Why is protein intake necessary for your body?
06-07-2017 | Posted By: Kumkum Sharma | 3583 View(s)
Whenever people hear about exercise and protein together, they assume that all who do a rigorous workout or are a regular at the gym take protein powder, shakes or protein bars which help them to maximise their exercising potential. But it’s completely a myth that only people who spend hours doing rigorous exercises in the gym need protein! Protein is a necessity not just for people who work out or do rigorous exercise, but it is a necessity for everyone from kids to adults to the elderly. We should definitely know why protein intake is necessary for our body. Want to know why? Let us just explore!
Protein is a macronutrient, and it is required in relatively large amounts by the body so as to stay healthy and fit. On the other hand vitamins and minerals are micronutrients, so they are required in small quantities. Carbohydrates and fats are stored in your body, but it does not store protein. So, there’s no reservoir of protein to draw from when you are running low. This is why protein intake is necessary for your body!
An average human body needs protein to maintain a healthy body. Proper protein intake strengthens our body internally; it helps in healing internal or external damage, and it’s beneficial in keeping the body fit and healthy.
The amount of protein required for a Sedentary Male is around 56 gms per day whereas that for a sedentary female is around 46 gms per day to keep the body free from its deficiencies. However, if you have more than this quantity, it can be even better but within limits, as an excess of anything is harmful. Also, the requirement depends on some other factors like Health Condition, Age, the level of activity undertaken, muscle mass and physique goals.
People who workout require more protein than someone who doesn’t work out. While exercising taking protein stuff like soya, nuts, and pulses help to build muscle fibres. The Post-workout diet should include milk, eggs, soya, and pulses followed by lots of salads or boiled chicken which happens to be one of the best sources of protein. One should be focused on the entire workout schedule as well as proper diet and nutrition intake which should include an adequate amount of fibre, protein, carbohydrates, calcium. You need to maintain your diet to make your body more efficient and healthy. One should always take care of pre and post-workout foods, as it can help to make us fitter, leaner and muscular.
Apart from these, there are a lot of other roles and functions of protein that we want you to know the importance and necessity of protein may go unnoticed by all of us.
Let us discuss what are those health benefits of protein?
1. Repairs injured muscles and build muscle mass
Proteins supply the bodybuilding materials and take care of the constant wearing and tearing of tissues in the body. If you don’t get enough amount of protein, your body will start to break down muscle fibres to get its energy, and as a result, muscles become weaker, and atrophy may occur over time. Do you know why people who desire to gain muscles take protein? Simple! Because protein contains amino acids that help build muscle mass and you can get bulky muscle!
2. Regulates body processes
There are some functions of different types of protein which play a significant role in the regulation of body processes. Haemoglobin (iron-bearing protein), which is an important part of the Red Blood Cells plays a vital role in carrying oxygen to the tissues whereas plasma protein helps to regulate osmotic pressure and maintain water balance. Antibodies (protein in nature) play a crucial role in maintaining the body’s resistance to disease. Many other enzymes and hormones including insulin and thyroid are also protein in nature.
3. Contributes to bone health and reduces the risk of osteoporosis
Surprised? But it is true that proteins help to keep your bones in good health as they promote strong and healthy bones. Insulin which is protein in nature involved in a significant number of processes in the body, bone formation is one of them! Insulin also contributes to strengthening bones by increasing the bone mass. People suffering from Type 1 diabetes battle insulin deficiencies and other similar problems, tend to develop osteoporosis. A strong, healthy bone frame also requires a good amount of calcium, vitamin D, phosphorus, magnesium and vitamin c to keep your bones in good health.
4. Play a vital role in milk formation
Yes! Proteins play a significant role in milk formation. Mother’s milk contains around 1.2 % protein, and it also contains the first natural and best food for an infant. The available dietary and tissue proteins help synthesise milk proteins in the mammary glands. A nursing or lactating mother is advised to take extra protein in her daily diet so as to meet the increased demands of proteins for milk formation.
5. Helps improve immunity
Improving immunity is one of the leading roles of protein in the body! It binds the molecules and has a direct impact on the immune function. Proteins permit antibodies to bind to antigens. Antigens are recognised and destroyed by our immune system this way and thus prevent potential infection or disease.
6. Energy supply
Proteins are a good source of energy, and each gramme of protein provides 4 kilocalories of energy. As proteins are expensive foods, so it is suggested to use carbohydrates and fats for energy and proteins should be spared for performing other specific tasks of building and repairing body tissues.
What are some good sources of protein?
1. Eggs- Anywhere between 2-4 eggs can serve as a good source of Protein.
2. Milk- it is a necessity for every human body. It is a high source of calcium which is very beneficial for bone. Milk also contains some amount of protein (generally dairy products are packaged with some amount of protein).
3. Soya- Again a good source of Protein aids in the recovery of muscle fibre, which usually breaks down during a rigorous workout.
4. Pulses- pulses should be eaten on a daily basis. Apart from protein, pulses are a great source of iron and fibre. It should be part of every Post Workout Diet.
5. Chicken-Non Vegetarians can go for boneless chicken breasts with spinach and other leafy vegetables in a boiled form. Chicken consists of high quality of protein and relatively low amount of fat. Chicken is also a good source of vitamin which is essential to increase metabolism rate and helps in cell growth, and it is also a good source of iron.
So, we hope you understand why protein intake is necessary for your body! Protein intake is equally important for all of us, and we should consume protein in an adequate amount so as to stay healthy and fit.
“EAT HEALTHY, STAY HEALTHY, STAY HAPPY”.
