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What actually are proteins?
Proteins, also known as proteins, are one of the essential nutrients in our body, along with fats and carbohydrates. They are particularly important building blocks for bones, skin, muscles, enzymes and hormones and have numerous functions:
- As enzymes and peptide hormones, proteins regulate chemical reactions in metabolism.
- Proteins such as collagen, elastin and keratin are also an important component of support and connective tissue, as well as biomembranes.
- Actin and myosin proteins enable muscles to contract
- Proteins as immunoglobulins or interferons form defense organs
- As carrier proteins, such as hemoglobin, proteins play a role in transporting oxygen, fatty acids, hormones, and much more.
- As a storage protein, such as casein in milk, they secure the organism’s amino acid reserves.
- As receptor proteins, they mediate the specific action of drug molecules at the site of action.
- They are found on cell surfaces as cell recognition proteins and thus enable the recognition of one cell type by another cell type and therefore play a role in the recognition of foreign tissue.
Proteins consist of amino acids linked together by peptides. Twenty of them, called standard amino acids, are important to humans, and eight of them are essential because we cannot produce them ourselves. These eight amino acids must be absorbed by the proteins in food, otherwise there is a risk of protein deficiency.
How do you understand protein deficiency?
Protein deficiency is difficult to predict; symptoms are often nonspecific and difficult to distinguish from other deficiency symptoms. However, it is very rare for people in industrialized countries to be truly protein deficient.
Symptoms of protein deficiency:
- burnout
- Thinning and loss of hair
- performance loss
- Dry skin
- brittle nails
- sleeping disorders
- susceptibility to infection
- fatty liver
- request
How much protein should you consume per day?
The rule of thumb is 0.8 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight per day. For a man weighing 80 kilograms, this would be 64 grams per day, and for a woman weighing 70 kilograms, this would be 56 grams per day.
On average, a person can build up to two kilograms of muscle mass per year. To do this, 400 grams of protein are placed in the muscle cells. If you train hard, you may eat a little more; To build muscle, you can expect about 1.6 to 2 grams of protein per kilogram per day. For normal strength training, you don’t need to take more unless you’re a bodybuilder.
It is not recommended to consume more than 2 grams per kilogram per day. This is due to urea produced during the processing of proteins. Although overdose is rare, it can put pressure on the kidneys over a long period of time. It helps to drink plenty of fluids after consuming plenty of protein. This makes the work of the kidneys easier.
Unlike strength training, endurance athletes rely on well-replenished carbohydrate stores. After a particularly intense training session, the body draws on protein reserves, even in the absence of carbohydrates. Endurance athletes can therefore consume 1.2 to 1.5 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight per day.
How do proteins help build muscle?
To build muscle, you need to stimulate muscle protein production. The body stores more muscle protein only where it is needed. For this to happen, an additional need must be signaled.
This type of additional demand occurs when a muscle is stressed beyond its current capacity during strength training. Molecular signals are then sent from the cell nucleus, leading to the formation of new genetic sequences.
Messenger RNA accumulates in the muscle and thus the correct proteins are formed. RNA concentration increases for up to 12 hours after strength training and then returns to normal. The special genetic RNA code in the messenger substance helps form the correct amino acid chains from which new proteins will be built.
Repeated stimulation of muscle through exercise leads to protein deposition and therefore muscle growth.
How do proteins help you lose weight?
It is not for nothing that many diets promote a diet rich in protein: proteins help build muscle. Muscles also increase the basal metabolic rate, which means the body uses more energy to maintain muscle mass. In short: The more muscle, the more calories are burned, even at rest.
Proteins also ensure that insulin levels remain constant. This means you feel fuller for longer and have fewer cravings. Best results are achieved with foods rich in protein but low in fat: legumes, oatmeal, lean meat and poultry, as well as low-fat dairy products such as low-fat cottage cheese, cottage cheese, yogurt and buttermilk.
Be careful: Reducing calories too much can cause the body to pull missing proteins from the muscles. To prevent muscle loss, you should not only make sure you consume adequate amounts of protein, but also pay attention to its versatility so that the body has all the essential amino acids. Ideally, to lose weight without risking your health, you should limit yourself to a 200-calorie deficit.
When is the best time to consume protein?
Fitness enthusiasts often love protein shakes and protein bars after training. However, nutritionists agree that proteins obtained from complete meals without preservatives and sugar are more valuable.
Scientists debate when is the best time to consume protein. Some believe that protein intake should occur within a short anabolic window so that protein can be used to build muscle rather than being used for energy. Meanwhile, in a comprehensive study in the Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition, researchers concluded that consuming protein immediately before or after exercise has no proven benefit for strength gains or muscle mass.
“There is evidence that increasing protein intake shortly after training accelerates storage. But there is also evidence that protein formation in the muscles really accelerates only six to eight hours after training,” says Petra Platen, Chair of Sports Medicine and Sports Nutrition at Ruhr University Bochum. mirror. Platen recommends eating smaller protein snacks after your workout, ideally about two hours apart.
Do vegans get enough protein?
Animal protein plays an important role in the nutritional habits of our society. That’s why vegetarians and vegans often have to justify their diets. Myth: Animal protein can be better used by the body, but this does not mean that vegans and vegetarians are protein deficient.
Chicken schnitzel is actually a good, low-fat source of protein; Perfect for low carb followers. But a varied plate also provides vegans with all the protein they need. Soy products, legumes, vegetables and whole grain products contain sufficient amounts of protein. Protein deficiency is a danger only with an unbalanced diet.
Which is better: animal protein or vegetable protein?
Proteins consist of twenty amino acids. The body can produce most of this itself. But eight of them are so-called essential amino acids, which can only be obtained through food. Therefore, not all protein sources are equal; The content of essential amino acids is important.
The so-called “biological value” measures this difference in quality. Biological value indicates how many grams of body protein can be formed from 100 grams of dietary protein. The starting point for this assessment is the chicken egg, which has a biological value of 100 due to the fact that it contains all twenty amino acids. Depending on the food combination, one meal can be worth over 100.
Essentially, the more similar a food protein is to the body’s own proteins, the higher its biological value. This is why animal proteins have a particularly high biological value. The downside to this is that meat, cheese and much more are prepared with a lot of fat and salt. When these foods are broken down, unhealthy purines (uric acid) are also formed. If excessive amounts accumulate in the body, rheumatism or gout may occur.
Plant protein is found in legumes, whole grains and vegetables. But the body can only convert 60 to 70 percent of it into the body’s own protein.
Here too the following applies: A balanced combination of animal and vegetable proteins is the best option.
What are the best sources of protein?
Proteins are found in many foods; reaching for a protein shake or bar is absolutely not necessary. Carbohydrates should not be neglected: Fiber-rich whole grain products and, if possible, unprocessed foods, as well as fruits and vegetables, best complement a protein-rich diet. If you want to lose weight, you should choose low-fat foods; Despite their high protein content, sausage and cheese aren’t always the healthiest option.
Meat
Chicken breast: 24.1 grams protein / 100 grams, 70 percent biological value
Sirloin: 21.2 grams protein / 100 grams, 79 percent biological value
Cod fillet: 17 grams protein / 100 grams, 75 percent biological value
Other animal products
Edam: 24.8 grams protein / 100 grams, 80 percent biological value
Low-fat quark: 13.5 grams protein / 100 grams, 81 percent biological value
Chicken egg: 11 grams of protein / 100 grams, 100 percent biological value
vegetable products
Tofu: 8 grams protein / 100 grams, 53 percent biological value
Whole grain bread: 6.8 grams protein / 100 grams, 69 percent biological value
Green peas: 5.8 grams protein / 100 grams, 47 percent biological value (chj)
Source : Blick
I am Dawid Malan, a news reporter for 24 Instant News. I specialize in celebrity and entertainment news, writing stories that capture the attention of readers from all walks of life. My work has been featured in some of the world’s leading publications and I am passionate about delivering quality content to my readers.
