Instead of me telling you what everyone else does like 1g protein is equal to 4 calories and that protein is made up of amino acids or that your protein sources are beef, poultry, fish , eggs , venison , dairy, etc.
Id like to give you a bit more insight into protein.
Proteins are the building blocks of all organisms in the body (bones, muscle, cartilage, skin and blood) they have about a 10% greater TEF(thermic effect of food ratio ) than the other macros namely fats and carbohydrates. This means that proteins utilize more calories to digest, whilst also aiding in muscle repair and recovery. It also assists with satiety. They are also important in assisting in the manufacturing of enzymes, hormones and other body chemicals.
This can also be an energy source by converting through a process called gluconeogenesis if consumes in abundance on a low carb low-fat diet. This will happen after supporting your body’s needs for body tissue maintenance, and other necessary functions.
If you consume too much protein and your body also is fed surplus energy from the other nutrients carbohydrates and fats, then excess protein can also be converted and stored as fat.
Protein is also involved in the creation of some hormones which control body functions that involve the interaction of several organs. Insulin, a small protein, is an excellent example of a hormone that regulates blood sugar levels. This involves the interaction of organs such as the pancreas and the liver. Secretin is another example of a protein hormone, which assists in the digestive process by stimulating the pancreas and intestine to create necessary digestive juices.
Enzymes are a type of protein that increases the rate of chemical reactions in the body. Most of the necessary chemical reactions in the body would not occur efficiently without enzymes. For example, one type of enzyme functions as an aid in digesting large protein, carbohydrate, and fat molecules, while another assists in the creation of DNA.
Hemoglobin is an example of a transportation and storage molecule, which assists in the channeling of oxygen throughout the body.
Protein also forms antibodies that help fight /prevent infections, diseases, and illnesses.In conclusion, I hope you have been enlightened on the importance of protein, which is so much more, than just for building muscles.