Diet and Proteins
Posted on December 24, 2006 | Category: Diet and Nutrition
Protein is most abundant substance in the human body next to water. It is used as a major building ingredient for blood, hair, skin and internal organs. Protein is a group of food elements known as amino acids. Till date 22 amino acids have found to be present in proteins. Combination of these amino acids is used to carry out our body functions.
Different combination of amino acids in protein is required by the body for building and maintaining body tissues. Proteins are required more when new tissues are built in the body rapidly such as infancy, mother nursing a child, pregnancy etc. Protein is also required in large quantities after surgery, infections, burns etc. Proteins are required for building large amount of enzymes which inturn controls the speed of chemical reactions in the body and is required for producing harmones. Protein is also helpful to ward off infections.
Proteins are also burned to supply energy when the diet doesnot supply enough calories from fats and carbohydrates. If excess protein is taken then required, the extra is converted to body fat.
The perfect source of protein is human milk which could be give a perfect 100. Eggs comes close second with score of about 94, cows milk 85, meat and fish 80. Brown rice is highest ranked vegetable souce with a score of 80.
The minimum daily intake of protein should be 0.213 gms of protein per pound of body weight. If we consider losses to be equal to 30% which could occur due to minor infection, pain, lack of sleep etc. we standard requirement for protein would be equal to 0.28 grms of protein per pound of body weight per day. Pregnant women, nursing mothers, and growing children would require more proteing then as mentioned above.
» Filed Under Diet and Nutrition
May 14th, 2007 at 7:00 am
My 2 week old grandson has just been diagnosed with PKU
how will this affect his growth if he is unable to take protein in his diet and what type of foods will he be able to have
December 26th, 2007 at 10:35 pm
Dear Sir,
Thanks for a nice message about Protein.I’m 27 years of age and practising gym from 8 month.My weigh is 83 Kg and I’m 179 cm in height just I want to know that how much protein does I need for building my Muscle.
Thanks