The Pros of Protein

What is Protein?

Protein is found throughout the body. It is in muscle, bone, skin, hair, and virtually every other body part or tissue. It makes up the enzymes that power many chemical reactions important to our daily functioning.

Twenty or so basic building blocks, called amino acids, provide the raw material for all proteins. Because the body doesn't store amino acids, as it does fats or carbohydrates, it needs a daily supply to make new protein.

Can you get too much protein? 
A standard American diet usually adds up to excess protein consumption although not getting enough protein is quite common as well.
To digest protein, the body releases acids that need to be neutralized with calcium and other buffering agents. Eating lots of protein, such as the amounts recommended in low-carb or no-carb diets, takes lots of calcium. Some of this may be pulled from bone. Following an overly high-protein diet can weaken our bones over time.

Not all proteins are alike
Most animal sources of protein contain all the amino acids needed to build new proteins. Most vegetarian sources contain partial amounts of the various amino acids while lacking in others. If keeping to a vegan or vegetarian diet with no meat, fish, poultry, eggs or dairy, you need to incorporate a variety of whole grains, beans, vegetables and nuts to be sure you are getting all the necessary amino acids. One great example of a vegetarian sourced protein is quinoa. This grain contains all eight essential amino acids to make a complete protein.

Which type of protein is right for me? 
Different body types digest various proteins differently. Some bodies have a higher tolerance to the acidity of meat while others do better with fish or beans. Depending on your ancestry, blood type, age, lifestyle and temperament, you can understand what proteins work best for you at this stage of your life. An overheated type A personality with a hot temper should most likely avoid consuming red meat. An overly lethargic individual should probably consider lighter proteins as well. On the other hand a spacey individual who has a hard time completing projects and is easily susceptible to feeling cold, might benefit from the grounding, warming and assertive qualities that red meat has to offer.

Quality: Where is your protein coming from?
Concerns about the adverse health effect of red meat or butter began around the same time we started factory farming. Such products didn’t seem to impose much of a problem when cows roamed in the sun eating grass and we were actively working the fields. Health conditions began to develop as our lives became more sedentary and we began to eat the meat and dairy of animals which had been excessively crowded into small spaces and fed unnatural diets filled with antibiotics and hormones. Choose grass-fed and antibiotic-free beef, free range organic chickens and eggs, and organic dairy. The same is true with vegetarian protein sources. Conventional soy is a massively produced crop, normally genetically modified and heavily sprayed with chemicals.

Related Article: Soy Products and Their Controversy