{"id":4940,"date":"2021-03-14T08:16:29","date_gmt":"2021-03-14T15:16:29","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.bornfitness.com\/?p=4940"},"modified":"2021-03-19T13:03:27","modified_gmt":"2021-03-19T20:03:27","slug":"high-quality-protein","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.bornfitness.com\/high-quality-protein\/","title":{"rendered":"What is a High-Quality Protein?"},"content":{"rendered":"

Editor’s Note:<\/strong> It pains me to say this, but peanut butter is not a high-quality source of protein.<\/p>\n

Before you counter with claims about almond butter, cashew butter, or any nut butter, they all fall into the same category along with many other popular “protein snacks.”<\/p>\n

As the unofficial President of the Peanut Butter Fan Club, I don’t like to discredit peanut butter in any way. But, knowing my love of peanut butter (it’s still perfectly fine to include in your diet) will help you understand why it’s important to know about high-quality proteins.<\/p>\n

That’s because what is marketed as good protein<\/em> is rarely accurate.<\/p>\n

You can blame the food industry, but don’t expect them to change any time soon. The good news: learning to differentiate high-quality protein from “regular” (scientist will call it incomplete) protein is pretty easy.<\/p>\n

Even better: there are simple ways to turn incomplete proteins into complete proteins (think of it as a way to upgrade your favorite nut butter of choice).<\/p>\n

The best news: once you add more high-quality protein to your diet, you start to see the benefits you want, ranging from fat loss and muscle gain to better hair, skin, and nails.<\/p>\n

You don’t have to ditch your peanut butter. But, if you’ve been focusing on getting a lot of your daily protein from nuts (or other incomplete sources), you’re about to realize all the ways you’ve been missing out. -AB<\/strong><\/p>\n

Why Is Protein Important?<\/h2>\n

Before we get to quality, let’s make something clear: you\u2019ve probably heard that you need more protein in your diet, and for a good reason. <\/span><\/p>\n

Protein is the building block for muscle<\/a>, but it\u2019s also so much more. <\/span><\/p>\n

Protein is also essential for maintaining a strong immune system<\/a>, bones, tendons, and is responsible for many metabolic reactions<\/a>. There is also a<\/span> clear relationship<\/span><\/a> between protein and weight loss. <\/span><\/p>\n

Here\u2019s the thing: <\/span><\/p>\n

Not all proteins are created equal. <\/strong><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Quality counts. But what\u2019s the difference between protein and \u201chigh-quality protein?\u201d It’s locked in the amino acids of each type of protein. <\/span><\/p>\n

As much as protein all looks the same on a nutrition label, it’s not.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

If you’re confused, don’t worry. As we mentioned, d<\/span>istinguishing high-quality protein from lesser-quality protein is easier than you might think. And, once you learn to recognize the difference, you’ll be able to adjust how you eat without much stress.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Why Amino Acids Are Important<\/h2>\n

Every source of protein has a different amino acid profile. These amino acids \u2014 or the component parts that a protein will become when you digest it \u2014 are a big determinant of whether or not a protein is high-quality. \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Your body can produce many amino acids on its own. But there are some it can\u2019t<\/em> make. They are: <\/span><\/p>\n