For the last several years, there’s been a lot of hype surrounding protein. Most people know they need it, that it helps build your muscles, and can help you lose weight, should you decide to eat it exclusively. However, as a personal trainer, I find that most of my clients at Diversified Health and Fitness gyms are somewhat misinformed or confused about this nutritional powerhouse.

Protein is considered one of the three main macronutrients, fat and carbohydrates being the others. As an energy source, it’s the one that is used last, as the body has a harder time converting it from protein to energy. Stored in the muscles, it’s necessary for maintaining the body’s normal growth and muscle mass, the immune system, and heart and regulatory functions. It’s safe to say that you can’t live without it.

Most Americans typically eat more protein than they need. We’re a burger and cheese loving nation, and you won’t find too many protein deficient people here. In developing countries, though, it is a chronic problem and sadly, can be a cause of death.

So how much protein do you really need? The standard rule of thumb is 5 – 15% of your total daily caloric intake. So if you normally consume 2,000 calories per day, 200 of those calories should come from protein, or about 50 grams. You should be eating about 1 gram of protein per one Kilogram of body weight. An easier way to figure this out is to take your weight, divide it in half, and then subtract 10. This should give you your recommended daily amount, if you’re exercising at a moderate level (two and a half hours or so per week).

With these numbers in mind, it’s easy to understand that most Americans generally eat way more than this amount of protein in a given day. Is this harmful to your health? Generally speaking, it’s not. Unless you have a kidney or liver disease, such as cirrhosis, then it could be dangerous. These two organs process protein and could be hurt by an abundance of it. If you have these issues, talk to your doctor for more information.

Protein is made up of amino acids, of which there are 20 different kinds. These are the building blocks of protein, and you need all of them to fulfill your body’s needs. The combination of amino acids determines the type of protein. Amino acids are also broken down into essential and non-essential, and these can come from either plant or animal sources. Essential acids are those that cannot be gained except from food sources. These essential amino acids can then be broken down into the non-essential type.

Your body requires all these amino acids. Animal proteins are typically also known as “complete” proteins, meaning that you body can get all the amino acids from this kind of protein. This is one reason why being a vegan (eating absolutely no meat) can be quite difficult. Eggs are known as having the most complete amino acid structure out of all the animal protein sources, and are the standard by which the others are measured.

The “incomplete” amino acids come from plant sources, meaning that they’re missing some amino acids that your body still needs. These include things such as legumes, nuts, and seeds. These need to be consumed together in a complementary fashion to ensure that the needs of the body are met. For example, you could eat beans with rice, or hummus and pita bread – these combined will give the body a more complete source of all its requirements. Soy and protein bars and powders are also great sources of complete aminos.

You don’t have to eat all the amino acids everyday. Interestingly, we do have a biological drive to get what we need from our food sources; so typically, we’re not deficient in most amino acids. I tell my clients at the gyms I work at to try to get what they need on a monthly basis, and to listen to your body. If you’re craving a hamburger or eggs for breakfast, listen to it!

Tomorrow – Protein and the athlete, how much do they need?