Protein Power: Building and Repairing Your Muscles

Protein is one of the three main macronutrients, along with carbohydrates and fats. Think of proteins as tiny building blocks called amino acids. Your body uses these blocks to build and repair everything, especially your muscles!When you run, jump, and play, you create tiny tears in your muscle fibers. That's normal! Protein comes in to fix those tears, making the muscle stronger than before. That's why getting enough protein is super important for active students like you.

The Situation: Aisha just finished a tough soccer practice and she's starving. Her mom offers her a choice: a bag of gummy candies or a container of Greek yogurt with berries.The Choice: Aisha chooses the Greek yogurt.Why it Works: The gummy candies are mostly sugar, which gives a quick burst of energy but doesn't help her tired muscles. The Greek yogurt is packed with protein. This protein gets to work right away, starting the repair process on her muscles so she'll feel less sore and be stronger for the next game.

The Situation: Jamal is packing his lunch for school. He knows he has gym class in the afternoon and wants to have enough energy. He's deciding between a cheese sandwich or a turkey and hummus wrap.The Choice: He makes a wrap with whole-wheat tortilla, a few slices of turkey, and a spread of hummus.Why it Works: While the cheese sandwich has some protein, the turkey and hummus wrap has more. Turkey is a lean protein, and hummus (made from chickpeas) adds even more plant-based protein and fiber. This combination will give him steady energy to power through gym class and help his muscles be ready for action.