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The Chemistry of Nutrition
So, What is in all that food?
On a chemical leved, food is composed of water, micronutrients (vitamins and minerals), and three different types of macronutrients, or basic nutrients, which includes protiens, lipids, and carboyhdrates.
Before nutrients can be absorbed into the blood stream, the macromolecules that make up food have to be reduced to more simple and smaller compounds by being enzymatically ripped apart. This process is called HYDROLYSIS, or the breaking of a chemical bond by adding water molecules. From hydrolysis, proteins, lipids, and carbohydrates are formed.
Hydrolysis is a chemical reaction in which a molecule is cleaved into two parts by the addition of a water molecules, forming OH- and H+ with the parent molecule. Hydrolysis is important for energy metabolism and storage. When nutrients are oxidized, they are used to form ATP. ATP, a form of phosphate chains, is hydrolysized by removing phosphates and therefore creating alternate forms of engergy such as ADP and AMP. These reactions take place due to a catalysis of enzyme. The catalytic action of enzymes allow for the hydrolysis of protieins, lipids, and carbs.
Proteins are the most complex of the three basic nutrients. They consist of very large molecules of hydrogen, carbon, oxygen, and nitrogen. The nitrogen atoms are contained in structures called amino groups.When connected to a carboxylic acid, an amino acid is formed. Proteins are made of long chains of amino acids, held together by peptide bonds. The amino acids in proteins are vital in helping to build the body and hormones and for cell repair. Proteins must be reduced to a single amino acid cell before they can be absorbed into the blood stream Enzymes that aid in reducing proteins to amino acids are called proteases. Some amino acids can not be synthesized by the body and must be supplemented through diet. These are called the essential amino acid.s
Proteins
Hydrolysis
Carbohydrates are surgar compounds that plats make during photosynthesis. Carbs come in three forms: simple carbs, complex carbs, and dietary fiber. Simple carbohydrates only have one or two units of sugar. Carbs with one unit of sugar are known as a simple sugar or monosacharide, and such compounds are glucose and fructose. Complex carbohydrates are known as polysaccharides and can contain from three to three billion units of sugar. Because comples carbs have so many units of sugar, they take much longer to digest them compared to simple carbs. Dietary fiber is also a polysaccharide. The main difference is that the bonds that hold the units of sugar together in dietary fiber can be broken by human digestive enzymes. The main purpose of carbohydrates is to provide energy to the body. Our bodies run on glucose, a simple carbohydrate. Inside the cell, glucose is burned to produce heat and ATP.
Lipids are the chemical families to which fats and cholesterol belong. With the exception of cholesterol, fats are extremely high-energy, and gram for gram have more than twice the amount of energy than protiens and carbs. The body uses dietary fat to create biochemicals, such as hormones and bile. Although fat has more energy that any other source in the body, it is much more difficult to pull hte enrougy out of it due its long and complex chains that resemble multiple shapes. Fats consist of organic compounds made of carbon, oxygen, and hydrogen The first piece of a fatty acid is a methyl group. To complete the acid, additional carbon and hydrogen molecules are added, and to the end, a group with one carbon, two oxygen, and one hydregen atom is added. Chains that have a hydrogen at every available carbon molecule is called a saturated fatty acid. A monounsaturated fatty acid drops two hydrogen atoms and forms a double bond between carbon atoms. A polyunsaturated fatty acid drops mulitple hydrogen to form double bonds between several carbon atoms. Hydrogen can also be added to these fatty acids. When this occurs, scientists call these acids trans fatty acids, acids that are notorious for clogging arteries and raising cholesterol levels. Although necessary in a healthy diet, one should not consume fat in any sort of excess.
Fats
the simplest form of a protein
various fatty acids
polyunsaturated fatty acid
common carbohydrates
Carbohydrates
Minerals are elements and are inorganic. Minerals occurn naturally in rocks and metal ore. Minerals strengthen the body and allow vital functions to be performed. Calcium, phosphorous, magnesium, sulfur, sodium, potassium, and chloride are all considered minerals essential for human life. Vitamins are organic molecules that occur naturally in living organisms. Vitamins bring about the chemical reactions within our bodies that are necessary for life.. The body needs at leats 11 vitamins in order to stay healthy, which include vitamin A, D, E, K, C, and multiple B vitamins. Each of these vitamins cause a reation to happen within the body. The two types of vitamins are fat-soluble and water-soluble. Fat-soluble vitamins are dissolved in fat and stored in fatty tissue. These vitamins are A, D, E, and K. Water-soluble vitamins include C and all the B vitamins. Vitamins and minerals are essential in keeping a functioning body.
Vitamins & Minerals
The body is made up of 50 to 70 percent water. Water is the one thing our bodies can not live without, as it is water that truly allows organs to perform their jobs. Water is a solvent , meaning it dissolves food and allows for nutrients to dissolve and pass into the bloodstream. Water also carries waste products out of the body, and provides a space for biochemical reacations such as metabloism to take place. Water is the supporter of all life forms and is necessary in nutrition.
Water
Oh.... So that is what food really is....
