How to Read a Food Label: Proteins

When discussing proteins, one of the first things you might hear is: "Proteins are the building blocks of muscle," and amino acids are the building blocks of proteins. If we look back to our high school days, we might remember the DNA molecule (the one that looks like a two sided staircase). Well, our DNA is made up of nucleotides, which are the building blocks of amino acids. So...muscles are made of proteins that are formed from amino acids and DNA. But what does all this have to do with nutrition labels?

When looking at a nutrition label you will notice a gram amount for how much protein is in the food product. Since proteins build up muscle cells (remember, the number of our muscle cells never change) by making them larger (aka hypertrophy, we've all heard of atrophy, where the muscle cells get smaller, hypertrophy is the opposite!), proteins are an essential part of our diet!

Not only are proteins a key component in muscle cells, but in other cells as well. DNA codes for proteins, and proteins do not just make up muscle cells but also hormones, cell membranes, bone, blood cells, enzymes and much more! Protein can be found in meat, poultry, legumes, eggs, milk products, and nuts. The recommended amount of proteins is .36 grams per pound per day. For example, a person who weighs 140 pounds needs approximately 50 grams of protein per day. Remember, there are always exceptions to the rule :)