions, your body will receive a continuous flow of "cornerstones" to support and restore your muscle mass. In addition, keep in mind that foods rich in proteins raise the rhythm of your metabolism.
Let's enumerate the foodstuffs most rich in high-grade proteins:
- Home cottage cheese. Half a cup of home-made cottage cheese can give our body up to 14 grams of protein, adding just 80 calories.
- Low-fat beef meat. Like any red meat, it gives the body high-quality proteins. Recall that beef is also an ideal source of two important trace elements - iron and zinc.
- Protein of egg. In essence, this is the purest protein, which is not found in any other food products. In figures, the components of the egg protein will look like this: 12% pure protein, 0.25% fat, 0.7% carbohydrates and a small amount of lecithin, cholesterol, enzymes and B vitamins.
- Chicken fillet. It was found that among food products containing protein, this meat is one of the most generous sources of proteins - which, moreover, is practically free of fat. It should be noted that we are talking about meat without skins, because otherwise the picture is completely different!
- Speaking about protein in food, it is impossible to avoid salmon . In addition to a significant amount of protein, salmon contains many vitamins, metals, trace elements and, of course, precious for our body Ω-3 fatty acids.
- Royal jelly. This, in the literal sense of the word, is a nourishing bomb! In addition to the exceptionally high biological value of protein, which we do not meet in other foods, royal jelly contains a lot of vitamins. The recommended dose of reception of royal jelly is one teaspoon under the tongue, until it resolves. It is desirable - in the morning on an empty stomach.
- Milk. Low-fat (1.5%), low-fat (0%) and whole (3.5%) milk have almost the same nutritional value. Thus, referring to foods containing protein, milk, at the same time, can be an ideal solution for those who are interested in low-calorie healthy meals.
The following foods are also high in protein (g / 100 g of product):
- cheese - 26.0;
- shrimps (boiled, without shell) - 22.6;
- beef, lamb, pork, chicken (low-fat, raw) - 20.5;
- Liver (raw) - 20.1;
- fish (raw) - 17.5;
- muesli - 12,9;
- egg - 12.3.
How much protein do we need every day?
WHO recommends consuming 0.85 g of proteins per kilogram of body weight per day. This amount is sufficient in those cases when a person leads a sedentary lifestyle and his body is no longer in the growth stage. Wherein:
- Newborns. Their diet for 43% should consist of food products containing animal protein.
- Children 10-12 years. In their daily diet, 36% should take food, rich in animal proteins.
- Adults. Their daily diet should include 19% of proteins found in food products of animal origin.