Protein: More Than Fuel
Protein is historically the only macronutrient categories that has not been categorized as needing to be restricted. There have been periods of time that low fat, or low carbohydrate diets have been promoted, but not protein, protein’s importance has always been prioritized.
There are many roles that protein plays in our body’s function and health; from supporting all chemical reactions in the body, regulating genetic expressions, supporting muscle development, regulating immune system, and hormone production. Protein really is the building block of our health.
When we break down what protein is, it is comprised of individual pieces called amino acids. There are 20 main amino acids that the human body needs. These 20 amino acids are broken into three categories: non-essential (generated within body), conditionally essential (generated under right conditions), and essential (cannot be generated within body, must be obtained from diet). Most dietary sources of protein contain multiple amino acids that are linked together, these are broken down during digestion, and absorbed by the intestinal cells, and converted into the necessary amino acids.
These building blocks that make up protein make up most of the biochemistry in our bodies. The chemical messengers in the body, hormones, are made up of amino acids. From growth, metabolism, appetite, stress responses, and reproduction, all of these processes rely on amino acids to function. Menstrual cycle hormones are also influenced by amino acids, as a females cycle changes throughout menstruation, and into peri-post menopause phase of life, protein requirements change.
Ensuring adequate protein intake during the menstrual cycle phase of life helps to support the body in the constant flow of production of hormones. Increasing protein intake during the luteal phase (two weeks before period begins) can help with the increased metabolic need, and with the reduced insulin sensitivity that can lead to food cravings. As we age and move into the peri-post menopause phase of life, adequate protein can help to support the body as it finds a new normal with its hormone levels. During this time there are common symptoms that include a decrease in muscle strength, brain fog, and mood swings that can all help be mitigated with an increase in protein intake throughout the day.
We know protein is an important part of a healthy body for a variety of reasons, but there many be some dietary sources that may surprise you! The commonly thought of protein sources are animal based sources, meat, organ meat, dairy, eggs, fish, poultry. Any animal based product contains all essential amino acids.
Did you know that some plant foods also contain essential amino acids? These are known as complete protein foods, and include tempeh, miso, tofu, edamame, quinoa, hemp seeds, chia seeds, and buckwheat. Combining other plant based foods can create a complete protein profile, such as, beans and rice, peanut butter and whole grain toast, hummus (chickpeas and tahini), corn and rice. These food combinations do not have to be eaten within the same meal, eating them throughout the day still provides the body with a complete amino acid profile. The amazing thing about plant based protein sources is that they are also rich in fiber, which is a favourite topic around here for its many health benefits.
Protein is an essential building block of life, it is more than just a macronutrient fuel source. For immune function, muscle integrity, and hormone production, adequate protein consumption is a must! Throughout the day it can be easy to incorporate a variety of protein sources with many options from both animal and plant based foods.
