PROTEIN

Protein is extremely important for the body, seeing as its an essential ingredient in the body's cellular structure. They are the fundamental building blocks in our system. They are needed for the maintenance of muscle, connective tissue and skin and are also a slower and longer-lasting source of energy than carbohydrates. Proteins are basically involved in all cell functions and each protein has a specific role within the body.

During digestion, proteins are broken down into basic units called amino acids that are absorbed and transported to the appropriate cells and used accordingly. There are 22 amino acids all together. The body produces 12 of these amino acids itself, but the other 10 must be supplied by our diet and are called essential amino acids. It is very important that we provide our body with the right amount of each of these amino acids, an absence of only one or two can stop protein synthesis altogether. Complete proteins like meat, fish, poultry, eggs, cheese and soybean products contain sufficient amount of essential amino acids the body needs. Vegetables and fruit are incomplete proteins and contain only particular amino acids. When following a vegetarian diet, one must be sure to replace animal protein with sufficient soybean products in order to provide the body with enough protein.