What is a protein?

Protein is an essential macronutrient, which means that you must take in adequate amounts of it through your diet for continued health. In fact, it is the basic component of all living cells and can be found in virtually every part of your body. Protein provides your body with the raw material it needs – in the form of amino acids – for tissue growth, repair, and maintenance.

Protein is also vital to the creation of biomolecules, such as hormones and deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) – the molecule that stores your genetic code.