PROTEIN

Proteins are essential nutrients for the human body. They are one of the
building blocks of body tissue and can also serve as a fuel source. As a
fuel, proteins provide as much energy density as carbohydrates:
4 kcal per gram; in contrast, lipids provide 9 kcal per gram. The most
important aspect and defining characteristic of protein from a nutritional
standpoint is its amino acid composition

AMINO ACID
An amino acid is an organic compound characterized by having a
carboxyl group, amino group, and side chain attached to a central carbon
atom.

These 20 amino acids can be arranged in millions of different ways to

create millions of different proteins, each with a specific function in the
body. The structures differ according to the sequence in which the amino
acids combine.

The 20 different amino acids that the body uses to synthesize proteins
are: Alanine, arginine, asparagine, aspartic acid, cysteine, glutamic acid,
glutamine, glycine, histidine, isoleucine, leucine, lysine, methionine,
phenylalanine, proline, serine, threonine, tryptophan, tyrosine, and
valine.

Amino acids are organic molecules that consist of carbon, hydrogen,

oxygen, nitrogen, and sometimes sulfur.

It is the amino acids that synthesize proteins and other important

compounds in the human body, such as creatine, peptide hormones, and
some neurotransmitters.

Types of protein

We sometimes hear that there are three types of protein foods:

Complete proteins: These foods contain all the essential amino acids.
They mostly occur in animal foods, such as meat, dairy, and eggs.
Incomplete proteins: These foods contain at least one essential amino
acid, so there is a lack of balance in the proteins. Plant foods, such as
peas, beans, and grains mostly contain incomplete protein.

Complementary proteins: These refer to two or more foods containing

incomplete proteins that people can combine to supply complete
protein. Examples include rice and beans or bread with peanut butter.

SOURCES
Rice and beans together provide complete protein.
Protein is one of the essential nutrients, or macronutrients, in the
human diet, but not all the protein we eat converts into proteins in our
body.

When people eat foods that contain amino acids, these amino acids
make it possible for the body to create, or synthesize, proteins. If we do
not consume some amino acids, we will not synthesize enough proteins
for our bodies to function correctly.

There are also nine essential amino acids that the human body does not
synthesize, so they must come from the diet.

All food proteins contain some of each amino acid, but in different
proportions.

Gelatin is special in that it contains a high proportion of some amino

acids but not the whole range.

The nine essential acids that the human body does not synthesize are:
histidine, isoleucine, leucine, lysine, methionine, phenylalanine,
threonine, tryptophan, and valine.

Foods that contain these nine essential acids in roughly equal

proportions are called complete proteins. Complete proteins mainly
come from animal sources, such as milk, meat, and eggs.

Soy and quinoa are vegetable sources of complete protein. Combining

red beans or lentils with wholegrain rice or peanut butter with
wholemeal bread also provides complete protein.
The body does not need all the essential amino acids at each meal,
because it can utilize amino acids from recent meals to form complete
proteins. If you have enough protein throughout the day, there is no risk
of a deficiency.

In other words, the recommended nutrient is protein, but what we really

need is amino acids.

EVALUATION OF PROTEIN QUALITY

Protein quality can be thought of in several aspects. It can measure the

rate at which protein is absorbed into the body, or the ratio of the
amounts of nitrogen utilized by the body to the amounts excreted. It
could determine the amount of essential amino acids—those amino
acids that the body cannot produce—in the food, or how easily the
protein is digested. There are multiple methods to determine protein
quality, all of them with pros and cons.

Biological Value

The biological value, or BV, test examines nitrogen balance. This relates
to the body’s ability to digest, absorb and excrete given proteins, which
are the body’s source of nitrogen. BV testing is a lengthy and somewhat
expensive process that requires test subjects to fast for several days and
then adhere to a strict diet containing protein in only the form being
tested. Their urine and feces are tested for nitrogen levels after fasting
and while on the diet. To determine the biological value, the nitrogen
levels are compared to that of the whole food. However, both exercise
and a protein-deficient diet, or fasting, will promote nitrogen retention,
which could compromise the results.

Chemical Score

Chemical Score compares essential amino acid, or EAA, levels to measure

protein quality. The EAA profile of protein being tested is compared to a
reference protein that has been assigned a score of one hundred. The
EAA in lowest quantity relative to the reference protein is determined to
be the limiting amino acid. This limiting amino acid generally signifies the
ability of the protein to fulfill a human’s nutritional requirements,
according to "The Journal of Nutrition." However, this method does not
address digestibility.

Protein Efficiency Ratio

The protein efficiency ratio, or PER, is a somewhat outdated method,

though it is used by governments around the world. Lab rats are fed set
amounts of a protein and then measured as they grow. The amount of
weight they gain in grams is divided by the amount of protein eaten in
grams, giving a PER score. This method is beginning to come under
criticism as it does not take into account that humans need a different
amino acid profile than rats, and there are several unmeasured variables.

Protein Digestibility Corrected Amino Acid Score

The Protein Digestibility Corrected Amino Acid Score, or PDCAAS, is the

current gold standard for determining protein quality. It is used by the
Food and Agricultural Organization as well as the World Health
Organization. It refers to the quality of a protein in terms of the amino
acid requirements of two to five year old humans. Like the Chemical
Score, the PDCAAS looks at the limiting amino acid, but it also takes into
account digestive efficiency.

FUNCTIONS:

1. Growth and Maintenance

Body needs protein for growth and maintenance of tissues.Under normal

circumstances, body breaks down the same amount of protein that it
uses to build and repair tissues. Other times, it breaks down more
protein than it can create, thus increasing your body’s needs.This
typically happens in periods of illness, during pregnancy and while
breastfeeding. People recovering from an injury or surgery, older adults
and athletes require more protein as well.
2. Causes Biochemical Reactions

Enzymes are proteins that aid the thousands of biochemical reactions

that take place within and outside of your cells. The structure of
enzymes allows them to combine with other molecules inside the cell
called substrates, which catalyze reactions that are essential to your
metabolism. Enzymes may also function outside the cell, such
as digestive enzymes like lactase and sucrase, which help digest sugar.
Some enzymes require other molecules, such as vitamins or minerals, for
a reaction to take place.

Bodily functions that depend on enzymes include:

 Digestion
 Energy production
 Blood clotting
 Muscle contraction

Lack or improper function of these enzymes can result in disease.

3. Acts as a Messenger

Some proteins are hormones, which are chemical messengers that aid
communication between your cells, tissues and organs.They’re made and
secreted by endocrine tissues or glands and then transported in your
blood to their target tissues or organs where they bind to protein
receptors on the cell surface.

Hormones can be grouped into three main categories:

 Protein and peptides: These are made from chains of amino acids,
ranging from a few to several hundred.

 Steroids: These are made from the fat cholesterol. The sex hormones,
testosterone and estrogen, are steroid-based.
 Amines: These are made from the individual amino acids tryptophan
or tyrosine, which help make hormones related to sleep and
metabolism.

Protein and polypeptides make up most of your body’s hormones.

Some examples include:

 Insulin: Signals the uptake of glucose or sugar into the cell.

 Glucagon: Signals the breakdown of stored glucose in the liver.

 hGH (human growth hormone): Stimulates the growth of various
tissues, including bone.
 ADH (antidiuretic hormone): Signals the kidneys to reabsorb water.
 ACTH (adrenocorticotropic hormone): Stimulates the release of
cortisol, a key factor in metabolism.

4. Provides Structure

Some proteins are fibrous and provide cells and tissues with stiffness and
rigidity. These proteins include keratin, collagen and elastin, which help
form the connective framework of certain structures in your body.
Keratin is a structural protein that is found in your skin, hair and nails.
Collagen is the most abundant protein in your body and is the structural
protein of your bones, tendons, ligaments and skin. Elastin is several
hundred times more flexible than collagen. Its high elasticity allows many
tissues in your body to return to their original shape after stretching or
contracting, such as your uterus, lungs and arteries.

5. Maintains Proper pH

Protein plays a vital role in regulating the concentrations of acids and

bases in your blood and other bodily fluids. The balance between acids
and bases is measured using the pH scale. It ranges from 0 to 14, with 0
being the most acidic, 7 neutral and 14 the most alkaline. A constant pH
is necessary, as even a slight change in pH can be harmful or potentially
deadly. One way your body regulates pH is with proteins. An example is
hemoglobin, a protein that makes up red blood cells. Hemoglobin binds
small amounts of acid, helping to maintain the normal pH value of your
blood. The other buffer systems in your body include phosphate and
bicarbonate.

6. Balances Fluids

Proteins regulate body processes to maintain fluid balance. Albumin and

globulin are proteins in your blood that help maintain your body’s fluid
balance by attracting and retaining water. If you don’t eat enough
protein, your levels of albumin and globulin eventually decrease.
Consequently, these proteins can no longer keep blood in your blood
vessels, and the fluid is forced into the spaces between your cells. As the
fluid continues to build up in the spaces between your cells, swelling or
edema occurs, particularly in the stomach region. This is a form of
severe protein malnutrition called kwashiorkor that develops when a
person is consuming enough calories but does not consume enough
protein.

7. Improving Immune Health

Proteins help form immunoglobulins, or antibodies, to fight infection.

Antibodies are proteins in your blood that help protect your body from
harmful invaders like bacteria and viruses. When these foreign invaders
enter your cells, your body produces antibodies that tag them for
elimination. Without these antibodies, bacteria and viruses would be
free to multiply and overwhelm your body with the disease they cause.
Once your body has produced antibodies against a particular bacteria or
virus, your cells never forget how to make them. This allows the
antibodies to respond quickly the next time a particular disease agent
invades your body. As a result, your body develops immunity against the
diseases to which it is exposed.

8. Transports and Stores Nutrients

Transport proteins carry substances throughout your bloodstream —
into cells, out of cells or within cells. The substances transported by
these proteins include nutrients like vitamins or minerals, blood sugar,
cholesterol and oxygen. For example, hemoglobin is a protein that
carries oxygen from your lungs to body tissues. Glucose transporters
(GLUT) move glucose to your cells, while lipoproteins transport
cholesterol and other fats in your blood. Protein transporters are
specific, meaning they will only bind to specific substances. In other
words, a protein transporter that moves glucose will not move
cholesterol. Proteins also have storage roles. Ferritin is a storage protein
that stores iron. Another storage protein is casein, which is the principal
protein in milk that helps babies grow.

9. Provides Energy

Proteins can supply your body with energy. Protein contains four calories
per gram, the same amount of energy that carbs provide. Fats supply the
most energy, at nine calories per gram. However, the last thing body
wants to use for energy is protein since this valuable nutrient is widely
used throughout body. Carbs and fats are much better suited for
providing energy, as body maintains reserves for use as fuel. Moreover,
they’re metabolized more efficiently compared to protein. In fact,
protein supplies body with very little of its energy needs under normal
circumstances. However, in a state of fasting (18–48 hours of no food
intake), body breaks down skeletal muscle so that the amino acids can
supply with energy. Body also uses amino acids from broken-down
skeletal muscle if carbohydrate storage is low. This can occur after
exhaustive exercise or if one do not consume enough calories in general.