What is Protein?
Protein is one of the essential nutrients for body health. The amount of protein needed by each person who consumes it is different and is adjusted according to age and gender.
This nutrient is known as one of the three macronutrients that the body needs in large amounts. Other micronutrients that the body needs are fats and carbohydrates.
Protein Composition
This compound consists of 20 amino acids, namely:
- Alanine.
- Arginine.
- Asparagine.
- Aspartic acid.
- Cysteine.
- Glutamic acid.
- Glutamine.
- Glycine.
- Histidine.
- Isoleucine.
- Lysine.
- Methionine.
- Phenylalanine.
- Proline.
- Seren.
- Threonine.
- Tryptophan.
- Trison.
- Valin.
These nutrients can also be classified as complete and incomplete proteins. Complete proteins are compounds that contain 20 amino acids, such as animal products, soy, and quinoa.
Meanwhile, incomplete protein is a protein content that does not have a complete content of 20 amino acids. Nuts and grains are types of incomplete proteins.
Daily Protein Needs That Need to be Fulfilled
According to the Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2015 – 2020, here are the amounts of plant and animal nutrients that the body needs every day based on age and gender:
- Children aged 1 to 3 years: 13 grams.
- Children aged 4 to 8 years: 19 grams.
- Children aged 9 to 13 years: 34 grams.
- Teenage girls aged 14 – 18 years: 46 grams.
- Teenage boys aged 14 – 18 years: 52 grams.
- Women aged 19 years and over: 46 grams.
- Men aged 19 years and over: 56 grams.
However, you still need to adjust your needs to your condition and health history.
Of course, pregnant women need more intake than women who are not pregnant.
Therefore, it is important to really know the right daily protein intake.
Well, you can do this by discussing with a doctor while undergoing a health check.
Function of Protein for the Body
This nutrient, also known as polystyrene, is found in every cell in the body.
Therefore, it is very important to make sure you meet your intake. So that the health of bones, muscles, and tissues in the body is maintained.
There are various roles of polystyrene for health, such as:
1. Blood clotting process
Eating more of these compounds after an injury may help speed recovery.
Because, this macronutrient can help the body repair itself after injury, including improving the blood clotting process.
2. Maintain fluid balance
Polystyrene regulates the body’s processes to maintain fluid balance. Proteins in the blood are called albumin and globulin.
These two compounds help maintain the body’s fluid balance by maintaining water levels in the blood.
3. The body’s immune system response
A deficiency in foods containing amino acids can interfere with immune function.
Ultimately, this can increase susceptibility to disease infections.
Not only that, there are several other nutritional contents that are important for the body’s immune system.
4. Hormone formation
This nutritional intake can provide the body with amino acids that are used to produce specific hormones.
Some of the specific hormones are estrogen, insulin, and thyroid hormone.
5. Formation of enzymes
Enzymes carry out almost all of the thousands of chemical reactions that occur in cells.
Enzymes also help in the formation of new molecules by reading the genetic information stored in DNA. Well, the formation of these enzymes is done by these nutrients.
6. Maintain eye health
Eating a healthy, balanced diet rich in protein can help provide all the nutrients necessary for eye health.
Not only vegetables, animals is also good for the eyes. The content of healthy fats in animal foods can help and cooking methods that help maintain healthy eyesight.
In addition to healthy fats, here are types of food that can maintain eye health.
7. Develop muscle mass and strength
This nutrient is one of the nutrients that plays a role in developing muscle mass and strength.
Getting the right intake of these nutrients can help maintain muscle mass and promote growth.
8. Maintain bone health
People who eat more of these nutrients tend to maintain better bone mass as they age and have a much lower risk of osteoporosis and fractures.
9. Provides a feeling of fullness for longer
Eating these nutrients in sufficient amounts can provide a feeling of fullness for longer.
That is why the best way to prevent snacking is to eat enough protein.
10. Maintain physical fitness
Eating more protein is one of the best ways to reduce age-related muscle loss and prevent sarcopenia (weakening of muscles and bones due to aging).
However, this is not only sufficient with nutrition, but also regular physical exercise.
11. Maintain hormonal balance
Polystyrene can play an important role in hormone regulation. Especially during the transformation and development of puberty.
Therefore, children who are in the growth phase need to get sufficient protein intake.
12. Energy sources
In addition, this compound is a source of energy that the body needs so that you can carry out daily activities.
Eating high-calorie foods can indeed give you a feeling of fullness, as can snacking on them.
Unlike other nutrients, specifically, foods rich in protein can be a source of energy.
That is the reason why people who exercise regularly need to consume a lot of this compound.
13. Supports body cell growth
Protein is one of the important nutrients that works to support cell growth.
Every day there are cells and tissues that die. In fact, if you add it up, every day there are 432 billion body cells that die.
Intake of this compound can help regenerate dead cells.
Children and adolescents need more intensive intake because they are in a period of growth.
In addition, protein also plays a very important role in carrying out various daily activities.
Impact of Protein Deficiency
When you don’t get the nutrients your body needs, this condition risks triggering you to experience nutritional deficiencies.
Some symptoms that indicate a protein deficiency in the body, such as:
1. Edema
This nutritional deficiency can trigger fluid buildup, called edema. This condition occurs when fluid builds up in the tissues, often in the legs, feet, and ankles.
2. Disorders of hair, nails and skin
Hair will fall out more easily, skin will become drier, and nails will become brittle.
3. Loss of muscle mass
Lack of this nutritional intake can cause muscle mass loss.
4. Bone disorders
When these nutrients are met properly, bone strength will increase.
However, you will be at risk of experiencing bone disorders, and bones will even break more easily when the body lacks protein.
5. Developmental disorders in children
Protein deficiency in children risks triggering various growth and development disorders, including stunting.
6. No energy
As explained earlier, protein is a source of energy. If you do not get adequate intake, your body becomes weak, limp, and unable to perform daily activities.
7. Quickly feel hungry
Maybe you’ve experienced it. When snacking on snacks or main meals without protein intake, the feeling of fullness does not last long or the body gets hungry faster.
Because you do not get enough of this compound. On the other hand, if you have met the daily protein intake that your body needs, then you will not feel hungry quickly.
Feeling hungry quickly can also be a symptom of certain health conditions.
The Impact of Excess Protein on the Body
Eating too much of this nutrient over a long period of time can put a strain on the kidneys, liver and bones, and potentially increase the risk of heart disease and cancer.
Here are further impacts of this excess nutrition:
1. Continuous urge to urinate
High protein intake makes the kidneys work hard. As a result, waste from the broken-down compounds can build up.
The excess waste buildup from eating too much protein also creates a much more acidic environment.
This is what causes you to want to urinate all the time.
2. Constipation
Consuming too much protein and not enough fiber can trigger constipation. Fiber helps move all the food that enters the intestines. The absence of fiber can inhibit this activity.
If you eat a lot of protein, be sure to also increase your fiber intake.
3. Body feels weak
Protein can indeed increase energy. However, too much can also make the body weak.
Because excessive consumption can increase kidney and liver work. This heavy performance makes the body lose energy.
4. Triggers bad breath
Eating too much meat can trigger bad breath. The reason is that meaty foods can produce ketones that make the mouth smell.
The way to overcome this is by combining animal products with vegetable products. And don’t forget to increase your fiber intake to freshen your breath.
5. Kidney damage
Excess protein can cause damage to people with pre-existing kidney disease. This is because of the excess nitrogen in the amino acids that make up protein.
Damaged kidneys have to work harder to get rid of the extra nitrogen and waste products of these metabolic compounds.
6. Reduce calcium intake
Eating too much protein can actually have an impact on decreasing calcium. This happens because when the body consumes too much of this compound, the body will excrete it.
Along with the disposal of protein, calcium in the body is also wasted. This is what can cause the body to lack calcium.
7. Risk of obesity
Basically, anything in excess is bad, including excess protein.
Consuming too much of this compound, especially from animal sources, can lead to obesity.
Especially if this excessive intake is not accompanied by regular physical activity and fiber consumption.
Recommended Protein Sources
Know the various sources of this compound that you can find to meet your body’s needs:
1. Vegetable Protein
You can find animal protein from several types of food, namely:
- Nuts.
- Grains.
- Tempeh.
- Know.
- Vegetables.
2. Animal Protein
Here are some types of animal protein sources:
- Chicken meat.
- Seafood.
- Eggs. However, eggs are divided into several types, there are omega-3 and there are regular eggs.
- Red meat.
- Organ meats such as chicken or beef heart, liver, and intestines.