Body Building Blocks: What is Protein?

Protein is vital in our bodies for a lot of daily functions. When we eat protein, our bodies start to denature or break down the proteins in our stomach. This protein catabolism is the start of how our bodies create muscle. Building muscle regularly is of upmost importance when it comes to boosting our metabolic systems, decreasing our hunger as well as maintaining our muscle mass. As we age, we must keep an eye on our muscle mass and continue to eat proper amounts of protein.  

At the grocery store we have access to many types of protein sources. We have complete protein sources such as animal products or we have incomplete proteins such as plant proteins. Plant proteins are incomplete proteins because they do not contain all 20 of the essential amino acids needed for a protein to be considered complete. For this reason, if you only eat plant protein you will need to be focused on getting a variety of plant protein in your diet to attempt to cover all amino acids. The easiest way to get all of your amino acids regularly in your diet is to eat a diet consisting of animal protein sources.  

When at the grocery store and looking for animal protein you will commonly find chicken, beef, eggs, fish, bison and other meats in the meat department. While shopping for plant proteins, tofu, tempeh, quinoa, legumes and lentils will be available through the store. Whether you decide to eat plant or animal protein is up to you, however if you decide to remove animal protein from your meals, I recommend that you regularly meet with your doctor to have blood labs run. These labs are used to monitor whether you are getting sufficient nutrients from your chosen protein sources.

From 2019-2020 I attempted to eat a vegan diet. I fell in love with the color of my food full of a very fibrous diet. However, I was lacking in energy, my hair was thinning, and I was gaining weight due to eating too many excess calories. (I struggle with binge eating disorder) Once returning to school, I learned how important protein is for our bodies and I resumed eating animal protein. I believe that animal protein in proper quantities is the most efficient way to maintain our health. This feels very controversial for me to say right now as my childhood was filled with meat only, dirty keto lifestyle (dirty keto= diet full of overly processed meats as well as leaning on processed dairy). That time of my life caused a lot of confusion for me about how to feed myself. I was hyper focused on no carbohydrates all while struggling to keep away from my binge eating habits.  

Looking back, I can see the benefits of how a keto diet can be achieved safely and that with increased fiber intake along with HIGH quality grass fed and finished meat. The picture of this fish is a perfect example of how to eat a mostly meat diet in a healthy way. Pair this fish with steamed vegetables and you will have a perfectly balanced dinner. The quality of animal meat you buy is the most important factor when buying meat.  

I always recommend grass fed, grass finished meat. It is also important to make sure that the animal meat you're buying was raised without hormones administered. The hormones and types of feed used for the animals we eat directly have an effect on our bodies processes and hormones. When we are able to eat quality meat, the health benefits can be substantial. Our bodies will preserve our current muscle mass, improve our metabolic systems and supplement our bodies with nutrients vital for health. Overall, I believe animal protein to be the best form of protein for our bodies, I also recommend that we diversify our protein and eat plant protein alongside our animal protein. I believe that by consuming plant and animal proteins our bodies can have access to many types of amino acids. This combination approach has been working for me as I continue my path to healthier eating. 

What Kind Of Protein Do YOU eat?

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• Animal Protein Only
• Plant Protein Only
• Animal AND Plant Protein
• I do not eat protein