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Lysine, leucine, isoleucine, methionine, phenylalanine, threonine, tryptophan, and
valine are the essential amino acids that are not made by the body (there are two
others necessary for infants and small children). We get these amino acids when we
consume protein sources like meat, fish, poultry and legumes.
Protein sources that contain adequate amounts of all of the amino acids are called
“complete proteins.” Those food items that do not contain all or adequate amounts
of amino acids are known as “incomplete proteins.”
In general, animal proteins (meat, fish, poultry, cheese, eggs) are considered
“complete proteins.” The “incomplete proteins” are those that are vegetable based,
usually in the form of grains, legumes, nuts and seeds. To get enough essential amino
acids through vegetable protein, one usually has to combine several different food
groups together in a strategic combination.
Breaking down and processing protein takes a lot more energy and much more time
than it does to break down other nutrients. In other words, the body has to work a
lot harder to digest protein than it does with carbohydrates and fat.
The extra energy it takes to break down and process protein reduces the amount of
energy your body receives from that food it consumed. Also, because it takes longer
to break down and to assimilate protein, the process of emptying the stomach takes
longer as well, which causes us to feel full longer, which reduces hunger pangs.
It is believed that the body can only use about 50% of the protein we eat. This
means the other 50% is eliminated from the body as waste because protein is not
stored in the body the same way that fat and carbohydrates are. So, when you eat
calories primarily from protein, you can rest assured that these protein calories are
repairing and rebuilding your body with the excess being eliminated as waste. The
extra protein will not be stored as body fat. As you will see, this is in stark contrast to
excess carbohydrates and fat we eat, which are stored on our bodies in our fat cells
instead of being eliminated.
Adding protein to your meals causes your body to release a hormone called
glucagon. Glucagon works to slow down the harmful effect of excess carbohydrates
from being deposited into our fat cells. It does so by slowing the rate of absorption
of those carbohydrates. Additionally, there are new studies that have shown that
when the body releases glucagon (by consuming protein in your diet), it also works
to stimulate fat-burning by freeing up your stored body fat, so that it can be used to
fuel your body.
As you will see, when we increase protein consumption and significantly decrease
the amount of carbohydrates we consume, we benefit from a dual fat-burning effect.
On one hand, when the body does not have carbohydrates to turn to, to fuel the
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