The headlines behind the macronutrient needs of the body (also called “macros”), which make up carbohydrate, fat, and protein, have been either glorified or demonized over the years. In the 1990s, fat was supposedly the undisputed culprit for heart disease, and at the advent of the 2000s, the Atkins Diet and South Beach Diet had us wary of going anywhere near carbohydrates for fear of weight gain. Fast forward to today, and the pendulum is swinging toward increasing our protein consumption.
Protein Quality
For the most part, Americans have no problem meeting their protein needs, according to the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. But does it matter what type of protein you consume?Proteins are considered complete or incomplete depending upon whether they contain the full range of nine essential amino acids. Of the 20 amino acids that make up all protein, the body can create 11. The other nine we need to get from food.
