Fats | Carbohydrates | Proteins

PROTEINS
Protein comprises about one half of the body weight, excluding water. It is necessary for the structure of cells and is made up of chemical building blocks called amino acids. The body can manufacture all but nine of the amino acids it needs to build protein. These nine amino acids in food are needed to build all the proteins necessary to assure normal growth and development in children, to build muscle, and to replace those amino acids used up in day-to-day metabolism.

Proteins cannot be stored in the body for later use thus there needs to be a regular dietary supply of the nine essential amino acids.

Protein deficiency plays an important role in malnutrition and starvation worldwide. In this country extreme dieters and bulimics, and may become dangerously malnourished because of inadequate protein intake. We get protein primarily from meat, fish and dairy products but adequate protein can also be obtained from seeds, legumes and nuts.

Some diets recommend high protein low carbohydrate intake for weight loss. This diet leads to fat utilization for the energy needs of the body and to a condition called ketosis. Also the protein rich diet usually is high in fat because of the meat or dairy products consumed. There is considerable controversy about this diet and my bias is to avoid it until it is proven safe and effective.

A daily protein intake of 12 to 18% of calories is desirable.