Caleb Cato
You Need Protein in Your Diet
Proteins are an essential part of the human diet. They are so important because without the ingestion of outside proteins, your body cannot produce its own. Every human has tens of thousands of types of proteins, each of which performs a different function; in short, proteins are essential to life as we know it. They create or breakdown essential molecules, facilitate chemical reactions needed for survival, move things in the body around, build cells, breakdown waste, and form every enzyme (catalysts within the body which control the rate of chemical reactions or make it easier for certain reactions to occur). (Baird, p. 341)
Proteins come in tens of thousands of types, but every protein is formed from the same basic structures. Human proteins are all formed from the same twenty amino acids strung together in different orders; indeed, the proteins of all living things are, with some organisms using a few additional types (Baird, p. 341). In order for the body to form every type of protein that it needs, it must have every type of amino acid available in the correct ratio. If they aren’t available in the correct amounts, not all protein types may be produced. Some amino acids may be formed by the body; these ten are called non essential amino acids. The other ten must be taken from the diet (Baird, p. 350).
The key to absorbing all of the essential amino acids is eating a varied diet. Foods such as grains have essential amino acids such as methionine, while legumes have tryptophan and lysine in abundance. Meat, seafood, poultry, meat, cheese and eggs have all kinds of essential amino acids. (Baird, p. 350)
Excess protein taken in by the body is disposed of through the urine, and so it is not so dangerous to eat to many foods rich in protein, whereas a lack of protein may be very dangerous; malnutrition is one of the least dangerous things someone who doesn’t get enough protein must worry about. (Baird, p. 351)
The article on proteins in Chemistry in your Life made it clear how important it was to have a varied diet. Without one, the body may not be able to go through all of its essential functions because it lacks the necessary proteins in high enough numbers. Vegetarians especially must worry about their protein intake, because so many of the proteins necessary are hard to find in high quantities in plants.
Proteins come in tens of thousands of types, but every protein is formed from the same basic structures. Human proteins are all formed from the same twenty amino acids strung together in different orders; indeed, the proteins of all living things are, with some organisms using a few additional types (Baird, p. 341). In order for the body to form every type of protein that it needs, it must have every type of amino acid available in the correct ratio. If they aren’t available in the correct amounts, not all protein types may be produced. Some amino acids may be formed by the body; these ten are called non essential amino acids. The other ten must be taken from the diet (Baird, p. 350).
The key to absorbing all of the essential amino acids is eating a varied diet. Foods such as grains have essential amino acids such as methionine, while legumes have tryptophan and lysine in abundance. Meat, seafood, poultry, meat, cheese and eggs have all kinds of essential amino acids. (Baird, p. 350)
Excess protein taken in by the body is disposed of through the urine, and so it is not so dangerous to eat to many foods rich in protein, whereas a lack of protein may be very dangerous; malnutrition is one of the least dangerous things someone who doesn’t get enough protein must worry about. (Baird, p. 351)
The article on proteins in Chemistry in your Life made it clear how important it was to have a varied diet. Without one, the body may not be able to go through all of its essential functions because it lacks the necessary proteins in high enough numbers. Vegetarians especially must worry about their protein intake, because so many of the proteins necessary are hard to find in high quantities in plants.
Bibliography
Baird, C. Chemistry in Your Life. New York: W.H. Freeman and Company, 2006.
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