Proteins:

The Body’s Building Blocks

 What is Protein?
Protein in the Body
• Protein: an energy-
yielding nutrient
composed of carbon, Muscle
hydrogen, oxygen,
and nitrogen.
• Protein are polymers Bone
of amino acids linked
together by peptide
bonds.
• Protein are key Skin
constituents of food,
contributing towards
organoleptic
Other: blood,
properties (particularly glands, nerve
texture) and nutritive tissue
value
 How Does the Body Use Protein?
• Functions of protein
– Provide structural and mechanical support
– Maintain body tissues
– Functions as enzymes and hormones
– Help maintain acid base balance
– Transport nutrients
– Assist the immune system
– Serve as a source of energy when necessary
 Amino Acids
Types of Amino Acids
• Dispensable Amino Acids: Your body can produce
these on its own.
– Your body can synthesize 11 of the amino acids from
the other amino acids
• Indispensable Amino Acids: The remaining 9
amino acids must come from your diet – also
called essential amino acids
– You must obtain them from the foods you eat since
your body cannot make them
Complete proteins:
• Foods containing all the essential amino
acids Examples: fish, meat, eggs, milk,
cheese

Incomplete proteins:
• Foods that are missing some essential amino
acids Examples: Legumes, nuts, whole
grains
Protein Synthesis
Protein digestion
 Denaturation of Proteins
• Denaturation is a change in a protein which causes an alteration in
its physical and/or biological properties without rupture of its
peptide bonds.
• Denaturation of protein occurs when there is a distruption in any of
the bonds that stabilize the secondary , tertiary, or quaternary
structures. The primary is not affected.
• Denaturing agents include :
– Heat
– Acids
– Bases
– High Salts Concentration
– Organic Solvent and Various Organic Solutes
– Mechanical agitation