b'Protein is a hot topic in medical and wellness news today.Animal proteins include:From the amount of protein you should be consuming, to Whey (dairy)the different types of plant and animal proteins, to the new Casein (dairy)buzz around alternative proteinsthere is a lot to take in Eggand we are often left with more questions than answers. BeefProtein plays a critical role in your health. From helping you Chickenincrease muscle mass and strengthening your bones, to Porklowering blood pressure and improving sleep and brain Fish and shellsh health, protein plays a role in just about every bodily function. Plant Based proteins include: SoyIn this article, we try to simplify the conversation and Peatranslate scientic data to help you understand what Grain, e.g. brown rice, quinoaprotein is, why it is important, how to differentiate between Chickpeathe different varieties of proteins, and understand Nutssituations where protein plays a major role in how your Beans, e.g. lentils, black beansbody functions.Seeds, e.g. hemp, sunflowerWhat exactly is protein? The main difference between animal and plant proteins is To understand why you need protein, you rst need totheir amino acid prole. Most animal proteins are complete understand what protein is. Protein is a macronutrientproteins, meaning they contain all 9 of the essential amino (required by the body in large amounts)along withacids (EAAs). Most plant proteins are considered carbohydrates and fatsthat provides the body withincomplete proteins, meaning they are missing at least one energy (aka calories) and is essential to building muscleessential amino acid. However, eating multiple plant mass. proteins together can create the effect of complete proteins.When we say protein builds muscle, what we really mean is the body breaks down protein into its amino acids, andAnimal proteins, such as whey protein, have been studied those amino acids are synthesized into muscle. Aminoextensively clinically to determine their effect on skeletal acidsthe building blocks of protein are compoundsmuscle and tissue repair so are recommended for athletes that are responsible for a variety of bodily processes,and people who need to increase muscle health and mass, including neurological process and muscle synthesis. 80%like the elderly or post-surgical patients. of muscle is made up of amino acids.There are two main reasons for this. First, whey is a When it comes to protein, there are 20 different aminocomplete protein, meaning that it contains all of the acids that make up each molecule of protein, and these areessential amino acids. Secondly, whey proteins are split into 2 categories: Non-Essential Amino Acids andabundant in Branched Chain Amino Acids (BCAAs) which Essential Amino Acids (EAAs).are a subset of EAAs that support muscle growth. Non-Essential Amino Acidsproduced naturally by theSo what if I am vegan or lactose intolerant?body. There is a solution for you! As mentioned above, byEssential Amino Acidsnot produced naturally by thesupplementing your plant protein intake with additional body and must be consumed through food oramino acids (e.g. BCAAs) either through other plant protein supplementation. sources or nutritional supplements, you can get the amino acid levels your body needs for optimal muscle protein It is important to understand the role amino acids play insynthesis. For example, lysine, methionine and tryptophan protein, because some amino acids are better than others(essential amino acids) are in very low quantities in plant when it comes to muscle healthwhich is critical forbased proteins and therefore you need to supplement to health and well being. get them into your body to stimulate muscle protein synthesis. For vegans, it is important to look for plant So what are the different types of protein, and whats thebased amino acid supplements, as many amino acids difference? supplements are not vegan.There are two main categories (or sources) of proteinsanimal and plant based.14'