Protein

• Proteins are a vital part of a healthy diet. Protein-rich foods include fish, meat, eggs and beans.

• Your body uses proteins to make new cells for growth, and repair damaged tissues.

• Sports nutritionists use knowledge about proteins to ensure their clients get the protein they need to repair damaged muscles.

Nutritionists and coaches need to know how much protein people need, and which foods supply this protein. Sports nutritionists work with athletes to ensure they get enough protein to build and repair damaged muscle.

Protein is one of the main food groups, and is needed by the body for cell growth and repair. Protein-rich foods include:

• fish
• meat
• eggs
• milk
• cheese
• beans
• peas
• tofu

You need to eat protein-rich foods every day. The NHS suggests that each week, protein should come a variety of different foods, with two coming from fish and one from oily fish. The NHS also recommends eating less red meat and less processed meat like burgers and sausages.

All cells are made mainly from protein. This means that your body needs protein to make new cells when you grow, and to replace old or damaged cells.

Proteins are compounds made up of amino acid molecules. In digestion, protein molecules break down long chains of amino acids (peptides), to single amino acids. Later, your body joins amino acids together again, in the correct order, to make the new protein molecules it needs.