Regardless of their origin, proteins are absolutely essential to the body, as they help build and repair muscles, tissues and other organs, and are involved in many biological processes. They are made up of amino acids, which are their basic structures, of which we need 20 for the body to function properly. The problem is that the body can only synthesise half of the non-essential amino acids, while the rest, essential amino acids, must be provided by our diets.
Both are found indistinctly in foods of animal origin, such as eggs, milk or cheese, and of plant origin, mainly vegetables, legumes, grains and fruit. However, it is true that the amino acid profile varies between plant and animal proteins. When eaten, protein breaks down into amino acids. Proteins and amino acids are used for almost all the metabolic processes in the body. However, different proteins can vary greatly in the types of amino acids they contain. While animal proteins tend to contain a good balance of all the amino acids we need, some plant proteins are low in certain amino acids. The former are more complete and better cover our nutritional needs, so they are known as high biological value proteins.
The main benefits of animal proteins are as follows:
- Minimise the risk of the heart disease
- Improve cholesterol levels and weight loss
- Increase lean muscle mass and reduce the muscle loss that ocurrs with age
The main benefits of plant proteins are as follows:
- Provide amino acids for muscle regeneration and growth
- Are cholesterol-free as cholesterol is only found in foods of animal origin
- Are lactosa-free
- Are easy to digest, so you can forget about having an upset stomach