You! Protein has a lot of negative stereotypes, but the truth is everyone needs protein. You don’t need to be a bodybuilder or the next Arnold Schwarzenegger to require protein. Whether you are a stay-at-home mom, an endurance athlete, a teenager or a couch potato, everyone needs protein. Protein plays many vital roles in the human body and, regardless of your lifestyle, is needed for general health and wellness.

Along with carbohydrate and fat, protein is one of the three main classifications of food (macronutrients). Protein is composed of chains of amino acids, which break down in the body to serve diverse functions. The word protein does not refer to powders, shakes and supplements, but rather an important nutrient found in foods.

We’ve heard it before, protein helps to build muscle, boost metabolism and burn fat. But what else does protein do? Protein is essential to our immune system, helping us build strong antibodies and fight off infection, it is vital for digestive function, as well as cellular structure and hormone balance. Protein is a whole lot more important than just looking buff or getting that bikini body. Interestingly, of the three macronutrients, protein is actually the most satiating and satisfying, keeping us fuelled and full the longest.

The most obvious sources of protein are animal proteins; eggs, chicken, pork, seafood and red meat. When is comes to animal protein, consider this rule: the fewer legs the better. The fewer legs something has (or at least had when it was alive) the better its ratio of protein to healthy fat. However, that does not mean that you need to grill up a chicken breast for every meal in order to consume enough protein. In fact, there are many sources of plant-based protein that can easily be incorporated into any meal or snack. Nuts, seeds, beans, lentils and certain grains can serve as excellent sources of plant-based protein to incorporate into a healthy diet. Check out this list for my top 10 Sources of Plant-Based Protein.