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Protein is an essential nutrient found in animal products, nuts, and beans. The name protein name comes from the Greek word protos, which means âfirst.â Your body uses proteins in your diet to build new cells, maintain tissues, and synthesize new proteins that make it possible for you to perform basic bodily functions.
According to Gordon Wardlaw and Anne Smith in their text Contemporary Nutrition, proteins comprise 17% of your body weight, which except for water, forms the majority of lean tissue. Dietary protein supplies your body with essential nitrogen, which is then used to reformulate needed body proteins. wide variety of proteins exist and are necessary for numerous functions. If your diet lacks sufficient protein over time, many body processes slow down, eventually compromising your overall health. Organs such as the heart and liver may actually decrease in size, as will muscles and blood proteins.