The Power of Protein
The human body is made up of proteins – everything from the cells in your body, muscle, bones, skin and hair all contain protein. In many ways protein can be classified as the ‘building blocks of life’.
Made up of 8 essential amino acids, protein is responsible for many things in the human body. It proves to be a major energy source, replaces / repairs cells, and acts as a regulatory body to all human tissue and organs.
The body can be fed protein through the foods consumed. There are loads of animal sources (meat, poultry, fish and eggs) that contain high protein levels and are referred to as a ‘complete’ protein since it contains all 9 of the essential amino acids. Alternatively there are numerous non-animal foods that are rich in protein including beans, nuts and certain grains.
To put this in perspective, you are unable to get all the amino acids needed from consuming peanuts alone. However, if you have some organic natural peanut butter on a slice of ShaSha Organic Ezekiel Bread, you are set! In fact, our 8 Grain Ezekiel Bread has all 8 essential amino acids which form a complete protein. It is important to recognize that you do not have to intake all the essential amino acids in every meal. Throughout the day you will consume a variety of protein sources and your body will naturally take what it needs from each.
It has been recommended from the Institute of Medicine that adults should consume 8 grams of protein for every 20 pounds of body weight per day. They go on to mention that consuming 10 – 35% of calories from protein is considered a healthy amount for the majority of the population.
That said, our ShaSha Organic Buckwheat Snacks are the perfect protein rich and nutrient dense snack that can be enjoyed throughout the day to keep you feeling full and energized. While it is a common misconception that buckwheat is a whole grain, it is actually a fruit seed that proves to be high in protein and fibre. Buckwheat helps to support heart health and has been known to aid in preventing diabetes and digestive disorders, making an all- round healthy and powerful protein dense snack!
