ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

Protein

Protein is like tiny building blocks that our body needs to grow strong and stay healthy. Think of it like legos - just like you can build a lot of different things with legos, your body uses different types of protein to build different parts of your body. Some proteins help build your muscles, while others build your bones, and some even help your body fight off germs.

But where do these building blocks come from? They come from the food we eat! When we eat foods like meat, eggs, beans, and nuts, our body breaks them down into smaller pieces called amino acids. These amino acids are then used to build new proteins in our body.

Just like you need the right pieces to build a certain lego creation, our body needs the right combination of amino acids to build different types of proteins. Some foods have all the right pieces your body needs to make a certain protein, while others might be missing some pieces. That's why it's important to eat a balanced diet with lots of different types of foods - this way, you can make sure your body has all the pieces it needs to stay healthy and strong!