A Basic Discussion Of Protein Formulation

By Joanna Walsh


The human body is made up of different types of substances, each of which performs a specific function in the overall health of the person. Some substances are used as sources of energy, while others are facilitating chemicals, such as enzymes, which initiate other reactions. The basic structural units, on the other hand, are the proteins, which are used to construct or repair the tissue itself. Staying healthy and keeping one's metabolism optimal is related to protein formulation.

A protein is not a basic or simple chemical entity. This means that it does not have a simple molecular structure. Rather, it comprises smaller, secondary construction units known as amino acids. There are more than 20 aminos, and they are arranged into various formulas or combinations in the synthesis of proteins. No two have the same formulation.

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.

Aminos have scientific names, such as taurine, arginine, or lysine. The human body needs certain aminos on a regular basis. They are essential to sound health. The question that arises is then as to which foods contain these acids, and in what concentrations.

In trying to obtain a suitable source, people may turn to meat, or the flesh of animals and sea creatures. Such sources are what is known as complete, i. E. They contain all the essential amino acids. These are also available in eggs (in the white or albumen) and milk. Fish is one source that is particularly useful in terms of its concentration.

Other sources are not so reliable, or even viable. It is not so simple to use plants as a source because no plant, except for soya, is a complete source to the human body. It then becomes necessary to combine different plants, such as beans and wheat (baked beans on toast). Even so, the question of concentration arises - how much of a plant source would one need to consume to match the quantity in animal sources? In this respect, also, only soya is comparable to meat.

Another approach, namely to try to isolate or consume more of certain identified aminos, is not advisable either. The body does not use the consumed protein directly, but first breaks it down into its basic acids and then uses the latter to construct its own human building blocks. This requires that all of the necessary amino acids are available to the body. The absence of even one of them makes the synthesis of the human protein impossible and makes the protein source useless. That source is therefore not a complete protein, and anyone who tries to use it for that purpose is going to develop symptoms associated with an inadequate protein supply.




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