Muscles & tissues
Protein
Building materials for the body's tissues.
Where you can find it
- Beans & lentils
- Tofu
- Eggs
- Fish
- Nuts & seeds
What it does in the body
Proteins form parts of muscles, skin, bones and blood. Food proteins supply amino acids that the body uses to make its own proteins.
The body connection
Digestion breaks protein into smaller components. The small intestine absorbs nutrients so they can reach tissues throughout the body.
Explore small intestine