Special Report
What they are and why we need them
AMINO ACIDS, EXPLAINED
By Dr Justine Butler, Senior Researcher & Writer, Viva! Health
A surprising number of people still think you need to combine different types of proteinrich plant foods to get a ‘complete’ protein. Allegations that vegans are therefore missing out are seriously outdated — but what does the science say?
Protein plays an important role in the body, forming the basis of muscles, hair, nails and collagen — the connective tissue that holds the body together. It also plays a part in regulating our bodies; causing our heart muscles to contract, helping us digest food, make DNA and even act as neurotransmitters (chemical messengers in the brain).
Proteins are made up of long chains of amino acids, which are often referred to as the ‘building blocks’ of protein. Individual amino acids contain nitrogen, carbon, hydrogen and oxygen, along with what chemists call a ‘variable side chain group’. The biochemical activity of a protein is determined by the sequence and characteristics of its amino acids — similarly to how the different types of beads on a string affect how a necklace looks.