PROTEINS: The Body Building Foods

Protein in the diet is a measure of adequacy & quality of the diet. Proteins are broken down into amino acids and absorbed as such & these amino acids derived from dietary proteins are used by the body to synthesize proteins needed for various body functions like tissue building, replacement of depleted proteins & synthesis of functional molecules like enzymes, hormones and anti-bodies.

Mathematically, 1g of protein=» 4.2 KCal=» 16.8 KJ
 

* Meat, fish, eggs, pulses, soybean ( contains unto 40% protein), oil seeds, nuts, defattened oilseed cakes, and milk.

* Unconventional protein sources are – leaf proteins, SCP i.e. single cell protein.

* There are 19 amino acids. There are 9 “essential amino acids” as they cannot be synthesized in the body and 10 “non-essential amino acids”.

* Egg protein and human milk protein are considered as high quality proteins & serve as reference proteins.

* The adult requirement of egg protein is 0.7g per kg while requirement of mixed vegetable protein is 1.0g per kg.