What is protein made up of? There are 4 organic compounds (elements) that make up protein:
- Carbon
- Hydrogen
- Oxygen
- Nitrogen
These 4 elements form chains of 21 amino acids also known as the "building blocks" of life. Amino acids fall into three categories: essential (8), conditionally-essential (7), and nonessential (6). Essential amino acids must come from food sources. The body is unable to produce adequate amounts to meet the demands of the human body. Conditionally-essential aminos cannot be produced by the body during illness, injury, or extreme emotional stress. Nonessential aminos are synthesized by the body in adequate amounts and not required in the diet.
Protein sources that contain all the essential amino acids are called complete proteins. Incomplete proteins lack one or more essential amino acids. Most animal proteins contain all or nearly all of the amino acids required for healthy function, lean muscle growth, and repair. That is why it is so important to consume complete protein sources to build lean body mass. It helps build muscle faster than any other food source. Here is my list of the top 10 protein sources to include in your nutritional program:
- Whey
- Beef
- Eggs
- Fish
- Cheese
- Skinless Chicken
- Turkey
- Casein
- Milk
- Cottage Cheese
How much dietary protein is required when training? The minimum amount of protein to consume is 1 gram per pound of body weight. The debate about how much is necessary will continue. Several small meals per day should be consumed with protein to keep you in a positive anabolic state. An example would be a 200 lb. male would consume an average of 30 to 40 grams of protein per meal.
It has been a general rule of thumb that hard training athletes require at least 1-1.2 grams of protein per kilogram of bodyweight. (Body builders and strength athletes utilize much greater amounts of protein). Unlike carbohydrates and fats, the body cannot store extra proteins, which means we must continue to ingest them on an ongoing basis to keep our muscles healthy and growing.
As your training increases, your protein requirements increase accordingly. Use a combination of the protein sources I mentioned earlier in this article.Sources indicate that in order to grow you must maintain a positive nitrogen balance. A high-quality protein is critical whether it comes from a whole food or supplemental source for growth and repair. By utilizing these sources you'll ensure that you receive all of the amino acids particularly the muscle building BCAAs.
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