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Proteins are important for everyone because it contributes to every metabolic activity in the body. Many proteins are enzymes that catalyze biochemical reactions and are vital to metabolism A good percentage of proteins have catabolic and anabolic functions that help in bodily growth and development. Proteins also serve as the backbone in keeping cellular shape through the complex structure of myofilaments working together. Other proteins are important in cell signaling, immune responses, cell adhesion, and maintenance of the cell cycle. Other globally known proteins are insulin which aids in control of diabetes. Protein also aid in blood circulation by acting as carrier for the oxygen in the lungs to reach the different parts of the body.
Plants through the process of photosynthesis can produce their own amino acids however humans and other animal need an external source of amino acids since they cannot process their own. Essential amino acids are those that helpful to the body that cannot be produced by animal (including human beings) on their own. Proteins are necessary in every individual diet since we are not able to synthesize all the amino acids we need and must obtain essential amino acids from food. If plants use photosynthesis human use the process of digestion to break down proteins from food to the essential amino acids that the body needs.
Since animals obtain amino acids through the consumption of foods containing protein, ingested proteins are broken down into amino acids through digestion, which typically involves of the protein through exposure to acid and breakdown by water by enzymes called proteases. The amino acids that are taken in by the body are converted into different protein-based structures or hormones that contribute to growth, sugar production and control or hormonal balance. This use of protein as a fuel is particularly important under starvation conditions as it allows the body's own proteins to be used to support life, particularly those found in muscle. Foods that are rich in protein such as beans are also rich in nitrogen which is also essential for the body.
Poultry and livestock products such as eggs, milk and meat are the top-ranked sources of protein according to nutrition experts. The specificity of each protein-rich food to the consumer will depend on the amount of calories it will provide to the body. It is also noticeable that the list of high protein foods are mostly sourced from animal origin. These tend to be better sources for high protein quality. Foods of plant origin tend to have a lower biological value when compared to animal protein sources. Nevertheless it is also recommended to combine different plant sources to obtain the necessary protein needed by the body.
Now the big question is "pork" or "tofu". Nutrition experts have a leaning towards the fact that pork has almost three times the amount of protein compared to tofu. Pork gives 25g of protein per 100g serving while tofu only has 8g of protein per 100g serving. So doesn't this conclude and put an end to any discussion? Pork is really the winner by default when it comes to protein content however there are also some dietary requirements that are taken into account. This is the reason why any pork recipe would beat any salad recipe or other dishes that have a lot of tofu in it. For individuals with a higher caloric requirement tofu is suggested since it gives more (almost double) compared to pork. Tofu also has less fat per serving compared to pork with a ratio of 1 is to 20.
Consumers are mostly not aware of this because these data are not listed in the food products that we usually purchase and the arbitrary value it presents. For example, buying the leanest cuts of meat will have a low fat content, but frying the same product in oil will increase the fat content after cooking, meaning a broiled chicken recipe is different from fried chicken.
Considering all the hype to eat right we must also be aware that most processed meat sources, or meat products, contain high amounts of sodium in the form of salt. This is mainly used for preservation and to enhance taste. High levels of salt in the diet is not recommended as too much may cause water retention, as well as contributing partly to gains in weight. Asian foods such as Filipino recipe mostly consists of this diet and should watch out for its later effects to ones health.
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