Nutrition Label AP Project: What are you eating and why are you eating it?

Purpose:​ ​To analyze the contents of a processed food within the household to determine the
major macromolecules found within it.

Task:

1. Search your kitchen/pantry​ for a food that is processed (has a nutrition label with the
ingredients shown on the label). The item of your choice MUST have a minimum ​of 5
different substances​ listed as ingredients.

2.Take a picture​ of the nutrition label,

including the ingredients list.

Goldfish Labels

3. Analyze the contents:

a. Sort each ingredient into one of the four major macromolecule groups. Google it if you need to, or go by
our naming rules you learned in class. Present this in an organized format, such as a table.
Table 1 Onion Powder Sugar Butter Autolyzed Yeast Baking Soda
Extract

X ​(it’s made X ​(it’s made

Carbohydrate
X
from organism) from organism)

X ​(it’s made X ​(it’s made

Lipid
X
from organism) from organism)

X ​(it’s made X ​(it’s made

Protein

from organism) from organism)

X ​(it’s made X ​(it’s made

Nucleic Acid

from organism) from organism)

Chemical
Compounds X
Photo

Importance Onion powder Sugar is a Butter is a lipid, The yeast extract Baking soda is a
contains a small carbohydrate, which provides can be important base, so it can be
amount of which provides for energy since it can break used to relieve
calcium, which energy for the storage and helps itself down to stomach issues
strengthens the body and keep the body release amino and reduce
body, and some participates in insulated. acids and it is urinary tract
potassium, which cellular found in some infections which
helps maintain identification(alt foods that involve bodily
blood pressure. hough sugar itself provide energy acids.
does not identify for the body.
any cells some
other carbs do).

Location/Usage Onion powder Sugar can be As a lipid, the fats Autolyzed yeast Baking soda is
provides a variety found in the from butter can extract is not probably located
 of nutrients for blood, and it can be stored in the used in the body, around the
the body, and the also be stored as mitochondria, but it is used by digestive system
body can also use glycogen in the and the body can bakers to because it is a
it to help relieve liver. use the stored enhance the food that can be
some medical fats for energy flavor of the digested and
conditions. when there is a food. The body helps with issues
lack of nutrients. can benefit from in the digestive
the yeast extract system. The body
because the can use baking
enzymes break it soda to
down and release neutralize pH
amino acids. levels of blood if
it gets too acidic.

Table 2 Enriched Wheat Vegetable Oils Parmesan Cheese Salt Yeast

Flour

X ​(for the most X ​(it’s an

Carbohydrate

part) organism)

X ​(it’s an
Lipid
X
organism)

X ​(includes X ​(it’s an
Protein

enzymes) organism)

X ​(it’s an
Nucleic Acid

organism)

Chemical
Compounds X
 Photo

Importance As a As a lipid, the The parmesan Salt helps body Yeast serves in
carbohydrate, vegetable oils cheese includes liquid regulation the body as a
the flour is help keep the protein enzymes, and defends from digestive bacteria
important body warm and which help break low blood in the stomach
because it serve as energy things down in pressure. and it can defend
provides energy storage. the body and acts the body from
and provides as a catalyst to diseases.
structural speed up
support. reactions.

Location/Usage As a As a lipid, the The parmesan Salt can be found Yeast can be
carbohydrate, vegetable oils cheese, as a in the bones and found in the
the flour can be can be found in dairy, includes bodily fluids, and stomach and it
used by the body the calcium that can it can be used by can be used to
to be converted mitochondria, strengthen the the body to absorb nutrients
to energy where which is where body, and the maintain water from food.
it could be stored fats are stored, enzyme proteins levels.
as glycogen in and the body can in the cheese can
the livers of use it to be found
animals. replenish anywhere that
nutrients. the body needs it
to be.

Onion Powder Links: ​https://www.thespruceeats.com/how-to-make-onion-powder-from-scratch-4155684

https://www.livestrong.com/article/488904-what-are-the-health-benefits-of-onion-powder/
Butter Link: ​http://www.webexhibits.org/butter/composition.html
Autolyzed Yeast Extract Links: ​https://nationalceliac.org/yeast-extract-and-autolyzed-yeast-extract/
https://www.livestrong.com/article/71755-autolyzed-yeast-extract/
Baking Soda Links: ​https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sodium_bicarbonate
https://food.ndtv.com/health/baking-soda-benefits-11-health-and-beauty-benefits-to-look-out-for-1834759#:~:text=So
dium%20bicarbonate%20in%20baking%20soda,and%20other%20stomach%20related%20issues.&text=It%20is%20know
n%20to%20be,body%20and%20treat%20most%20ailments​.
Salt Link:
https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/146677#:~:text=The%20body%20uses%20sodium%20to,and%20prevents
%20low%20blood%20pressure.
https://blog.insidetracker.com/sodium-friend-or-foe
Yeast Link:
https://www.webmd.com/diet/ss/slideshow-yeast-and-your-body#:~:text=Yeast%20keeps%20your%20digestive%20syst
em,food%2C%20and%20even%20fight%20disease.
Note: There are a lot of links because there were a lot of ingredients that I did not know much about(autolyzed yeast
extract, onion powder, yeast)

b. You will most likely find something that does not fit any of the groups. If you need to, you can add a
group labeled “Vitamins” and/or “Artificial Substances” (aka preservatives).
c. Then, explain what role/purpose each ingredient plays in the body (energy, binding agent etc.).
i. Include the structure or picture ( 1 picture)
ii. Its importance in the body (list 2)
iii. Where it is found or used in the body (list 2).

4. Summarize your findings:

a. Write a ​8 sentence MINIMUM​ paragraph explaining whether you think the food you chose is “healthy”
or beneficial to your body. (Elaborate : ​Does your body need all of these ingredients? Is there anything in
excess amount or missing? What do the *extra* ingredients provide to your body? Could you live off this
food alone?)​ Refer back to your analysis section when you are writing this and use it as justification to
support your claim. If you used any resources, make sure you paraphrase, and provide links.

The food chosen is not healthy, although it has some benefits to the body. The body does not need all the ingredients.
One example is onion powder, which only provides miniscule amounts of nutrients. The nutrients can be found
elsewhere in higher quantities, so the onion powder is not needed nutritionally in this food. Since the food includes
ingredients that are organisms or made from organisms(yeast, yeast extract, onion powder), all four macromolecules are
present. However, some macromolecules, like nucleic acids, are not present in large amounts. There was also a large
amount of carbohydrates and lipids. The vegetable oils were healthy fats, but the butter is saturated fat and not healthy.
There were also many forms of carbohydrates, so there could be an excess of lipids and carbohydrates. Some of the
extra ingredients include butter and yeast extract. Butter is saturated fat and unhealthy, but at least it provides energy
storage for the body as a lipid. Yeast extract is used to enhance the flavor of the food, and the body doesn’t have much
use for it. Overall, the extra ingredients don’t provide much for the body. I can’t live off the food alone because it does
not include enough nutrients for me. There is too much fat and carbohydrates, and the food doesn’t have a lot of
proteins and nucleic acids. Additionally, there aren’t many vitamins or nutrients either. Outside of macromolecules, the
only other materials found were chemical compounds(salt and baking soda). Therefore, the Parmesan Goldfish is not
healthy because of its lack of nutrients and macromolecules and its abundance of unnecessary ingredients.​