2024 Author: Isabella Gilson | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 03:14
Every person must adhere to certain dietary norms. You should not constantly eat fast food and ignore vegetables and fruits. Particular attention should be paid to protein foods, because the lack of amino acids in the diet brings a lot of problems for the human body.
The role of proteins
Proteins are the foundation of the cells of the human body. They not only perform a structural function, but are also enzymes or biological catalysts that speed up reactions. And with a lack of carbohydrates or fats, they serve as a source of energy. Also, antibodies and some hormones are proteins.
Each of us knows that protein molecules consist of amino acids arranged in a certain sequence. But hardly anyone remembers that they are divided into two groups: replaceable and irreplaceable.
Which amino acids are called essential?
If the human body can synthesize essential amino acids itself, then it will not work with essential amino acids. They must be ingested with food without fail, because their lack leads toto weaken memory and reduce immunity. There are eight such amino acids: isoleucine, valine, leucine, methionine, threonine, tryptophan, lysine and phenylalanine.
What foods contain essential amino acids?
We all know perfectly well that animal foods are rich in proteins: meat (lamb, beef, pork, chicken), fish (cod, pike perch), eggs, milk and various types of cheeses. But what about plant sources? Of course, legumes occupy the first place in terms of the content of essential amino acids. Here is a list of legumes:
- beans;
- lentils;
- peas;
- beans;
- soy.
Beans have been a staple of man since ancient times. And not in vain! There is no need to argue about their usefulness, because the effect of this product on the body is enormous. Legumes help cleanse the blood, strengthen hair, and improve digestion. And in terms of protein content, they are hardly inferior to meat. This family of plants is now becoming an increasingly important component in dietetics, as science already has a we alth of information on their benefits.
In an example of an ideal daily diet, legumes should be 8-10% in order for the amount of vegetable protein to be complete and provide the necessary life processes. For example, regular consumption of peas, beans or lentils normalizes blood sugar and, moreover, strengthens the immune and nervous systems.
What is an amino acid score?
To everyoneIt is known that each product has its own nutritional value. It is characterized by the quality of the proteins included in it. The quality of this important nutritional component is due to the presence of essential amino acids in it, their degradability and ratio to other, nonessential, amino acids.
In 1973, an indicator of the biological value of proteins was introduced - amino acid score (AC). Knowing the value of this indicator is very important, since it reflects the amount of protein received, more precisely amino acids, and will help calculate the amount of food that needs to be consumed so that the diet is complete and contains all eight essential amino acids. Their daily requirement is shown in the table below (g per 100 g of protein).
Amino acid |
Reliable level |
| Isoleucine | 1, 8 |
| Valine | 1, 8 |
| Leucine | 2, 5 |
| Methionine+Cystine | 2, 4 |
| Threonine | 1, 3 |
| Tryptophan | 0, 65 |
| Lysine | 2, 2 |
| Phenylalanine+Tyrosine | 2, 5 |
Thus, amino acid score is a method for determining the quality of a protein by comparing the amino acids in the test product with an "ideal" protein. An ideal protein is a hypothetical protein with a perfectly balanced amino acid composition.
If the value of this ratio is less than one, then the protein is defective. To get a completeprotein, it is necessary to combine food so that the total amount of this amino acid is approximately equal to its daily requirements.
How to calculate correctly?
To calculate the amino acid score, you need to find the mass of the total protein in 100 grams of this product, using the table of its chemical composition. Then find the content of the desired amino acid (more often it is given in mg, but we need it in g; since 1000 mg is 1 g, just divide this number by a thousand) in 100 g of the product. To calculate AC, you need to calculate this value per 100 g of protein.
You need to make a formula:
Mass of total protein per 100g food/100g protein=Amount of required amino acid per 100g food/X (amount of calculated amino acid per 100g protein food)
Having found X, we proceed to the calculation of AC. To do this, you need to divide the resulting value by the reference value of this amino acid. It is shown in the table below (g per 100 g of protein).
| Amino acid | Reference value |
| Isoleucine | 4, 0 |
| Valine | 5, 0 |
| Leucine | 7, 0 |
| Methionine+Cystine | 3, 5 |
| Threonine | 4, 0 |
| Tryptophan | 1, 0 |
| Lysine | 5, 5 |
| Phenylalanine+Tyrosine | 6, 0 |
Example: calculate AC of valine in fat kefir.
The mass of protein in 100 g of kefir is 2.8 g. The content of valine in this product is 135mg per 100g.
Therefore, according to the formula:
1) 2.8g - 0.135g;
2) 100 g - X g;
3) X=0, 135100/2, 8=4, 8g.
Divide the value obtained by the value from the table: 5.0 g / 4.8 g=0.96. If we multiply by 100, we get this figure as a percentage.
Thus, 0, 04, or 4% of valine is still missing from the required norm in comparison with its reference (needed by our body) value. This is how you can calculate the amino acid score.
Recommended:
Protein in products: the content is important, but the total amount per day is more important
Until adulthood, it is highly recommended not to keep children on a vegetarian diet, even if parents are ideological opponents of animal products. A growing body needs protein, and it is better if this protein is animal. It absorbs much more efficiently. How much protein is usually found in foods? The content is fairly accurately reflected on the labels, although not all data can be trusted
How to eat pasta: just about the most important thing
How to eat pasta is legendary among the fair sex! Lovers of a wonderful delicacy or a delicious Italian dish try not only to enhance the taste, but also, taking care of the figure, reduce its calorie content. That is why it is important to dot the "i" in the question of how to eat pasta correctly
Egg white: composition, proteins and amino acids, calories, useful properties
In this article, you will learn about the exact chemical and amino acid composition of egg white. Information will also be provided on its calorie content, beneficial properties and differences compared to the yolk
Why is it so important to know how many grams are in a teaspoon of sugar?
Every housewife, who at least once used recipes from cookbooks, faced the fact that it is quite difficult to measure the required amount of different products. Often you can find not too detailed information about how much weight or volume of a particular ingredient you need to pour, pour or place in a dish
Can lemon juice be replaced with citric acid? How to properly dilute citric acid
Quite often in culinary recipes there is an instruction to "sprinkle the dish (mainly salads) with lemon juice." Citrus fruits are generously added to pastries. The sour lemon juice makes it less cloying. It is added both to soups (for example, hodgepodge) and to drinks - tea, alcoholic and refreshing cocktails. This article is devoted to one question: is it possible to replace lemon juice with citric acid? And if so, how to introduce white crystals into the composition of the dish?
