Thursday, April 16, 2015

By Joanna Walsh


The tissue of the human body consists of various components. Each of these has a specific function in the metabolism of the body. There are substances that provide energy, chemicals such as enzymes which enable other processes to take place, and then there are the primary building blocks of which the actual tissue consists. The latter are known as proteins, and protein formulation is important in understanding how the body functions and in maintaining good health.

They are complex molecules. This means that they themselves consist of smaller constituent molecules, namely amino acids. In nature, there are approximately 20 aminos, which are synthesized by plants and animals into different combinations to form the molecules that they need. Each one therefore has a unique formula of constituent amino acids.

It may therefore occur that two of them are markedly similar in their composition, and yet are markedly different in their nature or function in the body. Some are poisons, while others are merely construction material in the muscles, or have some other function in the metabolism.

The term is associated with meat, and is one of its main components. However, the term has a much large application to many more substances, many of which may be named in layperson's language as something else entirely (such as poisons). The main factor to take note of here is that every one contains its own unique combination of amino acids.

There are certain aminos that the human body needs a regular supply of. It is impossible to stay healthy without them. It is therefore necessary to determine which foodstuffs provide these acids, and to what extent. Some of their names may be familiar, such as arginine, lysine, or taurine.

A commonly known source of amino acids is the muscle tissue of animals, or meat. Meat is important because it offers a complete source, that is to say, it provides all of the necessary acids. So do eggs (in their albumen of whites), milk, and fish. Fish is a dense source and is advisable.

Turning to alternative sources, the matter becomes more tricky. The only complete plant source is soya. No other plant contains all the amino acids required by the human body. However, some plants may be able to provide them all in combination, such as wheat and beans (as an example, baked beans and toast is a complete source). But this is not satisfactory, since the concentration in plant sources is extremely low and cannot supply the human body adequately (once again, soya is an exception to this rule).

Attempting to emphasise isolated aminos in the diets is not sensible, either. During digestion, the body deconstructs consumed protein to leave the basic amino acids, and the tissues of the body then reconstitute them into the necessary human proteins. If even one or two required aminos are not present (such as in a plant source), the body cannot manufacture the proteins that it needs. The plant is thus not able to provide for the protein requirements of the body, and the person trying to depend on it will experience a protein deficiency.




About the Author:



0 commentaires:

Post a Comment