Protein: The Three T’s🍗
Being all the craze the past few years, we all know that protein plays a crucial role in becoming fitter, faster, and stronger, but do you know why? In today's lesson, we're breaking it down!
What is Protein?
Protein is one of three main macronutrients: Protein, Carbohydrates, and Fats. We will of course delve into all three in the coming weeks, but for today let's just focus on Protein. You may have heard of protein being referred to as "building blocks." This is because protein is built up of various amino acids, which are the building blocks for various essential processes in the body, such as protein synthesis, tissue repair, nutrient absorption, and specific hormone production such as estrogen, insulin, and thyroid hormone (to name a few). When you begin to understand this, you realize that protein is crucial for the growth and repair of muscles, which in turn helps us become fitter, faster & stronger.
The 3 T's of Protein
(in order of priority!)
Total
Probably the most obvious, but total refers to your overall protein intake on any given day.
Your total protein intake will vary depending on individual goals, activity type, body composition, age, etc., but I would recommend eating anywhere from 1.4 - 2.0g/kg of your BW! Generally, the more an individual trains, the greater the demand from our bodies, and the higher the rate of protein turnover (just a fancy way of saying your body uses more protein)!
Type
Now, as mentioned previously, amino acids are the building blocks of protein. There are 20 total amino acids, 9 of which are deemed to be essential, meaning our body is unable to produce them on its own, and we need to get this via our diet.
There are two types of proteins: complete proteins and incomplete proteins.
If something doesn't contain all 9 essential amino acids, it is considered incomplete. Animal-based proteins (meat, eggs, fish, dairy) are all complete proteins, meaning they cover all the aminos, plus a few plant-based sources like quinoa & buckwheat. However, other vegan protein sources - whilst they may be 'high in protein' - aren't always complete. Tofu, beans, nuts & rice are all examples of incomplete protein sources. Vegetarians and vegans should mix various incomplete sources to create a complete amino acid profile in one meal!
Timing
Now, unlike carbohydrates and fats (the other two macronutrients), our body does not store extra protein for future use (more like - it gets allocated to where it needs to be and the leftover isn't saved)...., so it's important to keep intake regular. To accommodate this, small regular hits of protein to reach your target intake are more beneficial than fewer, larger feeds, i.e. 4 meals consisting of 30g of protein each will be more effective than 1-2 meals with 60g protein!
It's also been studied that consuming protein before bed can be beneficial since we may be able to synthesize it better, and therefore it can help with the reduction of DOMS (delayed-onset muscle soreness)!
Summary
Protein is the key building block of body tissue, including muscle.
Protein total, type, and timing are fundamental to the effective utilization of protein in the body.
Total = Overall daily protein intake, and depends on individual goals, activity level, body composition, and age.
Type = complete or incomplete protein.
Complete proteins contain all 9 essential amino acids (e.g., meat, eggs, fish, dairy, quinoa, buckwheat).
Incomplete proteins lack some essential amino acids (e.g., tofu, beans, nuts, rice).
Vegetarians and vegans should mix various incomplete sources for a complete amino acid profile.
Timing = when you consume protein.
Regular, smaller protein feeds are more beneficial than fewer, larger feeds.
Consuming protein before bed can improve muscle recovery and reduce DOMS.
Prioritize protein intake to get fitter, faster & stronger!
Stay Fueled,
Yara Xx
