Think — Tanya Zuckerbrot

The word protein carries a lot of “weight”. It’s the focal point of 99% of restaurant entrees, the reason body builders gulp raw egg whites, and an attribute consumer packaged goods highlights in bold. It’s common knowledge that protein is an important part of the diet, but before you grab a protein bar, let’s take a step back and ask ourselves, what exactly is protein? Is it only important for weightlifting and working out? Why do we even need it? Protein is a macronutrient made up of chains of amino acids–You may have heard before amino acids are the building blocks...