Proteins

Objectives
• State the functions of proteins in the body.
• Identify the elements that make up
proteins.
• Describe the effects of protein deficiency.
• State the energy yield of proteins.
• Identify at least six food sources of
complete proteins and six food sources of
incomplete proteins.
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 Facts
• Of the six nutrient groups, only proteins
can make new cells and rebuild tissue.
• Proteins are essential throughout the
entire lifespan.
• Proteins are the basic material of every
body cell.
• Proteins are the only nutrient group that
contains nitrogen.
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 Amino Acid
• Proteins are composed of amino acids.
• Amino acids are nitrogen-containing
compounds.
• Essential amino acids must be provided by the
diet.
• There are 8 essential amino acids and 2 that
are essential during childhood only.
• Nonessential amino acids can be produced by
the body.
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 Classification
• Complete
– High quality
– Contains all 10 essential amino acids
• Incomplete
– Lacks one or more amino acids
– Cannot build tissue without help

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(continued)

Classification
• Complementary proteins
– Occur when a combination of incomplete
proteins are eaten in the same day to make
a complete protein
– Examples: corn and beans, rice and beans,
bread and peanut butter, bread and split pea
soup, bread and cheese, bread and baked
beans, macaroni and cheese, cereal and
milk

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 Food Sources
• Animal food sources
– Complete proteins.
– Meats, fish, poultry, eggs, milk, and cheese
• Plant food sources
– Incomplete proteins
– Corn, grain, nuts, sunflower seeds, sesame
seeds, and legumes

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(continued)

Food Sources
• Analogues
– Meat alternatives made from soy protein and
other ingredients to simulate various kinds of
meat
– Tofu is a soft, cheeselike food made from
soy milk
– Helpful to strict vegetarians to meet their
protein needs

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 Functions
• Building and repairing body tissue
• Regulating body functions
– Metabolism and digestion
– Fluid and electrolyte balance
– Development of antibodies
• Providing energy
– Each gram of protein provides 4 calories.

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 Digestion and Absorption
• Mechanical digestion
– Begins in mouth
– Teeth grind food into small pieces.
• Chemical digestion
– Begins in stomach
– Hydrochloric acid prepares stomach
– The enzyme pepsin reduces proteins to
polypeptides.

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(continued)

Digestion and Absorption

• Chemical digestion
– Polypeptides: 10 or more amino acids
bonded together
– In the small intestine, three pancreatic
enzymes (trypsin, chymotrypsin, and
carboxypeptidase) continue chemical
digestion and absorption through the villi.

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 Metabolism and Elimination
• Amino acids are broken down and the
nitrogen-containing amine group is
stripped off (deamination).
• Ammonia is produced.
• Liver picks up ammonia and converts it to
urea.

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(continued)

Metabolism and Elimination

• Liver picks up ammonia and converts it to
urea.
• Kidney filters out urea and excretes it.
• Remaining parts are used for energy or
converted to carbohydrate or fat and
stored as glycogen or adipose tissue.

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 Dietary Requirements
• Determined by size, age, sex, and
physical and emotional conditions.
• The National Research Council of the
National Academy of Sciences considers
the average daily requirement to be 0.8 g
of protein for each kilogram of body
weight.

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