Protein: The Basics

Protein is an essential nutrient that is one of the basic building blocks of the human body. Muscle, hair, skin, and connective tissue are all primarily made up of protein.

Proteins are large molecules made up of long chains of amino acids. Our bodies cannot manufacture certain amino acids, it is important to replenish these amino acids from the foods in your daily diet.

The amount of protein you need depends on your age, size, and activity level. The standard method used by nutritionists to estimate our minimum daily protein requirement is to multiply your body weight in kilograms by 0.8, this is the number of grams of protein that should be your daily minimum. When training in MMA your muscles will need larger amounts of protein for muscle growth and recovery. For every kilogram of body weight you should aim to take between 1.0 and 1.2g of protein.

Casein
Found in milk and various protein supplements, casein releases gradually, providing a slow yet steady supply of protein. Drinking a shake with casein powder and milk before bed to will help to aid recovery overnight.

Whey
Whey absorbs quickly and is often used in meal-replacement powders to provide protein swiftly. Whey contains all the essential amino acids and is high in branched-chain amino acids that promote muscle growth. Whey protein is most effective when consumed post-workout.

Fish
As well as being a great source of protein fish is also a good source of omega 3. Eating fish enhances your bodies insulin sensitivity, a reduction of insulin levels leads to less fat deposition.

Chicken
Possibly the most popular source of protein, chicken has a complete amino acid profile and is low in fat (depending on how it is cooked and if you don’t eat the skin). Eaten regularly as part of a well balanced diet, chicken can help to decrease total cholesterol and LDL cholesterol.

Eggs
Eggs are a cheap, high-quality protein source that are full of vitamins, minerals and calcium. Eating raw egg yolks can help to speed up their digestion, however it is not advised to eat raw egg whites.

Beef
If eaten in lean cut beef can be a very good source of protein. It has all the essential amino acids, and it is also loaded with zinc and iron. Beef is high in fat and should only be eaten once or twice a week as an evening meal, but not straight after a workout.

Milk
Milk contains an assortment of bio-active peptides (a compound of 2 or more amino acids) that may have overall health benefits, as well as providing a good source of the amino acids active individuals need. Drinking milk before bed will provide a steady supply of amino acids while you sleep which will facilitate muscle recovery.

Soy
Soy is the best vegetable protein because it is just as digestible as animal protein and has powerful anti-oxidant capabilities.

This entry was posted on Tuesday, October 13th, 2009 at 4:54 pm and is filed under NUTRITION. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.