Protein is an essential nutrient that we must obtain from food every day, as it is not stored by the body.
For most people,protein is regarded as the basis of at least one meal a day, and this is usually more than enough to meet the recommended daily requirements.

For vegetarians meat is not an option and so they look to plant sources for their daily protein. There is a wide variety to chose from, including all the different types of pulses, peas, beans,and lentils, as well as a huge variety of nuts and seeds.

Unlike animal protein, most plant sources do not contain all the amino acids that make up protein, and they have to be combined to form complete protein. One exception is soya beans, which not only contain twice as much protein as other pulses but have nearly as many amino acids as animal proteins.

Animal sources of protein include meat, poultry, fish, and shellfish as well as animal products such as eggs. Each of these can be further classified according to the type and amount of fat they contain. For example, red meats, such as beef, lamb, pork, and veal, are excellent sources of high-quality protein, but they also contain high level of saturated fats and may rise blood levels of bad cholesterol. Because of the link between a high intake of saturated fat and the increased risk of cardiovascular disease and other disorders, it is a good idea to reduce the amount of red meat you eat and instead choose fish and shellfish, poultry, and pulses and other plant proteins.

Poultry varies in fat content depending on the type, which parts of the bird are eaten,and whether the skin is left on, as well as on how the poultry is prepared.