Why is Protein Important?

You always hear people say Protein is important. Make sure you get your protein in. Eat more protein. But why? Protein is one of three macronutrients that are essential for all healthy diets. Carbohydrates, Fats, and Protein. A person needs a mix of all three to have a healthy diet.

Carbohydrates

Carbohydrates are essential for fueling and providing energy to the body for things such as exercising or even mandatory bodily functions like breathing or thinking. Carbohydrates also help with digestion which encourages the growth of healthy bacteria in the intestines. Consuming an inefficient amount of carbohydrates can lead to fatigue, headaches, constipation, bad breath, mood swings, difficulty concentrating, and muscle loss. To fight low carbohydrate levels in your diet you can add a carbohydrate supplement. You can use a Carbohydrate powder which you can drink as a shake and add to your diet, One brand with a good carbohydrate powder is Muscle Milk. Muscle Milk Carb Boost(amazon).

Fats

Fats, which are normally seen as a bad thing are most definitely not bad. While there are bad fats, generally all fats get wrapped into this stigma of bad fats. Bad fats include saturated and trans fats which raise bad cholesterol, increasing the risk of heart disease when consumed in excess. Good fats include unsaturated fats known as monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats which tend to lower bad cholesterol levels. Good fats help many bodily functions which include but are not limited to energy, cell membranes and nerve tissue development, hormone balance, body insulation, brain development, blood clotting, and Inflammation. Consuming an inefficient amount of fats can lead to vitamin deficiencies, poor brain function, hormonal imbalance, weakened immune system, hair loss, and dry skin. To combat low fats you can take sublimates such as fish oils (amazon) or omega-3s (amazon).

Protein

Why is protein the most “Important”? There are no “most important” macronutrients they are all equally important for a healthy diet, and when trying to pursue a healthy diet Carbohydrates and Fats are often overlooked, which can lead to feelings of sluggishness and no energy. Protein is important because it is also used in many bodily functions including building and maintaining muscle, weight management, healthy hair, a strong immune system, metabolism, tissue repair, and another form of energy. Low protein intake can lead to skin, hair, and nail problems, loss of muscle mass, greater risk of bone fractures or bone breaks, stunted growth in children, increased severity of infections, and greater appetite and calorie intake. An easy and popular way to combat a low-protein diet is protein powders. I have two go-to protein powders, one being more budget-friendly but not as good of a flavor and the other one being one of my favorite flavors. The more budget-friendly option is 100% gold standard (amazon) and the better flavors is Ghost Whey Chips Ahoy.