To celebrate the launch of our new Health Swap app, over the coming weeks we will be posting blogs all about nutrition. This blog will look at protein and explain why it is not just for body builders.

There is often a misconception around protein, many think it is something only body builders need to worry about. This is not quite correct, as we all need protein in our diet to survive.

Protein is the building blocks of our body, it is responsible for growth, maintenance and repair of our muscles, but also plays an important role in energy release and even neurotransmitter functioning. Every time we exercise, this even includes physical activity such as walking, we are causing tiny tears in our muscles and the connective tissues surrounding them. Protein’s role is to repair these tears and allow the muscles to grow and get stronger.

Importantly for weight management, protein is very important in the regulation of your metabolism. Research has shown that consuming protein in the mornings can help fire up your metabolism, so that you start burning energy quicker, which is very useful when trying to lose weight. Why not try consuming some form of protein in the morning and seeing if you feel more awake and energetic?

Protein doesn’t just have to come from meat and fish, it is many different foods which are also good for you. So if you’re vegetarian or vegan, you can still get all the protein you need from sources such as beans, legumes, nuts, seeds, diary and oils. It is good to try and eat many different types of protein, as each have a slightly different composition of amino acids (organic compounds that binds to form proteins) which will be beneficial for your body.

To find out more about the DSActive Health Swap app please click here. Why not join our Facebook group for app users? Click here to join.