PROTEINS

For every person who is involved in bodybuilding and recreationally or competitively trains in fitness, the most important nutrient is proteins.

Protein provides the material from which muscles grow.

Protein consists of amino acids, and we differentiate essential and non-essential amino acids.

Essential amino acids cannot be synthesized by the body and must be obtained through food. There are eight essential amino acids: lysine, valine, leucine, methionine, isoleucine, phenylalanine, threonine, tryptophan.

There are 14 non-essential amino acids and those are: histidine, arginine, cystine, cysteine, tyrosine, alanine, serine, glutamine, glutamic acids, asparagine, aspartic acids, gliadin, proline, ornithine.

Good sources of protein are egg white, chicken and turkey breast, cheese and fish. These foods are high-value sources of protein because they contain all essential amino acids.

You can also get all the amino acids from a vegetarian diet.

It is possible to combine different legumes and cereal in a meal. For example, beans and corn, brown rice and lentils, brown rice and chickpeas. Legumes are deficient in the amino acid methionine, but contain enough of the amino acid lysine. Cereals have a deficiency of lysine and an excess of methionine. By consuming cereals and legumes in the same meal, the body receives sufficient amounts of all essential amino acids.

If we use a 2-deciliter cup when cooking to measure one meal, then the ratio is one quarter of legumes and three quarters of cereal.

When choosing protein, the biological usability is also important. The most useful is the protein in which amino acid composition is most similar to the amino acid composition of the human organism, the protein of breast milk and eggs, which are almost completely utilized. Fish, cheese, organically grown oats, brown rice and wheat germ are also highly usable foods.

For people who train with weights, it is necessary to enter 2-3 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight. That number varies on the goal of the diet. If a person wants to lose weight, then the protein intake is higher, and the percentage of carbohydrates intake is lower. The ratio is approximately 40% protein, 40% carbohydrates, 20% fat.

 For people working on muscle mass, the ratio is 30% protein, 50% carbohydrates, 20% fat. If a person takes anabolics, then the intake of proteins increases significantly and is in the range of 4-6 grams per kilogram of body weight.

A diet with more protein also requires increased water consumption. It is recommended to drink about 4 liters of water a day.

We can supplement the daily protein intake with protein powder. The advantage of protein powders is that they are easily digestible, do not contain a lot of fat and can easily be taken with us to work or school. For the production of protein powder, the most famous raw materials are milk, eggs, whey and soy.