Protein is a macronutrient necessary for muscle growth. It is usually present in animal products but can also be found in other foods like nuts and legumes.
Amino acids, which are organic molecules formed of carbon, nitrogen, hydrogen, sulphur, or oxygen, are the chemical building blocks of protein. According to the National Institutes of Health, proteins are the building blocks of muscle. Proteins are produced by combining 20 types of amino acids. Each protein has a distinct three-dimensional structure based on the amino acid sequence. The gene sequences determine the combinations of three nucleotides that form amino acids.
All the amino acids are necessary for life, but only plants can synthesise them; animals cannot. Humans can produce some amino acids, but others must be obtained from food. There are 20 amino acids that the body needs, nine of which are “essential amino acids” and are not produced by the body. The essential amino acids are histidine, leucine, isoleucine, lysine, phenylalanine, methionine, tryptophan, threonine, and valine.
Complete proteins are sources of protein that include all nine essential amino acids. Meat, dairy products, quinoa, hemp, chia, and soy are all sources of complete proteins.
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