You keep hearing that if you want to have strong muscles you have to intake a good amount of protein. Protein builds up, replaces and maintains tissues in your body such as muscles immune system and organs. Protein is also o used to create hemoglobin. It’s the part of your red blood cells that carry out oxygen to all the parts in your body. Protein is broken down from your foods by your digestive juices. It then turns into amino acids. Amino acids are reused to make proteins for your bones, muscles, organs, and blood. Protein runs throughout your whole body. It’s what keeps your body moving and functioning. Helps your lungs go up and down when you breathe. It moves your legs and protects your from disease. Your body naturally creates half of your amino acids. You get the other half from your foods.
Meat and milk is a limited source of protein in the sense that it’s not the healthiest source of protein. Even though meat is high in protein, it comes along with a high fat content. Vegetables on the other hand have a lower protein content and little to no fat. The catch to the vegetable proteins is that you have to combine them in order to receive your full variety of amino acids. For example you can’t just eat beans alone to get all nine amino acids. Instead you eat beans and rice. Your body loves variety and whenever it comes across the protein it needs it will automatically pick it up and store it for later. Peanut butter alone is incomplete but when you eat peanut butter on a rice cake you now have the full 9 amino acids that you’re body needs to build muscles and keep your body functioning. Our body doesn’t need an insane amount of vitamins.
Supplements overdose on the amount of vitamins it carries. An adult needs about 60gms a day of protein. 1 cup of cooked lentils comes out to being about 18 grams of protein. One ounce of peanuts is about 7 grams. A slice of bread is about 4 grams. You find that legumes are higher in protein. If you eat a variety of them throughout the day then you reach your daily requirement easy. It’s never as hard as you think once you really know the facts and understand your body better. Knowing the facts is important. Lower fat, high fiber and high protein is good for your body and will keep you healthy. Meat should be your last resort.