Protein

Question 1

What are protein molecules made up of?

Answer 1

Protein molecules are very large and are made up of building blocks called amino acids (of which there are at least 20)

Question 2

HBV proteins

Answer 2

proteins containing all 10 essential amino acids

Question 3

LBV protein

Answer 3

proteins missing one or more essential amino acids

Question 4

Protein complementation

Answer 4

Protein complementation is eating two of more LBV proteins to give you all the essential amino acids e.g. beans on toast, lentil soup and bread, rice and peas, etc

Question 5

Amino acids

Answer 5

the ‘building blocks’ that join together (by chemical bonds) to make protein molecules

Question 6

Essential amino acids

Answer 6

amino acids that the body cannot make by itself and we must get from the food we eat

Question 7

biological value

Answer 7

the number of essential amino acids that a protein food contains

Question 8

Functions of protein

Answer 8

• Body growth - children are growing and need more essential amino acids
• Repair of the body when it is injured
• Giving the body energy - the body will use protein for energy if it does not have enough from carbohydrates and fats
• Making other essential things such as hormones (to make you grow), enzymes (to digest your food), antibodies (to help fight infections), etc
• Needed by plants and animals

Question 9

Sources of HBV protein

Answer 9

meat, poultry, fish, eggs, milk, cheese, yoghurt, quark, soya, beans, quinoa

Question 10

Sources of LBV protein

Answer 10

beans, peas, lentils, cereals (rice, wheat, oats, barley, rye, millet, sorghum), cereal products (bread, pasta, etc), nuts, seeds, gelatine

Question 11

Protein alternatives

Answer 11

tofu, tempeh, textured vegetable protein, quorn

Question 12

What does a deficiency of protein mean?

Answer 12

• Children do not grow properly - cant grow without the right amount of protein
• Hair loss - hair is not essential so the body will stop growing it
• Poor skin and nails - skin and nials contain protein so will weaken without enough protein
• Infections - the immune system needs protein to stop infections
• Poor digestion of food - the digestive system will not work properly

Question 13

What does excess protein cause?

Answer 13

• Excess stored as fat
• Weight gain - obesity
• Puts a strain on the liver and kidneys