It’s vital for the production of amino acids, which arethen converted into hormones such as adrenaline. Protein is also used as anenergy source, and is important for growth and recovery after exercise.
Need to know facts:
- While protein is found in animal and plantfoods, animal products – meat, dairy and eggs – are considered to be completeproteins, or ‘better’ quality protein because they contain all of the nineessential amino acids that the body needs. Most plant or vegetable proteins areincomplete, because they’re missing some important amino acids.
- When eaten with carbohydrates, protein slowsdown the absorption or digestion of the carbohydrate, which helps the dietaryenergy to last longer.
- The body can’t store protein, so it must beeaten on a daily basis.