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Protein is a general name of chemical compounds formed by combining the basic
building blocks called amino acids in a highly varied and complex chemical manner. Even though
proteins can give calories, their role in our body is far more important than that. When proteins are
mentioned, generally emphasis is given on the amino acid content rather than the calories. If you regard
carbohydrates or fat as fuel, it’s ok, but not protein. We buy potatoes by weight, but not a microprocessor,
for example! The role protein plays is very important in the body, which cannot be replaced by any other
macronutrient, such as fat or carbohydrate. Likewise a protein’s amino acid content is even more
important than the total amount of protein.
There are grades of protein based on the amino acid content and their proportion
with respect to one another. Proteins derived from animal sources are regarded as better proteins than
their plant based counterparts.
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Proteins: Their Importance in Nutrition And
Fat Loss