It seems that modern nutritionists are literally crazy on squirrels. Everyone who decides to become a vegetarian begins to frighten even people far from medicine - there will be no animal food - you will not have enough protein. Of course, a future vegan needs to be careful about her diet. Take care of enough protein. Why is this particular component of a healthy diet so important? This can be understood if we consider the functions of proteins in the human body. However, vegans should not despair - and they can eat fully.
We are 45% protein, everyone knows that this substance should be enough for a person to gain muscle power in his diet. Protein is found in large quantities in the muscles; it also consists of skin, nails, mucous membranes, hair, and a lot of proteins in the blood. Why is it important to get enough of this nutrient with food?
Proteins are made up of smaller units - amino acids. They are actively used by the body only 20, and many of them are unable to be synthesized in the body, they are called essential (indispensable). Only a few adults can form a few more, that is, they can be considered conditionally irreplaceable. And the essential ones must be eaten, otherwise the body simply will not be able to build tissues. A person on a low-protein diet is rapidly losing weight, but this is a mass of muscles that are very heavy. After a while, a condition called protein-free edema begins. Yes, the expression "swell with hunger" is not irony and not a metaphor; people without protein really can not live long and it is precisely "swelling" that is sick. As can be seen from the above, the first function of the protein (which requires the most of this substance) is construction.
Most of the body's reactions outside it cannot go on their own. How are these “magical” reactions triggered? For this, special “players” are needed - reagents that are not consumed in the reaction. That is enzymes. These are nothing more than catalysts that evolution has worked on for a long time. Very few of them are required, but life without such catalysts is impossible. They are very capricious, since protein easily loses its structure. Therefore, the physical function of proteins in this form is strongly influenced by physical conditions. Such substances exist not only in humans, but also in pathogenic agents. And the body raises the temperature because many bacterial enzymes are unable to function at a slightly deviated temperature. Although our body also suffers from this condition. So, the second function is catalytic. A small amount of the enzyme can do chemical miracles in the body.
The functions of proteins are not limited to this, there are also tasks for complex molecules of life. An important function is humoral-regulatory ; most hormones are of a protein nature. But this is often the only way for the center to affect organs and tissues - to secrete a hormone or hormone-like substance. By the way, this type of regulation is called humoral.
Above, you read about protein-free edema. One can guess that protein plays the role of a regulator of water metabolism . It is the amount of protein in the blood and tissues that determines the correct balance of the water introduced into and out of the body. A term such as oncotic pressure is associated with this process.
We must not forget about such a function of proteins as protective . If a person lacks protein, he begins to get sick more often. In the formation of immune cells, this nutrient plays one of the key roles. The cells that protect us every day are built from protein.
Is it possible to be a vegan and still be healthy? The functions of proteins in the body may well be performed by vegetable protein. Only proteins of different types need to be combined, for example, there is rice at the same time as beans. And many types of soybeans contain the same amino acids as regular meat. So you can be a vegan. If carefully.