{"id":5869,"date":"2023-02-06T09:00:51","date_gmt":"2023-02-06T09:00:51","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.bulk.com\/uk\/the-core\/?p=5869"},"modified":"2025-03-18T13:27:23","modified_gmt":"2025-03-18T13:27:23","slug":"a-beginners-guide-to-protein","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.bulk.com\/uk\/the-core\/a-beginners-guide-to-protein\/","title":{"rendered":"Beginner’s Guide to Protein"},"content":{"rendered":"

New to protein? No worries. Here we give you the lowdown on what you need to know. What is protein? How much do I need? These are just some of the common questions we’ll be answering. You’ll be a fountain of knowledge by the end, helping you to make the right choices about your nutrition. Let\u2019s get started with this beginner’s guide to protein.<\/span><\/p>\n

What is protein?<\/b><\/h2>\n

Protein is an essential macronutrient that plays a crucial role in building and repairing tissues, supporting immune function and maintaining a healthy metabolism. It is one of the three macronutrients, along with fats and carbohydrates.<\/span><\/p>\n

A protein is composed of chains of<\/span> amino acids and is required for the growth, repair and maintenance of tissues, organs and muscles. Proteins are also involved in important bodily functions such as hormone regulation, enzyme production and immune response. Without proteins, our body\u2019s structure, functions, cells, tissues and organs cannot survive.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Amino acids are the building blocks of protein and there are 20 of them in total:<\/span><\/p>\n

Alanine, <\/span>arginine<\/b><\/a>, asparagine, aspartic acid, cysteine, glutamic acid, <\/span>glutamine<\/b><\/a>, glycine, histidine, isoleucine,<\/span> leucine<\/b><\/a>, lysine, methionine, phenylalanine, proline, serine, threonine, tryptophan, tyrosine and valine.<\/span><\/p>\n

Where is protein found?<\/b><\/h2>\n

Protein is found in animal products such as meat, poultry, fish, eggs and dairy. It\u2019s also found in plant-based sources like lentils, beans, quinoa and soya protein.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The quality of protein in animal sources is <\/span>generally<\/span><\/i> considered to be higher than in plant sources. This is because animal proteins contain all the essential amino acids, while plant proteins may only contain some. However, a balanced diet that includes both animal and plant sources ensures a full and healthy intake of all <\/span>essential amino acids<\/b><\/a>.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

If you follow a vegan, plant-based or dairy-free diet, supplementation might be beneficial. And this isn\u2019t just for protein. See our blog on the <\/span>most important vitamins for vegans<\/b><\/a> if this applies to your dietary preferences.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"beginner's<\/p>\n

What does protein do?<\/b><\/h2>\n

Protein plays a vital role in almost every biological process of the human body. However, it’s especially important during the process of building, strengthening and repairing muscle mass. This is because protein kickstarts muscle protein synthesis (MPS) – a process in which the body repairs and builds new muscle tissue. <\/span><\/p>\n

Here\u2019s a brief overview of how it works:<\/span><\/p>\n