PROTEIN NOTES
Name:_________________________________________
Hour:________
Protein is a complex nutrient essential to many important functions in the body.
Protein needs can be met by eating a variety of food sources.
1. What four chemical elements are found in protein?
a.
b.
c.
d.
2. What are the building blocks of protein? How many are there (needed by the human body)?
3. What is denaturation?
4. What are the two types of amino acids? Describe them and tell how many there are of each.
5. List the 6 functions of protein in the body:
a.
a.
b.
b.
c.
c.
6. What is the recommended daily allowance (RDA) of protein for an adolescent?
7. Using the equation and example, figure out how much protein you should get: (you may use your cell
phone as a calculator)
8. Do athletes need more protein than non-athletes? Explain.
9. Proteins in the diet can be provided from both ______________ and _______________ sources.
10.
List 2 factors that influence peoples protein choices: ___________________________________
11.
List 3 animal and 3 plant sources of protein:
12.
Comparing protein sources – fill in the chart:
White Beans
4 ounces
116 calories
112 mg cholesterol
Low in saturated fat
0 g fiber
13. What are the seven types of vegetarianism? Draw pictures or use words to describe what each type is.
14. What are complete proteins?
15. What are incomplete proteins?
16. What are complementary proteins? List foods you can put together to make complete proteins:
17. ____________________ is a form of PEM, a protein deficiency disease.
18. True or False: Most people in the U.S. are guilty of excess protein in the diet.
• Women eat almost ___________ times the RDA
• Men eat nearly ______________ the RDA
18. What happens when the body receives excessive amounts of protein?
KEY
1. What four chemical elements are found on Protein?
-carbon
- hydrogen
- oxygen
- nitrogen
2. What is denaturation?
The protein we consume can be altered and changed but can never return to its initial form . This is called
denaturation. This can be seen when you add heat to an egg (it changes from a runny fluid to a solid mass). The
shapes of the protein molecules in these foods have changed.
3. What are the two types of amino acids the body can produce? Define them.
Types of Amino Acids:
•
Dispensable Amino Acids: Your body can produce these
on its own.
• Your body can synthesize 11 of the amino acids from the other amino acids
•
Indispensable Amino Acids: The remaining 9 amino acids must come from your diet – also called
essential amino acids
• You need all the amino acids to make the proteins your body needs for good health!
4. List three reasons protein is needed by the body:
-For energy
-To build and repair body tissues
-To help maintain body tissues
5. What is the recommended daily allowance (RDA) for protein of an adolescent?
RDA is 52 grams/day for 14-18 year old males, 46 g/day for females
6. What happens when the body receives excessive amounts of protein?
-Liver/Kidney problems
-Calcium Loss
-Excess body fat
7. About how much excessive protein are males and females getting in the US?
Most people in the U.S. are guilty of excess Proteins in the diet
-Women eat almost 1 1⁄2 times the RDA
-Men eat nearly twice the RDA
-This may be from lack of education about protein needs
8. What are incomplete proteins?
• Missing or short in one or more of the indispensable Amino Acids.
• Plant Sources
• Lower Quality
9. What are complete proteins?
• Meat, Poultry, & Fish (Animal Sources)
• Very high
• All Indispensable Amino Acids are present
10. What are some ways to limit fats when choosing protein sources?
Chose complete protein sources that have lower fats, or stick to the recommended daily allowance
11. What are the seven types of vegetarianism?
• VEGANS- (or strict vegetarians) eat no foods from animal sources. Diet limited to foods from plant sources.
• FRUITARIANS- eat vegan diets based on fruits, nuts, and seeds, vegetables, grains, beans; animal products
are excluded.
• LACTO-VEGETARIANS- eat animal protein by milk, cheese, and other dairy products. They do not eat
meat, fish, poultry, or eggs.
• OVO-VEGETARIANS-eat eggs. but do not eat meat or dairy products (“ovo” = latin for egg)
• LACTO-OVO VEGETARIANS- eat animal protein from dairy products and eggs. Do not eat meat, fish, or
poultry.
• PESCETARIANS- eat vegetables, fruits, nuts, beans, and fish/seafood, but reject animal or poultry products.
• SEMI VEGETARIANS- or partial vegetarians, eat dairy products, eggs, poultry, seafood. Eat little to no red
meat.