Amino acids are theBuilding blocks of proteins, which our organism uses as building materials and for control processes. The human body can use amino acidsProteinswith very different properties. A distinction is madeessential amino acidsandnon-essential amino acidsOur body cannot produce essential amino acids itself; they must be obtained through food. The body, however, can produce non-essential amino acids on its own.
What are proteins?
Proteins are valuable and vital components of our daily diet. They are not only building blocks of the organism, but also haveenzymes or hormonesalso have regulatory functions. Proteins are composed of individual amino acids. Because of their crucial functions for themetabolismFor many people, proteins seem to be the epitome of power and strength. Proteins are actually important formuscle buildingand energy metabolismFish and meat are particularly rich in protein, but also withplant-based foodsThe protein requirement can be easily met. Recent studies have shown that a high-protein diet is not harmful to bones, as long as sufficient intake ofCalciumis taken care of.
Amino acids - important protein suppliers
Especially animal products such asMeat, fish, dairy productsandeggsare rich in proteins. But alsoplant productsHowGrainandlegumesare of great importance as important protein suppliers. The decisive factor is the amount of protein per 100g that a food contains. Also important is theAvailability for the body, ie how well our organism can absorb the different amino acids. Plant proteins are generally less digestible than animal proteins, as the natural cell wall is often resistant to aggressive digestive juices. A further distinction is made betweendifferent types of amino acids. Particularly noteworthy are thesulfur-containing amino acids cysteineandMethionineThey are essential for the development stronger hair, skin and nails. The amino acidL-Arginine is considered an important protein building block, which is particularly found in theblood vesselsand can be detected in the brain. Another important amino acid isL-tryptophanIn the body, L-tryptophan is converted into serotonin (happiness hormone) and Melatonin(sleep hormone). L-tryptophan is present in the sleep productNobilin Sleepfrom Medicom.
Protein intake then and now
If we compare our currentEating habitsThere are clear differences between the two centuries. For example, in the 18th century,Intake of carbohydratesparticularly high. The largest share fiber-containing foodssuch as potatoes, bread and cereals. In contrast, the share ofproteins andFatsin nutritionsignificantly loweras today. For fats, it was only 25 g per day (compared to around 130 g today), and for proteins, it was around 60 g per day. In addition, people back then used other protein sources for their diet. In the past, protein was much less often of animal origin; it was predominantlyplant proteinsWhile the consumption of animal protein used to be only around6%Today we'll take a more orderly approach:65% of our protein comes from animal foodsFrom a nutritional point of view, not everything was worse in the past.
