UNDERSTANDING THE SCIENCE BEHIND FOOD

PROTEIN: the building blocks

Protein is made up of amino acids, which are often referred to as the body’s building blocks. Our bodies aren’t able to produce all of these naturally, which means we need to source these ‘essential amino acids’ from food, in roughly the correct proportions, to remain healthy. Protein is vital to our wellbeing, as it can be found in neurotransmitters (like serotonin and dopamine), hormones (like insulin), cells, enzymes, muscles and even our bones.

HOW DOES IT WORK?

Our bodies break down proteins into amino acids and then use them to build new proteins for important functions, such as transporting biological molecules throughout the body and promoting communication between different cells. We often associate