Daily Feature Glossary Terms

One of three main categories of basic nutrients (the others are carbohydrates and fat) that are used by our cells for the building, repair and maintenance of our muscles, organs and glands, enabling our body to defend against infection, disease and loss of daily functions. Constructing proteins in our body involves a complex combination of amino acid chains. The body can manufacture 13 of the amino acids required, which are considered the non-essential amino acids, since we do not need to get them from our diet.