Week 6

PROTEINS

Video 1: Proteins
Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HSCUAjZQhXI

Video 2: Functions Of Protein In The Body - How The Body Uses Proteins Importance Of Protein
Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jf8OdJa8DTU

PROTEIN

Proteins are major structural parts of the body’s cells that are made of amino acids assembled in chains
and functions a variety of important role. The term protein is derived from the Greek word “first”.
Human body is generally made up of protein – skin, hair, nails, muscles and blood.

Amino Acids

Amino acids are building blocks of protein and there 20 different ones.

Essential amino acids

 amino acids that either cannot be made in the body or cannot be made in the quantities needed
by the body; must be obtained in foods. Among 20, 9 are essential amino acids.

Nonessential amino acids

 amino acids that can be made in the body and these are the remaining 11.

Functions

1. Acts as structural component of the body.

Proteins play vital part in body structure. It can be found skin, bones, muscle, hair,
fingernails, muscles, blood vessels, digestive tract and blood. It gives structures to cells.
Moreover, the collagen, the most abundant protein in our body can be found in our ligaments
(holds bone together) and tendons (attach muscles together).

2. Builds and maintains body. It is part of your skin, hair and other cells.

Proteins are for maintaining and building our body tissues. Worn-out cells are replaced
throughout the body regularly. For example, your skin today will not look the same after some
time. A skin lives for a month. The skin is constantly broken down and is being rebuilt or
remodeled. The cells in gastrointestinal tract are replaced every three to five days.

3. Make muscle tissue

New tissues are built and protein is much needed at this process especially during
pregnancy and infancy. Extra protein is needed when body protein is lost such as in burns,
surgery or infections.
 4. Helps blood clot

When you cut yourself, your blood vessels are injured. Fibrin, a protein fiber, helps form
a clot to stop bleeding.

5. Found in many enzymes, hormones, and antibodies.

Enyzmes are catalysts that speeds up reaction and greatly needed in body processes
such as digestion. It can 1. Break down substances (such as foods during digestion) 2. Build up
substances (such as bone) 3. Change one substance into another (such as glucose into glycogen)

How enzyme works?

Source: Nutrition for Foodservice and Culinary Professionals

Hormones are chemical messenger secreted into the bloodstream by different organs
such as liver to travel to target organ and influence what it does. It regulates body activities to
achieve homeostasis – constant internal environment. For example, the role of insulin to
transport sugar to blood in cells.

Antibodies are protein in the blood whose job is to bind with foreign bodies that do not
belong in the body. These foreign bodies are either virus, bacteria or toxins that the anti bodies
fight.

6. Provides energy as last resort.

Protein supplies energy (4 kcal per gram) and sometimes converted to glucose when
necessary to maintain blood glucose level.

7. Transports iron, fats, minerals, and oxygen

Proteins transport iron and other minerals, some vitamins, fats and oxygen through the
blood. For example, hemoglobin, a protein in red blood cells, carries oxygen from the lungs to
the cells of your body.

Protein in food and protein quality

One ounce of meat, poultry, or fi sh is equal to one egg, one tablespoon peanut butter, ½ ounce of nuts
or seeds, or ½ cup of cooked bean, peas, or tofu.

Complete protein – high quality protein that provides the essential amino acids that the body needs.
Examples are animal proteins such as meat, eggs, poultry, fish, milk and other dairy products.

Incomplete protein – low in one or more essential it contains at least one limiting amino acid. Plant
proteins, including dried beans and peas, grains, vegetables, nuts, and seeds, are some examples of this.
Limiting amino acid – an essential amino acid in low concentration that limits the protein’s usefulness
unless other food in the diet it contains.

Complementary protein – the ability of two protein food to complete the lacking of amino acid when
eaten in a day. Eg grains, nuts, or seeds + legumes = complete protein

Example of Protein Pairing

Source: Nutrition for Foodservice and Culinary Professionals

DIETARY SOURCES OF PROTEINS

1. MEAT

2. FISH

3. POULTRY

4. EGGS

5. DAIRY PRODUCTS

6. COMPLEMENTARY FOODS

a. peanut butter

b. rice and beans

c. beans and corn

d. black-eyed peas

Digestion, Absorption and Metabolism

 Digestion starts in the stomach where the stomach acid uncoils the proteins enough that allows
splitting of enzymes

 In the small intestine, enzyme breaks down protein into single amino acids to be absorbed in the
small intestine.

 The amino acids travel in blood to liver that regulates the distribution of all proteins in the body
  An amino acid pool provides the cell with a supply of amino acids for making protein. If the
body is making protein and cant find an essential amino acid for it, the protein cant be
completed.

 Using Amino Acids to Make Fat When energy and protein intakes exceed needs and
carbohydrate is adequate, amino acids may be used to make fat. In this way, protein-rich foods
can contribute to weight gain

Dietary recommendation

7–12 months old 1.5 grams protein/kilogram body weight

1–3 years old 1.1 grams

4–8 years old 0.95 gram

9–13 years old 0.95 gram

14–18 years old 0.85 gram

Adult 0.8 gram per kilogram of body weight.

Pregnant/Lactating – 1.1 gram

Health Effects of Protein

Heart Disease

Food rich in animal source tend to be high in saturated fat that can contribute to the
development of heart disease. Substitute to more of plant protein decreases the probability of heart
disease.

Cancer

Studies of population suggest a correlation between high intakes of animal proteins and some
types of cancer (notably, cancer of the colon, breast, kidneys, pancreas, and prostate).

Adult Bone Loss

When protein intake is high, calcium excretion increases.

Weight Control

Protein intake is correlated with the consumption of fat-rich sources that contributes to weight
gain.

Kidney Disease

A diet high in protein increases the work of the kidney. It is recommended to moderate the
protein intake to lessen the slow down the kidney.
References:

Drummond, K. E. & Brefere, L. M. (2014). Nutrition for foodservice and culinary professionals, 8th
edition. Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons.

Pinggang Pinoy: Healthy Food Plate for Filipino Adults: Department of Health website. (n.d.). Retrieved
August 02, 2020, from https://www.doh.gov.ph/node/223

Rolfes, Pinna and Whitney. (2009). Understanding Nutrition, 8th edition. USA: Cengage learning.