Protein is one of the more essential substances found all over the human body. There are about 10,000 different types of proteins that comprise the body and keep it functioning properly. It is made from more than twenty types of basic building blocks known as amino acids. The body doesn’t store amino acids, but the body produces them in two distinct ways—either through modification or from scratch.
Proteins are necessary for human life and are species- and organ-specific. There are particular proteins that only a certain body organ can utilize. Health experts recommend that adults must consume at least seven grams of protein for every 20 kilograms of body weight.
Protein deficiency, or kwashiorkor, is caused by severe protein deficiency. Most foods contain proteins, and in developed countries, cases of protein deficiency are quite rare. This is because these countries have food regulations that require manufacturers to incorporate proteins in their products. However, in developing countries, especially in the African continent and the South Asian region, where the diet centers on a high-starch, low-protein diet, cases are typically identified among young children and pregnant and lactating women.
Here are some symptoms of protein deficiency that people must know.
Protein Cravings
Whenever you don’t get enough proteins from your diet, your body will tell the brain that you need to eat more protein by craving more food. When the body recognizes that there isn’t much protein in the system, it will attempt to restore balance by increasing your appetite. Although poor appetite is one of the hallmark symptoms of severe protein deficiency, the opposite seems true when an individual has milder forms of the condition. The body will encourage the individual to find something to eat, and the brain may even direct people to look for savory, high-protein foods.
Protein cravings are different from normal hunger. The body needs nutrients and energy, and your brain also needs the reward of protein in the system. Research suggests that if a person wishes to prevent protein cravings, they must increase protein intake by at least 25% of the calories they eat.
People can snack on nuts, natural yogurt, seeds, beans, and eggs if they want an immediate increase in protein. However, the caveat is to eat only a moderate amount to satiate the cravings because too much protein can also cause obesity and rapid weight gain.
