Did you know that not all protein is the same? Yes, there are different types of protein that vary by composition. The three primary types are simple proteins, conjugated proteins, and derived proteins. Keep reading to learn about these types and their subtypes.
Simple proteins are made up of amino acids or derivatives of them. One of the main subtypes of these proteins is albuminoids or scleroproteins, which are not dissolvable or soluble in water. A few examples of them are keratin, elastin, and collagen. Therefore, they are primarily found in your supporting tissues. In addition to the two names first mentioned, they are also known as fibrous proteins.
Another primary kind of simple protein is called Albumins. Unlike the ones just mentioned, they are dissolvable in water. They are found in some common things you might consume, such as milk and eggs. Hence, this is the type of protein that is found in our 100% Platinum Whey Supplement.
A third main simple type is known as Prolamines. They are not dissolvable in water. They are also found in things you probably eat, like corn and wheat. Wheat is a unique source, since it contains gluten, which is a combination of two different proteins known as glutenin and gliadin. The remaining simple types are Glutelins, which are typically found in cereal grains, Protamines, which are essential polypeptides, and Globulins, which are found in plants.
Let’s move on to conjugated proteins now. Basically, this type is protein that is attached to different non-protein materials. Here is a list of the subtype names and the materials that the protein is attached to:
-Chromoproteins: colored substance
-Lecithoproteins: lecithin
-Lipoproteins: fat
-Metalloproteins: metals
-Mucoproteins (glycoproteins): carbohydrates like mannose
-Nucleoproteins: nucleic acids
-Phosphoproteins: phosphorous
Lastly, derived proteins are created as a result of the process of digestion. They come in many different sizes. The largest type is known as proteoses and the smallest is called peptides. Other types include peptones and polypeptides.
In addition to composition, proteins can be categorized by structure. One of these categories is known as globular proteins, which are rounded. They are located in tissue liquids of plants and animals. An example of this type would be albumin in eggs. Another category is fibrous proteins, which are elongated, parallel chains. An example of this kind is elastin. Generally speaking, globular proteins are a better quality type when compared to fibrous proteins. Plant proteins on the other hand are more difficult to classify than animal proteins. In general, most of them are either prolamines or glutelins.
Our last two blog posts discussed why protein is important and how you can use it for muscle growth. Now you can say that you know a bit about the science of protein structure and composition. Do you know the composition and structure of the protein you most often consume? Tell us in the comments below!
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