ProteinBy: Chelsie and Kasey

Types of amino acids

You need all amino acids for good health. Your body can synthesize 11 of the amino acids

The other 9 amino acids your body can’t make, so its called essential amino acids

50% muscle, 20% bone, 10% skin and 20% blood, glands, and nerve tissue are where the body protein can be found.

Protein in the body

When you eat a protein food, stomach acids denature the proteins. This makes it easier for enzymes in the stomach to begin breaking down large protein molecules into smaller pieces.

As the protein pieces move into the small intestine, other enzymes break down into single amino acids. Then the amino acids are absorbed into the bloodstream.

After the blood it then carries amino acids to body cells that need them.

Protein in the body (continued)

Your cells can use amino acids from food proteins to build new proteins

Cells can also convert amino acids to other compounds

Proteins build by cells are custom designed to perform a wide variety of functions in the body.

The 6 different functions of the proteins

Build and maintain body tissue Make important compounds Regulate mineral and fluid balance Maintain acid-base balance Carry vital substances Provide energy

1. Build and Maintain Tissues

Protein is a necessary part of every cell and to form structure you need

As the body grows , it uses protein to help make new tissues.

18-20% of your body makes up protein. 3% is broken down everyday. You also need

protein to maintain existing tissues and making new cells. Also to build lean muscle mass

Meet your protein needs for normal growth before you build muscles.

2. Make important Compounds

Your body uses protein to make compounds such as enzymes, which cause specific chemical reactions in the body. Digestive enzymes cause a chemical break down of carbs, fats, and proteins.

Proteins are also used to make some hormones.

Immune system uses protein to make antibodies, or proteins that defend the body against infection and disease.

3. Regulate Mineral and Fluid Balance

Proteins carry minerals, sodium and potassium from one side of cell walls to the other

These minerals and other proteins control flow of water through cell membrane

The balance is needed for normal functioning of heart, lung, brain, and every other cell

4. Maintain Acid-Base Balance

Proteins help maintain acid-base balance of the blood

Acid-base balance refers to the maintenance of the correct level of acidity of a blood fluid

If the blood becomes acidic, it can result in a life threatening condition

Protein in blood act as chemical buffers Buffer-compound that can counteract an

excess of acid or base fluid

5. Carry Vital Substances

Proteins linked with fats form lipoproteins.

Proteins transport iron and other nutrients.

Oxygen transports in blood depending on the presence of protein.

Health will suffer if proteins aren’t available to carry vital substances to needed points throughout the body.

6. Provide Energy

Only protein can perform critical functions of cell growth and repair.

The number one priority is to provide the cells with the energy they need to exist.

Protein can be converted to glucose, which can be used as fuel. When protein is used to provide energy it cannot be used for other purposes.

The body also uses proteins as an energy when there is an excess of protein in the diet.

The risks of too little or too much protein

With all the nutrients you need to consume enough protein, but should avoid getting to much lack of protein and a surplus of protein causes health problems.

Protein is the only energy nutrient that provides nitrogen. Nitrogen balance is used to evaluate a persons protein status.

Somebody who is building new tissue takes more protein than he/she excretes. Some ones who’s tissues are deteriorating would be losing more nitrogen than he/she consumes.

Too little or too much protein

A person whose body is wasting due to starvation would be in negative nitrogen balance.

A large portion of the U.S. population protein is easy to get in amounts that exceed daily recommendation.

Protein-energy malnutrition

Symptoms of PEM are diarrhea and various nutrient deficiencies.

There are two forms of PEM Kwashiorkor Marasmus

Kwashiorkor is caused mostly in poor countries where mothers stop breast feeding an older child to begin breast feeding a new born. (common)

A child suffering from kwashiorkor doesn’t reach his/her full growth. Lack of protein affects body’s fluid balance and immune system also.

Marasmus

The children become weak, thin, susceptible, in disease and infection

On average women in U.S. eat almost 1 ½ times RDA for protein. Men twice as much.

Sources of Protein  Animal flesh

› Largest source of protein in meat eating cultures

› Beef, veal, pork, lamb, poultry, seafood, eggs, dairy

› Citizens on average eat 200 pounds of meat, poultry, and seafood annually

› Meat is high in fat› Cost of protein in animal products is

high

Sources (continued) Plant Proteins

› Soybeans are a rich source of plant protein› Tofu, made from soybeans, is a meat alternative

in some dishes.› Vegetarianism is the practice of eating a diet

consisting entirely or largely of plant foods. › (Mainly fruits, vegetables, grains, nuts, and

seeds) some eat dairy products and eggs› Vegetarianism, especially in young people,

seems to be increasing.› Plant food contains no cholesterol, high in fiber, and

low in saturated fat. Positive factors for heart health and cancer risk reduction.

Vegetarianism Vegetarian reasons

› Grew up vegetarian› Religious reasons (Buddhists and Hindus)› Health reasons (avoid fat, certain hormones, illness concerns)› Socioeconomic (eating animals is wasteful, food used to feed

animals could feed more people than the animal can)› Environmental (animal grazing is hard on the land)› Humanitarian (sacrificing the life of an animal for food is

wrong)• Types of Vegetarians› Vegans-No animal products at all› Lacto-vegetarians-Dairy› Lacto-ovo vegetarians -Dairy and eggs› Semi-vegetarians -Little or no red meat(eats dairy, poultry,

eggs, fish)

Protein Quality

Animal foods are sources of complete protein. (High quality)

Complete Protein- all essential amino acids are in the proteins

Meat, poultry, fish, milk, eggs, cheese and yogurt are high quality

Plant foods are incomplete proteins. (Lower quality)

Liver and Kidney problems (3 protein in diet)

High protein diet produces an over abundance of nitrogen waste.

Before it builds up to toxic levels the body must excrete the waste.

Liver turns into urea Excess protein creates extra work for liver

and kidneys If you have stress on the organs it can be

a problem and may cause them to age prematurely.

Calcium Loss

High diet in protein from animal sources may contribute to loss of calcium in bones, can lead to number of health problems.

If low in calcium your at risk.

Excess body fat

Whole milk, beef, cheese, peanut butter are high fat foods

Extra calories from fat can contribute to weight problems.

The body cant store excess amino acids as a protein source, but can store them as an energy source by converting them to body fat

Excess body fat is associated with number of health problems.

Definitions

Nonessential amino acids- amino acids your body can make

Antibodies- proteins that defend the body against infection and disease

Acid base balance- refers to the maintenance of the correct level of acidity of a body fluid

Buffer- it’s a compound that can counteract an excess of acid or base in a fluid

………

Lipoproteins- compounds used to carry fats in blood stream

Nitrogen balance- a comparison of the nitrogen a person consumes with the nitrogen he/she excretes

Nitrogen equilibrium- excrete the same amount of nitrogen they take in each day

Deficiency- amount of a nutrient less than the body needs for optimum health

Deficiency disease- sickness caused by lack of an essential nutrient

…… Protein-energy malnutrition- condition caused by

a lack of calories and proteins in the diet Kwashiorkor- protein deficiency disease

frequently strikes a child when next sibling is born

Marasmus- wasting disease caused by lack of calories and protein. Mostly in infants

Legumes- are plants that have a special ability to capture nitrogen from the air and transfer it to its seeds. (Peanuts, black-eyed peas, kidney beans, black beans, lentils, chickpeas, lima beans)

……..

Vegetarianism- practice of eating a diet consisting entirely or largely of plant foods

Complete protein- all essential amino acids are in the proteins

Incomplete protein- missing or short in one or more of the essential amino acids

Complementary proteins- two or more incomplete proteins that can be combined to provide essential amino acids