WHAT IS PROTEIN?
Proteins are another macronutrient that we need to survive, along with carbohydrates and fats. They are made of amino acids, which are molecules that contain carbon, hydrogen, nitrogen, oxygen, and sometimes sulphur. These amino acids work as the building blocks to making specific proteins; one protein can have anywhere from 50 to 5,000 amino acids in one molecule. Proteins are necessary for life, because they make up enzymes that help catalyze and initiate chemical reactions in the body, antibodies which fight illness, hemoglobin which make up the oxygen transporting cells in your blood, most hormones that balance blood sugar levels and enzymes, and growth proteins that repair and maintain the tissues in your body. There are 20 different existing amino acids, 11 that are pre existing in your body, and 9 that can only be gained by consuming foods with those amino acids. Amino acids that cannot be found in the body, are called essential amino acids. Animal proteins are considered "complete proteins" because they consist of many essential amino acids, while plant proteins are considered "incomplete proteins" because they are lacking one or more of the essential amino acids.