What are proteins?

Proteins are both a fuel and a building material. They are essential for the body and are found in many foods. One gram of protein provides 4 calories of energy to our body. A distinction is made between animal and vegetable proteins.

• Animal proteins can be found in meat, poultry, fish, shellfish, eggs, dairy products such as cheese, milk, butter, yogurt and cottage cheese.
• Vegetable proteins can be found in nuts, mushrooms, grain products from wheat, rye, buckwheat, oats, rice, flour, potatoes and legumes.

What do proteins do?

Proteins are made up of amino acids. Amino acids are the building blocks for your body cells. Every body cell needs amino acids for its construction or repair, such as muscles, bones, blood, hair, nails, etc.

• Proteins regenerate the body

Your body cells continuously renew themselves. Your body first breaks down protein and then replaces it with new protein. Thanks to this process, your body removes damaged protein, which can eventually lead to impaired cell growth or impaired cell function.

Your body also loses small amounts of protein every day, in the form of hair, dander, nails, sweat and urine. This loss must be replenished.

• Proteins support processes

Protein supports all kinds of processes, such as your digestion. Enzymes are proteins and convert all kinds of substances into other substances, such as during digestion. Your hormones and antibodies are also proteins.

• Protein speeds up your metabolism

Your body has more trouble digesting protein than it does digesting carbohydrates. This speeds up your metabolism, which in turn is beneficial for the number of calories you burn per day. That is why there are many diets in which they are frequently on the menu.

• Building material for neurotransmitters

Protein is also important for your neurotransmitters. Neurotransmitters play a very important role in your health and mental well-being. Neurotransmitters are substances that play a role in your nerve and brain cells. They are involved in the transmission and the incentives. Dopamine is an example of this. Dopamine is a substance that makes you feel happy.

• Transport to your body cells

Protein also ensures the transport of various substances to the body cells. For example, proteins ensure that oxygen is sent to the muscles via the blood.

• Proteins give energy

Protein also provides energy and maintains your muscle mass. But this only happens when you have insufficient fuels, such as fat and carbohydrates. The body then burns the proteins from the muscle cells. This is disadvantageous, because the muscle mass then decreases. That is why it is important to include enough proteins and all other essential nutrients.

• Saturating effect

Proteins are extremely satiating and a protein-rich meal makes you feel full. As a result, you no longer have an appetite for food. This is useful if you want to lose weight.

How do you burn proteins?

When you don’t have enough carbohydrates or fats to provide as fuel, your body will burn proteins. However, this does lead to robbery. Your body eats itself (proverbial). When you do a lot of sports, especially strength and endurance sports, you need a little more protein to maintain your muscle mass.

What if you eat too much of it?

There are not enough scientific studies to support the negative aspects of excessive protein consumption. In principle, the proteins that you do not use after calorie intake leave through your urine. However, when you have a high protein consumption, your kidneys and liver will work harder. This seems to promote the aging process.

Several large studies have shown that excessive protein consumption can lead to faster aging. This means, among other things, that your skin will wrinkle earlier. Your liver and kidneys also wear out as it were from too much protein consumption.

You get enough protein through a normal diet. Often even more than necessary. That is because there is a lot of meat and fish on our western menu.

If you decide to exercise intensively because you have set yourself an ambitious sporting goal, you do not need to take special protein preparations or put extra protein-rich foods on your menu. You will probably automatically eat a little more, because your body simply requires more energy. Then you automatically get more protein. Of course there are limitations. If you are going to train very intensively, supplements may be necessary. Ask for advice.

A protein consumption that is too low is not recommended at all. Proteins form the basis of your cells, organs, blood, bones, muscles and your nervous system. They are also important in building hormones and neurotransmitters. If your protein consumption is too low, your muscles will break down, among other things. Your muscle mass becomes smaller and you lose muscle strength.

Your overall resistance also decreases, making you more susceptible to diseases. In children, who have long-term low protein consumption, growth disorders can develop themselves.

How do you get results?

You get results by following a normal eating pattern. Our western protein consumption is even somewhat higher than prescribed by doctors and scientists. You will notice results in feeling full after meals. You keep this feeling for a longer period of time. This keeps the feeling of hunger away for longer, reducing the temptation to snack on something.

You will also notice results in your muscle strength, especially if you move more. You become stronger and you feel this too. You can handle more.