It seems that over the past couple of years, protein has become a big topic for nutrition and diet. But protein isn't just a fad that one day showed up on the internet and muscle-bound bodybuilders started pounding it in shakes. Protein is actually a very important essential nutrient that many of us are lacking in proper amounts in our everyday diets. What is protein and why is it so important? Protein is one of the 3 main macronutrients we require in our diets, the other 2 being carbohydrates and fats. They are classified as "macro" because we require them in large amounts in our diet. The 3 macronutrients make up all of our foods, with many of our foods being a mixture of at least 2 macronutrients. For example, potatoes are mainly carbohydrates, but also have a little bit of protein. Most animal protein sources have protein and fat as well. Protein plays a large role in your health and fitness goals. Whether those goals are weight loss, weight or muscle g...