Protein and Vegetarian Eating Flashcards

1
Q

What are the 4 course themes?

A
  1. Evidence-based and non judgemental knowledge translation/nutrition messaging
  2. Nourish your body and soul (physical and mental health)
  3. All food fits and “how” you eat is important as what you eat (whole food approach; no 1 best diet)
  4. Grace and kindness
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2
Q

What are the functions of protein?

A
  1. Structure; growth, development, repair
  2. regulatory (hormones, enzymes, acid base balance, tissue/body fluid balance)
  3. contractile (muscle contraction)
  4. immunological (antibodies)
  5. transports (lipoproteins, transporters across cell membranes)
  6. energy (4kcal/g; goal is to not use it for energy though due to all of its other functions
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3
Q

What is there to know about individual functions of AA?

A
  • Each amino acid has a specific function
  • AA classification: eg. branched chain, sulfer
    containing, acid and basic, glucogenic and ketogenic
  • Functions include: eg. neurotransmitters, muscle
    synthesis etc.
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4
Q

Proteins are very specific therefore…

A
  • if a foreign protein enters the body it is attacked
  • the body learns how to make antibodies (made of protein) to attack specific protein invaders
  • eg. allergies
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5
Q

Describe the acid base balance function of protein

A
  • blood likes to be at a certain pH
  • proteins have a negative charge on their surface
  • they attract H+ ions to decrease blood acididty (e.g. thus they act as bufferes)
  • they release H+ into blood if its alkaline
  • extremes; acidosis or alkalosis; denatures protein and this it cannot functions e.g. hemoglobin cannot carry O2
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6
Q

What is the amino acid structure?

A
  • carbon + amine group (with nitrogen) + carboxyl acid + variable side chain
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7
Q

What are essential amino acids?

A
  • we have 20 AA; 9 of these are essential
  • these 20 AA, in various combonations, make all the body’s proteins
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8
Q

What are conditional or dispensible AA?

A
  • the body can make these AA out of other AA
  • conditional means that a certain AA depends on another essential AA for it to be made
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9
Q

What is the primary protein structure?

A
  • amino acid chain; AA put together in a peptide chain with peptide bonds
  • dipeptide, polypeptide > 10 AA
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10
Q

What is the secondary protein structure?

A
  • AA chain is now coiled
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11
Q

What is the tertiary protein structure?

A
  • coiled chain is now all tangled up
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12
Q

What is the quaternary protein structure?

A
  • two or more tertiary polypeptides mixed together eg. hemoglobin
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13
Q

Briefly describe protein synthesis

A
  • recipe comes from the “chef” = DNA
  • sends recipe mRNA who makes copies (transcription); takes it to the cooks’ assembly line = ribosomes, where the protein is made
  • tRNA gets the “ingredients” = the AA from AA pool
  • adds them, in order, and in a certain amount to make the final protein
  • the sequence f AA determines the shape which supports a certain protein function
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14
Q

What is there to know about a limiting amino acid?

A
  • if protein synthesis is under way and the code (recipe) calls for a certain AA and it is not available then protein synthesis stops
  • once the missing AA is found (e.g. eaten or from breakdown of other body protein) then synthesis can continue
  • the missing AA is called the limiting AA as it limits (stops) protein synthesis
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15
Q

We digest protein and AAs absorbed into the blood; our “AA pool” and go to be used for…

A
  • used to build new proteins, hormones, enzymes etc.
  • converted to other nitrogen containing compounds
  • make non essential AA by transamination
  • converted to glucose to use as fuel (gluconeogenesis)
  • converted to triglycerides and stored in adipose
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16
Q

What is there to know about protein breakdown?

A
  • protein in your bodu is always breaking down (turnover) in the liver; catabolism and being recycled into new proteins
  • body does not store protein as it does fat and glycogen
  • AA in the pool are used, turned over, stored, and excreted rather quickly
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17
Q

What is the dietary protein intake recommendation?

A

AMDR = 10-35%
Typically indicate 10-20%
- 2-3 servings of meats/a;ternatives.day
- 2 servings of dairy and alternatives
- some whole grains
- 1-1.2 protein/kg body weight
- athletes need 1.2-2 g/kg
- 1/4 of your plate protein foods
- up to 2x requirements is considered safe

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18
Q

Who might need more protein?

A
  • pregnant women
  • training athletes
  • growing kids
  • sick or trauma patients
  • lower calorie diets (need 15% more) and vegetarians (need 10% more)
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19
Q

Why do certain people needs higher amounts of protein?

A

higher use of protein
nitrogen taken in > nitrogen excreted

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20
Q

what are the protein energy malnutritions?

A

kwashiorkor: protein is lacking
marasmus: overall energy and nutrients lacking

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21
Q

What can happen from too much protein?

A
  • possible lead to higher intake of saturated fats and cholesterol if intake is from animal fats thus increased CVD and cancer risk
  • kidney issues
  • bone health (increased urinary losses of calcium with increased protein intake offset bu benefits of protein to bone)
    -dehydration (protein takes 7x more water to digest and metabolize)
  • lack of other nutrients
22
Q

What potential health issues can happen with too much protein?

A
  • heart disease: higher sat. fat & homocystein
  • osteroporosis; Ca++ drawn from bone due to high protein (or not enough Ca++)
  • environmental/sustainability issues if high animal based intake
  • cancer: link mostly with processed meats; high intake
  • weight control: unbalanced diet and loss of water
  • kidney disease: increases work of kidney so it can accelerate deterioration
23
Q

What is the Ca++/protein ration?

A

20 mg: 1 g

24
Q

Physiologically, what happens when we consume too much protein?

A
  • to deal with excess protein, we need to break AAs down by deamination (removing the nitrogen) wwhich makes ammonia and keto acids
  • ketos can be used for energy, and to make glucose, ketones, cholesterol, fat and carbon skeletons for non essential AA (transamination)
  • ammonia + keto = nonessential AA (made in liver)
  • ammonia is toxic so it combines with CO2 to make urea (less toxic)
  • max rate of production by liver is 250 g
  • so it foo much protein then the body cannot metabolize all the ammonia
  • ureas goes into the blood then to kidneys for filtering and makes urine
  • needs water to excrete urea (this is where the dhydration comes in and thus “weight loss”)
25
Q

Liver disease; blood _____ high

A

ammonia

26
Q

Kidney disease; blood ______ high

A

urea

27
Q

How is protein quality determined?

A

by # number of essential AA and absorption

28
Q

What is there to know about the quality of animal protein foods?

A
  • easiest to digest and absorb (90% protein quality scale)
  • all sources have all essential AA
  • complete proteins
  • absorption of any protein improves if eaten with CHO, fats, fish and meat & cooking in moist heat
29
Q

What is there to know about the quality of plant protein foods?

A
  • legumes next best (80%)
  • other plant sources (60-90%)
  • not all AA
  • incomplete proteins
  • most complement protein sources to get all AA
    e.g. combine 2 of grains, legumes, nuts and seeds
  • vegans need 10% more protein intake bc of poorer protein quality
30
Q

Name some complete and incomplete proteins

A

complete: milk, eggs, beef, cheese, yogurt
incomplete: vegetables, fruits, oats, bread, rice

31
Q

What is deamination?

A

Deamination of amino acids is the process of removing an amino group from an amino acid molecule, converting it to ammonia

32
Q

What is transamination

A

the transfer of an amino group from one molecule to another, especially from an amino acid to a keto acid.

33
Q

Define Nitrogen balance and give an example of who might be in positive or negative N
balance

A
  • Nitrogen balance is the difference between the amount of nitrogen a person ingests and the amount they excrete. It’s a way to measure protein requirements and determine if someone’s body is retaining or losing nitrogen:
  • Positive nitrogen balance: When the body retains nitrogen, which can happen during growth, pregnancy, tissue repair, or when someone increases their protein intake. Young children with a proper protein diet are often in positive nitrogen balance.
  • Negative nitrogen balance: When the body loses nitrogen, which can happen during illness, injury, fasting, or when someone is malnourished. A severely ill person is likely to have a negative nitrogen balance.
34
Q

What is protein denaturation?

A

Denaturation implies the destruction of the tertiary structure of a protein molecule and the formation of random polypeptide chains. Denaturation of proteins is one of the phenomenons that results in the disturbance of stability and structure of the protein

35
Q

What are the types of vegetarian diets?

A

*Vegan
*Lacto
*Ovo
*Pescitarian
*semi

36
Q

What are the pros and cons of vegetarian diets?

A

Pros: Lower risk of heart disease, hypertension, type 2 diabetes, and obesity
High intake of fruits, vegetables, fiber, and antioxidants
Cons: Potential nutrient deficiencies (protein, iron, vitamin B12, zinc, calcium, omega-3 fatty acids)
Requires careful meal planning

37
Q

Which food groups are included in a vegetarian food guide?

A

Food Guide Food Groups:
Fruits and Vegetables
Grains (whole grains preferred)
Plant-based Protein (e.g., beans, lentils, tofu, nuts, seeds)
Dairy or Fortified Alternatives (optional in some vegetarian diets)

38
Q

Which nutrients are at risk of inadequate intake in a vegetarian diet?

A

Nutrients at Risk:
Protein
Iron
Vitamin B12
Zinc
Calcium
Omega-3 Fatty Acids

39
Q

Solutions for Nutrients at Risk in a Vegetarian Diet

A

Protein: Include beans, lentils, tofu, tempeh, quinoa, nuts; pair incomplete proteins.
Iron: Eat legumes, spinach, fortified cereals; pair with vitamin C for absorption.
Vitamin B12: Use fortified foods (plant milks, nutritional yeast) or supplements.
Zinc: Eat legumes, seeds, nuts; soak/sprout grains to improve absorption.
Calcium: Consume fortified plant milks, tofu, leafy greens, almonds, sesame seeds.
Omega-3s: Add chia, flax, walnuts; consider algae-based DHA/EPA supplements.

40
Q

What is there to know about AA supplements?

A

complete protein supplements are an option if someone low in protein or as just another source of
protein, but supplementing with only some AA not recommended as they compete for
absorption so then one would be low on other AA that may be needed for protein synthesis – food first approach!
- denaturation

41
Q

What are the milk proteins?

A

Whey protein (fast absorbing)
caseine (slow absorbing)

42
Q

Myth: Athletes need more protein to build muscle
Why is this not true?

A
  • No matter what type of athlete one is, or how competitive; adequate protein can be met with the usual recommendations of 1 – 2 g/kg body weight per day.
  • Timing of intake around training is key esp. for recovery
  • Recreational athletes need lower end of range; endurance athletes need mid range; and strength and ultra-endurance athletes need higher end of range
  • Long and ultra-endurance use some protein as energy
43
Q

What is ketogenic diet?

A

5-15% CHO; <50 g /day

44
Q

How does very low CHO = ketogenic?

A

lower CHO intake = lower insulin = lower lipolysis = lower FFA = ketone production

45
Q

Ketone bodies are produced by the liver when…

A

CHO availability is low and FFA availability is high

46
Q

What are high fat diets?

A

the keto diet and paleo

47
Q

Are there negative blood lipid level impacts with a keto diet?

A

No

48
Q

Who is the keto diet shown to be good for?

A
  • good for people with type II diabetes bc they are not good at metabolizing carbs after they consume it so keto diet is useful for lowering average blood glucose levels in the short term; can also help reduce body weight and help manage heart disease risk factors such as raised cholesterol and raised blood pressure
49
Q

What is important to keep in mind when participating in the keto diet?

A

don’t know long term impacts yet; should be monitored/followed by medical professional; not
recommended for everyone

50
Q

What is there to know about diets and weight loss regarding the keto diet?

A
  • although insulin (or hyperinsulinemia) is important for body fat regulation, achieving negative energy balance is still important for weight loss
  • any diet that can promote, and sustain negative energy balance can be effective
  • there is no one size fits all or best weight loss diet but very low-carbohydrate approaches can be helpful for achieving and sustaining negative energy balance
51
Q

What other conditions can be impacted by a ketogenic diet?

A

epilepsy, dementia, cancer